Stars of the day - a modelling show

Chapter 4

"Rosie?" Rosie wakes up being more confused than ever. Eric stands before her trying to get her up on her feet. The stranger helps him. "What the hell happened?" Eric asks not knowing anything. "The elevator stopped," Rosie says a little chocked. She had just blurred out her deepest secret to a complete stranger. Eric seems to sense this. Rosie had to tell him the first time he became her lawyer in court. "All that matter is that you're okay," he says, assuring. Rosie nods. "The orientation?" she asks, slowly getting herself together again. "No worries, I was there. Nothing of any importance was said. I'll let you in on the details later. Thank you, for taking care of her," Eric says. The last sentence is meant for the stranger. He nods understandingly. "Take care," he says as he leaves. His last glance goes to Rosie. A glance of concern.

Eric escorts Rosie back to the apartment. Rosie insists of taking the stairs all the way. Eric does not complain because he knows what the elevators are associated with. When he is sure that they are alone, he dares to ask. "Do you want to talk about it?" Rosie thinks about it before answering. "I just told him everything. About my parents. Was that right?" Rosie gets insecure. "Yes. Yes, you did the right thing. It felt right in the moment. It was the right the thing to do," Eric says. "Thank you," Rosie smiles not truly believing him. Eric smiles back. "It's been a while since I saw you smile," he says. Rosie has not thought about it. But he is right though. She never smiled anymore. "There has not been much reason to smile for a long time... 15 years to be correct..." Eric knows she is referring to her mother's murder and just smiles vaguely.

The first thing Rosie does when they reach the apartment is to take off her shoes and throw them into the wall with the heal first. They pierce the wall and are stuck. Alana, Flora and Florian come running out from their rooms, thinking that they are under attack. "What is going on here?" Florian asks not sure whether or not it is wise to ask. "Rosie was reminded of something from her past. We won't get her to take the elevator for a while," Eric says and tries to stay out of reach of Rosie's anger. "My heals!" Alana shouts as she sees them sticking out of the wall. "What the hell of a girl have you brought with you, Eric?!" She yells before storming off to her room. Eric is too stunned to speak. Alana has never come with such an outburst. "We'll let you two chat," Flora says gently and walks back to her room with Florian following to his. When the doors are closed and Rosie and Eric are alone once more, the two start fighting as if they had a cue. "Look Rosie, I know that you're mad right now but don't take it out on them. They haven't done anything!" Eric tries to reason. "You have no idea what it is like to re-experience those events every time an elevator sound goes off! Every time I enter a damn elevator I am back there. Back to the elevator 15 years ago. You don't know what that is like," Rosie says with angry tears running down her cheeks. "You're right. I don't know what that is like. But how could I when you never talk about it. You never once tried to make me understand. The only one who you seem to be listening to, is not here. So please Rosie, I am begging you. Try to talk to me," Eric says trying to contain his frustrations. "You can't bring him into this. You know how complicated my life got that night, so don't try to blame him for everything. You don't live with the constant fear that your mother's murderer should return to finish the job! I was lucky that he didn't see me, but I didn't see him either. All these years I have had no clue to who the real killer could be. It could be anyone! But I don't know..." The tears are now coming in a steady stream. Rosie is so overwhelmed by the memories flowing through her head that she cannot take much more. "It doesn't matter. I can't do anything... I'm going to bed. Don't wake me up," she says and starts heading for her room.

For a long time, Rosie just sits by her makeup mirror, just starring at her own reflection. When she finally has the power to stand again, she hears a knocking sound on the front door to the apartment. Silently, she walks up to her own door and listens. "What are you doing here? How did you even find us?" It is Eric's voice. "It's all over the internet. Is she okay?" She recognizes that voice immediately, tears the door open running out barefooted. She freezes when she sees his face. "Rose!" he whispers when he sees her. "Barry!" Rosie whispers happily and runs into his arms. He manages to get inside before she reaches him and swings her around, lifting her feet from the floor. "Barry, you're here?" Rosie says as her feet again are touching the floor. She looks up into his smiling face. Barry has blue-grey eyes with a small brown line around the iris which just makes his eyes ever so dreamy. However, when mentioning his eye color, he always depicts it is blue. His hair is hazelnut brown and he is about a head taller than Rosie. It would only be about a half if she still wore the heals. "Yes, I'm here," Barry smiles with his goofy smile. "How did you find me?" Rosie ask more vulnerable. Barry's facial expression fades as he takes his phone up from his pocket. "It's all over the internet. It originates from the very website of this place where something constantly is shown online. They filmed the elevators," Barry says gently to spare Rosie, who watches with horror as she sees herself sitting in the elevator pouring out her feelings concerning her mother's murder. Rosie is once again overwhelmed by the memories. "Hey, Rose. Look at me," Barry asks her as he is still holding her in his arms. "It's okay. I'm here... with you. It's not what happens to us that defines us but how we choose to react to it. You have a choice, Rose." Barry's words have a comforting effect on Rosie. He has always called her Rose and not Rosie or Rosalinda. She never knew why. However, when talking with others he usually calls her Rosie like everyone else to avoid confusion. Rosie wipes away her tears. "Then I choose to live... to love... to be..." she says looking at Barry. He smiles back at her with his loving eyes revealing his feelings for her. But she cannot see them.