A Black Rose ~Part One~

     Aubrey smiled and kissed him back softly. She winked, breaking the kiss, extending her index finger to point at the windshield, referring for Benji to watch the road. He smiled and pressed his foot on the gas peg slightly harder. 

Chapter Two 

      Aubrey checked her phone again waiting for the screen to light up spelling out the familiar “Incoming Call From Benji<3” and for his familiar voice to tell her that he was on his way to her house. It was the day before their 3rd year anniversary, and he wanted to go to the park since he had to babysit his little sister Lacey. Aubrey sighed, swinging her jacket over her shoulder, leaping up onto her feet, and strolled to the backyard. She jumped down the porch steps, and hunched over, gripping the handle to the garage. She pulled upwards, exerting her strength, and shifting under. She picked up her Zero skateboard, and tossed it to the ground, pushing it with her foot, letting it roll across the tiled garage floor, and onto the concrete. She swiftly ran to the board, jumping on, turning her feet to the right, pushing the front gate open, looking out at the driveway ahead of her, leaning forward slightly, searching for cars ahead on the street.  

      She slipped her arms into the cotton sleeves of Benji’s jacket, pushing the tip of her Converse-clad right foot against the pavement, riding down the street, smiling softly, as a million thoughts raced through her mind just as fast as the wheels of her skateboard were spinning. “Why didn’t he call..”,  “Maybe his phone died..”, and “Maybe he’s running late..” Were the top thoughts on her mine, but she sighed, breathing in the smell of fresh cut grass and old oak trees. “5..4..3..”Aubrey counted down the usual seconds until she would jump off the board. “2..1..” She hopped off the board, the second before it hit the sidewalk and flipped up, the wheels spinning rapidly as the board laid on its back. She bent down, wrapping her fingertips around the trucks, leaning her palm against the wheels to stop them. She reached into her back pocket, slipping out her phone, before scrolling through her contacts mumbling the letter B repetitively. She hit Send and pressed the phone to her ear, hoping he would at least answer her phone call. She heard it ring twice, and then paused, slowly with-drawing the phone from her ear. “Baby I love you, I never want to let you go, the more I think about you the more I want to let you know, that everything you do, is super duper cute..” sung the familiar ringtone which occurred, whenever she called Benji’s phone. She placed her foot on the bench next to her, pushing herself upwards, looking around the park.  

      Her eyes narrowed on a tall, slumped figure with shaggy jet black hair, shaken over what appeared to be blue eyes. As she studied the figure, she noticed that the boy hadn’t been reaching for his phone. He continued walking slowly, as his arm remained around a slender-figured girl’s shoulder. She had auburn curls, and was about three inches shorter than him. Aubrey’s heart sunk within her chest, as three beeps alerted from his back pocket, signaling he had missed a call, the moment his voice came through her phone. “Hey it’s Benji, I’m sorry I am unable to answer your call, leave your name and message and I will be sure to get back to you later.” Aubrey shut her phone, shaking in horror, as Benji leaned over and kissed the girl on the cheek. Aubrey jumped off the bench, turning and running out of the park, tears streaming down her cheeks, mascara and eyeliner leaking in what seemed like a zig zag line, as if it was the splits through her now-numb and shattered heart.  

Chapter Three 

     Aubrey kicked open the front door, and darted into the house, slamming the door behind her, wiping her tears. She threw her phone at the wall, screaming “Stupid! I trusted him! How could he do that to me! ” She pounced onto her bed, burying her face into her pillow, hugging her knees to her chest, crying. Ding!  It was her laptop, a new I.M on her AIM. Aubrey lifted her head off the pillow slightly, barely able to see past the clumped mascara and blurry tears. She rubbed her eyes against the back of her hand, smearing the runny make-up across it. “LittleAngel45: Heyyy girliee! Saw your board at the park, pretty scratched. Everything good?” was printed in swirly pink font, from her best friend Mackenzie. “No!” Aubrey wrote, slamming her laptop shut, flicking her leg towards it, as it flew off the night stand and smashed into the wall. Aubrey wrapped her arms around the pillow, burying her face into it, screaming in pain. At that moment, her phone buzzed. She clicked the green button, accepting the call without looking, as she flicked her thumb across the bottom, opening it. “Hey babe, I just saw your board here at the park. Want me to bring it over?” Benji’s voice came with an upbeat tone, through the speaker. Aubrey sniffled and spat out the words “No, I never want to see your cheating face again! We’re done! Never even come near me Benji!” and with that, she chucked the phone at the wall, and the battery fell out.  

      Cheating? Benji’s heart froze, his knees dropping to the concrete. The word sounded unfamiliar and foreign. His sister bent down and hugged him. “Her board.. Her not knowing who I am.. She probably saw us together at the park.. Maybe she thinks your cheating with me?” Erica said, mulling over the scenario in her mind. Benji looked at her with morbid eyes. “You’re my sister. My real, biological sister. I wouldn’t date you. No less, cheat on Aubrey.” Erica rubbed his back and sighed. “At least we finally got to meet? Kissing my cheek did seem a little much with your arm around me, Ben.” Benji stared at her, raising his voice in anger, “YOU’RE MY SISTER! I LOVE HER! GOD WHY!” Erica placed her hand over his mouth, in an attempt to calm his nerves and lower his pitch. “Want me to go explain?”  

