Unraveling Rosen | ✓

33 | en croix

3 3

e n c r o i x

Unilateral leg gesture carried out in three directions relative to the dancer's front, side, and back, making the shape of a cross. 

When Rosen finally came to school again, I was very shocked. I thought it would take him a lot more time to get used to what was happening. He exits his vehicle, looking happier than ever. A bright smile is plastered on his face as his eyes scan around the parking lot, trying to spot his friends. His outfit is completely different to what he's normally wearing. He has on a pair of super dark jeans, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. His eyes are covered with a pair of aviators and his hair is perfectly gelled up, unlike the messy look that he usually supports.

As he walks towards the school he shakes hands with a few people, nods at different girls and even says hi to the people who are on the football team. When he finally reaches me, he grabs my face and pulls me in for a heated make-out session. When he pulls away I feel my cheeks turning red at the sudden display of affection. Rosen isn't the type of guy who kisses me in public that often. He prefers to keep such intimate moments just between the two of us.

"Hey, babe," he finally greets me.

"Hi, you're in a happy mood today."

"Why shouldn't I be happy?" Rosen laughs. "Life's great. Come on, I need you to meet some of my old friends." He throws an arm around my shoulder as he starts pulling me towards the football team. As far as I know, the football team is almost the same and not a lot of players have changed so that's why he knows everyone. I furrow my eyebrows as I force Rosen to stop.

"Are you okay?" I ask him.

"What do you mean?" He looks confused, like he doesn't know what I'm talking about.

"Is this your way of dealing with what happened to Faith?" I ask him quietly to make sure that no one else can hear our conversation.

Rosen's face changes in a second. His happy grin is gone as he stares at me. He stays quiet for a few seconds but finally opens his mouth again.

"I gotta go," he finally says, completely ignoring what I just asked him. "I have some things to do. Later, baby." He places a quick kiss on my cheek and disappears into the building, leaving me standing in the middle of the parking lot like a deer in headlights.

❀❀❀❀❀

By the time lunch rolls around, the entire school is buzzing. All I can hear is people talking about Rosen and how he's finally back to the way he used to be. I hear some silly rumors going around, saying how he must've hooked up with Saskia to be this happy again, or that he's taking drugs or some even say that he has dumped me and now he's happy again.

During the first half of the day I don't even see Rosen around school that much. He wasn't in Chemistry class today so he just skipped that to do something else. I don't know what has gotten into him but I intend to find out why he's acting like that.

When I walk into the cafeteria with Imogen and Saskia by my side, I don't see Rosen sitting at our usual spot. Instead I find him sitting with Everett, Graham and the other football players by the table where all the popular kids sit. Rosen's laughing with them as he tells everyone random jokes. By the looks on everyone's faces they all are happy that Rosen's back with them.

"It feels like Sophomore and Junior year all over again," Saskia comments. "This is what Rosen was like before he drastically changed. The life of the party, everyone's friends, captain of the football team, the most popular guy in school. Everyone wanted to be his friend, all the girls wanted him. People were envious of him. They all wanted the attention that Rosen had."