How To NOT Be Straight✓

15: Seems Rosy

Whether it was because me and Blake are performing today or because she wanted to piss me off, Alexis did the impossible;

She brought Roseanne to church.

Usually, the song 'Take Me To Church' was never taken into literal context. But now I think Alexis did much more than just force her to church, she probably drugged Roseanne and brought her here, because having Roseanne tied up on a chair with her mouth ducktaped an hour before the service was not what I meant when I said kidnap Rose. Fuck, I might even go to jail for holding a person hostage.

"This is not what I meant when I said bring her here!" I sighed in frustration, watching Alexis pace back and forth.

"I had no choice, okay?! She almost threw me out a window!" She stopped pacing and pointed at Rose.

"Of course she did, anyone would if they were being dragged out of their own homes!" I argued.

"Stop yelling at me already, I didn't know what to do!" She exclaimed, sitting on the floor with her arms crossed. "Be grateful I even got her here."

"I said politely ask her to come, not to kidnap her from her own home like a human trafficker!"

"Cameron, I didn't know what to do!" She yelled a little too loud, and we all kept silent for a while before talking again.

Blake continued hitting her high notes as Rose, tied to a chair, continued to try scream at Blake. She then turned her frantic eyes on me, and I showed the slightest piece of empathy and tore the tape away. She tried biting my hand, but I took it away just in time.

"Hel-"

I quickly slammed my hand on top of her mouth as she tried screaming again. She then licked my hand, and I let go in disgust.

"Ew!" I shrieked. "Ya nasty."

"That's what you get for kidnapping me and tying me to a chair. Let me go for satan's sake!" She sneered.

Blake paused on her high notes and looked at Rose. "You have some real nerve saying Satan in the house of the Lord."

"And you have some real nerve for acting like you give a damn about Ca-"

"Shut up and listen to me sing." Blake scoffed, resuming her high notes.

"Alright, I'll let you out this chair if you swear on your father's life you won't attack me." I gave her a pout, and she rolled her eyes. "Please, Rose, there's a reason I brought you here."

She nodded. "It better be a good one."

I began to untie her and when she was free, she stood up and approached Blake, grabbing her by the throat as Blake began to scream.

"Shut up, you white brat." She scoffed, pushing Blake up against the wall. "Now listen here, don't ever try and disrespect me again, I know way more than you think I do, so shut the fuck up before opening that tiny ass mouth of yours, got it?"

"Rose, don't." I stepped in, getting closer to her. "She didn't mean it."

"Stop defending her Cameron, can't you see she's using you?" Rose spat. "She's using you."

"And why do you care? Aren't you the same person that abandoned me because of my sexuality?" I shot back. "Huh? Why do you care?"

Roseanne looked taken back for a moment, and let go of Blake, her eyes settled on me. "You're right, I don't. I'm out of here." She lifted the curtain and walked off the stage with me chasing after her.

"Rose, just hear me out!" I said, and goddamn was I glad that I had sneakers on because with the pace she was going at I wouldn't have been able to catch up.

"Go back to your white bitch, Cam!" She scoffed, her pace still the same. "You piece of-"

I pulled her arm and turned her around. "Will you listen for a moment?" She avoided eye contact as I continued, "I asked for you to come for a reason that benefitted both of us, not just me. I wouldn't have if I didn't have a plausible reason. If you just give me a chance, I'll explain everything."

She looked like she was in deep thought, and after what seemed like a lifetime, "Meet me at our former secret place after church, I'll be there." She pointed behind me. "Seems like your little gig is about to start, and I wouldn't want to be a bother." She gave me a wink and turned around, walking away.

"Darling!" I turned around to see my mom waving for me to get over there. "Come on, the service is about to start!"

I felt torn; go after Roseanne or go and nail a gig I cared nothing about? Disappoint my parents or disappoint Roseanne?

"Alright, I'm coming!" I yelled back, hesitantly looking back, and then going back to the church building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I entered through the park gates and made my way for the apple tree in the middle of the park. I mean yes this wasn't really a secret spot but because Rose and I were tough on the outside, it was the place anyone would least expect for us to be at.

I approach the tree slowly, seeing Rose leaning against the tree, a book in hand. Her denim jacket was laying neatly on the grass, and her long black weave that was previously in a bun was now flowing down her back. She had a bottle in her other hand, and handed it over to me. She the  moved over slightly, and I leaned against the tree next to her, taking a chug out of the water she gave me. I spat it out.

"What the hell?" I coughed, and she pat my back.

"Remember I put lemon and honey in my bottles of water?" She laughed. "Oh God, guess we haven't talked for that long, huh?"

When I gained composure, I gave her back the bottle and reached for my backpack, pulling out a notebook. I gave it to her, and she put the bottle down, opening the book and gasping.

"Want to tell me what it is?" I smiled.

"This used to be ours." She let out a low laugh, her eyes fixated on the book. "We'd write secrets in them till we didn't share any secrets at all. You still have this?"

"I mean yeah." I looked away and down at my feet. "You were my best friend after all, I didn't really want to throw it out."

"Oh." Rose said, poking me slightly, making me stare at her again. "You know, I don't mind compromising with you and making sure the club works out. I really don't."

"That's not what I wanted to talk to you about." I murmured. "I...I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"You're what?"

"I'm sorry for everything. For the way we ended, for the way we became enemies, and for-"

"Don't apologise, Cam, you don't have to." Roseanne shrugged. "It was my fault really."

"I mean, I never thought we'd drift away because of-"

"You being queer? No, that's not the reason we drifted away, Cameron." She interrupted, and gave me back the notebook. "In time, you'll know why I did drift away." She picked up her jacket and water, beginning to walk away from me.

"What?"

"Like I said, you'll know in time. But here's some advice because I care about you." Roseanne stopped, turning to smile at me. "Just keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." She then came back to give me a soft punch to the shoulder. "And as for the club, I promise you I'll compromise." She then walked away, and I stared at the empty space for a while, before slumping to the ground in a confused heap.