Pink rose story

The sun rises and I take a deep breath. I pick myself up from the ground. Last night was a nightmare but I can not remember a time when it has not been. I clean my body from the inside out. I walk out of the house to buy myself breakfast. I might look like a mess but everyone fears for their lives so they dare not speak. I watch as students walk together to get to school. I wish I had the chance to further my education instead of having to live at his mercy.  I walk in the restaurant for my usual breakfast. The server places the plate in front of me without me having to ask for it. My water is refilled the second I put it down on the table. I take another sip as I watch the news on a small screen. “Maybe you wouldn’t have to force your eyes if you wore your glasses.” Someone tell me. I stay quiet and stop watching the television. A slap with an exaggerated amount of power throws me off my chair. Everyone gets out of the restaurant as he starts to kick me. I feel my breaths shorten and I near the shutting down of my system. “Boss we need you outside for business” He stops kicking me “What did I say about disturbing me?” He snapped “Sorry boss but this is very important. Mister Gold is here,” “You should have just said that! Dismiss her and get someone to clean this mess.” My limp body is carried back to the house. I’m forcefully dropped on the couch. The man leaves and I fall unconscious.

My body becomes conscious again when my head is drowned by water being dumped on me. I cough to catch my breath and cough out some of the water that got inside of me involuntarily. I get another beat down and get a nose bleed. I treat my nose bleed as he gets some more energy to beat me up some more. His phone rings and out of fear that he would wake up earlier I mute the music. Then I hear a growl. “Where is my phone?” He screams angry. I stand in place knowing there is no room able to protect me from his beating. He slaps me then picks up his phone to answer his call. “Yeah. Ok. What do you mean?Cops. I am on my way” He picks me up. “Get ready to leave.” He tells me. 

I follow his order and pack the little that I have. He drags me with him to his car and throws me in the back followed by my bag that hits my head. He drives for a long time until we reach another house in bad shape. I get out of the car with my bag and walk beside him into the house. Two men welcome us. They touch me inappropriately while the man that brought me has his back turned. I decide to sit but am violently pulled off the couch and thrown in a room with my bag. “You keep an eye on her during this job or else I’ll have to get rid of you, understood??” I hear the man who brought me here say to the two other men. “Yes boss” Both men answer. The room is empty containing only a washroom with clean water. I sit with my back against the wall. 

5 days-later

My eyes open and I am surprised by both men staring at me with a beer in their hands. They open their mouths to start saying incoherent things to me. I frown at the awful smell emerging from their inside. They leave laughing and one of them comes back with food then closes the door behind him. I raise my hand to take the food but he holds it back. Seeing after the third time that he is only playing with me, I stop trying. He throws the food aiming for my face but it instead falls all over me.

With a laugh he hits me causing me to lose consciousness. 

I wake up from water being thrown in my face. I cough and find my audience to be the two men supposed to keep an eye on me. Later, that same night the other men came with oil and a lighter. He placed them beside me and looked me straight in the eyes. “Tonight’s your lucky night.” He tells me. “Come with me” He directs me to a room with a bed where the other man already lay under covers. Only when they both look at me do I understand. For the first time I fight back with all I have inside of me. Both men lay unconscious while I bleed from the wounds they inflicted me with. I run out of the house and straight ahead while a car approaches the house. Once I reach the road, I start holding my side because it hurts but I don’t want to stay anywhere close to that house. I need to find shelter, I think to motivate myself. The sun rises when I reach a map of the town I am in.

Sadly, the nearest town is where I was brought out of meaning I need to leave for they will come looking for me. Knowing I can not trust anyone. I find my way inside an old pick-up and fortunately for me the keys are still in the ignition. I start the pick-up and start being shot at. I press down the gas pedal once I find it and speed away. I take the other direction of my old town and drive, not knowing where I am going exactly. The car after an entire day of driving comes to a stop. I get out and fall down because I have been sitting down for too long. I get back up to start walking simply following the road. At one point my body decides to give out. I decided to take a seat on a bench. My eyes widen seeing as I am in a park, bigger than I have ever seen. This must be a city, I think as I get up from the bench. I start walking deeper into the new place. I look around in amazement.

A piece of paper taped to a glass door makes me step in a store. “How can we help you?” I was asked by the cashier. “I saw something about a job offer” I answer “Oh great you are the very first person to come in for the job offer. So let me give you a run through and see if you like the job” I laugh “You mean I can start to work now?” I ask shocked “Yeah might as well. My boss just told me to hire the best to help me run the shop” I smile “That is so cool I never had a job before” I think out loud following the girl behind her desk. “Well you must not be from around here then. The only people who don’t work here are tourists.” She commented. “How so?” I ask “Well the life here costs a lot of money. Here is the uniform” She told me.

