Lilly & Leclerc ~ [CL 16]

11. Ferrari

17th June 2022 - London, England

"Can I be honest? I still want your hands up on my body," - Ferrari, James Hype

"You look so hot!" Maddie calls over the music of the bar I only laugh and shake my head. What else am I meant to do? She's just came back with two tequila shots for us, I can hardly push her away. Although, maybe I should, my throat is still burning and I think my stomach is in shock with the alcohol. "No, I'm serious." She says flatly, her eyes narrowing at me but it just makes me laugh. I just ignore her words dancing in my spot to the music playing as I take a sip from my cocktail.

"It's the hair!" She stresses, reaching and running her fingers through the ends. "It's been weeks but I'm still not used to it Lill. You seriously look so fit!" Maddie beams at me, a wide almost teasing smile on her face. The action makes a feeling of nausea run through my body and settle in my stomach but I manage to fake my small smile, feigning embarrassment with her words. The last time someone ran their fingers through my hair like that it was Charles doing it. I can't hide the expression as well as I hoped either. The grim uncomfortable smile must be obvious to Maddie as she just shakes her head, lips pursing in disapproval at me.

It might be the hair.

Two weeks after returning from Monaco I'd had a semi-breakdown and ended up falling into the chair of my hair salon, bottom lip almost wobbling with tears. It was stupid and I felt even more stupid being so upset over a man I'd barely spent enough time with to know his favourite colour. The problem was, and is, I do know his favourite colour. And it's red, Ferrari red (an explanation which comes with a half wink as he says it), and he knows mine. So I wobbled through the explanation that I needed something (anything!) different, in any way she could manage.

The solution?

She chopped off two inches of length and dyed every strand a deep red, almost copper colour. I loved it, but I didn't need to do it.

I had to change. Every time I brushed through the dark brown ends all I could picture was Charles. His beautiful eyes looking to me with warmth as he tangled his fingers into the ends. He loved to play with my hair, and I loved it too.

Until I didn't.

Remembering him only makes me feel sick now. I knew when I left Monaco something didn't feel right, but I also knew what Charles wanted from me wouldn't be fair to give. At least half hearted. I can't give Charles what he wants. I know that. So it was better to have nothing at all.

The red makes me at least feel a little confident.

"I do really like it." I admit. The cost of getting my roots touched up every 2 and a half weeks was honestly worth it for how much I love it. Happy with the smile on my face and response Maddie settles into her chair opposite mine, dancing and humming along to the songs in her spot, wide grin on her face between sips of cocktails.

She'd dragged me out, tired of my 'endless moping over that French prince'. We don't talk about Charles by name, come to think of it I'm not sure she even knows or remembers his name. Amber is the one who told her about him, not me, so I don't exactly know what she knows and what she doesn't. I'd only confirmed that he was with Amber, right now, in Montreal, we had slept together and he was dreamy. It's pretty much all the details she has to go on.

"French Prince sounds kinda like Fresh Prince doesn't it? You know from the show? Hm...that's funny" Maddie had mused when we first spoke about Charles. The words had made me laugh for what felt like the first time in weeks. I tried to correct her, explain that Charles is Monegaque, not French, something I discovered first hand during our day on the yacht he was sensitive over. However, Maddie wasn't interested in the slightest. The nickname had already stuck. Since that point Charles was always referred to as 'the French Prince'.