Summer 2014
Le Mans, France
Ginny was still in shock when Chloe engulfed her in a hug. Her best friend was silently apologizing... because through the months and months of texting back and forth in-between their summer fun, she had never mentioned Charles dating someone. It wasn't like Ginny had ever been blatant about her crush on Charles with Chloe- that was her twin brother.
But Chloe wasn't blind and Ginny knew that. However, she had seemed to turn a blind eye anyway. Maybe she thought they weren't serious... Victoria and Charles... but how could they not? Victoria was Max's sister. Max dated Chloe. Victoria dated the twin. They were a tight-knit group already in formula one.
Now, they were dating each other's siblings.
The American glanced down at her white converse and frowned.
Chloe pulled away from their embrace, staring straight into her friend's eyes with worry. "How was your trip!?"
Ginny paused for a moment, swallowing the dry saliva in her mouth. She could feel everyone's gaze on her. She was the center of attention and she didn't want to be. "F-fine. Yeah, the flight wasn't too bad."
Pierre was still beside her with a smirk she wanted to slap off his face. "Victoria, these are our friends from the states. Ginny and her older brother Timothée."
Victoria was beautiful, which made the anger in Ginny's stomach turn to a boil. She wore a pretty, blue, silk skirt that looked like the Beauxbâtons attire in the fourth Harry Potter movie. She could really be one of them in reality. Her hair was dyed blonde, but her eyebrows were still dark brown like her brother's. Her hair was silky smooth just like her skin.
She wore makeup that made her look like a twenty-year-old and had a figure that matched. Ginny thought she had grown a lot over her first year of high school. She was curvy in a lot of places that she had hoped Charles would notice... but that dream was out the window. Victoria was everything Ginny wasn't and she had Charles now. "Oh my God, are you the boy from Interstellar?"
Ginny clenched her jaw tight. She felt her brother tense up beside her arm, forcing out a breath of air as he kept averting his eyes from the new couple to the floor. "Good eye! I am the guy..."
"Look at you already getting spotted." Chloe stepped away from Ginny to give Timothée a hug. They kissed each other on their cheeks before pulling away. She gently punched him in the shoulder. "Don't grow a big head."
"I don't want to hear it from you, miss model." Timothée groaned. "Teen Vogue, Paris just loves you don't they? Not to mention your movies-"
"All in France." Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's not the same as Hollywood."
Ginny was still reeling. She was listening to everyone greet each other, but the sounds were like a passing echo. Arthur and Lorenzo came over and gave Ginny a hug before moving to her brother with chest bumps and boyish smiles. Max followed behind Chloe like a shadow- sticking tightly to her waist. Pierre had moved towards the group of boys catching up... leaving Ginny to greet her crush and his girlfriend.
"Ginny, I've heard so much about you!" Victoria squeezed the American into an embrace. Ginny kept her arms by her side, unsure of how to proceed. Victoria pulled away, smiling wide to show off her perfect white teeth. Life was unfair. "I'm so glad we get to spend the summer together! I'm used to being the youngest, beside Arthur, but now I have someone to relate too."
Ginny chewed her bottom lip, trying not to glance at Charles. If she did, she'd start crying on the spot- or so it felt like that. "Oh really? How old are you? If you don't mind me asking..."
"Why're you talking so formal, Ginny Gin. You sound like a grandma... and look like one too." Pierre laughed over Arthur's head.
"I don't remember you being apart of this conversation, Pie Face." Charles quipped back at his friend with more aggression than meant.
Pierre's eyes darkened. Chloe glanced between them with a nervous twist of her lips. She furrowed her brows, looking at Ginny with some-sort of telepathy. Ginny read her lips before she forced a grin and turned away before anyone could notice.
'I'm sorry.'
Charles placed a hand on Ginny's elbow. "Has he been-"
"I can handle Pierre." Ginny flinched away, rubbing off his touch with her own hand. She continued looking at Victoria, waiting for her response. She was holding onto Charles like he was a teddy bear... which he was.
"I'm 15."
"I'm 14." Ginny sighed. "Same age as Arthur."
"Oh, right!" Victoria playfully hit her head like she was a quirky queen. "Charles mentioned that! You and Arthur must be so close then?"
"Not really." Ginny shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "I'm closer to Chloe."
"Ouch." Arthur grabbed Ginny by her shoulders. He shook them wildly, chuckling to himself. "And to think I've always considered you my friend."