I put on the uniform and she started showing me a thousand things at the same time. I repeat things to do until I end up writing them down on a piece of paper. At the end of my shift I admit not having a place to stay so she refers me to a house for travellers. I pay for the night. I shower and get on the bed to sleep for the first time but my wounds reappear by starting to hurt me. I was finally falling asleep until I heard the television on the other side of the wall announcing the news. One of the news was of the man who held me captive for so long being arrested for murder of two men I recognise from the description as the men I ran away from. My body gives into sleep and I fall into a deep nightmare of getting beatten up by my abuser.

 I wake up from a loud alarm. My eyes are very heavy but I force my body out of bed. I took a shower and saw a bruise appeared overnight. Hiding the bruise the best I can I find my way to eat breakfast which is included and leave the house. I find my way back to the shop where she waits for me. “Cool of you to have showed up but you should have taken the time to properly wake up. Let me cover up your face for you” I follow her in the back where she applies things in my face I have never seen in my life.

“What is your name by the way?” She laughed “Oh sorry, I skipped the most important things. My name is Urbana Hilda and yours?” 

“My name is Luciana Socorro” She smiles shortly. “Your name is truly beautiful.” “Thank you. I like your name as well”  I tell her, ignoring her short silence. “Alright, all set to look presentable” She told me, offering me a mirror to look at myself in. “Thank you. I do look less tired” I tell her as I place the mirror back on the shelf. We spent the day trying to get me to take online orders but it did not go well. Then she served a customer showing me how to answer to customers.

That night when I went back to the house my room was given to someone else and the place was full. I was referred to another place which also was full so I ended in a motel room that my money could afford being the cheapest. I shower and take a seat on the bed hearing the sound through the thin walls. I wake up still in a sitting position making my body ache as I stretch out. I shower and get to work. A customer walks in as I try to answer to another customer online. Urbana told me to serve the customer in the store. “Hello. Could I help you with anything?” I ask, forgetting to present myself. “Yes, who is this?” The man asked without looking at me. “My name is Luciana” He looks at me then points to something around his ear. I look back at Urbana that signals me to keep trying. The man turned to me “I am very sorry. Work is always calling. In fact I am here to make sure my order was taken in because I did not receive an email of confirmation.”

Urbana walks over to us with the computer. “What is your name?” She asked “Mister Zviad” “Yes I see your name and the confirmation was sent out but there seemed to have been a problem. I rectified it and like you asked, the suit will be ready for tomorrow.” 

Urbana says “Thank you very much. Is this suit a new addition to your shop?” The man spoke directly to me.

“Yes, in fact we received it this morning.” I answer him

“Could you please add it for tomorrow. The same size as the one I requested online.” “Of course.” The man leaves and Urbana looks at me with a smile. “He was totally flirting with you” “What are you even talking about? He simply bought a suit.” I answer “He has been coming here for as long as I remember and he never stopped a business conversation for anyone.” She tells me but before I can answer another client walks in and this one demands a lot for her red carpet look.

Later on my way to the motel room I considered taking another job to allow myself more financial freedom. I woke up with a sore body again, I slept in a sitting position. I get to work and Urbana covers my tired and bruising face with makeup.

 Urbana gives me the task to drop off Mister Zviad’s orders at his work. The taxi stops in front of the biggest building I have ever seen. I thank the driver Urbana had already paid and walked into the building. I take the elevator and press the number 9 like Urbana had indicated to me. People get on and off.

I finally arrive at my destination and walk to the end of the hallway where two huge doors are closed. I knock for a lady to answer. “You must be here for the delivery of Mister Zviad’s suits. Simply knock before walking in his office.” I thank the nice secretary and follow her directions to walk in Mister Zviad’s office. I stare in awe at the place. This office is huge, I think. “Thank you for the suits, you can place them on the chairs.” I do as he asks and he gets up.

“Luciana I have not stopped thinking about you for a second” I step back shocked. “Mister Zviad, this is very inappropriate. You have the suits and I will be on my way” He frown “Why are you not attracted to me?” Well he is not unattractive but how can I trust a man. “You are very attractive but I am not looking to get in any further relationship especially with customers” I tell him before walking out of his office. On my way out I found a magazine of other job offers. I take it and get back in the taxi which waited for me. On my way back to the shop I found a job offer as a delivery person for a restaurant. I can make things work, I think. Urbana looked at me surprisingly. “Did you deny Mister Zviad?” She asked “How do you know?” I ask her, she simply laughs.  Leaving work early I got another job, after answering a set of questions, the employer accepted me for the job.

