five

her

"my god, south. stay still.

you're like a sugar high kid."

he bounces around, smiling

widely and taking pictures

of everything he sees

almost a month since

i've met him, and he is

like a plague: it sticks onto you

his camera flashes in

my eyes and i growl,

"i will smash your camera, boy."

"you look great, really."

"shut up."

"why?"

"why do you say things like that?"

he looks at me as if i'm stupid.

"because it's the truth."

and i lay my head back on the grass,

summer is fully blossoming and i

reminisce about the heartbreak and

darkness of winter; it reminds me

of my own hollowed out heart.

"rose," says a throaty voice,

that haunts me in my worst nightmares,

where i wake up screaming and shaking

in the middle of the night.

"zander," I breathe.

and i feel like my heart

is screaming to escape.

-

him

"zander?" i say,

utterly confused by what

this boy has as a relation to

rosemary, who looks like she's seen

a g h o s t.

he looks upset;

"i miss you."

"go away," she says.

"come back to me, rose.

i know you still love me.

i know you miss me. i know

you miss the way i used to—"

"get away from me."

i gulp, my fears confirmed.

this is the coward who abused

her; and i can see him hurt her;

physically and emotionally.

he grabs her arm and pulls her

towards him with force;

"c'mon, rose. i miss you."

"fuck off," she struggles against him.

he falls on top of her and i straighten up,

and  he begins to forcefully kiss her

while repeating: "i miss you, rose."

and the next seconds are a blur,

all i see is zander, clutching his bruising eye

and bleeding nose, insulting rosemary and i

"you got a little bitch to fight for you, now?"

"leave her alone," I say. "i won't hesitate on

breaking your nose again and again."

rosemary stands up, grabs my sleeve

and leads me to a hidden area

behind majestic trees and flowers

"you're hurt," she says.

"i'm fine," i insist, even if his attempt to

punch my face succeeded; my teeth hurt.

"why'd you do that?" she asks.

"you're my friend. i care about you."

"but he's gonna come back and hurt you!"

i smile, "don't worry about me. are you okay?"

"how do you do that?"

"what?"

"be so selfless, for fuck's sakes! you got

punched for my sake yet you're still

asking about me before worrying about

yourself."

"dunno," i say, "i do that for my friends."

she stares at me for ten seconds,

and i say: "but seriously, i need ice. for

now, can you kiss it to make it better?"

"hah! forget it, boy. let's get you home."