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Author: PetuniashWP
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Confessions and Conclusions

A few days later, Rosie rolled the last of her suitcases out into the living room. All her belongings from her room were fully packed up and ready to go.

As excited as Rosie was for this new chapter, she was also terribly sad. She had grown attached to more things than she could have imagined over the past few months - Aatalo, Blaze, even Ryder. Most of all, Anthony.

"Tonight's the big night," Tamara walked up to Rosie, standing behind her and squeezing her shoulders. "God, you have no idea how proud of you I am."

Rosie turned to face her cousin, smiling sheepishly. "I love you, Tam."

Tamara's eyes glistened with tears. "I love you."

Just before Tamara had the chance to pull Rosie into a hug, the front door swung open. Both the girls turned to see a frantic looking Anthony rush into the apartment.

Bewildered, Tamara sucked in a sharp breath as she slipped past both Rosie and Anthony. She sent Rosie a sympathetic look before quickly and quietly slipping out
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    Unsaid GoodbyeAnthony stood in the doorframe of Rosie's room.He glanced around the mostly empty room. It felt unfamiliar, unrecognizable.The bare walls that lacked her artwork, the empty desk that was rid of all of her art supplies. He stared at the book-shelf that was missing most of Rosie's book. Everything that had once made this room Rosie's, was all gone.Anthony's eyes narrowed when he saw something lying on her desk.Cautiously, almost afraid, he walked to her desk.He grabbed the wrinkled piece of paper that had been sitting on Rosie's desk since she had placed it there days before she had left for Paris.It was the sketch of Anthony that she had finally drawn eyes onto.Anthony's heart clenched, unsure of what to think. What did this mean?"She stood right there, in that exact spot, holding the paper just like that and staring at it." Tamara leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest.Anthony swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, clenchin

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    Beginning Again"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"All morning Tamara had been offering to go apartment shopping with Rosie who kept turning her down. Now, Rosie, Tamara, and Aatalo sat at the local coffee shop just before Rosie was going to head out to see the first apartment on her list. "Don't you have plans with Josephine?"Tamara had the summer off before she would start her first real job at a law firm. She had every intention to make the most of the summer, spend every day with her cousin and friends.Rosie, on the other hand didn't have much time. She had a to-do list of dozens of errands she needed to start getting done - starting with finding an apartment. She had a meeting set with Michael later in the week, planning a surprise she hadn't told anyone about yet.Tamara frowned. "Yes but I can cancel. I gave your room away and now I'm sending you to find a new place on your own."Although Rosie had made plenty of friends in Paris, she also spent a lot of her t

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    With Moving, Comes Baggage"Rosie?" Anthony's voice came out in a whisper. It was as if her were seeing a ghost, entirely unsure of what he was seeing and if he were seeing right at all.Rosie blinked. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She was just as stunned as he was."Rosie?" Angela peaked her head out of the apartment, giving Rosie a confused look as she wondered why she was still standing in the hallway. "Did you change your mind about seeing this apartment?"Rosie turned to look at Angela, still gaping like a fish out of water. "I...""Rosie!" This time when Rosie looked over, Ryder was rushing up to her with open arms. He pulled her into a hug before she had a moment to register a single thought.Ryder had known Rosie was coming back because Aatalo had told him. He just didn't know when.Anthony, on the other hand, had no idea. He was in complete shock, confused by how or why she was here at all.Behind Rosie's back, Tamara had made it clear to the boys that they shou

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    Rosie was in the kitchen eating cereal the next morning, like she would every day. She held the book she was reading in her left hand while she used her right hand to pop spoons filled with cereal into her mouth.The front door of the apartment opening sounded and Rosie knew it was Anthony. He was around a lot, since he was best friends with Tamara. Rosie expected him to show up whenever he wanted, like he always did. She didn't think much of it. She usually did her own thing, staying in her room, not talking to Anthony much.Anthony walked into the kitchen, smiling when he saw Rosie. "Morning, early bird."Rosie looked over her shoulder to see Anthony walking further into the kitchen. He usually greeted her but there was never much more than that. She offered a smile before turning back to her book."Is Tam awake yet?"Rosie shook her head in response, her eyes staying glued on her book.Anthony sighed, not being surprised that his best friend was still sleeping. He hopped up onto th