2 Months and 4 days later

I have not slept a full night since I started working the other job but my serving skills have improved. Urbana disagrees with the way I treat myself but I have never felt more alive. I yawn as I wait for the clock to indicate 1 in the morning. I punch out and as I walk to the door to leave, my boss shows me one last delivery. “Keep the money.” He tells me quietly. I take the food and walk to the scooter. The address is far but I get to keep the money so I drive to the address to discover a huge mansion. I ring at the gate to be let in. I drive on the beautiful pavement and park in front of the long stairs.

I take off my helmet before ringing the doorbell to be answered. While I wait I wonder on which bench at the park I will be sleeping on, the only problem there is at working two jobs, people accept no one after 10 pm. 

The door opens and my eyes want to jump out of my head as I stand in front of the very person I have been hiding from ever since I turned him down.

“Here is your order”

I say while handing him the food. “You know I could use some company” Everything in me told me no. “Look it is raining and I presume that this scooter is your only transportation just wait for the rain to stop in here”

I step back “I mean you no harm. So you can either wait here or inside” He told me walking away leaving the door open for me. A sharp lighting sound makes me step in the mansion. I close the door and put down my helmet. 

“Make yourself at home” He told me. I followed him into his living room. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?” He asks, I shake my head and he starts eating. I walk toward a very nice artwork to admire it. “Do you live alone?” I ask “What makes you say that?” He laughed “I have not seen any pictures of you with anyone. Or any female touch” I say in realisation “You are right. I have been too taken by my work to find time to see anyone” I frown. “You have so much to do, why only work?” I ask “That is the first time I think about it” He answers “There is a first time for everything.” I answer before walking away into the dining room. “You have a huge space for family activities.” I tell him knowing he is staring at me. I walk into his kitchen and look around. “You could be that person to make it happen for me” He whispered “Don’t you have any maids or housekeepers? Do you live all alone?” I ask ignoring his comment, he laughs softly. “I am not very comfortable with people in my private place” I laugh “I understand” I tell him quietly. I look at the clock on the wall. “Is it really that late?” He looks at the clock and sighs. “It is really 4 in the morning. Maybe you should stay the night” I was about to deny him when the light went out. He walked around and lit a big flashlight. “Just this once” I tell him, stepping away. He gives me the flashlight to hold and walks in front of me. 

He lights candles “This guest room is yours for the night.” He told me while taking the flashlight back. I lock the door once he leaves and rush in the shower to clean myself. The guest room contains all unopened items.

I lay on the bed and fall asleep for nightmares to overtake me. I wake up and stretch. Despite feeling weak, I get out of the bed to shower. I get dressed and walk out of the bedroom. 

I sneeze loudly as I try to quietly walk toward the front door. I suddenly feel sick. “Are you alright?” I shake my head at Mister Zviad. “I think I am sick.” I tell him before starting to cough uncontrollably. He walked me back to the bed and helped me to lay back, he slowly pulled the cover over my body. “Get some rest and feel better.”

He told me.

I look at him surprised when he caresses the side of my head gently. “You are the first man to lay a hand on me and not hurt me” I admit before slowly dozing off to sleep. Just before I completely give into slumber I hear him say “There is a first time for everything.” I wake up not recognizing where I am.

I sit on the bed afraid until I see Zviad walk in the room with a bowl. “Would you like some soup?” He asked me.

“I do” I answered him before sneezing. He placed the bowl on the nightstand beside me. I look at a clock and realize I will be late for work. “I need to get to work. I am so sorry but Urbana doesn’t know I am not coming for work” I say already out of bed and trying to fix myself.

“I called both works for you and said you were sick” He says “You have no right to make decisions for me. I can make my own decisions” I told him angrily until I started coughing out of control. He gives me a glass of water that I drink to help me breathe.

He sat me on the edge of the bed. “You are right. Forgive me.” He says. “Eat your soup then you can leave” He told me. I get back to bed. “Okay” I tell him feeling sleepy the second I have the hot soup in my hands. I place the bowl between my lap to start eating.

I eat all the soup and place the bowl on the nightstand beside me before falling asleep. I wake up and run in the washroom to throw up. Zviad ties my hair back as I throw up then wipe my face with a cloth. I flush the toilet and sit there as my body settles down. “Drink some water” He told me but I gave a little fight before drinking the water.

I found enough strength to get back to bed. I wake up from my nap feeling better. I clean myself before trying to leave but the scooter and helmet are gone. I sit in front of the television and open it. The news shows the man that gives me nightmares has been released. I start crying to myself knowing he got help and he will be looking for me. I close the television and get back to sleep. 

