Thorns

chapter twelve.

rose.

"Hey babe." He smiled, kissing me forcefully on the lips.

"Hi." I smile shyly, placing Lucy onto her feet.

"Daddy." Lucy acknowledges, causing Carl to glare down at her.

"Let's go home." He says gruffly, not bothering to take any of our things and turning around, making his way to the car.

"So that's Carl." Zayn's voice startles me, causing me to jump.

"Yes! Problem?" I retort, crossing my arms over.

"Nothing, you act really... Different around him."

"I do not!" I snap, not letting him know I had a weak side.

Lucy was already in the car, Carl had done her seatbelt for her. She watched me from the window, tears unable to fall at the look of Carl.

"What's taking you so long?" Carl suddenly appears, towering over both of us.

"N-nothing." I curse mentally at my stutter, looking up into coffee coloured eyes.

"Well, see you another time I guess." I don't know why Zayn went for a hug, so I stood there, not wrapping my arms around him. I felt Carl's glare on my back.

"Just call me whenever you need me okay?" I was shocked at the sympathy laced into Zayn's voice as I feel crumpled paper slip into the waist band of my leggings, an attempt to keep it hidden from Carl. Why was he being so nice when I'm horrible to him? He told me to grow up and now he's offering help?

"See you soon." I say to Zayn, making my way to the car, Carl's lingering hands resting on my bum.

"That kid has a shït ton of money." Carl tells me, driving onto the main road.

"I know." I agree, my eyes out on the roads.

"You need to take some." He looks at me straight into the eye, showing me he wasn't joking.

"I can't! I was put into prison last time I tri-" I got a slap on the cheek, causing my head to turn, a fire igniting on my cheek. He had slapped me already, and we weren't even home. I see Lucy begin to speak but I give her a look to be quiet.

"Try harder!" He barked, parking into our grubby flat building.

I ignore the pains in my cheek, grabbing ahold of my things and Lucy's also lifting Lucy. Lucy strokes my cheek, giving it a small kiss. She tells me that I was okay because she had given me the magical kiss, already making me feel better. I go down to see Carl, telling him I was to call Zayn and ask if we could come over because of Lucy. He nodded, not looking impressed. I tell him my plan that I was going to find a way to get my hands onto some money, and this made him smile.

"Come here." He motioned me over, enveloping me into a hug, his hand fondled me which caused me to cringe, but I don't say anything, not wanting to disappoint him anymore.

I tell him I had work to do, going upstairs to make myself presentable. Lucy watches me as I brush my hair, yelping as hair was yanked out with the elastic band. I take out the crumpled paper from my leggings, opening it up. I gasp when notes fall out; money. He had given me money.

"Money!" Lucy gasped quietly, watching me count.

"Lucy! There's £200 here." I gasp, folding the £50 notes. Never in my life did I think I could get my hands on this.

"Rose!" I hear Carl shout, footsteps making their way to our room. I quickly shove the money and paper under the rug, standing up quickly.

"There you are." He came over, wrapping me into a hug.