Page 43 of Giving In

Rose looks at Camila raising an eyebrow. They seem to have some sort of understanding because Camila turns to Beth. “Beth, give her the phone.”

Beth reluctantly hands Rose the phone.

“Atta girl,” Rose smiles at her.

She takes a few seconds to go through it as I stand silently, still in the shower.

“Fuck. You two really think this is Mean Girls, don’t you?” Rose laughs.

I’m looking at the exchange with eyes as wide as saucers. Is Rose White actually defending me right now? This is the last thing I would have expected from her. I knew there was bad blood between Beth and her, because of the whole rumor of her sleeping with Jason, but I thought she was friends with Camila.

Rose is doing this so casually I almost feel stupid standing there, helpless. There is not an ounce of fear in her body, whereas I’m trembling like a leaf.

“Alright. That’s deleted. Let’s hope for Camila’s sake this little incident doesn’t reach Jake’s ears. You know how he is when you get possessive.”

“Rose, please, don’t be like that,” Camila begs. She is actually begging her not to repeat this to her twin.

Rose shrugs. “Next time you bitches want to start a catfight, pick someone your size.”

Camila drops her head in shame, but Beth is still fuming against the locker.

“You’re pathetic. You just hide behind your three boys hoping they’ll have your back because they have real influence here, but you’re nothing without them. You don’t run this school, Rose.”

Rose laughs heartily at her statement. “I might not run this school, but I definitely run your fiancé’s cock. What I’m still trying to get my head around is if you’re jealous of me ‘cause I fuck him...or jealous of him ‘cause he fucks me.”

Beth gasps and I can’t help but laugh.

“Off you go, babe,” Rose concludes and both girls scurry out of the locker room.

I guess the Jason rumors were true. Rose turns to me and hands me another towel.

“You alright?” she asks, disinterested.

I can’t really look at her, the embarrassment is too big. I decide instead to focus on my hands twisting in front of my body.

“You need a ride home?” she insists.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. She’s offering me a ride home. Rose White, the I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-anyone queen of broken hearts is offering me a ride back home.

I must look like a fish out of water because she chuckles mockingly at me. “Don’t get all wet, Goody, it’s just a ride.”

I snap my mouth shut and shake my head. There she is, sounds more like her.

“I’m okay, I’ve got my bike with me. Uh, thank you. Really. For what you just did. I’d really appreciate it if it could stay between us.”

She shrugs and walks back to her side of the locker room. I’ll take that as an agreement.

I quickly take off my wet clothes and put my lacrosse kit on. They smell but I guess it’s better than my wet uniform. I feel a sudden rush of guilt knowing I have Rose’s burner phone in my bag. Will she get in trouble for this?

On the other side of the lockers, I overhear Rose making a call.

“Fuck Chris I’m so sorry. No, they’re in my bag. I know. Alright, stop shouting I’m coming home now.” The way her voice switches when she talks to Chris reminds me that his birthday is her code. She truly cares for him and she cares what he thinks of her. It’s cute. It reminds me of Aaron and me. Or at least what we used to be like.

I gather my stuff and walk around. Rose is changed, putting her kit in her bag.

I put my hand on the door handle but decide to turn around one last time. Rose is not like Jake, she just proved to me that they’re opposites by taking my defense, and I get this feeling that I can trust her. I turn around and ask something I will probably regret.

“Why does Jake own a gun?” I blurt out.

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