Ginny nudged him in his stomach with her arm. "Shut up."
"You look nice, Ginny." Charles smiled like he was in pain. He had an arm around Victoria's waist. His fingers touched the skin showing off from her crop top. Ginny imagined how warm his skin must feel. "I like your shoes."
Ginny felt her heart burn. "Thanks. They're new."
Pierre squeezed through the group and grabbed Ginny by her right leg. She stumbled, almost tripping over as he yanked her foot on top of his toned thigh. He whipped out a black sharpie and grinned wickedly between Ginny and Charles. "Vic, Charles and Ginny always had this tradition where Charles would draw on her new converse. But I think I'll take over this year... what should I draw? A dick maybe?"
Ginny stared at him with hate. He had known about Victoria and Charles. He knew how Ginny felt about him. He knew. She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed with all her might, knocking him over on his back as she stood straight, towering over him for once. His sea-green eyes peered up into her caramel brown orbs that were filled with water.
Tears.
Everyone had stopped talking.
They were staring.
"Don't touch my fucking shoes, Pie Face. Get a life and stop ruining mine, will you?"
"Ginny-" Charles whispered, reaching forward.
"Sorry." Ginny took a step back and felt Arthur. He let his hand slip down her back as she crept toward the hallway. "I think I just need to lie down for a second. It was nice meeting you, Victoria."
"We're staying here too!" Victoria tried to push through the awkward and tense air. "If you want to hang out... I'm down the hall!"
Arthur grabbed Ginny's arm, lowering his head to whisper in her ear. "You're better than her, Ginny."
Ginny glanced at him and shook her head before walking out the door. She didn't even look back to check on Pierre. She went back to her room and took off her shoes. She threw them against the closet before collapsing on the bed, crying.
__
"Ginny?" A faint voice whispered harshly on the other side of the white-painted door. "Ginny!?"
Ginny startled awake. She was curled up in a ball on the bed. The sun was starting to set outside the big window. The room was growing dark. She furrowed her brows, wondering if she had imagined the voice calling her name, but she heard it again.
"Ginny? Are you awake?"
"Chloe?"
"It's mua. Open up!"
Ginny forced herself to stand, pushing off the bed with a groan. She shuffled over to the door and opened it, revealing Chloe in her gorgeous outfit that consisted of a black off-the-shoulder top that slipped into a glittery silver mini-skirt. She wore stockings that went to her knees and black high heels that made her a lot taller. Ginny let out a sigh, noting that she was still in her crewneck and shorts. Her confidence was twinkling out like the light in the sky. "What's up?"
"Can I come in?" She raised her brows, hoping for a yes.
Ginny crossed her arms. "I don't know. Is Max tied to your waist?"
Chloe's face grew pink. "Max is playing video games with the boys. I was hoping we could talk."
"You could've talked to me sooner."
Chloe sucked in a harsh breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, probably thinking about what to say. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't know how to tell you..."
"Doesn't matter! You should have told me right away! You know how I feel-"Ginny was raising her voice but she didn't want to alert the whole hall that she had feelings for Charles. Not that most of them didn't already know. "You know how I feel, Chlo."
"I know." She sighed. "I know. I'm really sorry. Can I come in, please? I want to explain."
Ginny nodded her head slowly. She moved out of the way to allow Chloe inside. Chloe closed the door as Ginny walked ahead of her towards the bed. She sat on the edge, making the mattress dip. Chloe sat beside her stiffly, her hands directly on top of her knees. She glanced at Ginny with sympathy.
"I'm really sorry, Ginny. I just had no idea how to tell you. When Max and I became official... my parents wanted to have his whole family over for Christmas and Charles and Victoria really hit it off."
Chloe paused for a second, taking in a breath. "I thought they were just hitting it off as friends, but then they started spending time together whenever we were all gathered and he would ask to go with me to Amsterdam to see Max. I just- It all happened so fast and I knew it would hurt you. I didn't want to be the one to hurt my best friend."
Ginny gulped. She knew that Chloe would never want to hurt her. She knew that it probably killed her to keep it from Ginny. She knew that Chloe had been respectful of her crush on Charles. "No, I'm sorry. I was just so shocked... I mean... I thought..."
"I know." Chloe cut her off before she could finish. "I thought so too."
"Is he happy?" Ginny turned to Chloe with a forced grin. "Charles?"
