𝐁𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 || Milo Manheim

thirtynine

The next morning, Rosalie woke to the comforting smell of pancakes and bacon filling the air. She stretched, pulling a robe from her grandmother's closet and slipping it on before heading downstairs. As she entered the kitchen, she saw Jimena and Leah already busy cooking.

"Good morning," Rosalie greeted, her voice soft but warm.

"Good morning!" they said in unison, both smiling.

"Should've woken me up. I could've helped with the food," Rosalie mused, eyeing the spread on the table.

"Nah, no worries. We had everything under control. We wanted you to rest," Jimena grinned.

"I did need that rest," Rosalie admitted, taking a seat. "It felt like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders."

"So... did you forgive him? You two didn't leave the bedroom yesterday after the fight," Jimena asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"Yeah... something like that," Rosalie replied with a shrug.

"Something like that?" Leah echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"He told me so many things that made me think about us," Rosalie began. "So I forgave him. But we're starting as friends." She cleared her throat, emphasizing the last part.

"Friends? Hmm," Leah smirked.

"Yes, friends," Rosalie laughed, her mood lightening. "Maybe with benefits," she added with a playful smile.

"But! I'm not letting him off that easy. I'm still working on rebuilding trust," she continued, her tone serious again.

"Well, you can work on that over the next couple of days," Jimena chimed in. "After breakfast, we're getting on the boat!"

"Yes! I'm so excited!" Rosalie exclaimed, her mood lifting even more.

"Why are we excited? It's seven in the morning," Sebastian groaned, strolling into the kitchen, still half-asleep.

"We're getting on the boat. Hurry up and eat," Jimena urged, giving him a look.

Milo and Nate came downstairs and sat at the table. After talking to Rosalie the night before, Milo had pulled Sebastian aside for a long conversation. They made up, but Milo was still on probation, or as he liked to call it, his "trial period."

"Good morning," the guys greeted.

"Morning," everyone replied in unison.

Rosalie turned around and saw Milo already looking at her. They exchanged a smile, one that spoke volumes about what had happened the night before. They didn't need to say much; the air between them felt different, lighter.

⸻

An hour later, they were on the boat. Snacks and drinks were ready, safety gear checked, and after a brief but intense debate, the guys decided on rotating driving duties every hour. It wasn't crowded on the water, but there were plenty of boats scattered across the lake, giving the whole scene a lively vibe.

They found a good spot to swim, so everyone put on their life vests. As Milo bent down to grab a jacket from the storage bin, Rosalie noticed something—a familiar design on the vest.

"That was my grandpa's," she said softly, her eyes falling on the jacket. "He was the only one who would wear it."

"You want me to take it off? There are plenty more for me to use," Milo asked, his voice hesitant.

"No, no," Rosalie replied quickly, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I don't mind. You look good in it."

The spark between them felt undeniable. Rosalie's heart fluttered as she realized she was feeling the same happiness she had when they first started talking. Everything seemed right again, even if it was just for a moment.

"Whose bedazzled vest is this?" Nathan joked, pulling another jacket from the bin.

"Give me that!" Leah shouted, snatching it from him. "I was in 7th grade when I did this," she added, holding it up proudly.

Nathan burst out laughing, and Leah, not missing a beat, pushed him off the boat in playful retaliation. With his life vest on, he knew she was just having fun.

"Get in! The water's fresh!" Nathan yelled, splashing around in the lake.

"Last one in's a rotten egg!" he challenged, laughing as everyone dove in.

The water erupted with splashes as the others joined in, but to their surprise, it was Milo who was the last to jump in.

"You're the rotten egg! Take a shot!" Nathan laughed.

"Alcohol in the middle of the water? I-I don't think that's a good idea," Milo chuckled nervously.

"Take the shot! Take the shot!" the group chanted.

Milo groaned, laughing despite himself. "You are all going to be the death of me."

⸻

By 5:30 PM, they were back at the house and decided to start a bonfire. The guys gathered wood while the girls quickly showered and got ready. Rosalie had completely forgotten about the extra packs of wood they bought the day before, so she headed down to the garage to grab some more. Milo, Nathan, and Sebastian had already found wood, so they decided to add it to the pile.

Once everything was ready, they made their way outside.

"Did you guys set it up yet?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, we found a lighter. We just need to light it now," Sebastian replied.

They watched as he struck the match, the flames catching immediately. Within moments, the fire was roaring to life.

"Oh, you guys would survive in the woods after all," Jimena teased.

"Yeah, I don't know about Nate though," Milo joked, glancing over at Nathan.

Nathan shot him a smug look, laughing as he knew Milo was just messing with him. The fire settled into a steady blaze, and everyone gathered around, the warmth of the flames offering comfort.

Rosalie sat on the couch near Leah, while Milo deliberately sat across from her. Their eyes met occasionally, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Hey Rose, your grandparents have a nice place. Do they live in LA too?" Nathan asked, his tone casual.

"My grandma stays in Georgia," Rosalie explained, her voice softening as she spoke about her family. "It was the last place my grandpa lived before he passed. She spends her summers here, and it reminds her of him since he loved this lake house so much."

"It's an amazing house," Nathan smiled. "You really picked a great spot for the weekend."

"Yeah, but I came with different intentions," Rosalie laughed, glancing at Milo.

She caught his gaze, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fade away. He was looking at her the way he always had, with a longing that made her heart ache.

He loved her. He had always loved her. And even though they had a long way to go, he hoped she could find it in her heart to love him again. He was ready to do whatever it took to prove it.

For the first time in a long time, Rosalie allowed herself to believe that maybe—just maybe—it could be worth it.

.