Why Can't I Plan My Own Future? (*ROSE*)

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Guillermo felt lovely blue eyes watching him but didn't turn his head as Rose rolled off the bed and made her way to the bathroom.
She emerged a while later, her hair dried and in loose curls down her shoulders. She wore one of his buttoned shirts and he looked her over slowly, grinning.
"I was thinking."
"Should I be frightened?" he asked, chuckling as she came over and straddled him on the bed.
"About the perfect career choice for you."
Guillermo's eyebrows raised.
"Here me out. T.V. News caster."
He laughed, putting his palms on her thighs. "I knew I should be frightened."
She kissed him lightly.
"You could get any girl you like-"
"Well then why don't I become a musician then? Besides, I can already get any girl I like." He mused, kissing her back.
She gave him a funny look. "A Musician? Why would you want to be a musician."
He snickered at her.
"Girls love musicians-"
He attempted to undo the buttons on the shirt she wore, but she pinned his hands down, then tapped his nose. "No, Darling. Magicians. Girls love Magicians. Clean out your ears."
He rolled his eyes, giving her a sarcastic smile.
"May I continue?"
He nodded, grinning at her persistance.
"You should become a newscaster, because you have a symmetrical face. Fabulous hair. Devastating eyes-"
She kissed his neck.
God he wanted her.
"That's it. Now I'm convinced you only like me for my body..."
She pressed on, not responding to his interruption. "Pretend to be the audience, and I'll pretend to be you."
"Why can't I be me?" He asked indignantly.
"Because you don't know what to do?"
"Be myself?" His brows pulled together in confusion.
"No newscaster acts like themselves. That's why they are who girls like. They are without flaws.'Ello, I am Guillermo Santiago-" She spoke into her hairbrush with an exaggerated latino accent.
He sat up quickly, making her legs wrap around his waist like a belt. He tried to ignore the sensations that came of that.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa."
"What? You are a terrible audience."
"Two things. What's with the accent? I don't have an accent! Also, my last name isn't Santiago-"
She pushed him back down on the bed, kissing him into submission. Rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms, preparing for the explanation.
Her lips were on his neck. He closed his eyes, content. "First of all, accents are sexy. Everyone knows that. Look at Antonio Bendarez or Sean Connery without the accents. Alright looking dudes. With the accents, BAM. Life long sex symbols."
Would she like him better with an accent?
He let out a little moan as she nuzzled his ear gently. Damn her.
"What happened to my symmetrical face, fabulous hair, and devastating eyes?" He pouted, sticking his lip out at her.
"Those combined with an accent, you'll have house wives and pubescent girls lining up to watch you talk about the economy."
"Alright, say I'm sold on the cheesy accent. What's with the name change?" He asked, slickly popping two buttons open before she sat up.
"Wouldn't want those Housewives and Pubescent girls googling you and finding out where you live, would you? Right, so I'll be you.This is Guillermo Sanchez-" Her voice was deepened and accented.
He grinned, "-Santiago-"
"-Santiago, with the eight o'clock news. Today's top story, the economy. Legitimate, or Government funded mind fuck. You be the judge."
He clapped slowly, mouthing 'Bravo.'
"Oh, it would be perfect. First you get a fan base. Then a cute, all American, blond haired, blue eyed, busty, barbie intern. Who you proceed to charm. The public finds out, but you tell the stories your madly in love with her-"
He wrinkled his nose distastefully, "What if I'm not."
He decided not to voice the fact that he was more of a brunette guy.
Coppery-brunette, actually. With blue eyes.
"Not the point. You tell them you are, and the public stands behind you as you exchange wedding vows. You'll both have your infidelities. Her with the pool boy, Tad, you with a sexy little mechanic-"
"Oooh," He was starting to like the sound of this.
Rose leaned down, kissing his collarbone, dragging her lips over his chest, while he rubbed her thighs, grinning.
"Oooh, is right. See, you'll go film the news, the rush over to her house, where she'll do terrible-wonderful things to you while she watches you on the television." She squealed out as he rolled on top of her, kissing her neck and down her sternum roughly. "What do you think."
Biting her neck gently, he laughed. "I think I like Magician better."

