I stopped thinking about it.

About the Rose. About Thorn.

I threw myself into everything. Three weeks of Tim and I going swimming, shopping, the cinema. I think it was safe to say we were an item, all be it an unofficial couple, not that anyone at school cared. We hadn’t kissed; we hadn’t even talked about it. Instead, we just enjoyed each other’s company.

You’re beginning to sound like an old person, Rayne.

In those three weeks, I hadn’t seen him. The oh so popular Mr Willis had, according to the head teacher, quit school due to the students not co-operating. Although from what I had observed in his lessons which I, thanks to the law, am obliged to go too, every student sat down and listened to him teach, even smiling whilst doing so.

The perks of impersonating an attractive being, Mr Willis, I mean. Not Thorn.

I shivered, his name sent terror from the tip of my spine all the way down to my coccyx.

I knew he hadn’t gone because of the students, or even the usual reason why teachers quit, an illness. Thorn was planning something, and I sure as hope it didn’t involve me.

And I sure as hope it doesn’t happen today, because today is Sunday, a day for peace.

A day for rest.

Sunday was a day for my brain to shut down and for my whole being to collapse onto the plush cream sofa and think of nothing but Tim, TV and the deliciously tempting tub of Ben and Jerry’s salted caramel core ice cream, which was currently lying unopened in the freezer.

Bliss.

Laying my head back onto the sofa, I left my hand to search around for the remote which was hiding somewhere between the large cushions. After minutes of searching my fingers finally gripped onto the cool plastic allowing me to switch on an old episode of Teen Wolf, a paranormal show I could get enjoyment out of.

Werewolves, I laughed at the possibility. Nothing ever comes of thinking that something like that, or any other mythical creatures was around; this world was humans, animals and insects. Nothing else.

Not even the Grim Reaper.

Or Thorn.

Was he even real? Yes.

Was he even male? Yes.

Was he even human?

And stop right there, Rayne.

Sighing, I swivelled around to lay with my spine against the back of the sofa, shutting my eyes and letting the delightful sound of Dylan O’Brien’s voice relax me. The background noise, the static on the TV all added up to a light hum, the only sounds to my lullaby.

I drifted.

For about ten seconds.

“Rayne?! Rayne?!” My perfectly timed mothers voice rang out from the landing. “Rayne?!” She continued, oblivious to the fact that I had found the comfiest position on the sofa, head mashed into one of the cream pillows, feet tangled in the fluffy throw.

“What?” I croaked out, my voice scratching with every letter.

“Rayne?!” She blew out again. Why don’t parents walk to their own children when they want to speak to them? They should stop shouting and maybe, just maybe, do that small bit of exercise that consists of about 20 steps.

“What?” I dragged out, my voice ridden with annoyance as I heard here footsteps plodding down the stairs.

Finally.

“Rayne!” My mother squeaked as she finally flew around the corner, catching her hands on the living rooms doorframe, her eyes wide, hair dishevelled and her clothes mangled with multi-coloured paint.

“What?” I said for the third and final time, my eyes narrowing in on the small pile of folded notes in her free hand. She wanted something…on a Sunday.

She wants me to move, doesn’t she?

Groaning, I slowly pushed myself up, sitting with a frown on my face as she walked over, a timid smile on her face. She knew I wasn’t going to say no.

Damn mother.

“I’ve run out of black acrylic and my favourite Pro Arte paintbrush just snapped in half!” She exasperated, throwing her hands up in the air before diving them into her pocketed to bring out the two pieces of her former love. The paintbrush destroyed to the point of no return.

My eyes darted back and forth, like I was at a tennis match, as she waved the two pieces of snapped wood in front of my face.

“Okay, okay! I’ll go in a minute.”  I cried, whipping my hand out to stop her from continuously moving the broken paintbrush, my eyes reeling as the movements began to make me feel dizzy.

“Are you sure?” She puppy dog eyed me.

“Did I have much of a choice?” I bit out sarcastically, rolling my eyes before standing up abruptly, almost knocking my mum over as she giggled at my last question.

Steadying ourselves, she held out the wad of notes for me to grab, before smiling graciously at me.

“I’ll text Tim, he’ll drive me.” I called out as I ran up the stairs, two at a time, phone in hand already writing out a message to my unofficial ‘boyfriend’.

“Thank you, be safe.” Her voice echoed up the stairs, before I slammed my room door just as my phone buzzed, confirming that Tim would pick me up in ten minutes.

A smile grew on my face, my cheeks stretching so far they almost touched the walls. Tim had that effect on me. He made my dizzy, the butterflies would always flutter in my stomach and my heart would jump whenever he looked at me, he made me happy.

Unlike Thorn.

Rolling my eyes, I caught sight of my clock.

“Crap.” I squealed as I realised my thoughts had kept me occupied for the past ten minutes, meaning he would be here any minute. The sound of a car door rang through the street. Darting to my window I peeked through the small gaps in my curtain.

Scrap that, he was here now.

Throwing open my wardrobe I donned the nearest clothes and scrambled to get ready, tying my hair up in a quick pony tail, I slid on my vans, snatched up the money my mum had given me and trampled down the stairs just as Tim knocked on the door.

As I veered to a stop by the door, I took deeps breaths before quickly looking at myself in the mirror. Groaning slightly at the outfit I had thrown on, a pair of dark denim jeans and the bright blue shirt I had ever ought, I smoothed my hair slightly before throwing open then door.

“Hey.” Tim smiled at me, “You ready?”

