116. Mystery Night Creeper

Continued...

A loud cackle snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. 

Aria. 

She was laughing. 

Before I could question her sanity, she produced something from behind her back, and my stomach plummeted. 

A bouquet of red roses. 

I stared at it, my expression morphing into something between horror and pure, unfiltered disgust. 

In another life, at another time, this sight would have made me feel giddy. Warm. Maybe even a little romantic. 

But now? 

Now, the mere sight of roses made my stomach churn. 

The flowers had been forever ruined for me. 

All because of him. 

And the worst part? 

It was *also my name*. 

Aria grinned, oblivious to my inner crisis. "Well, aren't you going to say thank you? I found these lying by your door, no doubt they are for you so I thought I should give them to you. 

I just stared at her, deadpan. "Are you out of your mind?" 

She blinked at me, then at the bouquet. "What? They're pretty." 

"They're cursed." 

Aria snorted. "Jesus, drama queen. They're *flowers*, not voodoo dolls." She shoved the bouquet toward me again with a wink, but I backed away like she was offering me a severed hand. 

"Get that thing away from me. It's not at all funny." Any minute I was going to hurl on her face.

Her brows furrowed feigning ignorance to my revolting expression. "You used to love roses, Rosie!" She said it loudly looking around as if she wanted someone or everyone to hear that statement. 

But I know what she is doing very well. I told her about my stalker situation however, I made sure not to add the creepy parts; so now she thinks my situation is not dire but quiet romantic. 

Oh she has no idea at all. 

"You are cruel." I muttered darkly. "And thank you, you probably told my entire neighborhood my name and most like- along with them my stalker." 

Aria's eyes narrowed, studying me. "Wait… this isn't about your stalker, is it? So you only like roses from him?!" again she said the last part out loudly.

I watch her slack faced. What the hell is wrong with her? Stalkers aren't as fun as she think they are.

She notices my discomfort and honestly my raging pits of glaring eyes that were trained at her.

"Oh my God," she groaned. "You're actually letting this freak mess with your brain. What—do you think he sent me these?" 

I hesitated looking away and muttering. "…Wouldn't be the first time." 

Thankfully she did not catch what I meant by that and did ask why I would say that... since he actually had sent a rose for me at Her home. 

Aria rolled her eyes so hard her entire body practically shifted with the motion. "Girl, please. You think your mystery night creeper went to the store, picked out a bouquet, and door-dashed it to you? Come on." 

She had a point. A logical one. 

But logic had nothing to do with what had been happening to me. 

Still I stared at them like they would actually come to life and bite me. Aria probably took pity on me and came clean.

"Relax, babe. I didn't find them anywhere. I went through the trouble of buying these for you from a florist." She informed.

What she admitted was in fact a bit relieving. At least that means he still haven't began visiting whilst it was still light outside. Still I hate the sight of the bouquet just with less panic.

"I hate them," I muttered under my breath, folding my arms. "Get rid of them. Either they stay of I stay." I claimmed.

She looked at me like I was utterly stupid for saying that. "It is your house, where are you going to go if not here."

Smart Aleck.

"I think you were right, your mother likes me more than she does you." I smirked in return "So yeah, I know a place where I'll go."

Aria sighed, "That was a bitchy move." looking genuinely baffled. 

"Bravo, girl!…Okay fine, but you do realize this is a perfectly good bouquet of fresh-cut roses, right? Not to mention, cost a fortune. Who knew roses in this season was so rare they were having them shipped from outter country- the florist woman wont shut up about the supply and demand issues."

She pointed to the roses before whispering, "Your stalker must be loaded for sending you these regularly. Did you say he sent a sea of them?" she whistled looking impressed for some reason. 

I didn't reply only shook my head.

She gave me one last pleading look before dramatically sniffing the bouquet and whispering, "Rest in peace, you beautiful expensive bastards." 

And then—she chucked them into the bushes. 

She shook her head, muttering something about wasted romance, before finally stepping inside. 

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. 

"Happy now?" Aria asked in sarcasm. 

I gave her a dry smile. "Ecstatic. Maybe that will teach you a lesson about smart spending- and not invest in stupid pranks, they never pay off." 

"It kinda did. You should have seen you're face when you smelled them. Worth it!" she happily screamed walking away into the living room.

I did not look over my shoulder before slamming the door shut. 

And I definitely didn't try to convince myself that the scent of roses hadn't just gotten stronger. 

It was almost dark now, all the light has almost faded away only to stick to the sky as last bits of it fought to survive. Soon they will fail and darkness will prevail.

Oh shit. He will be coming soon and Aria is here. She will see him and find out that I undermined the situation by a mile. She'd wanna tell Jake-

I hear her bloodcurdling scream from the living room and my thoughts pause as devastation sets in.

He's arrived.