       Benji stretched his fist to the tree, scratching his knuckles against the bark, the moment his fist had made contact. “Say what? Huh!” Erica rubbed his back and spoke slowly. “I’m not sure. Maybe something along the lines of how I’m your biological sister and you wanted to meet me, and since we never met, you were being a little touchy because the emotions you felt?” Benji shook his head, and struggled to his feet. “She hates me. It’s done. We’re done. I’m done.” And with that, he began walking out of the park, back towards home, as Erica trailed close behind. “You don’t know that though.” Erica said, trying to get his attention. Benji whipped around, skimming his fist against Erica’s cheek, and screamed “I heard her own damn voice say it!”  

       Erica placed her palm to her cheek, in shock, fighting back her tears, as she followed Benji back to his house, in silence. When they finally reached Benji’s house, Erica saw a bright green post it. On it had black pen that wrote “Aubrey’s address: 143 Monteron Avenue”. She picked it up, and told Benji she was headed to the store, as she took out her Ipod and looked up the map from 391 Jackson Avenue to 143 Monteron Avenue. She began following as the map told her, arriving at a brick house with white pillars, and a large dog house.  

Chapter Four 

      The doorbell rang, and Aubrey pushed herself off the bed, standing up, wiping the mascara across her cheeks as she wiped the tears away, sniffling. She sluggishly trudged down the stairs, and opened the front door bitterly. “What?” She said, than shook her head, as her eyes narrowed, at the figure of Erica in her presence.  

“You were the one with my boyfriend, why are you here!” Aubrey demanded, furiously about to raise her hand to Erica. Erica stepped back hesitantly, than spoke slowly. “Benji is my brother. I’m his sister. You most likely have never heard of me, because I’m his sister by birth. He wanted to meet me today, because your anniversary or something was tomorrow, and since we never met, it may have made him  a little touchy, because he wasn’t in control of the emotions he felt.” Aubrey crossed her arms over her chest, trailing her right hand against her left arm, scratching her left arm, unsure of what to say. Erica turned away, and silently, began to leave, knowing her job was done, and it was time to go cheer up Benji. 

       Erica pressed her right hand on the front door, using her left hand to twist the knob, pushing the door open. “Benji?” Erica’s voice echoed through the complex. She looked at the carpet, seeing foot-steps sinking in. She followed each step, watching carefully, as she roamed through the rooms, seeing the last step at Benji’s bedroom door. “Benji?” Erica called out. No answer. She set her hand on the knob, turning it, pushing it open and peering in to the left, before letting her eyes wander through his room. They zoned in and fright at the ground, as her body froze at the frail body on the ground. A knife rested in Benji’s palm, broken hearts carved along his arm, and a large red patch leaked through his shirt.  

       Laid beside him, was a sheet of crisp paper, with fine black ink was written “Aubrey, Love, I'm sorry I did this. I'm sorry I left you. I'm sorry we had to end like this. I'm you thought I cheated.. Truth is, she was my biological sister and I guess I was overwhelmed with emotion when you saw us. I'm so incredibly sorry. I know you'll move on. You won't forget, but you WILL move on. Aubrey, you're the most stunning girl on the planet and guys will be falling left and right for you now that I am gone.  I know that you'll be okay, if you just erase the memory of me out of your mind. I hate that you're going to have to forget how much I loved you.. Because, God I put so much effort into it. You're my everything, Aubrey. We would have lasted forever, even if we split and stopped talking.  

       I still would have considered you my everything and my love. You are the most amazing girl that's ever been part of my life. But after you know that I've done this, please Aubrey.. Don't be sad. Don't be anything but happy. I know that sounds absurd, but you DESERVE to be happy. That’s what I’ve been trying to prove to you this whole time we've been together. You deserve to be happy. That's what I've tried to do for you this entire time. But now, Sweetheart, I'm sorry that I can't make you happy any longer. You have to find someone else to do that for you, because I'm gone. I've made it to Heaven.. Hell, maybe. Wherever I ended up, I'm gone and I can no longer make you happy there, and that really sucks. But Aubrey, the last thing I want you to think, is that it was your fault. It was nobody’s fault. Nobody’s fault but mine, because I chose to be a sad person. That’s who I am. Who I was, I guess I could say now.  

       This whole time I wished I could have had the guts to get that knife. Had the guts to lock that door, and let myself die on the bedroom floor. Wished I had the guts to leave this world, and my love. But I knew, if I were dead, if I were gone and had no feeling. Then, it wouldn’t even matter anymore. Baby I know you're going to miss me dearly, and if you can have feelings in the afterlife, then I know I’ll miss you too and I’ll probably regret what I did. I think these books I’ve been reading, books about suicide. They are what have been pushing me to do what I’ve done. I guess I just realized how much life really sucks, and I’m sorry for everyone that has to pay the consequences for my epiphany.  

       Remember how you thought I was going crazy? I think I am too. I actually think I AM crazy, and that scares me. You don’t need to be with me. I’m bad for you, and I know how much it hurts to hear those words, because I’ve heard them before myself. You probably want to convince me otherwise but, you can’t because, I’m already gone. But I love you, I Love you so much. God you're so amazing Aubrey. I can't believe I can let you go like this but, I'm horrible, horrible for you. I’m insane and I hate myself and I don’t know why anyone else would think differently. I couldn’t cheat on you, I love you oh so dearly. If only you would have seen that. I would then still be here with you in my arms, safe. But I’m not, so with my last breath I come to say, Goodbye my love, you were so good to me. Love, Benji “ 

      A tear rolled down Erica’s pale face. She fell to her knees, numbly taking Benji’s hand within hers.