Adulation / h.s

39

Harry had tried Rosie's phone three times but got no reply, he assumed she was out still busy with Chelsea to hear her phone so he shrugged it off and headed home. When he got home it felt different, like the air had changed. He felt weird walking in through his door, like there was something missing.

When he walked into the kitchen he saw Rosie sat at the table, a box in front of her. He couldn't read her face, and noticed she barely gave him any eye contact.

"You okay?" He asked.

She nodded, her arms folded. He leaned down to kiss her but was given her cheek.

"What's this?" He asked looking at the black box.

Rosie stood up and poured her water down the sink. "Open it,"

Harry took the box carefully as she stood leaned against the counter not wanting to be anywhere near him.

Opening the box he frowned when he took out some sunglasses, they were nice, the style he liked but he was a bit unsure why she would have bought him them.

"I figured they'd be nice to wear in LA,"

Her words didn't register for the first few seconds, but when they did Harry quickly looked at her.

"Rosie-"

"How long have you known about the trip?"

He swallowed hard, placing the box down. "I wanted to tell you, I've been wanting to tell you-"

"Bullshit," She laughed. "Do not bullshit me Harry, I know you like to talk your way out of everything, but this time there's no excuse."

"I wanted to tell you Rosie, honestly I did but I-"

"You've only had every weekend since you found out you were potentially going to LA for three, six, nine months to a year to tell me."

"I was trying to negotiate, trying to get them to send someone else-"

"I was so stupid," She shakes her head.

"No, you weren't. You're not stupid, this is all on me."

"Oh I know it's all on you," Rosie raised her eyebrow. "I'm just stupid for not realising sooner, what with the emails about some LA move, the sneaky phone calls, having to take emails suddenly, the surprise flowers showing up on my desk, our trips away."

Harry was silent.

"Do you know what? I thought you were seeing someone else, I thought you were cheating with how you'd been acting, but I actually think this is worse."

"Rosie-"

"And how do you think I felt when I had to face the humiliation when I was told? I was asked how I felt about LA and stupid me sat there completely oblivious." She looked away, her eyes burning with tears. "You're pathetic,"

"Listen, Rosie, I was trying my hardest to not go. I thought I could get out of it."

"But you didn't so why on earth didn't you come to me? You should have told me the second it was mentioned to you so I could at least digest the fact you'd be gone," She wiped her cheek, mad that she was crying. "But you didn't think about me, you said you did but you didn't." She shakes her head. "If you thought about me, and cared about me you would have told me."

"I didn't know how to tell you, I've wanted to. And I spoke with Gemma-"

"So you spoke to others about it? Brilliant," Rosie turned her back to him.

"I love you Rosie,"

She turned around, her eyes again filled with tears. "Love? You think you can say that and this will all disappear? This will all mean nothing because you love me?" She was shouting now, angry that he thought such a saying would mean something right now.

"We can get through this, we can go away, wherever you want."

Rosie frowned, he wasn't getting it. "Harry, you can't whisk me off and expect me to be fine with this. When we come back it would still be the same, you'd still be going."

Harry wiped his hands over his face, frustrated with himself and this situation. He knew he only had himself to blame and it was all on him.

"I don't think I can be with you anymore," Rosie announced. She felt breathless, not actually believing she was saying those words.

The room was silent as Harry allowed the words to process. He didn't think it would ever come to this, he didn't think he'd ever hear her say those words. But that's just it; he didn't think. He didn't think about anything.

"Rosie," He whispered, his eyes now full of tears.

She slowly picked up her bag. "I can't be with someone who lies for weeks about something so life changing, what did you expect?"

"You can't just-"

"I can do whatever the hell I like," She bit back. He saw the fire in her eyes, the fire he'd never seen and he knew she was hurt and angry.

He bit his lip as she walked past him to the door, her perfume lingering in the air. He heard her place her key on the side before opening and closing the door, walking out of his life completely.