Below Deck || C. Leclerc

v

"Life is good," Carlos commented as he leaned back in the cushions of the lounger on the sundeck.

They had been on anchor for a while, and after lunch, the guys had the opportunity to get in the water and drive the jet skis for a bit.

Pierre nodded as he was eating some kind of fruit salad he had requested.

"I agree," Charles added, lifting his mojito.

"How many of those did you have already?" Pierre nodded towards the cocktail in Charles' glass.

"Five, why do you care?" The Monegasque replied, a small smile on his lips while his cheeks had coloured rosy of the combination of the sea, the sun and the alcohol, obviously. "It's my charter, Pierre," he added.

"It's his charter, just so you know," Pierre mocked, speaking to Charles, then rolling his eyes with a chuckle.

"If it helps to make the situation better, then be my guest," Carlos shrugged.

"You know, I didn't appreciate the comment about a girlfriend when we went through the cabins," Charles suddenly spoke up.

As if he had a moment to think about it and then realized why the fuck his friends would embarrass him in front of Liliana like that. However, not all of his friends knew about Liliana anyway.

"We all know you don't have a girlfriend, Charles," Carlos replied.

"Yeah, yeah, but she means nothing to me," Charles continued, somehow not able to stop himself from spilling the words over his lips as he kept talking.

"Who?" Pierre asked, a little annoyed and confused about the conversation at the same time.

"God, I can't even remember her name," he muttered.

"It doesn't matter, she's a fling and she means nothing to you," Carlos summarised.

Charles nodded as he took another sip of his cocktail. He laid back in the cushions, brushing one hand over his abdomen as he felt the alcohol making his head spin a little bit, making him feel warmer inside, lighting his cheeks a little pink and causing a random laugh to slip out of his mouth. "I still can't get rid of my feelings for her," he blurted out. "My mind goes back to that one night we had together, and it makes me sad that we stopped being friends," Charles pouts. "I only had short flings after her, they never made me feel like she could," he continues.

"Bro, I'm sorry you feel that way, but we're not going to talk about your ruined friendship or relationship with her during the complete charter, you said that yourself," Pierre spoke up, smacking Charles' thigh as he snatches the mojito from his hand, downing the drink before Charles can do it. Pierre pushes a bottle of water into his friend's hand. "There you go, sober up, man up, and face that woman if you still want her," Pierre ruffled his hair, earning a groan from Charles. "I'm going to take a shower," Pierre announced.

"Me too, I'm going to be in my cabin for a bit," Carlos said, standing up to go downstairs.

Charles hummed, then a deep sigh left him. He wasn't sure where all of that was coming from, he wanted to stop the words from spilling out of his mouth, but he couldn't. Charles rose his eyebrows at himself, sitting up to drink some water. Pierre was right, of course, he was. He wasn't going to talk and regret everything about Liliana, right? Well, maybe, but not in public, or with the company he had on this yacht.

"Hi, can I do anything for you?" Marion stood in front of him, making him wonder if he was drunk or if he really didn't hear her coming up the stairs.

"No, I'm okay, thanks," Charles replied with a smile, to which the stewardess nodded and took the empty glasses of his friends.