The White Rose
The White Rose
The setting is this; A world where anthropomorphic creatures from every spectrum lived in harmony, where most would call bliss, nirvana, heaven, even paradise, but even here there are those who lust so to change who they are, those like me. I was laying down in my room, with naught but longings and daydreams dancing in my mind as I looked to the plaster roof that had stood so many years over me. On this world I was, as far as I can tell, one of a kind; a human. The cursed of the two ancestors to those around me and I hated it. I sat up as I ached for something to ease the boredom, to ease my mind, and suddenly good fortune struck me. I put my clothes on as the phone rang its usual "Wait For You" ringtone by Atreyu, telling me it was my friend and secret crush and not another telemarketer.
"Hello? Sorry I didn't answer right away, I was on the other side of the room." I apologized in vain, knowing how many times before he told me I had nothing to be sorry for.
"How's my li'l ancestor today? Sounds like you haven't gotten much sleep first off." The familiar voice asked in its reptilian glory, "I've also got something we can do today, but 'tis a surprise."
"I'm fine, unfortunately still a primate, but fine nonetheless. When should I come over?" I asked eagerly, willing to jump off a bridge if he willed it and eager to be his pet (I'm a fan of making others happy, in turn it makes me happy so I strive on "living to serve.")
"Come on, don't be so harsh on yourself, anyway as soon as possible s'il te plait, I'm anxious to show you!" The lizard responded teasingly, knowing I was still regretting teaching him French and easily building my hopes up for the surprise.
"I'm on it right away!" I couldn't help but respond in excitement as I hung up and sprinted out the door, full of new-found energy as I strove to see what was in store for me.
On my way there though, I realized I should've kept listening rather than instantly hang up, but no doubt it was just my imagination thinking he said "See you soon my love." I continued down the street at a pace that would've let me pass gym class, but as usual I stopped momentarily as I saw through a flower shop window, my favorite flower. Albino white with nary a thorn marring it's emerald green stem, a white rose. However, to my dismay, they were a symbol of love equivalent to an engagement ring, thus they were priced as much. I continued running down the wide street to my crush's house, who I moved closer to the first chance I got. Arriving at the house much quicker than either of us expected, seeing the looks on my beloved Solan's face.
"And here I thought you were the slowest in the school, but apparently you can obviously give that cheetah a run for his money, no pun intended." Solan joked, grinning wide enough to reveal his sharp teeth.
No matter how scary it looked to most, a smile was a smile to me, and even when a dragon smiled I couldn't help but feel uplifted.
"So what are we going to do ma- Sol?" I corrected hastily, feeling my cheeks turn red as I almost let my secret slip.
"We're going to the beach, it's supposed to be nice today, plus I have plans." The lizard retorted while grinning even wider, for what reason I had yet to find out why.
"A-alright, but what's with the box?" I asked nervously, noticing ornate package under his arm in a vice grip.
"That's a secret." He replied casually while beginning to walk further down the street towards the coastline.
Amazingly, houses were reasonably priced in this coastal town so we didn't have to walk far, but all I could do is dread that he got a rose for that other reptilian chick that he always glanced at nervously.
"Aero! You there buddy? You blanked out for a second and just stood there..." I heard Solan snap as I pulled back into the world around me.
"I-I'm sorry, here, let's go." I replied hastily, not wanting to lose him forever and have no one left.
Just before we reached the beach, we were confronted by the town thugs as we passed an alley. They were homeless, but they knew how to extort money and other valuables off of people like candy.
"Hey weakling! Hand over whatever's in that box of yours and whatever you have got on you. Now." The leader demanded as his companions surrounded us.
"A-alright, I don't want any trouble-"
"Hell no! Any one of you touch a scale on his body and you'll regret it!" I snapped ferociously at the one who was coming nearer, feeling my want, my need to protect him well up right beside anger.
"And just what do you plan to do oh-so-weak ancestor? You're not nearly as strong or fast as us." The leader taunted, trying in vain to have my fear override my anger.
"Please, Aero, it's fine..."
"No, it's not fine. I won't let you be taken advantage of, let alone by these brutes." I reasoned in a dark and grim tone, letting him know I meant it.
One of the assailants came up from behind and knocked Solan to the ground which pushed me over the edge. I lunged at him with a fire raging in my chest, feeling my heartbeat quicken as my vision blacked out and all I could remember was a blood lust.
I woke up on the ground, feeling my mouth was wet and saw that it was drenched in blood. I looked around and saw 4 corpses, the thugs, all with their necks ripped out and Solan in a corner looking at me in fear. I felt ashamed for letting him see that side of me, and now I was sure he would never fall for me.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to see that part of me." I whimpered out softly, feeling tears of loss, not only of a love but a friend as well, and a familiar loneliness started spreading through my heart, "I ruined your day, all I wanted to do was protect you but instead I scared you..."
No comfort. Just Solan staring wide-eyed at me like everyone else, like I was a monster. I didn't know what to do but wait for the authorities to come pick me up, even though they were thugs they didn't kill anyone, and the sentence for murder was execution, something I was more than happy to oblige to by then.
"It's... It's not that... it's just-" he finally stuttered out, still frightened.
"I'm a monster, a fiend, a killer, who could love a primate beast like me..."
"I could..." Those words stopped me dead with confusion and joy, with bafflement and hope, "You... you fought to protect me, you were always there for me, you waited on me tirelessly, always with a smile on your face just to make me happy..."
"I loved you, I always loved you, I wanted to tell you but I didn't know how you would react. I was paralyzed with worry whenever I tried, and I always thought you had a thing for Lysanthi."
At this point Solan giggled, and I couldn't help but look up.
"Lysanthi is my cousin, we never speak because we somehow developed a sort of telepathy with each other, what was in the box was for you."
I was dumbfounded to say the least. I felt embarrassed and couldn't help but feel joy as well.
"Go ahead and open it, I was gonna wait 'til we got to the beach but what the hey." Solan replied in his always comforting voice.
I could feel my cheeks as red as tomatoes as I picked up the box and looked at it nervously. I undid the ribbon carefully and slowly undid the lid, squeaking in joy as I saw it before my eye; a white rose, a symbol for love as well as my favorite flower.
"Just don't ask for those every valentine's day, I don't really have 7 grand to use for a bouquet." Solan giggled as I bounded over to him, hugging him tightly as he did the same, "Plus you should know better than anyone I prefer guys, they're not as... hormonal so to say..."
I would have kissed him if my mouth wasn't still as red as the drying blood on the carcasses and the police were pulling up.
"Sir, did you do this!?" The officer exclaimed as I turned guiltily and just let him look into my eyes.
"It was for self defense obviously, and these guys have bounties anyway, you'll just get half though, due to their condition..." Another officer said, stepping out of the car and seeing the scene like it was nothing, "However you'll still have to come with us, just for regulations an' stuff."
"Then I'm coming as well, I'm the witness and victim, he was just protecting me." I heard my love call out behind me, relieving my heart to a serene level as a I got in the back of the car leisurely, white rose still in hand.
"You know, you never did tell me what you were about to call me back at my porch." I heard to my left as the lizard scooted close to me, nuzzling my shoulder as I let my head rest on his.
"You should know, master." I sighed out before quickly falling into a nap, knowing I fell asleep with a smile on my face.