Chapter- 1

Ten years ago

Rose pov

I was sitting on the lap of my best friend of five years and watching the sunset. We met when I was ten years old in a park. Some boys were bullying me and he just appeared out of nowhere like a knight in shining armor. Since then we have been inseparable.

He was seven years older than me but instead of treating me like a child, he treated me like an equal. When I blabbered about school or anything in random, he, unlike most people, listened to me with a smile on his face. I loved him but there were times when he scared me. Though I was fifteen years old, I wasn't an idiot. I came to realise that there are things that set him off like me talking to another guys. He once beat up a guy just because he touched my hand. That day I saw a new side of him which terrified me. Albeit he apologized afterwards I never spoke to any other guy until and unless it was absolutely necessary. And even after that I had to tell him.

I knew it sounded extremely controlling but the thing is I was ready to comply with this little complication if it meant that he would stay with me. Besides he supported me in almost everything. And if he didn't want me talking to another boys then so be it. It's not like I was dying to talk to them. To be honest I didn't like most of the boys in my school. They were all too loud and obnoxious.

This was our favourite spot, we always came here and sat like this. Me sitting on his lap and his arms around my waist. I just loved it and wished that we could stay like this forever but unfortunately all wishes cannot be fulfilled.

"Shady..." I called him. Humming, he turned to look at me with a smile on his face. He didn't smile too often but when he did, it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"I have to leave tomorrow." I whispered sadly.

His arms tightened around my waist. When I looked up his face was expressionless and he was looking ahead. These were the times which scared me a little even though I knew that he would never hurt me.

"Don't." He said in a hard voice

"Don't what?" I asked confused.

"Don't talk about leaving, you know how much I hate that."

"I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you. Please don't be mad at me." I said because I hate making him upset.

He looked down at me and his eyes softened but he didn't loosen his grip.

"I am not mad at you Rose Red, I am mad at these circumstances which are taking you away from me. I can never be mad at you." He whispered as he nuzzled his head in my neck.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." I said solemnly.

"Sweetheart you don't know how much I want to whisk you away from the harshness of this world; from everything and everyone, and keep you with me but I can't do that because right now you need your parents the most."

"But I need you too, can't you come with us?" I asked in a hopeful voice. It was true I needed him. I was completely dependent on him. There has never been a day when I hadn't seen him, talked to him. I didn't know when he became so important to me but I knew that I needed him more than anything else.

I always thought that we would be together and now that I have to leave, it seems surreal. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave him but he is right I also need my parents.

"No rose red l have work to do." He sighed and looked at me. He was only twenty two but he had established a big company which earned in millions every day. I knew he was busy and that he especially makes time for me in his busy schedule. But there was a selfish part in me which didn't want to let him go.

"Please." I looked at him pleadingly. He would usually give in when I pleaded him for something but his hard stare told me that this time he wouldn't cave in. Sighing I relented and placed my head on his chest. I could hear the steady pace of his heart which calmed me.

"Fine but promise me that you will never forget about me and we will always remain in contact."

"I promise, love." He smiled solemnly as he ran his fingers through my hair. "I could never forget you even if I wanted to." He replied, kissing my head and holding me tighter.

I held up my pinkie finger and asked him to do pinky promise. He in twined his pinky finger with mine and we kissed each other on cheeks to seal the deal.

After sometime, he looked at his watch and told me that it was time to leave. I didn't want to go but I knew that I had to otherwise my parents will be worried about my whereabouts even after knowing with who I was. I sighed, got off his lap and held his hand.

Once we were at my house we looked at each other knowing that this will be the last time we will see each other. Shady knocked at the door and soon my mother opened the door. She greeted us with a smile.

"Hello Melanie." Shady greeted my mother.

"Hello to you too Derek. How are you?" My mother greeted him with a smile. She absolutely adored him much to my father's dismay. At times she also scolded him which was extremely funny considering he was usually the one shouting and scolding people. He is the one who is always in control. But my mother is also a work of force, so, seeing him not being the one in control when my mother was scolding or reprimanding him was really entertaining.

"I am okay." He replied.

"Derek we know you two are very close to each other but her grandmother is at her last stage of breast cancer. That's why we want spend as much time as we can with her. Then we are thinking about settling there because he is getting better paid there and Myra will also have better education." Mom explained him what she has explained to me at least a dozen times.

"But why don't you come in." She asked him. When he denied, I gave him my best puppy dog face and asked him to stay for a while. Still he refused saying he has to finish some work. Bidding each other goodbye, he left after glancing at me one last time. Tears gathered in my eyes as I realised that this might be our last meeting, ever.