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose continued to giggle as he kissed her neck, her eyes closing as she took in the sensation. It was strange to her, how much she enjoyed Guillermo's company. There friendship suited her to such a perfect degree. They did not have to deal with the whole: 'You're my best friend, so lets not muddle that up with sex' pretense, and he was not demanding a more substantial friendship from her than simply 'friends'.

Best friend's even.

"Oooh, Guillermo the Amazing. Guillermo the Magnificent. The Astounding Guillermo." She mused allowed, her voice a little dreamy. "There is also the obvious pick up lines girls can use on you." Rose looked into his deep, chocolate brown eyes. "Is that a wand in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me."

Giggling again, she kissed him, burrowing her hands into his thick hair. Deep down, she was scared for the day that he did finally find someone to fill in the 'girlfriend' job. Envy filled Rose, about this imaginary girl he would one day have. She'd be pretty, this was certain. Probably smart, as Guillermo wouldn't bother with someone who was stupid. Sexy, sweet, witty...

Rose hated the imaginary girl.

But she was an inevitability.

A horrible, evil, mean inevitability.

The thought of her being that girl, of course, had crossed her mind. Fleetingly. Rose never let it linger long. No, Rose was not made for love, and she would delusion her self to the otherwise. Besides, there were things Guillermo didn't like about Rose. He seemed to hate that she'd put empty milk jugs back into the fridge, to remind herself to get more milk. She smoked too much. She was prone to random mood swings. And it wasn't like he was perfect either. He'd use the same knife for the peanut butter that he used for the jelly, for goodness sake! Who just did that?

Pushing him off from her gently, she sat up on her headboard, staring at the television. "We need to stop being so nice to each other." Her voice was strangely calm, as she said this. Like commenting on the weather, or telling him what kind of soda she wanted from the fridge. Her face was also aloof, the face of a scientist.

He had to be use to this by now, her hot and cold moods. One moment Rose would be the sweetest, most snuggly, most caring person in the world. And then, fast as you could blink, she'd turn into a she-wolverine. Or wrse, she'd flatline, and have basically no emotions at all. There was a reason to this, of course. Rose was a chronic self saboteur. When she would become too happy, too content, too pleased with how things were going, she would freak. Imagine them all going away. As Seth would say, watching them all go Poof. Rose refused to be hurt by a person, so she opted to do the hurting. It was a painful, annoying, exhausting cycle.


ooc: I'll make pretty when I have my own computer back.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Oooh, Guillermo the Amazing. Guillermo the Magnificent. The Astounding Guillermo."
He grinned at her voice. She could be a nutter sometimes. But she was his nutter.
"There is also the obvious pick up lines girls can use on you."
Ice blue eyes connected with dark brown eyes.
"Is that a wand in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me."
He chuckled.
"I sure hope not, chica loca. I don't go for girls with pick up lines. The only thing that works for me is if their motives are made clear pretty quickly."
Guillermo's eyes flitted up, down and around, taking her in. Rose's motives were clear. Usually.
She got an odd look on her face, thinking hard and pushed him away so she could sit up.
"We need to stop being so nice to each other."
He frowned. Why did she do this? She had all of her weird mood swings, but the ones where she went from happy to upset or emotionless were the worst. He tried not to let his hurt show. She couldn't hurt him. They were only friends anyway. Of course, he cared much more for her than she did for him, but that was not about to let him ruin the relationship they already had.
"Why, Rose?" he demanded, a bit torked. He couldn't understand why she would push herself away from him.
"We're friends, right? Maybe I WANT to be nice to you."
He rolled onto his back and sat up, facing away from her. He rumpled up his hair in his hands tiredly.

