It was kind of weird, actually. I didn’t want her to get in trouble for being with me, but then I couldn’t say no. There was some force that made me nod my head and agree to go with her. Maybe it was her beauty, or maybe it was the way that she just seemed like so much fun to be around when she wasn’t tied down by her boyfriend.
I really was eager to know the Rose behind the boyfriend, to see what she was really like. Those eyes had to tell more than the surface.
“What’s your favorite ride?”
We were walking toward the fair together, mostly making small talk and standing through silence. “I like the roller coasters,” I answered with a smile. “When I young, I went to Santa Monica with my parents and I rode this awesome roller coaster. Almost threw up, but it was a lot of fun. What about you?”
Rose smiled, obviously contemplating the answer. “Well, roller coasters are fun, but bumper cars are definitely my favorite.”
I nodded. An answer like that made sense. Rose seemed like the type to like that. But I’d get her loving roller coasters before the night ended. How could you not love a roller coaster? There was such a thrill with going up to the top and knowing that, only seconds later, you’d have this huge rush to follow you down. The screaming and the fear was the best part, because when it was all over, everything was still okay.
“How long have you worked at the diner?”
“About a year.” I had taken the job to pay for my apartment since staying in the area. Normally, I traveled the country, living from place to place, but for some unknown reason, I was drawn to stay in this town. Looking at Rose, I wondered if she had anything to do with it. Was there some kind of force that led me to her?
I had to shake it from my head. How stupid. She was simply a beautiful girl that I’d taken a liking to. Once this day was over, she’d go back to her disgusting boyfriend and I’d go back to the in-the-background waiter who had to watch as he treated her like crap.
Rose wasn’t listening to me anymore, though. She was staring at the fair before her, a child-like gleam in her eyes. Even with the black eye, she looked so cheerful and excited, I couldn’t help but smile and wish I had my sketchbook on me. That would be a picture I’d love to draw.
“Oh, Jack!” she cried happily. “Let’s go. There is so much to do!”
I followed after her, chuckling, while she took me by the hand and dragged me inside. For such a small girl, she certainly had a good amount of energy in her. She took me from ride to ride, game to game, and even stopped for a funnel cake. I felt like crap, seeing that she was paying for everything and wouldn’t let me pay a dime.
When I asked, she looked at me with a bit of sadness in her eyes. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I thought…”
It dawned on me that Rose had some kind of money and she obviously thought that working at a diner meant that I didn’t have money. Well, if that was one way to show your place in the world, I guess it was an easier thought.
“Jack, I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I haven’t been thinking tonight. Do you want to go on the roller coaster?” I had also noticed that she had avoided the ride the entire night, as if she was afraid. When I asked her about it, too, she simply brushed it off and we went on to the next thing. I had learned, as well, that she was a determined girl with a strong head on her shoulders, just held back by Cal, who obviously thought she couldn’t think for herself. I hated him.
I grinned. “I thought you’d never ask. Come on! There is no line.”
We got onto the roller coaster and sat down toward the front. Rose looked petrified suddenly, on her face a look of shock and fear. “Do you want to get off?” I asked her gently, whispering into her ear. As I did so, I caught a whiff of her beautifully scented red hair. It was bad--I knew she was taken and that I could never be with her, but I wanted her so badly. She was everything I had always wanted, and yet…I was stuck in this odd relationship that had just formed that day. Would it be odd to say I felt like I had known her for all my life already?
“No,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “I’m fine.”
The ride was great. I felt alive as we went through turn after turn, smacked into one corner and then to the opposite side. I was careful to hold on so I didn’t crash into Rose, but sometimes, you can’t help it on those rides. During the ride, I didn’t get a look at her face, but I could hear her screaming and laughing, yelling my name and then laughing again. It seemed like she was actually enjoying herself somewhat.
When it was over, I climbed out and put out my hand. “Madam?”
She smiled at my cheesy expression and took my hand. We were barely off the ride when Rose nearly doubled over toward the ground, crying out in pain.
“Rose?” I cried, trying to stop her fall. There were tears in her eyes and I had no idea what had happened. I knew the rides could give you slight bruises, but nothing bad enough to hurt you like the way Rose had fallen. “Are you okay?”
Suddenly, it was like she realized she was in public and she forced herself up and smiled at me. “Fine.” But I caught the wince in her expression and pulled her aside. I had another suspicion now and I wanted to see something. So, carefully, while we stood alone, I pulled her shirt up slightly and was met with several colors that were not her natural skin tone.
“Wow,” she tried to mumble. “It looks like that ride sure was dangerous.”
“Rose?” I asked, anger growing in me. “You know that was not the ride.”
“Excuse me?” She looked shocked by my words and backed up, her eyes letting me know my suspicion had been correct--the bruises on her torso were not from the roller coaster, but from Cal. That was why she didn’t want to get on in the first place and that was why she had been screaming so loudly on the ride.
“You heard me,” I told her. “Don’t think I for one second believe you fell on a door either.”
Rose looked irate suddenly and she began to stalk away. “Leave me alone, Jack! I can’t believe I thought you were a good guy. Just leave me alone!” I called out to her, trying to get her to come back, but she wanted away quickly. Cal had instilled such fear in her. That was my only explanation. It was obvious that she wasn’t happy with him, and my longtime hatred of the guy had only grown much more intense over the past few days. But never had I expected he was abusing her physically. And she wasn’t going to do anything about it.
Cover up with makeup in the mirror
Tell yourself it's never gonna happen again
You cry alone and then he swears he loves you.
Do you feel like a man
When you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.