A Rose and A Phantom (Descendants of Classics Book 1)

Chapter 20: Help and Love Realized

Author's Note/Chapter Disclaimer:

Hi guys! I know I haven't done one of these for this book before now, but I thought it would only be right if I did one for this chapter due to the contents. This chapter will include emotional moments that may offend some of my readers. This chapter includes a character that contemplates self-harm. I in no way shape or form condone the act of self-harm or another form of inflicting harm upon oneself. I just want you guys to all know that I have personally gone through this and made the executive decision to address this issue. I encourage everyone that goes through a dark time to seek help. If I offend you with this chapter, I sincerely apologize for any offense. I am just trying to make this story as realistic as possible, along with making this story as relatable as possible. Thank you for taking the time to read this note and this book. It means a lot to me that you have chosen to keep reading this up until this point.

Chapter 20:
Help and Love Realized

Derik had watched Rosabella sink herself deeper into her self inflicted isolation and could bear it no longer. He had to do something to keep her from sinking deeper into the darkness that he knew was coming for her. He himself had visited that dark place many times before. Each visit was worse than the last. It wasn't until he met Rose that he was able to stay away from the darkness. It seemed that simply her presence was enough to keep the monsters at bay. Meanwhile, Rosabella had already sunk deeper into the darkness. She wasn't proud of the darkness, nor was she happy to do it. Her emotional pain was too great and caused her to resort to the one thing she never thought she would do: self-harm.

Ever since Rory had fallen into the coma, Rosabella had been feeling less and less like her normal self. She had begun to have insecure and depressing thoughts of herself. Nothing brought her happiness anymore, that is nothing but Derik and even that wasn't much. It was getting harder and harder for her to find the energy to get out of bed. Today was one of those days.

It was a Saturday and Rosabella had no school and no performance in which to perform. She had skipped breakfast that morning in favour to staying in bed. Lunch time had neared and Derik had decided to eat lunch with her in her room. He had just knocked on her door to no answer. Puzzled, he balanced the food tray on his hip whilst opening the door with the newly freed hand. The door opened to an empty room. Derik slowly entered the room and set the tray down on a desk that was positioned under a window. He noticed there was a door open to his left and sobs were resonating from there.

He approached the doorway with snail like speed. As the interior of the room came into view, he noticed that it was a personal full sized bathroom. The bathroom was average with the only thing off in there was the occupant. Sitting on the floor between the toilet and the bathtub was Rose. She had tears streaming down her cheeks and her left arm lain against the wall of the tub. She had a small kitchen knife in her right hand. Derik's eyes immediately looked to her left arm again and what he saw broke his heart. There were scars along her arm and a freshly done cut that traveled the length of her forearm. Blood poured from the wound onto the porcelain white material of the bathtub.

The sobs had been coming from Rose and a second one joined in the tense air that had surrounded them. Derik was shocked to find that the other sob had come from him. He fell to his knees and the sound caused Rosabella to open her tear reddened eyes. Those same eyes widened in terror at someone seeing her like that. She sat up straight and moved to stand but collapsed backward. She began to feel lightheaded and soon passed out. Derik immediately grabbed the hand towel and pressed it to her wound. He retrieved his phone from his back pocket and called both Mrs. Pamplin and Frau Garrett for help.

The two women soon arrived and everything seemed to blur together. One moment Derik was desperately pleading with them to help him, the next he was watching from a hiding place as the house call doctor was stitching Rose's arm. It had been thirty agonizing minutes later when the doctor finally left and Derik could sit with her. The doctor had prescribed her some antidepressants and asked that she be put on a close watch. Derik cried noisily at this news and sat beside her on her bed. He waited patiently for her to wake up and played with her hair. It was dinner time when she finally awoke.