“Yeah.” I almost slapped myself as how out of breath I sounded. I really needed to join a gym. Quickly shutting the door, I watched as Tim walked to his newest pride and joy, an original Volkswagen Beetle.

He had taken his driving test two weeks ago, passing first time, I was so proud I squealed and hugged him, knocking Tim into the learning car. It was safe to say that his teacher was a little annoyed at me for almost breaking off the wing mirror.

“So where are we going?” Tim’s voice broke my thoughts, his hand resting on the roof of his car, eyebrows raised in question. Laughing, I clambered into the car, waiting until Tim had started the engine to answer.

“Hobbycraft,” I chuckled, “my mum has ran out and broken a couple of things.” I shook my head, as Tim began to giggle himself.

“Typical Mary.” He spoke as he quickly shot a look at me.

Sharing smiles, we both began to chatter about our mothers, how they always break their favourite things and always send us, their own flesh and blood, to the shops to buy their broken beloved items.

“Last week, she sent me out to buy the replica of dads favourite blue mug.” Tim said as we turned into the shops car park. “She broke it and didn’t want him to find out.” He snorted before parking the car and climbing out, continuing his story as we shopped for my mums items.

We were both still chuckling at our stories as we left the store, but they quickly changed to a moan.

“Why must it rain?” I stropped like a ten year old, staring into the car park, the colours of the cars a blur through the heavy rain.

“It was blue sky!” Tim proclaimed, before whipping off his jacket and hanging it above my hand.

“Such a gentlemen.” I rolled my eyes at his cheeky grin, before we both sprinted towards the car, our feet sloshing through the quickly growing puddles before we pooled into the car.

I sat, mouth open, as I watched Tim shake his head, his usual blonde strands had darkened to a chocolate brunette. How did he make the wet look attractive? He blushed under my gaze, quickly pulling out of the car.

“S-sorry.” I stuttered, before turning on the heating, rubbing my hands together in front of the warm air.

“Don’t worry.” He turned to smile at me, before turning into the oddly empty road. The rain must be stopping people from going outside, odd; London almost never stands still in the rain.

Most of the time London is full of squelching black shoes of the office men, the heels of those entrepreneur woman, the muted thuds of running shoes as the health nuts ran down the sidewalk, today was quiet.

Very, oddly, quiet-

“What the?” The car screeched to a halt as Tim just managed to stop the car in front of the shiny new sign. Whipping my head towards Tim, I watched as the confusion on his face grew, his eyebrows knotting together, his lips pursued in question.

“I swear there has never been a stop sign here.” I whispered, my mind reeling backwards to try and find a time and date of when this ominous red and white sign had appeared. “Tim-“

“Holy sh-“ Tim racked at the gear stick, his foot hitting the accelerator with a resounding bang.

“What?” I shrieked looking frantically around, my eyes stopping dead on the eerily large, black truck which was driving forward at an alarming rate.

Straight at us.

“Tim!” I screamed, my hands frantically going for my seat belt, trying to unlock myself from its grasp. “Tim!” I shouted again, my eyes narrowing in on still state. He stopped moving, his foot still on the accelerator, but we were going no-where.

“TIM!” I bellowed, leaving my own seatbelt, I scrambled for him, trying to unbuckle his own, my head whipping back and forth between the normally easy belt contraption to the black truck which was growing closer and closer with every passing second.

It felt like hours, hours of trying to release both of us from the confines of the Volkswagen Beetle.

“Oh my God, oh my God.” I chanted as finally clicked open Tim’s seatbelt, snapping my fingers in front of his frozen face. His eyes finally locked on mine, his mouth opening to say something, but it wasn’t quick enough, my eyes zeroed in on the number plate of the truck, already in touching distance.

The impact came in no time, from stopping; it took three seconds until we were spinning.

Like an astronaut going to space, we went through turbulence after turbulence, smack after smack, and pain after pain. We shook. My head smashed into the window, the sharp sting riveting throughout my entire body as the glass shattered, my eyes wanted to close, but yet I tried to not look away from Tim. From his terrified eyes.

I couldn’t let him go.

His own face was smothered in blood, cut with glass. His hair was slicked to his face with sweat.

But he was still beautiful.

He was still, alive.

“Ti-“ I tried calling his name, but every time I started, another reverting shake would happen, our bodies being thrown side to side.

And finally after what felt like years we stopped, we settled, arms tangled in the seat, legs trapped under the wheel, I lay over Tim. His eye’s still staring into mine, but they were in so much pain.

So was I.

We coughed, we spluttered and our breaths entwined into one.

And just when you thought we had survived.

It happened.

A flash, a crash, and as our heads slammed into the roof below us, I watched as Tim eyes began to closed, my own fluttering trying to break free of the blackness which began to intrude.

But Tim, he wouldn’t allow it; he was there in my head, my eyes, and my heart. It was Tim, Tim, and Tim.

With all my might I pried my eyes open, the pain radiating all around my body seemed to amplify as I looked on to see Tim’s eyes finally close, no more fluttering, just stillness.

And as my owns eyes began to blacken, two words where spoken.

In just one voice. Thorns.

You’re welcome.

And that’s when I gave up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

 - Dedicated to Tricia...because her work is insane, you need to check it out! - 

First of all... I'M SORRY!

Second of all...10,000 reads! 

Whaaat?!

Thank you guys so so much :)

The real story starts soon...and once again.

Sorry.

((((P.S WATTY AWARDS? Yay or nay? Does the book have to be finished?))))

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ellie :)