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“Nah, nothing.” He answered her question. He watched as she nodded and began to write on the pad; his attention shifted to the other woman before he glanced around the crowded store. “Things look to be doing great here.” He added Rose with a glance up at him.
“Mhmm.”
Martin chuckled slightly at how cold she was being. “You have a family?” He asked.
Rose shifting her stance with her gaze lifted to him, a slight annoyance plastered across her face.
“No.” She answered sternly. “I don’t have a family other than Sarah.” Martin chuckled and pointed in the direction the woman before had appeared.
“That was Sarah, Sarah Holt?” he asked with a hint of excitement. “I should have known you two would still hang around together.” His comment was spoken nonchalantly.
“What exactly does that mean?” Martin’s almost cheerful demeanor slowly faded with her tone. “Because she was my only friend? Figured it’d still be that way?” Her questions caused him to step back; his frame shifted in stance as he stood straight up, his shoulders rolled around.
“I didn’t mean…” His words quickly halted. “Damn, you got a little feisty, didn’t you?” He teased. The Rose he remembered never looked up, let alone spoke back with such fire behind her words. He liked it, even though it was aimed at him.
“Apologies.” She paused with a shake of her head. “I didn’t mean to be rude. Not the type of person I am.” Her comment, though spoken in a calm tone, he understood instantly. Clearing his throat, Martin pulled his wallet from his back pocket.
“You shouldn’t apologize, fits you.” He commented, Rose, with a nod as she returned her attention to the pad.
“I suppose that’s a compliment.”
Martin chuckled. “I think so.”
“Just need you to sign here,” she flipped the notepad around, her gaze remaining from his. Martin exhaled and took the pen from the counter, signing his name without another word. “Thank you,” she added as she snatched the pad back. “I’ll see you at pickup then.” Martin licked his lips, holding out the money for the order.
“Keep the change.” He said, their gazes connected briefly before he turned and walked from the store.
Rose Denton. He remembered her, the short and overweight girl who kept to herself, except for her friend Sarah. She never came to games or social events, and he couldn’t put a face at a single guy she dated or spoke to, minus teachers. She often wore her hair down and surrounded her face, her cheeks always full of acne. She spoke with a whisper and always walked past him and his friends with a quick step. Martin sat in his car; the radio tuned into his favorite channel, Eighties Always.
He turned his gaze back onto the store, seeing Rose with a smile as she walked to the display case in the front. It was as if she had become different from the one who waited on him. The light in her eyes, the happiness on her face, none of which were present when he was before her. With a chuckle, Martin shook his head, returning to his seat. “Rose Denton.” He spoke her name with a soft tone. He could still see the girl from school, yet she was different. Captivating.
* * *
Martin sat at his desk in his home study, a red ballpoint pen secured between his fingers. He had been attempting to grade the stack of history papers for over an hour and managed only to complete two. Each time he tried to focus, his mind drifted to someone else. He tossed the pen onto the top paper and stood, moving quickly to the bookcase along the back wall. His eyes scanned the perfectly lined spines, stopping as he snatched the black leather book from its spot. With a swift turn, he sat on the ottoman, the stiff pages of the book flipping under his finger until he found the page he sought.
There she was, he thought—her senior picture snug between his best friend and high school girlfriend. Rose’s picture didn’t match the others; some fancy photographer didn’t do it. Martin chuckled as he remembered the jokes she got for it. He lowered his head, exhaling as he felt the sudden grip around his shoulders, quickly slamming the book closed. Martin glanced behind him; a soft grin pulled along his lips as he looked into the young woman’s eyes.
“You, okay?” she asked softly, Marin nodding as he returned his gaze to the cover of his yearbook.
“Course,” he replied, standing. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he tossed the book onto the desk and sat back in his chair.
“Well, this monster is kicking up a storm.” she laughed lightly with her approach beside him, her hands secured on her growing belly. Martin looked at her stomach before he lifted his gaze to her eyes and grinned shortly before his attention shifted back to the stack of papers. “Are you sure you’re, okay?” she asked again.
“Yeah, why?” he asked.
“You seem…off.” Her voice was soft, worried. He exhaled and sat back in his chair; his stare focused on her.
“Just a lot on my mind,” Martin assured her.
“Got word today it’s between me and Smith for the Vice Principal position.”
“Martin, that’s great!” Her voice was excited, though short-lived, as she tilted her head. “Why don’t you seem more pumped over this? It’s what you’ve been working so hard for.” Martin remained silent; his gaze brushed over the lifted text on the cover of his yearbook. For the first time, some of him wondered if he deserved such a position.
“I ran into someone today. Someone I had forgotten all about.” She smiled, leaning against the desk, her hands a soft rub over her stomach.
“Yeah? Who?” she asked.
Martin paused, and in that moment, he felt guilt roll over him. Though his interactions with Rose were short-lived, he could not get her face out of his mind. The way she looked at him. Her tone as she spoke. Had he not realized until that moment just how much pain he caused her when they were younger? He licked his lips and looked down; her name rolled softly off his lips. “Rose.”
