Love, Monaco

00.06

The next day our plan is to just lounge around, no real itinerary to follow when we gather in the kitchen in the morning. "My legs hurt" I mumble when I sit at the counter, resting my head on my hand still tired. "We gotta get you running Del" Émie exclaims, I scrunch up my face in disgust, making my two friends laugh, "yoga yes, running a big no" they roll their eyes making me smile as I watch them make breakfast. I sit up straighter, "will gladly get coffee though" I hop off the stool and slide on some flip flops before grabbing my wallet and running out of the apartment like every morning.

When I get back to the apartment minutes later holding our coffees I kick off my shoes and place the cups on the dining room table. "This Monte Carlo coffee truly getting us through everything" Wren says making me laugh, "you are not wrong" I add and take my paper cup sitting in the same spot as before. "Any sign of Charles this morning?" Émie asks while wiggling her eyebrows, "no, and please stop, I think you gave my brother a heart attack with your comment yesterday" she shrugs, "but it's so fun this way" I frown at her, "fun for you, I'm trying to tread carefully" my friends look at me sadly. "Del" I look down at the counter, "I know that I should forget about what happened but god he tore my heart to shreds with a snap of his fingers, I can't go through that again" Wren sits next to me placing a hand on mine, "we love you Del, and if you want us to stop we will" I nod giving her a small smile, "thank you, and I know you're just trying to lighten the mood around relationships for me but there's only so much I can take" my friends nod at me before the topic is changed to happier things.

I'm curled up on the couch later reading one of the novels I brought along with me. Wren and Émie are doing their own thing providing a calmness that I haven't felt since we got to Monaco. I'm biting my lip fully immersed in the story when my phone vibrates a few times. My head tilts up my eyes leaving the book as I grab my phone from where it was sitting on the coffee table. I lift an eyebrow seeing text messages from my brother Pierre.

Broski
I'm not buying the whole nothing to worry about speech
I can't ignore this Charles thing

Delbelle
He got me out of a forgotten wallet situation and got me to go karting
But we're nothing more than friends, maybe just acquaintances
You truly don't need to worry

Broski
Okay, I trust you
I just don't want a repeat of the last guy
I love you Delly and I hate to see you sad

DelBelle
Love you P ❤️
I miss you

Broski
Love you too
Cant wait for you to visit me 😊

I sigh putting down my phone, missing my older brother a bit more after our texts. "You okay babe?" I look over at Émie smiling, "yeah just texted Pierre he asked me about what's up with Charles, so I told him and everything is fine now" she gives a thumbs up before sitting next to me switching on the TV. "God I miss that man" she says with a sigh, I shove her, "stop crushing on my brother it's weird" she giggles and I laugh as well, which is when Wren walks into the room. "What did I miss here?" I roll my eyes, "her crush on Pierre" she laughs and joins us on the couch, "oh yes the ever present crush" we giggle a bit more before putting on a movie.

☕️☕️☕️

When we disperse after watching the movie I go to my room. Where I pull out my sketchbook and pencils, getting on my bed leaning against the headboard, bringing my legs up to rest the book against them. I turn on some music, putting my earbuds in before getting into a zone that will let me draw without distraction. I don't realize what I've drawn until I'm done and I put my pencil down and blink a few times. My eyes widen and I let out a laugh of surprise pulling my earbuds out before taking a picture of the unexpected drawing. I shake my head closing the sketchbook reminding myself that this trip is not about a guy but celebrating an accomplishment. I weave my hair into a braid as I look out my window zoning out on the scenery and people milling around Monte Carlo. Inspiration strikes as I'm watching, so I hop off the bed grabbing my sketchbook and pencils again, sliding on some sneakers before grabbing my phone, wallet and keys to the apartment. My friends look up from where they're sitting in the living room, "going to go sketch" I say as I walk past them, "have fun" Wren exclaims with a grin.

My feet take me across the street from our building. Where I lean against a wall opening the sketchbook to a new page. I start sketching the place where we're staying, a smile coming to my face as I draw. When I finish the drawing I start walking down the street occasionally stopping to sketch when something catches my eye. By the time it starts to get dark the side of my hand is lead covered from my pencil, my sketchbook is full of parts of Monte Carlo to remind me of this trip. The grin on my face is permanent as I walk back to the apartment, a pencil in my bun from earlier making me look like the art student that I am. Once in the apartment I sigh smelling the food that is getting made, "Del?" I walk into the kitchen still smiling, "hey" I mumble as I put down my sketchbook and sit down at the counter. "What's got you smiling like that?" I move my index finger along the counter, "I haven't drawn that much in ages" I reply, "it suits you babe" Émie tells me with a smile. We spend the rest of the evening chatting about light topics as we eat and relax before going to bed excited about what is to come.