[ROSE MERCER]

He was annoyed with her. She could see it on his face. "Why, Rose?" And hear it in his voice. "We're friends, right? Maybe I WANT to be nice to you." She watched him with interest as he sat up and turned away from her, crumpling his hair in frustration. It was a wonder he wasn't bald by now, with how often Rose bounced from emotion to emotion. She considered his argument carefully, annoyed that she could find nothing wrong with it. Friend's were nice to each other, this was true. It would make sense that they were nice to each other.

Maybe she was just bad at being nice.

In another jump, she crawled over to him across the bed, setting her head down in between his shoulder blades. At first she didn't say anything, just rested her eyes, tracing little shapes on to his back. Triangle. Circle. Square. Heart. "I didn't mean completely mean to each other." Hell, that didn't even make sense to her, as she added a little zig zag inside of the invisible heart. Rose lifted her head, placing her hands on his shoulder blades. He was always so warm, it baffled her. "I don't know. It's just weird." She didn't expect liking him around so much. Sure, when she met him, she figured they could do a regular thing. But bonding was not something she had counted on, as it was never encountered before.

A light depression swept her suddenly. Why did he even bother talking to her? She wasn't nice or anything. And it's really an impressive feat of mean, for one to realize they aren't a nice person. But Rose never claimed to be a nice person. Nice people get trampled on. Nice people get hurt. Nice people were suckers. Her hands slipped around his neck, firm but gentle. Rose didn't want him to storm away. But then again, she didn't want him here. It was all too complicated. Guillermo complicated things. o she just hugged him, sulking in her own confusion.

Then suddenly:

"Truth or dare?"

Her voice was strange, layered almost. She wasn't bothering to hide the fact that she had ulterior motives here. They weren't harmful, but Rose's people skills prevented her from going very many other routes.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"I didn't mean completely mean to each other."
He turned to give her a look that said, 'Really?' then turned back, shaking his head and laughing humorlessly.
"I don't know. It's just weird." /i]
He didn't bother to answer her. She seemed to be calming down and she had moved to rest her soft hair against his back, using her fingers to draw lines and circles on his back.
Guillermo wondered at her mood.
Rose was often upset like this. As soon as they started getting closer, she would have a mood swing and more or less ruin the moment. He figured it was from her evasiveness to close friendships. She hadn't really had anyone there for her, the same as him and love wasn't on her list of to-do's.
Her arms slunk around his neck. He shivered at her cold hands and was about to turn around and kiss her again when she said,
"Truth or dare?"
He tilted his head to the side. What?
Guillermo shrugged internally and gave her a half-hearted, crooked smile.
"Truth."

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose feared he was tiring of her, and her strange little games. Finally, he turned and kissed her, a small token of hope that he wasn't quite done yet.

Yet.

"Truth."

His smile was tired. Tired of her? Maybe. She couldn't blame him. She pulled his arm so that he'd lay next to her, examining her options carefully. Delve right into it? What was he expecting? Was he even bothing to expect things anymore. Stalling, she kissed him, afraid of various reactions he might have.

Rubbing her nose againt him, like an eskimo, she spoke in a soft, soothing voice. "Other than Mallory, have you seen other girls?"
What if he had? Would she be angry? Did she deserve to be angry? Of course not! As has been stated more times than one would be able to count, they didn't belong to each other. But what if he hadn't? Would Rose fell her freedom closing in on her like a trap in an Indiana Jones Movie?

Rose stroked his hair, trying everything in her power not to provoke anger. She didn't even know if he'd care about her inquiry, Rose just didn't want him to leave. Sleeping alone seemed to be getting harder and harder these days.

God, did she like him?

Of course she did. They were friends. You like your friends.

This much?

