French Rose

Written from Christina King’s point of view.

Three.

I could hear her footsteps getting louder as that second passed. It was a little slower than I expected considering she yelled my name thrice already. It was a struggle to pretend I was still asleep. I didn't know why but it just wasn't my thing. I would try my best and still get caught at the end of the day.

Two.

Thinking of it, she was taking quite an amount of time. The kitchen up to my room was a two minute walk or even less. I'd been staring at the clock and saw she'd been walking for about five minutes now. My courage, however, wasn't lost.

One.

“You can’t spend the rest of your life in bed eating pizza and coke” Mom said, pulling my door open in every single way but quiet. Crossing her arms over her huge belly, she gave me the look she gave every morning after getting the satisfaction of tearing me away from my morning routine of staying in bed till I was sure they weren't in the house anymore.

My parents didn't approve of it. They loved having breakfast with the whole family and that was something I liked for a while but after years of realising it would always end up in them saying stuff about me

But guess what? That stopped a few days ago cause this girl is grown enough to do it publicly.

“Yes, I can. I’m grown up now, remember?”

She didn't like when I said that. I don't know why but she simply didn't like it at all. I could just notice it from the look on her face. She rarely got upset with me but she just didn't like that I'd finally gotten to the age where I could do things on my own. I, on the other hand, didn't mind at all. There were a lot of promises they made and a lot of things I wasn't allowed to do before then but now, it's a different story.

"You know I don't like it"

"But it's the truth. You're the one who said eighteen is the age when you let go"

"But you're still so small and cute"

No, I didn’t have the perfect look.

I got my mom’s petite figure but unfortunately wasn’t blessed in the right places like she was. The only good thing about me were my sweet legs and that’s because they were strong enough to take me to places. In fact, I had medals to prove it.

“Your first week as an adult and you spend your time eating pizza and fizzy drinks?” She asked, giving me a disgusted look “I did worse your age. I literally had my room filled with_”

“You’re meant to tell her how it’s wrong to do so!” Dad yelled from wherever he was, correcting her for the one billionth time.

“Oh yeah! I mean it’s bad. You should be eating healthy stuff cause it’s good for you” She corrected “Did I do it right this time?!"

“Yeah whatever, just tell her already!”

“Your father and I would like to speak to you during breakfast which has been going on for minutes now, just so you know”

“Does that mean I get to not listen to you guys say something I’m definitely not gonna like?”

“No, no it doesn’t. Get your butt downstairs in ten minutes else I’ll take away bed again" She then proceeded to stick out her tongue.

Yes, very mature. I know.

“Now that’s good parenting” She winked and left, without closing the door.

You know how annoying it is for someone to walk into you room with the door closed and then they leave and leave the door open.

Ha ha, I used leave twice but as I was saying, it gets very frustrating cause now I feel like the world is starring at through my door and probably laughing too.

“Just so you know, I left the door open intentionally!”

“Jokes on you cause I wanted it open anyways!”

“Ha ha ha, I know you’re lying”

Once again, very very mature. I know.

For the love of my fluffy lover or bed, whatever you call it, I pulled the sheet off. It wasn't the first time I had my bed seized. Other children had their phones seized but my parents, being unique as they liked to call it, would take away my bed. Staying on a couch was the most uncomfortable thing in the world and I could risk going back to that position.

Moving on, I dragged my lazy self to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. One thing I did everyday just to see if I was finally looking more like an adult. I didn't know if it was just me but even at the age of eighteen, I still looked a little too small. There were people that thought I was a lot younger than I actually was and sometimes it came be good but most times it sure is not. Sometimes it just happens to be something I think of everyday.

Mostly when aunt Kayla wrote ‘you’re too tiny’ on my mirror with permanent marker.

I guess it's not that bad, seeing I didn't even go out that much for people to notice it. Most of the pictures I had online was just my face or half of my body so it wasn't really noticeable from there. I've had my parents tell me it's not a problem and I was just worrying myself but still.

I was done in a few minutes and off i went to hear thing that’ll annoy me.

Dad and mom were by the counter. Dad making breakfast as usual and mom eating it before it got on the plate, just because she had a plus one in her belly. I had seen people pregnant and they didn’t eat half the food mom ate in a day but once I say a word about it, it's always ' Christina you're over dramatic' or 'Christina you complain too much'

”Oh look who got here on time” Dad said sarcastically as he poured syrup on a pile of pancakes. Nice of him to have made breakfast for everyone. I took a seat in front of the plate and smiled at my dad in appreciation. The moment was short lived cause the moment I took a fork, he took the plate and placed it in front of mom instead.

That's more than enough to prove my point.

“What? I’m pregnant” She said, pushing the plate closer to her “Oh this is good. Here, have a bite”

I gave her a questioning look when she extended her hand.

She never did things like that. It was very odd of her to offer me things. Yes, she was my mom and they're a lot of moms out there that give their kids things. In fact, there are actually some moms that'll put their kids in front of their needs but mine, no way.

Wow I guess her pregnancy hormones were good after all.

“Thanks mom” I said and opened my mouth but the moment I heard a laugh escape her lips, I figured out it was just a prank.

That’s it, I've had just enough for one century.

“I’m leaving”

“Great so start packing cause you’re going to France by six o clock”

If I had water in my mouth, I would’ve spat it out or on mom depending on how long she laughed.

“No, we didn't talk about this"

"I did, to your mom but you were asleep so you couldn't hear it"

"You're lying"

“You see, we have to business meetings to be at tomorrow and we can’t be absent at any one of them so you have to go to France today an_”

“I can't go there all alone"

“No, you won't” Mom replied “we got you a stuffed animal, just in case you feel lonely”

“I'm just a child and since when did you both start having business meetings? I thought mom sits at home all day"

"That is very rude" She responded "I'm pregnant, you can't say stuff like that to me"

"You're not sick but whatever, I don't care. I have things to do, I'm always busy doing stuff"

“Like?”

“Well” I paused “I have to eat and drink and blink and sleep and use the toilet, you know what? You won’t understand”

“Those aren’t important stuff, sunshine. You’re leaving by six sharp. Oh, and we named your new friend Kevin, it's a stuffed frog"

“You don’t get to make decisions for me. I’m not going to France and that’s it”

“Look who’s acting all grown up” Mom said, throwing me a silly wink. "I was half your age at your age"

"What are you even saying?"

“You’re just spending two days” He added "Or more, it depends"

“Yeah, two days of faking perfection”

“You do it right baby. Don’t worry, you’ll get a boyfriend in no time” Mom, once again, piped in and winked “Just learned to wink with this eye”

“Come on dad, I can’t do this”

“Fine, if you do it, I'll get you a room far from our's_"

“Deal!”

I sighed and sunk back into the seat, starring at the window for the one billionth time that day

I had my aunt with me and I originally thought she would be with me throughout the whole trip so it made me feel better. It was saddening to later realise the only reason she decided to go with me was to get food locally made there and free transport. I wasn't shocked to realise it, knowing aunty Kayla only did things that would benefit her.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Still, it was nice to have someone with me throughout the hours I would spend here but my company was too busy eating and scrolling down her phone to pay the slightest attention to me.

"He said it last minute"

"Yeah"

"And I have no idea why I'm going. I mean, it doesn't make any sense, I don't know how the whole thing works"

"Oh really?"

"I have a very strong feeling you're not paying any attention to me"

She looked just as bored as the tone in her voice when and turned