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    Tamara raced into the emergency room that was completely packed. With the weather being this bad and the conditions of the roads, it was no surprise that the hospital was filling with patients by the second.Anthony followed behind Tamara as she ran over to the reception desk.Anthony was at their apartment when the power went out so he had stayed there. All night, Tamara was panicking while Anthony also remained silently concerned. She had been texting and calling Rosie all night but had never gotten a response since Rosie didn't have any cell reception so she didn't receive a single message.A few hours later, Tamara had gotten a phone call from first responders. She was Rosie's emergency contact.Her and Anthony raced to the hospital, taking longer than usual because of the terrible road conditions."Ma'am, I need you to wait in the waiting room. She hasn't woken up yet. They're running some tests so it may take some time."Tamara gaped at the nurse with wide eyes. "What tests? Whe

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  • The Complex Art of Rosie    48

    Watch it, mute. You are just mute, right. Not blind too?" Blaze Winters shoved Rosie's shoulder with his own, causing her to stumble and nearly drop all of her books. She was walking through the campus to get to one of her lectures when she had crossed paths with another one of the rude people who loved to make fun of her for being the quiet, non-talkative person she is.Rosie bit down on her lip, hard, to stop herself from croaking out any sob-like noise. She was used to be treating this way but it didn't make it easy.Blaze looked at his friend, Andrew, both of them laughing when Rosie hadn't said anything. She tried to move past them and keep walking."Come on," Blaze sighed deeply, dramatizing the sigh. "Give me something, Rosebud. One little comeback or comment. A little spar."Rosie clutched her books to her chest, keeping her gaze on the ground as she stood frozen in spot. She knew walking away would only make them continue to holler at her. If she stood here silently and let t

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  • The Complex Art of Rosie    46

    ForeverOne Year Later Rosie and Anthony walked down the bustling busy street, hand in hand. The grey clouds filled the sky, the light sound of thundering notifying them that it would rain soon. Anthony smiled down at her. "Maybe I should have stopped at the Louvre or at least the Eiffel Tower last time I was here. Instead, I ran away like a lost puppy." Rosie cocked her head to the side, humming. "a lost puppy would be wandering, not running away. More like a... crab." Anthony laughed. "A crab?" Rosie shrugged, leaning into his side. "A crab would run away if you scared it, right? Or do crabs attack. I don't know." Anthony kissed the top of her head. The two of them stopped when they reached an art gallery. "Here we are." Rosie sighed dreamily as she stared up at the building. "My art is already in there. Tomorrow night, it will be up on the walls for everyone to see." Anthony took both her hands, turning to face her. "Would you ever move back here?" Rosie's eyebrows raised.

  • The Complex Art of Rosie    45

    Schemed Evening"This is such a ridiculously terrible idea. He's not even going to show up." Rosie paced back and fourth in Aatalo's loft, shaking her head frantically.Aatalo walked to stand in front of her, placing his hands on her shoulders to stop her. "Rosie, my dear, look at me. Take a deep breath."Rosie listened, staring at him intently as she inhaled deeply.Aatalo nodded slowly. "You have to exhale too."Rosie exhaled. "Right.""Tonight is your first exhibition back home. You're going to win over the cities heart the same way you won over Paris."Rosie wrinkled her nose, shaking her head. "I created a whole new set of paintings in a week. They're not even good."Aatalo sighed, smiling faintly. "They are perfect."Rosie heaved out a heavy breath, walking backwards until she plopped down onto the couch. Panic and concern was flashing through her eyes like a lightning storm. "I don't even care about the exhibit itself. Are you sure Anthony will show up? He hates me, why would h

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