His Flower

Chapter 4

Rose stared at the news that was being played. The news anchorman was reporting of some murder before it switched to another crime being shown by another anchorman.

"I thought you hated the news." Rose knew it was Tabitha when she heard heels clicking get louder.

"I do," Rose responded muting the tv so she could be focus on her conversation with Tabitha. "Why do you think they only show the crimes?" She looked over to an emotionless Tabitha, not surprise one bit that the woman didn't really seem to care.

"I saw that your school was having some thing." Tabitha walked over to Rose and sat down next to her. "Are you going?"

Rose knew of the thing that Tabitha was talking about. It was an all school formal dance, something to distract all the teens from the crime stricken city they live in.

To answer the woman's question, Rose shook her head no. "I don't do crowds." That wasn't the only reason. Her little voice was telling her that Theo could take that as an opportunity, and have the Maniax attack the dance. It was telling her that she would be one of the many victims there, and that staying home with her paints was a safer option.

"Think about it, a stupid dance to make everything seem better. It's stupid." Rose told Tabitha, seeing a smile on the woman's face.

"Glad we both agree on something." Rose watched as Tabitha walked away. She chewed on the inside of her cheek before looking back at the silent tv. She turned it off before walking to her bed and just sat there.

'Look at me,' She thought to herself. 'A Friday night and I'm at home.' She was unsure of what she should be doing at the moment. She had no inspiration to draw anything, she didn't have plans with anyone, and she most certainly didn't want to go downstairs where Theo's little project was.

She was tempted to go find Tabitha, and see if she would like to have a little one on one time together. Female to female. Last time she did that though, she had the hopes they would either go to the mall, get nails done, or even just sit at home and just talk with each other. Instead, Tabitha took the opportunity to teach Rose on how to throw knives, the proper way to kill someone with a knife, and teach Rose how to shoot a gun.

Needless to say, that was the last time Rose asked Tabitha for one on one time. Considering she was tempted to talk to Tabitha about that made her realize how desperate she was to have a normal Friday night.

Nothing to draw, no one to hang out with, no urge to examine drawings; Rose was bored. She fell backwards on her bed, staring straight at the ceiling with childish flower stickers on them.

"What are you doing?"

"Staring at the flowers." Rose answered the unknown voice. "There's nothing much for me to do."

A familiar cackle startled Rose to sitting upward as she stared at Jerome who quietly closed the door behind him before leaning against it.

"What if we snuck out of here?" Rose stared at Jerome with wide eyes, finding it unbelievable that he would suggest something like that. "What? I'm not suggesting murder." He paused for a minute, thinking about the idea of killing someone. "Yet."

Rose shook her head no before pulling her legs to her chest. She shuddered at the idea of killing someone, taking an innocents life. "I can't do that."

"With someone like Tabitha ar-"

"I can't do that." Rose repeated herself, staring at the wall in front of her. She looked over to Jerome, contemplating as to why he would kill his mother. Aside from learning he did it because of how "pushy" she was, there had to be other reasons. Like other reasons as to why he never participated in the drawing sessions when he was still at Arkham.

"Can you leave?"

"Nope."

"Can you please leave my room?" Jerome raised an eyebrow at Rose. Why was she asking him now to leave, even though he's been in there for no longer than ten minutes.

"Why?"

"I have files-" That set Jerome off to ransacking her bedroom, looking for the files of the inmates. "Those are private files for my eyes only!" She yelled at him while the ginger boy was rummaging through one of her desk drawers.

"Jerome," Theo's warning voice found its way into Rose's room. "What did I say?"

Rose could see Jerome's face as he rolled his eyes in disgust towards Theo's fathering act. Not saying anything, the ginger walked out of the girl's room.

Rose kept her silence as Theo walked into her room, finding the files in her school bag before looking through them. "Don't you find it odd?"

"Find what odd?" Rose didn't see What was wrong. For all she knew, he was talking about on of the inmates that could've possibly done better in place of one of the ones living with the Galvan family. Then again, if Rose had her way, there would be zero inmates living in the penthouse, no weapons and certainly no plans to become mayor before planning to take over Gotham.

"Rose?" The girl jumped a bit, not realizing that Theo was still in her room and was still holding the files. She stared at the man's face, like he was waiting for her to say something.

Was he really not done talking with her? Or what he waiting for an answer to his first question. Did he even want an answer? 

"What's troubling you Rose? You seem bothered."

"N-n-n-nothing's wrong." Rose stuttered out, taken aback that Theo was curious about Rose and her mental state. She would've thought he would've asked something that was related to his inmates, or asked why Jerome was in her room and what was he doing.

"I was just going to head to bed." Rose stated. It was, in reality, her way of pushing Theo out of her room.

Her uncle nodded his head before placing the files down and leaving the room. He bided his niece a goodnight and sweet dreams, which scared Rose, before closing the white door behind him.

Collapsing on her bed, Rose stared at the ceiling. Debating whether or not Theo's whole plan was worth it, and if he really would get anywhere. That didn't last long, as sleep took over her quickly.