In The Spotlight// Prince Harry

Chapter Twenty-Four

It had been two months since Rose's family left London and three since Harry had been deployed.  Rose was trying to keep busy, but was finding it quite hard to do so.

Rose kept to a normal routine. Work and then home. It was getting to be more hectic being at home though as the paparazzi were swarming the outside of her apartment. She knew she had to put on a brave face. She couldn't let them get to her.

After her talk with her mother, it really helped put things into perspective. She loved Harry with all of her heart and if she had to live with the fact that the paparazzi would be following her every move, then she would do that for Harry. She knew that the news articles were sometimes printing not so nice things about her, but only she and her family and close friends knew the truth and that was what mattered. Her mother taught her at a very early age that you can't make everyone happy.

Rose was on her way to work and she was nervous to say the least. She didn't know why she was so nervous, but she hoped that things had calmed down with Ava. She was her friend and she hoped that she understood that she hadn't meant to hurt her.

Walking around the corner and opening the door to her work, she took off her coat as she walked into the warm building. Ava sauntered over to Rose and Rose couldn't help but to be nervous for what was to come.

"Rose," Ava said in a flat tone.

"Ava," Rose said her voice cracking at the end.

Rose shifted from one foot to the other nervously and anxiously waiting for what her friend had to say. If she could even call her that anymore. She still had no idea where she stood with Ava as Ava had left no indication about their friendship, only that she was mad at her.

Ava sucked in a breath and released it.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got mad at you for keeping your relationship a secret. It was wrong of me and selfish. I was just hurt and I wasn't being a very good friend," she says as she pouts.

The more Ava thought about how she had been treating Rose the past two months, the more she thought of how unfair she was being. Surely there had to be a good enough reason as to why Rose had hidden her relationship for three years with not just anyone, but a Prince! She knew that her best friend was seeing someone that much was obvious, but it was only a matter of who. She had only really been upset with seeing the news of her relationship plastered on the front page of a magazine. She wouldn't blame Rose if she didn't forgive her.

"I hope you forgive me some day but I understand if you don't," Ava continued.

What she wasn't expecting was for Rose to bring her in for a hug. She had missed her best friend and knew that Rose didn't deserve to be treated that way. Ava could see how mean people were being towards Rose and she didn't want to add to that list.

"I forgive you. I hope you can forgive me too. I never meant to hurt anyone by keeping my relationship a secret. We just thought it was what was for the best at the time."

"Honestly, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was never your fault to begin with because you and Harry have your reasons and I respect them," Ava said.

She truly did. She felt bad that she even put that kind of pressure on her best friend to feel guilty.

Rose looked in both directions of the store before pulling Ava to a quieter place to where they can talk it out.  In the end, all was resolved.  Ava was truly and sincerely happy for Rose.  Ava then went on to tell Rose that her longtime boyfriend, Oliver, had unfortunately ended things between them.  She was heartbroken and felt as though that was why she had taken it out on Rose when she hadn't meant to.  They had dated for five years and Ava was sure that he was going to propose.  Instead he dumped her.