Only If She Stayed

17. A Rose

*A/N: make sure you're reading the chapters in order. I double updated*

Michael's P.O.V.

I went to sleep,

without much of a choice.

I would've much rather stayed up talking or venting, or letting Rose rant about whatever was trapped in her mind.

She stayed calm, almost like she was defeated and lost something.
She was too unaware of the fact that she had everything right before her eyes.

It was egoistic of me to tell her that. I wasn't her world, even though she was the center of mine for years.

Rose's eyes grew heavy as we progressed into our dialogue.

I suggested going to sleep, back in my room, but she silently protested that notion and took my wrist.

"Stay."

It was all she had to say for me to be hooked in like a fish on a line.

I didn't disagree. How could I say no to her? She could be the end of me and I'd let her do it, damaging every part of me, with a smile on my face.

I would happily let her have me if I could have her.

As her eyes began to close, mine did as well.

I knew the dream-world I was about to enter would be no match compared to the reality in my arms. She muttered a sweet short parting phrase before drifting off.

I traveled my hand to her cheek and brushed the loose strands of hair that had escaped her low ponytail.

"Rose?" There was no response. "Rosie?"

Still, no reply.

As a yawn left my mouth, I said her name again, admiring the sound of it and how it rolled off my tongue.

Not only was her name Rose, but she was a rose in itself. She was delicate, yet there were thorns all around her, protecting her from outside contact.

I felt it each time I get close too to her - she pricked me and I became bewitched once more.

It makes sense why she needed to be guarded, for beauty lied beyond those thorns. A beauty that quite rightfully so deserved protection.

"I love you, Rosie," I whispered.

"I love you, too," she retorted and my heart lurched and my stomach went into knots.

She said it.

But not in the same way I had.

She loved me as a friend - or even worse, as a brother.

Loving her was only half as good as I wanted it to be. Perhaps I was a coward for not being courage and telling her how I felt.

My phone,

On the night stand,

Lit up.

I moved away from Rose, slowly so I wouldn't disrupt her from her sleep.

It was a text.

From Lily.

I had said I didn't trade numbers with her, and quite frankly, I didn't want to tell Rose. I knew what she wanted to hear.

She didn't need to worry. No one was going to replace her as the role of best friend.

The text was simple.

"Hi. Are you up?"

Taking one glance at Rose, I decided - then and there - that waiting could only last so long before leading me to nowhere.

Turning the phone on to silent, I started writing a reply.

This could be the start of something good, I thought innocently enough.