Chapter 93 A different Rose I

Chapter 93: Chapter 93 A different Rose I

FEW MINUTES BEFORE NOAH’S ARRIVAL

The morning sun crept over the horizon, casting golden rays across the school compound as birds chirped melodiously from the surrounding trees. Students bustled about, rushing to complete their morning preparations when an unexpected announcement crackled through the speakers, instructing everyone to hurry to the assembly ground immediately. The message was clear—Danielle was about to deliver her instructions, and tardiness would be met with severe consequences. Nobody wanted to be the unfortunate culprit who faced her wrath.

In the girls’ dormitory room, Emily and Abigail were busy getting ready, their uniforms half-put on while they applied cosmetics to their faces. The room smelled of perfume and powder as they meticulously added eyeliner and foundation, their conversation drifting between topics but eventually settling on one person in particular—Rose.

"She’s acting all strange, don’t you think?" Abigail remarked, glancing at Emily who was carefully powdering her face. "Imagine Rose just dumping her friends and showing up to sleep in our room. It feels so unnatural. I don’t think it’s normal at all."

Emily paused her makeup application, meeting Abigail’s gaze through the mirror. "It’s their business, not ours. The fact that Rose came to us shows she’s finally understanding what’s really going on. We’re her hope for surviving in this school, not those helpless twinks she used to hang around with."

She resumed rubbing her neck to clear away some makeup that had stained there, her movements practiced and precise. As she was about to stand up, something tugged at her consciousness, making her pause mid-motion.

"I don’t think it’s just me, but did you feel someone moving around earlier? Like someone went out from this room?" Emily asked, her brow furrowing slightly.

Abigail shook her head dismissively. "Didn’t notice anything like that. It must have been Rose—maybe she was trying to use the bathroom. Don’t get riled up over nothing."

As if on cue, Rose emerged from the bathroom, a towel draped over her shoulders as she dried her wet hair. Her presence seemed to fill the room differently now, with an energy that didn’t quite match the Rose they remembered.

"Hope you don’t mind that I didn’t come with my toiletries," Rose said, her voice carrying a practiced politeness.

Both girls nodded, flashing smiles that Rose could immediately recognize as insincere. But she didn’t care about their genuine feelings; she was simply maintaining appearances, playing the role of a vulnerable girl seeking refuge. If she wanted to take anything by force, no one could stop her—certainly not these two pussycats standing before her.

She moved toward her clothes, reaching out to pick them up when Abigail walked closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Were you the one making all that noise around here earlier?"

Rose stopped mid-reach, her hand hovering over the fabric. She turned slowly, her expression shifting into something unreadable that made both girls pause uncertainly.

"It was me," Rose replied, her voice trembling slightly. "Are you already tired of my presence?"

Her eyes glistened as if she might break into tears, and Emily immediately rushed forward, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

"Whatever happened out there with you and your friends, it’s okay now," Emily cooed soothingly. "We’re with you now, and we’re going to protect you. You don’t have to worry about anything."

She helped Rose into her uniform, both girls offering assistance before stepping back to give her space to finish dressing alone. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving Rose standing in the room by herself. Her expression shifted instantly, the vulnerable mask melting away to reveal something colder, more calculating.

Meanwhile, Noah walked along the corridor, his footsteps echoing against the walls as he made his way toward the assembly. He would have ignored the voices coming from Emily and Abigail’s room—he had no business with them, after all. But when he distinctly heard Rose’s voice, he halted mid-stride, his brow furrowing in confusion.

How was Rose in their room? It didn’t make any sense to him. She had her own friends, her own circle. Why would she be here? Something felt off, and he needed to be sure.

Just as he raised his hand to knock, the door swung open, revealing Emily, Abigail, and Rose standing together. Noah’s eyes widened in shock, his mind racing to process the scene before him.

---

PRESENT

"I’ve been searching everywhere for you, Rose. What happened?" Noah demanded, his gaze shifting suspiciously between the two other girls.

"Stop looking at us like that," Abigail snapped defensively. "We didn’t force her to follow us. She came to us last night, and we couldn’t just leave her out there alone."

Noah’s surprise deepened. That wasn’t like Rose at all. She was fiercely loyal to Lamia and their group. Had they argued about something? He couldn’t remember any conflict between them. Or perhaps Lamia had upset her somehow?

"Well, at least you’re fine," Noah said, his tone softening slightly. "But where’s Lamia? I haven’t seen him, and he’s not in his room either."

Rose shrugged nonchalantly, her expression completely indifferent. "Then look for him. He might be around somewhere. Maybe you didn’t look well enough."

Emily and Abigail exchanged shocked glances, turning to stare at Rose in disbelief. Did she just dismiss her friend so callously? Something was deeply wrong here.

Noah’s confusion mounted. This behavior wasn’t what he expected from Rose at all. The warmth and concern she usually showed for her friends seemed to have evaporated completely.

"Okay Rose, let’s go somewhere else to talk about this," Noah suggested, his voice dropping lower. "It’s not right to discuss things out here in the open. Walls have ears, you know."

He was trying to convey the urgency of the situation, hoping she would understand his unspoken message. But Rose remained stiff, unreceptive, looking at him as though he were a stranger she had no interest in knowing.

"Maybe you can take your worry somewhere else," Abigail interjected, stepping forward. "It seems like Rose doesn’t want to talk to you. We need to get to class now."

She reached for Rose’s hand, attempting to lead her away, when Noah ruffled his hair in frustration and groaned loudly.

"What part of this aren’t you understanding?" he said, his voice rising. "I want to speak to my friend. Maybe you two should get the fuck out and stop interfering."

Emily laughed, a sharp, mocking sound. "Is there a problem? Is it because of that magic you displayed at the cafeteria? Is that making you all cocky? Because if so, you’re more foolish and stupid than I thought."

Her words stung, but Noah refused to be intimidated. He barely saw them as significant threats—with a simple gesture, he could make them disappear.

"Why are you so silent?" Abigail challenged, stepping closer. "Don’t think you’re strong enough to do anything. Leave her alone, or I’ll scream that you’re trying to harass her."

Rose remained silent, offering no defense for Noah, her lips curling into a foolish grin that made his blood boil.

Noah bit his lip, his patience finally snapping. "Of course. I guess this is goodbye then."

His hands slipped from his pockets, and in one fluid motion, Emily and Abigail were slammed against the nearest wall, knocked unconscious before they could even react. Their bodies crumpled to the ground, and Noah turned to Rose with a cold smile.

"We’re having that conversation, and there’s nothing you can do about it," he declared.

Before Rose could protest or resist, Noah grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the corridor. They ascended quickly, moving to the upper levels where they could speak without interruption. The wind whipped around them as they reached the rooftop, the world sprawling below in miniature.