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Guillermo kissed her, staring into her pretty blue eyes in an exhausted sort of way. She tugged on his arm and he laid on his side next to Rose, receiving an kiss from her. He gave a soft smile as she rubbed her nose against his gently.
Her voice was soft and silky.
"Other than Mallory, have you seen other girls?"
His dark eyes softened.
"No. Only you."
The words left his lips, and he was surprised to find them laced with tenderness and something else. He didn't even want to go there.
He swallowed, falling into an embarrassed silence.
Her hands swept through his hair and he closed his eyes, sighing.
Guillermo hoped she wouldn't be mad at his answer.
Of course, this left open his own curiosity,
Had Rose been with anyone else?
His blood boiled just thinking of it.
And it shouldn't. It irritated him that this girl had such an effect on him. He had wanted to die when she glared accusingly at him across the table when Mallory showed up. He got a pain in his chest from watching her with Seth.
Friends.
Just friends.

[ROSE MERCER]

"No. Only you."

It was a strange collection of emotions, that filled Rose, the first of which scaring her the most. Joy. She was happy. Then that emotion made her scared. Why was she so happy? Fear made her angry, a reflex emotion. Then guilt that she was angry.

It wasn't a big deal after all.

Just because he could, didn't mean he HAD too.

Yes, that was rational. And Rose was all about being rational. She gave him a thoughtful look, concealing the inner drama as best she could. "Oh." God, did she have to be so 'whatever' about it? It didn't feel right to her. "That's nice." WAIT, THAT CAME OUT WRONG! "It would be nice if you did... too. I mean, nice for you. I was just... curious." She shrugged, as if unfazed.

Smooth Rose.

Smooth.

Damn him, and his sweet, soft, gentle, devastating brown eyes.

"Truth." She snapped, though not meaning too, as if he had asked.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Rose paused for a few moments, apparently lost in thought and Guillermo smiled at her slight frown of concentration.
"Oh. That's nice." /i]
He grinned, her blasé tone not really suiting the conversation.
"It would be nice if you did... too. I mean, nice for you. I was just... curious."
She looked a bit distracted and maybe a tad angry.
"Truth."
She suddenly shot the word at him.
"Um.."
He hadn't really realized that they were actually playing back and forth. He wanted to ask her the same question, but felt it a very teenager move.
"Well.. Do you ever wish that you could turn back and change everything? Like your home life and school and coming here?"
Part of him wanted to ask if she regretted the agreement they had made, but he was afraid of making her more distant again.

[ROSE MERCER]

"Umm..." Rose thought that she liked Guillermo best when he was surprised. Mostly because it was the hardest expression to get, being that he was always so calm and collected. His brow furrowed, as he tried to save face, coming up with a question nearly on the spot. "Well.. Do you ever wish that you could turn back and change everything? Like your home life and school and coming here?"

Odd, she had been expecting him to ask the same question back.

Still, his question was profound in itself. They never really discussed her, or her family. Not from lack of interest, Rose had always assumed, but merely Guillermo being polite. Save for her Uncle Fernando (her Mother's Twin Brother) and her Nana Grace (her Father's Mother), Rose had a severe distaste for her family. Perhaps it was because she never got to know her Mother's side, who lived in Colombia still. Or perhaps it was because her blue eyed, blond haired, fair skinned relatives didn't take too kindly to Jimmy Mercer marrying 'beneath' him. The thought of her Father made Rose's gut twist uncomfortably, and she released Guillermo from the peculair tangled snuggle they had, hugging herself as she pondered the question.

"No. If I could go back, I couldn't change the things that needed to be changed. Not that I was a perfect angel-" A wry smile came upon her lips, though it faded as quickly as it had arrived. "But their isn't a whole lot I could do about my parents... well... being themselves. Or the fact that I grew up poor. I guess I could have told the truth about the bruises when my teacher asked, but what good would that have done? Foster Care? No thank you." She was a little vague, glazing over her past lightly.

Didn't want to dwell on silly things that happened in yesteryear, after all.

