Rose worth 1,000 Words

After getting her coffee and beignets, Claudia headed to the benches that was behind Jax Brewery, since no one ever went there, and she just wanted to be alone for a minute as she sat down thinking about everything that was going on. She was facing the river with a conflicted and absent-minded look on her face. As a matter of fact, she was so lost in her own mind that she had no idea that someone was following her until he stepped out of the shadows and cleared his throat.

“Is everything alright, Claudia? You’re normal more perceptive than this. I mean, I was able to follow you this whole time, yet you didn’t realize it,” Sean commented.

“I did realize it,” Claudia lied, “but I chose not to react. Maybe you should try it sometimes.”

“Sure,” mumbled Sean.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Sean said before he made a rose appear seemingly from thin air, “A beautiful rose for the even more beautiful Claudia.”

At those words Claudia’s expression darkened and she stood up causing her black gown to swirl around her matching the stormy look in her eyes.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?” he said while wondering why Claudia wasn’t teasing him about being corny like she normally would.

At that Claudia looked at him and took the rose from his hand but said as she pricked her finger with a thorn, “Yes, a rose is beautiful, but it is dangerous due to its thorns. Like the rose, I may be beautiful, but I am a predator of the night. A monster wrapped in a pretty skin.” As she finished speaking, the wind picked up and suddenly all the petals on the rose blew off and appeared to dance in the wind until they hit the water of the river.

“Oh no, I’m sorry Claudia. I will gladly get you another one if you would like.”

“No need, Sean. Why did you follow me? I thought you was going to help your uncle and Lex to gather my stuff for me.”

“They both said that they needed no help as you are always so organized. Besides, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

At this, Sean got nervous and started playing with the hem of his shirt, “I was wondering, if you would like to go out to eat with me? I have been wanting to try dating you for a while and, well, I was hoping you felt the same.”

This whole time, Claudia had been looking longingly at the petals as they flowed on the water wishing she could feel as free as them. But as he asked that, her piercing blue eyes shot up towards him. She knew his history as a playboy, because they had been friends for a long time now and questioned herself if he could be worth it.  If he would even change his ways for her or would he end up hurting her just like everyone else.

“How about this, tomorrow, you come to my house. 11 o’clock sharp, and we’ll have lunch together with dad there and see then we can see how we feel after that?” Claudia suggested.

“It’s a date then.” Sean said and walked away.

Claudia remained there for a little while longer, staring at the petals that continued to float away. Her mind wondering back to when she was younger, before she came to New Orleans. In fact, it wondered to a particular person, and she pulled his picture out of her pocket as a lone tear dripped down her face.

“Am I really a monster Volk? Do I even deserve happiness?” she whispered before putting his picture back in the pocket of her cloak and walking back to her home.