Mrs. Lawson had always been a little overprotective when it came to Rose.
Ever since Rose was a little girl, the older woman had taken it upon herself to watch over her. But over the years, that concern had gradually grown into something far more intrusive.
Mrs. Lawson always wanted to know everything.
To her, there was no such thing as being "too involved" when it came to Rose's well-being.
Unfortunately, Rose didn't always feel the same way.
As she grew older, Mrs. Lawson still treated her as though she were the frightened little girl who had lost her parents years ago. She questioned Rose's choices, offered advice whether it was wanted or not, and often crossed boundaries without realizing she was doing so.
If she thought something was in Rose's best interest, she rarely hesitated to involve herself, convinced that she was only helping.
Rose understood that Mrs. Lawson meant well. She had stood by her through some of the darkest moments of her life, and for that, Rose would always be grateful.
But gratitude didn't make the constant scrutiny any easier to bear.
Sometimes it felt less like having a caring neighbor and more like living under the watchful eye of a strict guardian who believed Rose couldn't be trusted to make her own decisions.
So when Rose stepped outside that morning and saw Mrs. Lawson standing in front of the house as though she had been waiting for someone, a knot immediately formed in her stomach.
Mrs. Lawson wasn't there for a casual morning greeting.
As if sensing Rose's stare, the older woman turned toward the girl, her keen eyes studying Rose for a moment before her expression softened into a gentle, familiar smile.
"Good morning, Rose," she greeted, her voice calm and steady.
"Go-Good morning, Mrs. Lawson," Rose replied politely, forcing herself to walk toward her.
Mrs. Lawson's eyes drifted toward the house, her expression shifting into one of disdain. "It seems that woman has gone gallivanting again," she remarked, her voice dripping with disapproval as she referred to Rose's stepmother.
"Y-Yes..." Rose replied, relieved to know she wasn't the focus of her scrutiny today. "She said she was going on a vacation."
"That woman... " Mrs. Lawson scoffed and shook her head in disgust. "She has some nerve spending your father's money so frivolously while neglecting your basic needs."
Rose stood there feeling awkward, but Mrs. Lawson quickly shifted the topic. "You seem to be very busy with school these days."
Before Rose could speak, the woman pressed further, her tone becoming inquisitive. "So much so, you are coming home rather late. Quite late, I might add."
Rose's eyes went wide, her heart hammering against her ribs. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
"And you weren't home when I knocked on your door a couple of days ago," Mrs. Lawson stepped closer, her imposing figure casting a shadow over the younger girl.
"T-T-That... I... I was h -home..." Rose stumbled over her words in panic. " No! I mean, I was at... s-school!"
"Y-Yes, at school." She repeated, as if convincing herself. "T-That's why... That's why I wasn't home."
Mrs. Lawson quietly watched her fumble for excuses, her suspicions growing with every word she uttered.
"It was a Sunday," She declared flatly, her sharp gaze fixed on Rose. "And I don't think I saw you come home that day, either."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Rose's mind went completely blank.
"I... um..." She fidgeted nervously.
"I w-w-was..." Rose tried to speak, her lips moving in a series of incoherent mumbles, but words had completely failed her.
Mrs. Lawson waited patiently.
She didn't interrupt. She didn't accuse.
She simply watched.
That somehow made it even worse.
"I... I..." Rose looked anywhere but at the older woman.
"I... I h-have to go." Rose blurted out, her voice cracking. "I'm getting l-late!
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking away as fast as she could. She kept her head down, her hair shielding her face, her heart racing with a mixture of terror and shame.
Mrs. Lawson remained where she was, watching Rose scurry down the street.
She didn't call after her.
Instead, she slowly glanced down at the gold watch encircling her wrist before lifting her eyes toward the direction Rose had gone.
A thoughtful frown settled across her face.
-•-•-
Rose walked away as quickly as she could without breaking into a run. She didn't dare look back, convinced that the older woman's judging eyes were still boring into the back of her skull.
She hugged her lunch bag closer and hurried along the sidewalk, hoping to put as much distance between herself and her neighbor.
But as she turned the corner and slowed her pace, a voice sliced through the air—authoritative, and terrifyingly close.
"Where are you going?"
Rose jumped, a small shriek escaping her throat as she spun around to see Mrs. Lawson, just a few steps behind her.
"Isn't your school that way?" She asked, pointing a long finger in the opposite direction of the path Rose had been taking.
Rose froze. She felt the heat of a blush creep up her neck, her mind scrambling for any convincing excuse.
"Y-yes! I uh... " Rose mumbled, her voice trembling. "I didn't see... where I was g-going!"
"Hmm..." Mrs. Lawson regarded her silently.
Rose quickly turned around and crossed to the opposite street, pretending she had merely made a simple mistake.
But after a few steps, an uneasy thought crept into her mind. Unable to ignore it, she stopped abruptly and turned around.
Mrs. Lawson was still there, maintaining a steady, measured pace behind her.
"Mrs. Lawson," Rose asked, her voice small and laced with suspicion, "Are you... are you f-following me?"
The older woman was calm, her gaze blank and clinical.
"I have some errands today." she replied smoothly, though the tone lacked any real warmth.
"I see," Rose muttered. She had no choice but to accept the answer, even if it felt like a lie.
"Okay..." Rose forced a smile and took a step back, her eyes darting toward the corner ahead. "I'll just run ahead then. Bye!"
And before the woman could react, Rose sprinted down the street, her skirt fluttering around her thighs as she flew past the corner.
Mrs. Lawson was momentarily stunned by her actions.
"This girl..." she muttered, a flicker of genuine annoyance crossing her face. She hurried after Rose, her long strides quickly carrying her to the corner.
But as she turned and stepped onto the street, the road was empty, and silent. There was no sign of Rose, not even a retreating figure in the distance.
Mrs. Lawson looked up and down the road, puzzled.
"Honestly..." Mrs. Lawson huffed, her chest heaving slightly. With one final glance down the deserted street, she turned and walked way.
A few seconds later, as Mrs. Lawson's silhouette disappeared into the distance, Rose slowly emerged from behind a thicket of tall, manicured bushes in the garden of a nearby house.
She watched the direction Mrs. Lawson had gone, making absolutely certain the older woman wasn't coming back.
Only then did she finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"That was close." She muttered and hopped out from her hiding place.
She then dusted the leaves off her clothes and adjusted the bag on her shoulder.
With a bright smile on her face and a newfound spring in her step, she skipped across to the opposite end of the street, toward Nic's house.