She looked back at him, curling his hair around her finger distractedly. "No, the moment I turned eighteen, I got the hell out of their, and I haven't looked back. I do what I want, when I want. And I suppose that makes me happy." He was really great. Someone as selfish and cold as Rose didn't deserve a friend like Guillermo, or Mallory, or Hiro, or Stephano.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"No. If I could go back, I couldn't change the things that needed to be changed. Not that I was a perfect angel- But their isn't a whole lot I could do about my parents... well... being themselves. Or the fact that I grew up poor. I guess I could have told the truth about the bruises when my teacher asked, but what good would that have done? Foster Care? No thank you."
He took in her every word, determined to finish this puzzle of a girl. Rose was someone who took care of herself and never gave a shit about what anyone else thought. She never seemed to rely on anyone, but at the same time, she offered at least some relief to those who needed reliance.
Rose fiddled with his hair, "No, the moment I turned eighteen, I got the hell out of their, and I haven't looked back. I do what I want, when I want. And I suppose that makes me happy."
His eyelids closed as her fingertips touched his hair and face lightly.
"I'm really glad you're happy."
What he had meant to say was,
'I wish I could be the one to make you happy.'

[ROSE MERCER]

"I'm really glad you're happy." His tone was laced with something, but Rose didn't know what. It just made the room feel heavy, made her feel claustrophobic. She looked at his face, his eyelids closed, giving him the appearance of sleeping. No, this was too intense, too serious. She needed to lighten the mood.

She smiled at him, her eyes flashing mischievously. "So serious..."

Carefully, light as possible while still touching, she grazed his lips. Rose proceeded to kiss him lightly, her brown wavy hair curtaining them, as she grasped his chin lightly. The taste of citrus tingled her lips, and the memory of when they first met made her giggle softly. Not exactly conventional, but certainly memorable. That was basically the motto to Rose Mercer's life. Tugging the waist of his pants, she pulled him closer, kissing his chin with a wily grin.

And then of course the phone rang. She looked up, her face alert and annoyed at the same time. Rose looked back at Guillermo, deciding she didn't care. After all, if it was important, they'd leave a message. "Screw it." After five rings, it stopped, and the smile returned to her faced as she resumed kissing him. A new favorite pastime of Rose's. But when the phone began ringing once more, she flinched, growling quietly to herself as she hit the speaker button.

"Someone better be dead." She mumbled, though audible enough to be heard by the caller.

"Jeez, why didn't you pick up the first time?" Rose's hairs stood on end as she heard the voice, who she placed to be her cousin Mary Anne's.

"Mare?" Rose didn't hide her dislike. "What the hell do you want?"

"Can't a cousin call and say 'hey' once in a while." Rose scoffed, turning back to Guillermo, kissing his chest lightly. "Gawd, your phone etiquette is appalling-"

"Mary Anne, did something happen to Nana Grace?" Rose interrupted, looking back at the phone.

"No, why-"

Rose hit the END button quickly, rubbing her temple, before turning back to Guillermo. "Weren't we doing something?" Her lips curled seductively, eyelashes batting, as she scooted closer to him. The second Rose's lips touched Guillermo's, the phone began to ring once more. "Son of a- It's like she has magic BITCH powers or something." Irritated, she laid her head on Guillermo's chest. "Let her talk to the machine..."

Mary Anne would pay for this.