8 days later

Zviad dropped me off at work and I thanked him. He is still very much of a flirt but he lets me stay at his house for free. Urbana looked at me and smiled shortly. “So you and Zviad are a thing now?” She asks “No we are not a thing. I simply live at his house” I explained to her before walking to the back to change. I hear her talking with someone and walk out to see who it is. My grandfather stood there with his associates. “I told you not to let her out of your sight Urbana now I have to kill you.” He says before shooting her in the head. “Go over to this Zviad company and get me the man.” I ran away through the back door.

I get to Zviad’s house and call him. The front door is knocked down. Zviad walked in first followed by my grandfather. “You are working for him” I scream feeling betrayed. Zviad looked at me hurt. “Oh don’t talk to the man like that. He didn’t know what he got himself into” He told me before slapping me. “Now you gave me a great deal of problems so come on. We are going home where everyone can keep an eye on you,” my abuser said. “I will not” He punched me but I didn’t move. “Luciana get in the car” He ordered me again. “No” I say again for him to start beating on me but I don’t move. Each time Zviad flinches I realize that he’s got a gun. Who is this man? I ask myself. “Luciana I have tried to raise you to the best of my ability for your parents sake but you never listen.” He says and that’s the lie that makes me break down. I hear gunshots as I cry to myself and I scream loudly when I feel a hand on my hair. “Luciana, please stop screaming. I don’t want to hurt you” I hear faintly and I stop screaming to look at him. “Who are you?” I ask him. 

At the sight of his gun in his hand, I recognized him as the officer that told me about my parents death. “Officer Zviad. I have been on your case for a very long time.” He told me. Before I can say anything we are shot at. He pulled me into a safe room where I saw he had been wounded. I cover his wound and he thanks me before we escape through a trapdoor. We get in a hidden car and drive off to a lake. He got out of the car and locked me inside. I watch three cars stop in front of him. 20 men in total stand in front of him all heavily loaded. “You can leave now or die?” Zviad says. One man shot him in the shoulder and two helicopters shot the men down. Zviad gives them thumbs up before getting back in the car. “Stop making decisions for me.I don’t want you to die for me” I tell him but for the first time. “Thank you for taking care of me” I whisper. He stopped in front of a police station. “It is my job but I will take your acknowledgement of my actions to help you.” He says before wincing. “You should get someone to look at your wounds” I tell him.

I get in the station to give my story.

12 months later

I wake up to my alarm. I open the radio to listen to the news. I make myself breakfast and eat it while watching birds on trees. I close the radio to get on my computer. Finally after a year of searching I found Zviad’s location. My only problem with my witness protection is that it separated me from Zviad. He is the only man that I trust. I get dressed the most casual I can.

 It is my first time in so long that I feel excited for something. Ever since I have been on witness protection things have been very numb. I drive to Zviad’s location but stop when I see him with someone else. Maybe it was a bad idea to look for him. I was always so cold with him. He must have taken my advice and found himself someone to make things work somehow and have his kids. The sun reflects in my eye and I realize it is because someone is one the roof pointing their gun in Zviad’s direction. “Get down”

I scream and he gets down. I run away as I am shot at. I hid in an underground parking lot. I get in a corner and hug my knees. I start crying to myself. “Luciana get in the car” I hear Zviad scream but I don’t move paralyzed. I feel arms grab me and a hand go around my neck to choke me. I open my eyes to see Zviad shoot my attacker in the head. I scream but regain my senses quickly to get in the car. “Are you two partners?” The lady asked “Are you his wife?” I ask back and she laughs. “No I was just asked to keep an eye on him” She answered me. “No, we are not partners.” I told her before looking at Zviad. He looks away and concentrates on driving. We arrive at a police station and I get placed in another witness protection. The second I am left alone. I ran away to my other house to find people destroying the property. I risk my life to get my computer. After running for my life. I reached a small shop. I get on the wifi and find Zviad’s location and phone number. I buy myself a phone and contact him, he gets mad at me because I put him at risk.

I destroy the phone before getting myself a car. I drive not knowing where I am heading. I start crying but I stop and turn myself into the police.

3 Months later

5 witness protections later.

I am finally allowed to see Zviad. He looks unhappy to see me. “I didn’t get you away from your abuser to have you locked up here” He told me angrily. I cross my arms over my chest and let out a tear. “I don’t trust anyone.” I told him “You are going to have to start somewhere” He told me angrily. “Well I don’t want to. So someone else can make decisions for me then leave me alone. Or just die because they are liars that work for my grandfather.” I responded to him in anger.

