Forever Tied.

9.

In shock, Serena asked, "He's what?". Finally, Rosie revealed who Elijah was.

While she considered whether or not coming clean would be the right thing for her, now she was certain it would be.

She had been desperate to speak to someone. In their pajamas, they were all spread out on the carpet in the living room.

They didn't need to worry, Rosie told them. "I know it's a surprise, but I'm handling it well." That was all that they did these days. Worry.

Cora asked Rosie, "Are you ok with it?" Rosie said yes.

Rosie loved him too much not to. The only thing that mattered to her was that she felt safe with him.

Rosie's eyes widened in shock as Anne said, "I am surprised because you've been blaming Cora for everything for the past seven years.". There are some things that aren't meant to be said.

"You blamed me?" Cora asked with a shocked look on her face.

Annie glanced at her guiltily. She didn't mean to say it, it just came out.

"I'm sorry, Cora," Rosie confessed, shaking her head. She wished she could take it all back. Cora is the reason Elijah and Rosie started dating in the first place.

Cora had asked Rosie who she liked seven years ago. Rosie pointed at Elijah with whom she'd been in love for 8 months, and since Rosie was new by then, students watched her.

The students forced him to ask her out, and he eventually did. Her impression was that he liked her, but it was just a show. It was all a lie.

Rosie needed to find someone to blame other than herself, and she knew Cora was the wrong person to blame.

Cora said, "You probably don't see it, but it's a big deal to me," and Rosie noticed tears accumulating in her eyes.

This made Rosie feel sick to her stomach. This was the first time she had made Cora cry.

"Cora-" Rosie began.

Cora muttered, "You must have really hated me," and Rosie closed her eyes for a moment to absorb the words.

As much as she tried, she didn't want to recall how many times she hated Cora for all the pain she caused her. Rosie was a good person but a terrible friend.

"I'm so sorry Cora, I had to hate someone and I didn't mean to drag this out as long as I did. Things weren't good in my life, and I needed to hate someone other than myself." Rosie stuttered in her voice.

She wiped her tears away.

"I'm sorry, but I can't be around you right now," Cora declared standing up as Rosie did the same.

Knowing it was out of their hands, the girls remained silent. Cora had every right to be angry or hurt.

In reply, Rosie said, "Please, don't go! I'll go," and even though she had no idea where she was going, she left nevertheless.

Her main reason for not taking anything with her was fear that Cora might storm out of the house before Rosie had a chance to get her things out.

For a moment, she contemplated giving up and going back home to her family, but sometimes, family can seem far away, even if they are only a phone call away.

In a dark and lonely tunnel, Rosie dwelt as she watched cars drive by with their lights shining brightly and roaring engines.

She wondered how long it would take for her to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Walking felt like years but still, she didn't know that the tunnel would be this dark and she didn't know it would be this lonely.

Rosie collapsed to the cold ground and cried, "How much longer must I go?". She hugged her knees feeling paralyzed.

She wanted to move but she was just so tired of everything and she didn't want to be. There was a point in her life when she only remained alive because of the people she loved.

How long before life just cuts her down completely? After catching her breath, she got up and walked.

Eventually, her legs took her somewhere as if they had a mind of their own.

As she looked around her, she saw people laughing at her. It had just dawned on her that she was in her pajamas. "I don't care what they think," she said.

Elijah asked her from behind, "Rose? What are you doing here?" She turned around and faced him.

Elijah had just come from lunch with another executive. His clothes were a simple turtle neck shirt and jeans.

As Rosie smiled at his casual manner, she thought back to a time when they had been more than nothing.

"I have nowhere to go so I'll keep walking until I can't anymore," Rosie replied and continued walking.

She would hope that, if she collapsed, she would stay unconscious so that she would not wake up every morning and realize what a terrible friend she was.

Talia was right about her.

Rosie stopped dead in her tracks at Elijah's question, "Are you going to run away all your life?"

Due to the relevance of his question, she pondered how to respond to him. After all, he was right.

Rosie always took the easy way out.

Seeing a small smile on Elijah's face at the corner of her eye, Rosie asked, "What do you care?"

He replied, "It's pathetic"

Is Elijah willing to have a debate on who is more pathetic, as Rosie would gladly abide.

"I am pathetic? You display no...emotion whatsoever so how can you possibly imagine what pathetic looks like on me?!" Rosie yelled while Elijah ignored her.

"It's pathetic that I do care" He replied.

"What?-"

He gripped her arm gently and pulled her to the car, saying, "Come with me"

Much to her surprise, she did go with him despite every fiber in her being telling her not to but...

the heart wants what it wants.