Chloe chewed her lip and nodded. "He's real happy."
"That's good." Ginny wiped her face with her hands. She slapped them on her knee and shook her body. She wrapped her arms tight around Chloe, hiding the tears in her eyes as she rested her chin on Chloe's shoulder. "And you and Max?"
"We're great." Chloe pulled back with a smile. She was blushing. "I think I love him."
"Love?" Ginny gasped, widening her eyes. "Oh my gosh! Chloe!"
"There is so much to tell you!" Chloe clapped her hands.
The two girls sat on the bed catching up. They talked about every little detail of every little story they had yet to share- and went over some that were spoken of many times before. They giggled and laughed about romance and squealed about Five Seconds of Summer and One Direction.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
"Ginny? Chloe? It's time to get ready for the party!" Max's voice rang through the giggles.
"Oh shit." Ginny groaned. "The party. I have to change. I don't even know if I brought black tie clothes."
"I'll grab something from my suitcase for you! Give me two minutes!" She darted out the room. Max waved inside before being yanked by his button down.
Ginny chuckled to herself. She ran a hand through her hair and knew she would need a quick shower if she wanted to look put together. She threw open her suitcase and rifled through the folded clothes. She picked up the fluffy towel she always brought from home and laid it on her bed.
"I didn't mean to make you cry." Pierre's voice oozed into her ear.
She whirled around and stared at him. "Funny, I don't believe you."
"I'm telling the truth." Pierre glanced over his shoulder, probably making sure no one was watching. He crossed over to her and placed his warm hands on her shoulders. "I just wanted to help."
"By drawing a dick on my converse?"
"By making him jealous." Pierre narrowed his sea-green eyes on her. "Didn't you see him? He was going crazy at the thought of me drawing on your shoes. That's not my thing, that's his."
Ginny cocked her head to the side, crossing her arms in the process. "Real or not real?"
"What?" Pierre furrowed his brows, tightening the grip on her shoulders.
Ginny clenched her jaw. "Is this the real Pierre?"
"You tell me..." He lowered his voice even more, letting his eyes fall on her lips. "Is... this... real, Ginny?"
She gulped down a ball of saliva. They were standing so close together- their chests almost right on top of each other. "Why are you mean to me in front of everyone else? Why're you only nice when we're alone? And even then you could turn on a dime at any moment? I-I don't understand what I've done wrong, Pierre."
His thumb took hold of her chin, where his skin rubbed against her like a smooth blanket. "You've never done anything wrong, Ginny."
"Then why?" Ginny pleaded, shaking her head at the floor. "Why do you hate me?"
"I don't hate you! I could never- I could never..." He licked his bottom lip. "I-"
"Just be honest, etoile! If you hate me just say it!"
Pierre yanked her into him, wrapping a hand around her back. His voice was filled with something... hunger... passion... anger? It was hard to tell. "The only thing I hate, is that you give Charles a pedestal. You give him... everything. You give him that smile, that laugh, those gorgeous fucking eyes- and you can't even give me the time of day."
"That's not-"
"And you're still obsessed with him. He can't do any wrong, can he?" Pierre rubbed his hand on her back, moving in circles. "But I've been right here, etoile. And I've never once looked away."
"If that was true." Ginny was stunned to say the least, but she had her own statements. "You wouldn't treat me like shit for most of our time together and be kind whenever you felt like it. You wouldn't be afraid to be around me."
"Ginny, you have no-"
"Ginny! I found this pretty dress I think will fit you nicely! Can I come in?" Chloe knocked on the propped open door. "Are you on the phone? I heard you talking- I didn't mean to disturb."
Pierre let go of Ginny and backed away, moving to the door with a grimace. "You weren't disturbing anything."
"Pierre?" Chloe sounded dumbfounded. Ginny peered around the corner, watching Pierre stalk off while Chloe stood with her mouth agape. She turned to Ginny and raised a brow. "What did Pie Face want?"
"Nothing." Ginny felt some more tears swelling in her eyes. "Thanks for letting me borrow one of your dresses. I'm gonna take a shower and get ready."
Chloe laid the dress on the bed and forced a smile. "You're welcome, Ginny. I'm going to get back to Max. Come find me when you're ready."
Ginny nodded and watched her leave. She stared at the wall for a moment, picturing Pierre with his hand on her back... all the stuff he was saying. She closed her eyes and pictured what it would have been like if they had just leaned a little closer...