My Best Mates Sister

39.

1 month later

Rosie

"Come on Adam, we are going to be late" I tell from his hallway "I'm coming! Hang on!" He shouts back and I fiddle with my car key. Finally he comes down the stairs with his luggage "let's go!" He says and we head out front and I unlock the car and he pops his things in the boot. "Are you feeling okay?" He asks and I let out a sigh "it's just Monaco, doesn't mean I'm going to see him" I say and part of me wants to see him. I know he hurt me but I miss him, he helped me get back to being me. I never thought I would be facing life without him and it's taking everything for me to not go running back.

I park my car in the short stay car park and join Adam, pulling the luggage out of my boot. We start walking to the entrance of terminal 3 at Heathrow for our flight to Nice. I keep my eyes peeled for other members of the team, including my brother. We get through security quickly and wander through the duty free. I'm not much of a shopper so we just walk through to where we can grab some breakfast. "Oh no" Adam says as we walk past the sunglasses section and my eyes dart over and I see a Ray-Bans advert with Charles on. My heart drops and I find that I'm taking shaky breaths "sorry Rosie!" Adam says and guides me gently through the rest of the duty free. Why did seeing his face bother me this much, I do miss him but I didn't think it would effect me like this.

"RoRo!" George calls from a set of seats in the waiting area "Hey!" I say and point so that Adam understands where we are going. I pull him in for a hug still feeling upset from the advert incident. "Have you left the factory this week?" He jokes "haha funny, I've just been pulling long hours" I say and he looks worried "I know it's Monaco but you don't need to work yourself this hard" I swallow down my tears and shake my head "it's good for me to be busy!" He nods "but it's not good for you to burn out" he reminds me and I nod. I'm aware he is right but work is all I have to focus on now.

"Monte Carlo here we come" Adam says as we walk out of the terminal at Nice airport, we are riding with Soph and George to Monaco. "Right! Let's go!" George announces as he starts up his Mercedes that he has for the whole weekend. I look to Adam who I know is buzzing to see Jake and the fact that he is in Monaco. We drive for a little bit before I see the familiar view of Monte Carlo in front of us. I used to view this place as my home, a month ago it was my home. I feel the urge to cry but I fight it down with some deep breaths. George is driving us directly to the hotel and he navigates the overly familiar streets and my heart aches. I miss him.

"Right Rose, see you for dinner?" George checks and I nod "absolutely" I confirm and head into my room. I'm staying alone this weekend as it was assumed that I would be staying with Charles when the arrangements were made, I'm in one of the spare rooms that they always book. Soph offered to share with me but I told her to stay with my brother. Alex text me the other day complaining about how insufferable they are at home. He also asked if perhaps we could find a place together and I'm seriously considering it. I wouldn't mind living with Alex at all! I can't sit in the room with my thoughts so I change into my running gear and decide to head on the costal path route. I pop my AirPods in and head down to the exit of the hotel.

I weave through the people mulling about the streets on my way to the cliff tops. I'm not thinking about the way it's almost like muscle memory at this point. Once I've been running for a while I decide to stop in a spot I always used to sit in. Gazing out over the sea, I let my mind switch off. Feeling the breeze through my hair and enjoying the peace the water always brings me. "Rosie?" A female voice calls and I ignore it assuming they are talking to someone else "Rosie Russell?" This grabs my attention fully and I turn around to see Charlotte stood there. I feel my anger bubbling and I try to block it out "Charlotte?" I ask and she nods before making her way over "I thought you would be in town for the F1 weekend" she tells me "yeah, it's a difficult circuit, George needs me" I comment and she looks down at her hands "he is in love with you, you know that right?" I look at her confused "he is, he loved me, but he was never in love like he is with you" she tells me and I'm really baffled "why are you telling me this?" I question her "because I kissed him, not the other way around, he told me to leave the minute I walked in, he was pushing me away when you arrived. I'm sorry that I tried to take him from you. He didn't want me, he only wants you!" she confirms what he told me "and he hasn't spoken to me since, he won't reply to my messages" I feel a flutter of guilt take over, have I been too harsh? "He is lost without you, Arthur called me asking if I knew what happened as he won't speak to anyone" without thinking I am on my feet "I need to go" I tell her and I start running back towards the city.