Forever Tied.

8.

Then, like any other day, she sat on the bus riding home reading a book and wishing that she could experience everything life had to offer off of a page full of words that would never come true.

Elijah's identity was kept secret from the girls. She couldn't handle their questions about him.

A message popped up on her phone from an unknown number just before she entered her house.

You can't get rid of me. I will find you.

She didn't have to guess who it was because she knew. There was only one person who would send Rosie messages like this.

Her stepfather.

As she closed her eyes, she took a deep breath. One of her strengths was lying and pretending. For a little while, she had to keep her face straight, and then she would deal with it.

Cora and Spencer watched Disney movies with Rosie for the rest of the night. At a party, Anne was with a boyfriend, and Serena was with some friends.

Cora left after a while to go to her girlfriend and stayed there indefinitely.

Spencer asked as she watched TV, "Can you imagine what it would be like if we had what those people have in books?". The movie Beauty and the Beast was playing.

Rosie remarked, "It is almost unreal to find that sort of love let alone imagine it" as she watched Belle being swept around a ballroom with the love of her life.

Spencer confessed, "I still love Vann," and Rosie sat up straight.

Many people are unaware that Spencer and Vann had been together before Talia came along. Both of them loved each other, but one loved the other more than the other.

Rosie replied, "I know." Spencer embraced her and laid her head on her chest without hesitation.

Her head rested on Spencer's head as she hugged her back.

"I tried to let go but every time I do, I feel like I'm drowning and I'm never coming back to shore"

"You know Spence holding on does a lot more damage than letting go," Rosie told Spencer and her words were true. Nobody knew that better than Rosie.

Initially, Rosie didn't answer Spencer's question, "Are you over him?". No answer came to her.

"We get there when we get there" Rosie avoided Spencer's question. Too ashamed to answer, she didn't know how to respond.

And she couldn't let go either. Elijah said harsh words, but she kept coming back.

She felt alive and happy when he was around. The mood of Elijah changed instantly without him having to try.

Elijah made life more bearable. Rosie buried her thoughts deep inside her mind and went to bed. In knowing that whatever lay ahead would find her, she slept peacefully.

The next day, she went to work like any other day. Occasionally, Rosie would drop by Elijah's office, but she would not stay long.

Her fear was that she might snap at him and ask him why he was so cold toward her and what she had done to make it happen. When Talia showed up with gifts for Elijah, her day turned sour.

"He's not in the mood," Rosie said as she turned towards Talia with an annoyed look on her face. "Please leave them on my desk and I'll make sure he gets them."

A furious Talia slammed her hands on Rosie's desk and cried, "I want to see him now!". She acts like a child who throws a tantrum when she doesn't get what she wants.

"Mr. Blackwell is busy, please stop by later."

"Rosie," she exclaimed.

Rosie yelled at Talia, "Leave before I call security." Her eyebrows arched. Talia was surprised, and Rosie has never seen that before.

With a tone that spoke of nothing but trouble for Rosie, Talia asked, "You'll what?"

She looked mad as if she wasn't about to cause a scene. On the other hand, Rosie meant what she said about not allowing Talia to control her emotions.

Forgiving those who aren't deserving was no longer an option.

"You heard me"

When Talia asked Rosie, "You know, don't you?", she did not reply.

Rosie knew this would cause trouble for her. Talia has always viewed her as competition.

Talia whispered, "I figured the new profound you couldn't have been a coincidence" but Rosie heard her.

Rosie answered, "Elijah has nothing to do with it", but Talia did not seem to believe her. Truly, she was just tired of being treated like she wasn't human.

If Rosie told Talia that her life was more than high school boyfriends and that it was actually hard, she would stop torturing her, but she didn't want to be seen as a victim.

"Talia," Elijah said behind her, and Rosie locked eyes with him before breaking the stare.

Whenever she looked at something else, she knew he was still watching her.

He would like to do that.

He would always say that if anything were to happen to his eyes, he would take their last romantic moment and hold it close to his heart while deeply soaking in the last image of her knowing that the last beautiful thing he saw was her.

It was in his nature to be poetic.

Rosie left so they could talk. Besides, she wasn't interested in being a third wheel. Eventually, Talia appeared in Rosie's view and she wasn't pleased.

The tears that had been wiped from Talia's face were evident to Rosie. Elijah's words hurt Talia a lot because Talia rarely cries. He had a knack for making the woman in his life cry.

As Talia walked towards Rosie, she asked, "Are you okay?". Rosie still loved Talia despite all her evil.

"Stop acting like you're so innocent Rosie, you're not!" Talia exclaimed as Rosie looked down. She was about to be yelled at.

"Why am I always second to you! A nobody!" Talia screamed, and Rosie felt hurt at that moment.

Rosie asked, "Do you know how much pain you caused me by asking me to do that for you?"

Talia had asked her many questions, but one question still stays in her mind.

Talia apologized, "I assumed you'd be fine with it!" she responded, recalling the past. Talia loves to make assumptions.

"You asked me to set you up with my ex-boyfriend and you assumed I'd be okay with it?" Rosie sighs and raises her hands in frustration.

"I had been in love with him since first grade until you came along and snatched him away from me!" Snapped Talia.

"I didn't know that, and we weren't best friends then, but you took advantage of it and made me feel like a terrible friend if I didn't do it for you and when I did you blamed me when he didn't want you! Not to mention that all the things that happened back then were your fault, you chose Vann" Rosie replied.

Rosie shouted before walking back to her desk, "Stop acting like you are the victim because you're not!"

She was completely right. Talia acted selfishly and didn't care about anyone but herself. Rosie was convinced that Talia's only reason for becoming friends with her was to use her to get to Elijah.

As it turned out, Elijah did not like either of them.