Page 85 of The Ring
Laurie looks at me and lets out the biggest sigh, which in Laurie’s language meansno.
He’s acting like I told him to do something unimaginable, like jumping off a cliff with a hundred roses to surprise her, or climbing Mount Everest and writing her name at the top. I think he would prefer to do that than to tell her how he really feels.
I stand up, looking down at him. “If that isn’t on the table, then I don’t know what else to tell you,” I say before walking away.
I need to find a quieter place. I need to make a phone call. I think the terrace will be the best option and make my way there.
I’m scrolling through my phone looking for Benedict’s number, not paying attention to where I’m going, and end up bumping straight into someone.
“Sorry,” I mumble to the person I bumped into. I look up from my phone, and it’s Weberly. She’s wearing a small red blouse and an even smaller black skirt. Every time I see her, I wonder if she’s in a constant competition with herself to see if she can wear fewer clothes than the day before. And behind her is TJ, dressed all in black except for his brown leather jacket.
Fantastic.Just what I need right now. I wasn’t a fan of the Monaco Grand Prix before, but now? I think I actually despise it.
“You should watch where you’re going,Cornelia,” Weberly says, drawing out my name in a way that makes my skin crawl. “You could really hurt someone.”
I had somehow managed to avoid interacting with them the entire weekend. It wasn’t that difficult—Annabelle was avoiding Laurie, and I followed her lead. Avoiding Laurie partially meant avoiding the boys as well.
And the guys aren’t staying with us, which makes things easier. They’re staying with Lucian’s parents at their house. They live five minutes from my family’s house in Monaco—one of our multiple holiday homes. Technically, it’s in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, but it’s easier to say Monaco, and it’s only twenty minutes away. Fifteen if you drive over the speed limit, though right now it’s a bit higher since there’s a lot of traffic due to the race. The boys always stayed there. The first time we came, we stayed with them, but Annabelle and I didn’t do it a second time.
We each have our own reasons. Let’s sum mine up, as I have no patience for old, bigoted people, and Annabelle’s as every time she was near Lucian’s parents, they’d start talking about how she and Lucian should date and what a lovely couple they’d make. It made both of them really uncomfortable.
Lucian has come out to his parents numerous times, but they seem to act like it’s just a phase he’ll grow out of. They’re arseholes, in my opinion, but Lucian justifies them with the excuse that they’re old, very religious, and from a different generation.
He seems to have a better relationship with his parents than I have with mine. So, who am I to judge?
I could handle being around TJ and Weberly if Benedict were with me, but he isn’t.
“I would have liked to hurt you,” I say under my breath.
I’ve never wanted to punch someone this much since Camille—and with her, I actually did. I should probably be careful not to repeat that situation. It wasn’t my proudest moment. Though… not my least proud.
“No Benedict tonight?” Weberly asks me.
“Have you seen him at all this weekend?” I shoot back. “Because if you did, you might want to get checked out.” I make a quick hand gesture—the universal sign for crazy.
I glance at TJ, and he’s trying to hide it, but a smirk is sneaking its way onto his face. Weberly, on the other hand, looks like she’d love nothing more than to punch me right now.
Glad we’re on the same page.
“I haven’t, but I’ve been sooccupied,” she says, leaning on TJ like she owns him. I hate it because it’s something I used to do. He used to be mine. “I could have missed him. Why isn’t he here? Did he break up with you?”
I roll my eyes. “No, he had to work, but I guess you wouldn’t understand.”
Benedict couldn’t make it because he had to stay in London, shooting some promotion for an upcoming movie he filmed last year. I’ve already seen it. It’s good. It’s a romcom, the kind of thing I like to watch. And it was a surreal experience, watching a movie with your boyfriend in it while he watched you watch it. It’s also my new favourite thing to do.
I don’t bother waiting for her comeback and instead turn to TJ. “If you want to ask me something, do it yourself instead of having yourpetdo it for you,” I say coldly, then pivot on my heels and make my way to the terrace without looking back.
Weberly might have had a passing curiosity about why Benedict isn’t here, but the real interest comes from TJ. I overheard him asking Laurie on the first day if something had happened between us, but since I haven’t been talking to Laurie much, he didn’t have an answer to give.
As I step onto the terrace, a wave of guilt washes over me. Annabelle was mad at Laurie and took it out on me. Then I was mad because of it—and the whole situation—and the fact I felt stuck in the middle, and I ended up taking it out on TJ and Weberly. It feels like we’re passing our anger onto people who don’t deserve it. Well, maybe Weberly does a bit.
I find a little nook on the terrace where no one is around and call Benedict. After the second ring, he picks up.
“Hi, beautiful,” he greets.
“I hope I didn’t wake you.”
I promised him I would call him once I got back home, but it’s already a little past three, and the party shows no sign of winding down. It’s one hour later in London, so I wasn’t even sure if he’d answer now—let alone when I get home. That’s why I called him, so he doesn’t wait up.
