Darlin' [Jay Gatsby - Discontinued]

06.| Chapter 6

"Let's go home"

In the morning, the burning star struggles to rise with happiness, a dangerous red hue envelopes the sky, warning sailors to be careful on the horizon, in the moment the waves were calm and serene, greeting one another gently, but as quick as the calmness came, it left. Struggling to take control of its own shores with the disappearance of the moon, the sparkling water beats against the steaming hot sands, pluming with a ferocious white, drawing itself backwards after the offensive attack.

Rose's eyes scatter under her eyelids, struggling to open her mildly damp eyelashes, breaking her eyes open, the world comes to her in a flurry of blurring colours, thick blotches of the human figure obscuring her view from time to time, passed out drunk from the eventful night before. 

Shadows of the morning cascade across her figure. Her aching limbs shaking, pushing her palms flat on the dewy grass, heaving herself into a straight sitting posture, her head spins for a moment, a grunt of pain fluttering from her frowning lips. Rose moans, standing up straight, shoving her arms out to the side, stretching painfully. Her whole body aches and fights against her movements but one after the other, her shaking legs push forward, until she finds full control and lightly begins jogging towards her ex-lover's home, ready to find her brother (whom she hoped would already be in her presence, her hope for him going to find her dwindling every second).

A soft frown pulls at her thick brows, confusion littering her mind, her brother, her hero, didn't follow her out to make sure she was okay. Just like her mother would do after drinking heavily. Shaking off her tremendous hurt, Rose relishes in the cooling breeze, before climbing up the stairs and entering the house once again.

Cautiously stepping over the bodies of drunkards who had passed out once the night came to a standstill, flurries of glitter paints the tiled flooring, with fallen streamers, and other party decorations that had been tussled in the party. Her heels clip musically against the blue tiled floor, her gaze fluttering about the place, hoping to spy her brother.

"Rosie?" A voice whispers, carrying across the party room, a sense of hidden urgency and delight drifting with it. The melodic sound freezes Rose in her step, the muscles in her body jarring to a desperate holt. Not now Rose whines in her head, her breath stuttering. "Rosie please?" The voice speaks desperately, starving for her attention once again.

Slowly, hesitantly, Rose moves her eyes upwards, cautious to let her head follow, but, her head automatically follows despite the tears building in her saddening eyes. And there he stood. Fresh tears in his glistening eyes, his entire face pulls into the look of pain, as if the distance between them was causing it. His hair – unlike the night before – was dishevelled, hands running the gel out of his well combed hair, tearing himself apart after the love of his life fled the party like Cinderella.

An uncanny breath lodged itself in Roses tightening throat, her eyes blinking rapidly desperate to clear the unshed tears, falling short when a single warm tear glides swiftly down her delicate flushing cheek. A gasp strangles its way out of her constricting throat and into the open, Gatsby sniffles lightly, an airy sob slipping past his lips, the pain on his lover's face clenching his heart agonisingly. Moving to step forward, a voice startles her.

"Rose!" Another voice startles her from gazing at Gatsby, quick stepping formal shoes, clipping the floor in a hurry. Rose panics, rushing her hands to her face, swiping away at any of the sadness and heartbreak residing there, glancing back to where Gatsby stood, only to find a cold empty space.

"Oh Rosie, I've been looking for you!" Her brother exclaims rather loudly, disturbing some of the passed out party goers, who groan in protest. Golden glitter and confetti scatters across his shoulders, complimenting his navy blur blazer. His arms wide, ready to gather her in a tight warm hug. Despite the hurt Rose manifests for Nick, she launches herself towards the safety of his arms, bringing herself as close to Nick as possible, wishing the day and night before had never happened.

"Can we leave?" Rose whispers delicately, her voice straining against his neck. Feeling him nod, Rose unravels herself from his embrace, grabbing his hand and walking with him to the exit. Not finding the strength in her to look back. Gatsby slouches in the giant window of his study, above the courtyard below him, his eyes never tearing their way from Rose, his hand slowly raising, his palm pressing against the icy glass, the look of longing forever in his eyes.

Upon getting home, Rose slips into her room, sliding her body through the tiny gap she created between the door and its frame, immediately turning around and closing the door gently, completely disregarding her brother whom squeaks in surprise watching as the door closes in front of him, after following her to her room. Shaking his head gently, Nick sighs, knowing he screwed things with his sister, but he also knows something else had happened, something he's unaware of. And he needed to know what that was.

Sighing shakily, tears stung in the glistening windows of her soul, Rose collapses against the dark wooden door, lifting her head up to the ceiling in a feeble attempt to stop the tears from flowing, but too no avail. Slowly slumping down onto the floor, Rose gathers herself up, closing in towards her chest, her arms wrapping around her head, hands desperately gripping her hair, tugging. A strangled sob suddenly escapes her dry mouth, raw splutters fighting their way from her throat, weeping loudly. Tears flow freely down her crimson cheeks, spilling over her eyes like waterfalls. A slight nudge shoves her forward lightly, startling her, a whimper falling from her mouth, shoving herself back against the door.

"Rosie, open the door! Rosie, please!" Nick raises his voice slightly in fright, pain collapsing in on his thumping heart, lightly knocking on the door, shoving it weakly. Afraid he'd hurt his sister again. Rose quietens lightly, sniffling heavily, bringing her head back to rest against the door in despair. Her ears strain, a deafening silence falling upon her room, as the commotion on the other side of the door stopped altogether from Nick. However quiet mumblings drift underneath the door, catching her attention, before a voice speaks to her.

"Darlin'? Can you let me in please?" She heard him whisper, his hand placing tentatively on the door. Without much of a thought, Rose springs to her feet, spinning around in a flurry, throwing the door open, letting it bang against the wall, listening to the sound echo throughout the home, no doubt leaving a dent in the wall. Her heart leaps in her chest, a fresh round of tears seeping from her eyes.

Gatsby smiles softly, opening his arms, ready to envelope her in his love. Tears spring to his eyes, watching as she throws herself at him, attaching herself to him like a koala, her arms clenching tightly around his neck pulling herself as close to him as she possibly could. The gap between them disappearing, as they gripped and groped at one another to pull their bodies as tightly together as possible. Gatsby nuzzles his head into her neck, breathing her divine being in, her beautiful scent of perfume overwhelming him, dazing him under her spell once more. Rose cries into his neck, weeping softly.