ma chérie | cl16

chapter sixteen

The closet door opened, and Adeline saw a wide smile on Pierre's lips for a split second. Then he recognized the familiar face, and his smile disappeared. He opened his mouth in confusion, unable to say a single word.

Adeline didn't break their eye contact and finally said something. "Hey, Pedro. I went for a run, you know."

——

Pierre couldn't stop staring at his best friend at the bottom of his other best friend's closet. He didn't know if he was more shocked or mad. It was probably a combination of both. "What the fuck are you doing here, Adeline Manon?!"

He had never called Addy by both names. Never. She was his Daddy Addy or Addy, not Adeline Manon. Not even Adeline. He called her like that only whenever he was extremely angry, which wasn't that often. Addy was one of the best people in his life, even though sometimes she was too brutally honest with him. However, that was one of the best traits about her—not many people had that in them. But right now, he felt betrayed.

"It's not her fault, Pierre. I told her to go hide," Charles stepped in, defending Adeline. "Nothing happened between us, I swear," he continued as he came closer to the closet, blocked by Pierre's frozen body.

"Yes, nothing happened. I was afraid you'd freak out, so I went to hide here," Adeline tried to explain as she finally stood up from the bottom of the closet.

Charles immediately reached out to her with his hand so that she could stand up more comfortably. Adeline was fighting against every single nerve in her body as she was having goosebumps all over her body. She knew she couldn't look at Charles now. She couldn't see those beautiful, piercing green eyes. Not when Pierre (and not quite in the mood) was standing right next to them. She had to let go of Charles' hand, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do.

"I'm not freaking out!" Pierre threw his hands in the air; his body was finally waking up from the shock.

"Good one, Ross," Adeline smirked, thinking that Pierre's reaction was way too similar to Ross' reaction to seeing Rachel and Joey together. It would have been even more fun if Pierre had that ridiculous high-pitched voice.

"I'm sorry, is this funny to you? Are you having fun? Because I'm not," Pierre's ocean-blue eyes were now widened, and his brows furrowed; he was really mad. No, he was furious.

"Why the hell are you so angry? I'm a grown-up woman!" Adeline crossed her arms over her chest, not sure what was happening right now.

"Pourquoi suis-je en colère? Allons donc, vous êtes sérieux?" Pierre took in a sharp breath, switching to his mother language. He only switched to French around Adeline whenever he was distressed about something.

"Oui, je suis sérieux," Adeline started to feel a little angry too, but she didn't want to make the situation worse. She needed to stay logical, but she had no idea why Pierre was overreacting so much. "Also, I barely understand your angry French. So, either calm down or talk to me in English."

"Pierre, I'm sorry. Addy was just helping me yesterday and it was too late. She slept here, but nothing happened between us. I swear. Don't be angry with us," Charles tried to make the situation better. Pierre opened his mouth as he wanted to say something, but then he paused for a second before he began to speak again.

"I know. I'm not angry with you, Charles. I'm angry with you, Adeline," Pierre looked into Adeline's eyes. He suddenly wasn't so mad, he seemed rather... disappointed. "We never lie to each other. I wouldn't give a shit about you being here, for fuck's sake. I would understand. But I have no idea why you had the need to lie. I really don't," he said, and without saying another word, he turned around.