He got up to leave. I watch him leave and refuse to move from my seat.

 “Miss. Socorro please get back to your room” Someone shot the man trying to get me back to my room. “She said she doesn’t want to,” He says before sitting in front of me. “Well your grandfather owed us money and you are the only family left to repay him” I look at the dead body. “It is my first time seeing you” I say, not understanding the situation. “Well there is a first time for everything” He told me before taking me away. I let them tie me up and stare at the men all holding guns. “I heard you escaped from Dumb And Dumber. But you won’t be escaping my men.” He told me while closing the doors to the van. I fight my way out leaving the men wounded before throwing myself out of the van. A car stopped centimeters away from me. Zviad gets out of the car to shoot my kidnappers. Zviad got me in his car and untied me. “Look at yourself,” He told me angrily. I start crying and he stops at the side of the road.

“Let’s talk this out. What’s wrong?” “Oh for the first time you want to know what’s wrong. You don’t just want to act like you like me. Well I don’t want you to make any more decisions for me. Leave me alone. I don’t want to be protected because I am no witness, I am a victim and the exact reason people die. They can’t protect me. I don’t want to make you angry just once I wanted to tell you that I want you to be happy. I wish that girl you were seeing is the one that makes things more interesting for you” I tell him.

We are shot at and Zviad drags me to a plane. He looks behind him then at me. “Duty calls. Go where your heart calls.” I tell him and he leaves me. I was on my way onto the plane when I heard a gun out of ammunition. I ran out to help Zviad. He hid while  innocent people lay wounded. This is my fault. I was about to turn myself in when I saw my kidnapper grabbing Zviad. I disarm a man to kill him. I turn on the other men to kill them as well. Arms try to contain me but I get out of their holds to kick them unconscious. 

I run to Zviad but am held back by arms arresting me.

I get out of my corner to find Zviad but I don’t move because I see him with other men in suits. “Miss we are here to offer you a job as Zviad’s partner” “What for so you can arrest me again?” I asked upset. “Get up now and shake those hands so we can leave” Zviad ordered me. I fight with myself but give in to his order. “No Miss, we would not want to lose anymore men trying to contain you.” A man in a suit answered my question. “Thank you,” I told him. Zviad sat beside me in the back of a car and shook his head at me. “How dare you make a decision for me?” He told me. “There is a first time for everything” I tell him, still upset. We arrived at the airport and this time we both got on a plane. We say nothing to each other the entire time. Then I am brought to a training camp. He is a very tough judge. During training he gives me another bad remark and I leave. Zviad gets into my private house which is against the rules.

“You can’t just leave training. I am trying to teach you how to fight!” “No you are not Zviad. You are trying to make me quit. You want me out of your sight because you can’t stand that I fight better than you!” I scream at his face. “ You act without thinking you know nothing. You want to die!” “Leave me alone.” I told him.

He leaves and I escape the camp to go to a bar. Tonight is going to be my first time drinking. I sit on a stool to be pushed off it. Then I am kicked. “Come on, give the girl what she likes” A bunch of guys say before they are kicked out by Zviad. He brings me back to the camp. I show up at training still covered in bruises and a very sore body.

Zviad comments on everyone’s performance but mine.

I practiced until I became the best trainee. Today is graduation day. I smile wide even if we are supposed to be serious for the picture. Zviad shakes his head at me and I lose my smile. Everyone was rejoicing together but when it came to me they stayed away. “Oh so you are waiting for Zviad.” Zviad stops in front of us and I receive a dirty look. I get in the car in tears. “What’s wrong?” He asked me gently. “Nothing just drive me away from here” I tell him.

I am woken up by the sound of waterfalls. I look at the bed I am laying on and the room. I get close to the window to see a waterfall. I smile “Luciana?” I look at Zviad with a smile. “Hi” I say. He smiled back “Since our first assignment is on this island I thought you might like having a nice house to start with” “Good decision” I told him. I notice he is holding something in his hands. “What’s that in your hands?” I ask, pointing to his hand. He brought a box made in a rose shape closer to my eyes. “I also have been craving to ask you to marry me” He told me, opening the box to reveal an engagement ring. I cover my mouth. “I don’t know what to say” I tell him and he laughs “That would be the first time.” After a long moment of thinking about what decision I should make and staring at the ring in my finger. I walk around to find him pacing around. “Yes I will marry you” I responded to him and he kissed me  softly. I was blushing when we heard his computer alarm go off. “Time to solve the case” He tells me.

We caught the bad guy then got married quickly so no one knows. 

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Note from the author

Thank you for reading my story