Day ninety-six:
The rose was on my floor, I could see it from my bed, taunting me. I cursed at it, cringed at its presence. I hated it and all it represented.
He gave me the rose as a way to tell me he loved me without actually saying the words. He handed it to me when no one was looking and smiled, knowing I would fall for his trap. We had been playing this game for a while now. This secretive, deceitful game. Our parents didn’t approve of us so we snuck behind their backs. It was unheard of where we came from and if anyone had found out, our lives would essentially be over.
Giving me the rose was the most daring move Jason has taken so far. It is such a large thing, not easy to hide or make excuses for. It was as if he wanted to get caught. I was so angry at him when he handed it to me. We were at a dinner party, people surrounding us. I wanted to knock it to the ground, throw it in his face. How could he be so foolish? But I, being more foolish than he, accepted the rose and went on my way.
My father once told me if he ever caught me conversing with Jason Burke, he would not speak to me again. He then proceeded to inform me that if he ever heard I was in a relationship with Jason Burke, he would kick me out of the house with nothing to live by. This was after I mentioned he was in my class. I can’t imagine my father’s reaction if he found out now.
The Burkes and the Williams are notorious for the feud that dates back to before anyone can remember. We have always fought and will always fight because that is simply how things are. My father, Timothy Williams, can not stand to be in the same room as Ronald Burke, let alone accept him as an in-law. That is why secrecy was of the utmost importance to Jason and I.
I picked up the rose and went to throw it away. Its petals were dry and broke easily, its thorns were sharp enough to sew with and each color was dark and vibrant. I almost made it way to the trash can when I ran into my father.
“Ouch!” he yelled after one of the thorns stabbed him.
“Oh, I am sorry father, I did not mean to poke you,” he was no longer listening and instead stared at the rose and the note attached to it.
“What is this?” he asked with an accusing yet calm voice.
“Oh nothing, I just found it on the ground the other day, I was going to throw it away,” I lied.
“Do you mind if I see it?”
“It is really not necessary, I’m just trying to dispose of it before it causes too much of a mess.”
He nodded, “well, I’ll take it off your hands and throw it away for you.”
Unsure of what else I could do, I mumbled a yes sir and scurried back down stairs. I sat on my bed biting my pillow waiting for his reaction. After what felt like an eternity my mother came to fetch me.
“Your father would like to speak with you,” she said.
I diligently went upstairs and approached my father with apprehension.
“Sit down,” he said, and I did as I was told. “I know you didn’t just find this rose on the ground. In fact, it has your name on it.” I was punching myself inside, how could I be so foolish?
“I would like you to tell me where you got this rose, so you can have at least one chance of redeeming yourself,” he continued.
“A boy gave it to me.”
“What boy may I ask?”
I winced, “Jason Burke.”
His face grew deep red, his eyes seemed to be on fire. He looked at me with such disgust and disdain, I thought I might never live through it.
“Get out,” he said pointing to the door.
“You can’t really be doing this sir. I’m your daughter. Are you really going to let a feud that started long before you were born get in the way of you child’s happiness?”
He stared at me with a piercing look of indignation, “a daughter who does not obey her father is no daughter of mine.”
I looked to my mother pleadingly, her eyes were cast downwards. “Fine, I will leave, not because you told me to, but because I simply do not agree with this. No one gave you the power to make decisions like this you created it in your head. I am a free person with freewill and I will not be constrained by your believes or your grudges. And, mother, shame on you for not standing up to this wretched man.”
I stormed out, not even a bag in my hand. I walked through the bitter cold to Jacob’s house, my dress wet on the bottom from the snow. I daringly knocked on the door, praying that his family was more charitable than mine. His father opened the door, a surprised look on his face when he saw me.
“Hello Mr. Burke. I know you and my father are enemies, but I am in desperate need of a place to stay tonight. Would you be so kind as to let me stay here?”
He smiled, “of course, a grudge means nothing when it comes to the well-being of a fellow human.” Ronald Burke was always a tad eccentric.
That night, I stayed in the Burke’s residence, comforted by their hospitality. Hospitality I was not shown in my own household.