Her black rose

Don't turn your back on me

A/N - Corr, hello! Cheeky little note here to say I'm SO sorry for the delay in getting a new chapter out. This has been in my head for the LONGEST time but I decided to move to London (woohoo!) on an absolute whim and needed a few weeks to get myself sorted. Normal service resuming! Also, thanks for the love with this lil story. I promise cute Mialotte will return in the next chapter...maybe... Enjoy!

Their journey back to the hotel had been a stark contrast to the rest of the day beforehand. Comfortable silence had become awkwardness. Stolen glances had become eyes that dared not look at one another. Small touches had disappeared into hands that were kept firmly to themselves. It was an unpleasant walk and both women were awash with guilt, though both for very different reasons. 

Mia's silence wasn't intentionally malicious. Sure, she very well knew that she had it in her to be a master at giving the silent treatment to people, but she was desperately trying to be a better person...for Char. With that came trying to change her ways, though Charlotte wasn't someone she'd ever purposely give the silent treatment to regardless. Instead, her silence was consequence of disappointment; disappointment at not being able to share the two minutes with Char that she'd wanted, and disappointed at the final words that Charlotte had said. When she thought about it, she wasn't that upset with Char for what she'd said to her. The truth was that this whole situation was just another indicator that she didn't deserve Charlotte. Not yet. It was an upsetting thought and as much as she tried to hide it, Mia couldn't. She wasn't used to not feeling good enough for someone.

The guilt washing over Charlotte was different. Heavier. She was someone who felt guilt heavily anyway, but even more so right now. Her final few words to Mia had come out in entirely the wrong way, though she knew she couldn't take them back. She felt guilty over not being able to please everyone, but more than anything she felt guilty for not giving Mia those two minutes she'd promised. She wasn't entirely sure how it had happened but in the space of mere moments things had escalated from perfect, to bad, to terrible. And now the silence was unbearable as they strolled back; she wanted nothing more than to find comfort in the touch of Mia, or to meet her eyes in a 'it's okay, we're okay' glance, but she wasn't brave enough to initiate it. She was sure Mia hated her right now - and she couldn't blame her. 

As they got to their room, Mia unlocked the door and held it open for Charlotte to enter. It was a small gesture but went far enough to hint to Charlotte that she wasn't suddenly hated. She watched as Mia put down her things and then walked over to the bathroom.

"Mia?" Her voice came out small, but it was enough to stop the redhead, who turned to finally look at Charlotte. There was a sad softness to her gaze as her own gentle words fell from her mouth. "Yes, sweetheart?" If there was anything that was going to comfort Charlotte in that moment, it was the return of Mia's name for her. She gave a small smile, feeling safe enough to be brave. "I don't want to argue with you, but I don't want to be silent with you either. I think we should talk and I can apologise and then it won't be awkward and..." "Char," The brunettes ramble was interrupted. "It's okay. It's forgotten about." Mia held out her hand to Charlotte, offering a handshake. "Truce?" Charlotte desperately tried not to let it show, but she felt her heart sink as she looked at the hand offered to her. Of course, she was glad to not carry on with the awkward silence, and the fact that they could seemingly brush it under the carpet...but the handshake wasn't characteristic. It wasn't them. It was distant. Impersonal. And whilst happy with Mia's words, she knew disagreements weren't as easy as just forgetting them. Still, she'd go along with it for now. She shook Mia's hand with a smile, nodding. "Truce." 

The truth was, Mia was in runaway mode and she was desperately trying not to be. Whenever things went wrong with Reece, she'd bolt. Just for a while, mind you, but she'd run and isolate whilst she dealt with things on her own. It was her own way to protect herself, albeit an unhealthy way. She didn't want to run from Charlotte, but it wasn't just as easy as breaking a lifelong habit - but goodness was she trying. She'd never been used to talking things through and couldn't bring herself to do that currently either. She was trying to change - but not running away AND talking about what had happened? Both of those things didn't seem achievable all at once. Instead she'd stay, say things were fine, and they'd carry on.

Mia continued on to the bathroom then as Charlotte sat on the edge of the bed. She purposely left the door open as she started taking off her makeup so that she could talk to the younger.

"Everyone is getting together for breakfast in the morning. I want you to come with me. You don't have to but...I'd like you to join me. It'll be good for you to actually meet the people getting married, and everyone else too." Invitations like those were the ones that Charlotte appreciated. It was a direct invitation to breakfast. She wasn't a second thought, or an add on, and it certainly wasn't a 'if you want to come, you can, I'm not bothered'. But more than anything, she appreciated the timing of the invite given the slight tension that was still lingering between them.

"I'd like that." Her words were simple as she got up and entered the bathroom alongside her. "Lost puppy following you around, remember?" It was enough to make Mia smile and suddenly the tension once again didn't feel quite so bad. Mia prepped her toothbrush, putting toothpaste on the bristles before doing the same for Charlotte's and handing it to her. Charlotte took it gratefully. "Will Leo be there?" She asked before taking her toothbrush. The question earned the most dramatic of eyerolls from Mia. "Ugh, unfortunately." And right then, Charlotte knew that Mia adored that kid more than she'd ever admit.

The rest of the time that the two spent getting ready for bed was almost wordless. The atmosphere wasn't as tense anymore, something they both were grateful of, but their ease in conversing constantly had seemingly diminished. There were unspoken words that needed to be said but neither of them dared speak up. Charlotte had pinned hope on bedtime, however. They had a habit of talking until the early hours and it had become a time when both of them shared their deepest vulnerabilities with one another. 'We'll talk then' Charlotte mused to herself, preparing herself silently for the conversation to come. What she wasn't prepared for was the way that Mia had almost instantly turned on her side facing away from Charlotte as they got into their respective sides of the bed. Mia looked over her shoulder briefly, mumbling a small "Goodnight, Char." before turning fully back away from Charlotte. 

Charlotte was immediately thrown back into the pain and loneliness of the last three years, having spent every night with her ex in the exact same way. The quietness before bedtime, the silence in bed, the turning away from each other. It was a time that Charlotte couldn't face again, and it was something she wouldn't allow to happen with Mia. They were friends, sure, but Charlotte wasn't stupid. She liked Mia. Liked her more than she ever had liked anyone before. But Charlotte knew she wasn't strong enough on her own to face the loneliness she'd experienced for so long again. Not here. Not now.

"Don't turn your back on me." Her voice was faltering, pleading. "Please."