Painfully.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"So serious..."
The taste of cinnamon, smoke and the smell of her shampoo overtook him as he was kissed by Rose. He sighed with relief that she wasn't angry at his response and grinned as she pulled him closer.
Her phone rang.
She seemed to consider answering, but looked back at him after a few moments.
"Screw it."
Eventually it stopped, and they resumed kissing.
The phone began ringing again. Rose gave a slight growl and he couldn't help but be annoyed at the caller himself.
"Someone better be dead," she remarked dryly and Guillermo chuckled at her facial expression.
"Mare? What the hell do you want?"
Rose's voice was a bit dangerous, like she was instantly annoyed.
She scoffed at something the caller said, turning back to kiss his chest.
"Mary Anne, did something happen to Nana Grace?"
Rose looked a bit concerned, but then suddenly hung up with a somewhat irritated look. She glanced back at him.
"Weren't we doing something?" Her eyelashes fluttered over her clear eyes and she gave a sly smile, as she scooted closer to him.
"I hope so," he answered, returning the mischievous grin.
The phone gave another obnoxious ring.
"Son of a- It's like she has magic BITCH powers or something. Let her talk to the machine..."
Rose laid her head on his chest, clearly frustrated, and he stroked her hair, torn between amusement and irritation.

[ROSE MERCER]

"I'm so glad I spit gum in her hair...." Rose muttered bitterly, as the phone's ringing echoed through her living room. Rose had twelve cousins on the Mercer side, the delightful children of her three Aunts: Marnie, Marshie, and Margie. Mary Anne was the second eldest of the third generation, after Rose who was four months older. Then their was Mary Anne's sister, Jamie Lou and Carly Mae. The rest of the cousins Rose referred to as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6a, 6b, 7, and 8. They were all blond, with light blue eyes, and pale skin. They were beautiful little cherubs from hell, especially the elder three, who were vain and shallow creatures. The younger bunch wasn't so bad, but were short and sticky, two things Rose detested.

The phone went to the answering machine, which played aloud for both Rose and Guillermo to hear. Surprisingly it was not her cousin, but her Mother, making Rose rise from Guillermo's chest, looking a little sick. "Hija, it's Mama. We were wonder- Her Mother's voice was thickly accented, and Rose felt a prickle of annoyance that her Mom wouldn't just speak Spanish.

In the background, Rose could hear Mary Anne raving angrily. "-HANG UP ON ME! STUPID CU-

"-ing if you were going to make it too Thanksgiving. We miss you terribly.... both of us." Rose's face became stony at this. Of course, typical Mama. Patch things up, sweep it under the rug. We're the perfect family, what with our black eyes and pet cockroaches. "You could even bring that young man your Tio has told me of. I believe his name is-

The message time ended, hanging up on her Mother, though Rose's primary concern was at her Uncle. What was he doing bringing up Guillermo to her Mother? Though the restraining order said Fernando wasn't allowed near Jimmy Mercer, her dear Uncle always worked hard to patch up the torrid relationship between his dear niece and twin sister. Rose considered her options carefully.

She would like to see her Nana, who had always favored Rose a bit. Rose even had her own, small, room in Nana's old house. Much to the chagrin of the Aunts. And her Father would probably just stay in the backyard, getting drunk with his Brother in Laws. But... Cousins. And Uncles. And her Mother, who Rose loved deeply, but also irritated her immensely.

The phone began to ring again, but Rose cut it off, pulling the cord out of the wall, sighing deeply.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"I'm so glad I spit gum in her hair...." Rose snarled and Guillermo grinned.
What a warrior.
The phone rang multiple times and the answering machine crackled a bit before a woman's Hispanic accent sounded.
"Hija, it's Mama. We were wonder-"
Guillermo's eyebrows drew together as Rose took on a pale, irritated look. Her mom? Rose never really talked about her family, but at the same time, he never spoke of his.
"-HANG UP ON ME! STUPID CU-"
Someone in the background was yelling and he smirked. He would have hung up too, if thats how someone was talking to him.
"-ing if you were going to make it too Thanksgiving. We miss you terribly.... both of us."
She had a suddenly hard expression and Guillermo felt a little worried. "You could even bring that young man your Tio has told me of. I believe his name is-"
He snickered, his grin stretching over his face as the machine cut off and Rose's face turned sour. He pulled her into a relaxed hug, after she ripped the phone cord off the wall in frustration.
Apparently her family didn't understand that calling once was enough.
"Well. That was... interesting."