A Cornish Affair

A Day Alone

The rest of the night was hard to say the least. Tina had swapped seats during the night and now sat opposite her. Rosie caught her staring every now and again. She hadn't expected this reaction from Tina. Maybe she was just annoyed that she hadn't told her about the flowers the day they arrived. No, it was more than that. She honestly seemed disgusted at Rosie's behaviour. If only she'd not seen the message.

Rosie had gone to the toilet a little while later. She was desperate to reply to Ricky. As soon as she had come out, she found an alcove where she could stand in the corridor out of people's way. She'd already decided what she was going to type.

I'll watch it later. Out with friends at the moment. Your face really was a picture. Yes, talk soon, definitely.

She sent it straight away, no further thoughts and returned outside to the others.

As the time had come to leave at the end of the night, Tina threw her arms drunkenly around Rosie. "Do not do anything stupid young lady! I mean it. Lee's a good one. You don't want anyone or anything to ruin what you have."

Rosie was taken aback by Tina's words. She of all people knew how Lee could be. How he let her down so often. How his friends often came before her. And don't even start on his lack of effort towards their house. Yet tonight, all that had seemed to be forgotten. They left Tina and Oscar in a queue for a taxi after saying their goodbyes and headed towards home.

Rosie lay in bed next to Lee. They'd had sex, he'd turned over and immediately began snoring. Rosie was wide awake. She rolled over onto her side and picked up her phone from her bedside table. She made sure the media volume was on silent, before she reread Ricky's message and clicked on the YouTube link it contained.

She watched as he walked down the side of her school, talking to the camera. She would have to watch it with sound again in the morning. Then as he walked through the corridor, past Adam's classroom and into the hall. There was Mr Miller and there were her class. She giggled silently as they all stormed around the hall, then ran on the spot. Then the film cut away to an interview with Ricky. It was strange to see his face again. Somehow it was hard for her to link the man on the screen, to Rick of Cornwall and the man she'd texted and spoken to on the phone. The shot was back to the hall and Rosie walking down the hall towards him and yes his face was a picture. Then there was movement again, Rosie with fingers linked with Ricky, arms in the air. Then an interview piece with a woman Rosie hadn't recalled seeing. They must have been back in class for that. Then the children clapping and high fiving with Ricky.

Rosie watched it through twice more and added it to her favourites. She replaced her phone on the bedside table, snuggled under the sheet they had covering the bed and hoped sleep would come.

Sunday morning, Rosie woke first. Lee had stayed over again Saturday night after they'd been for a meal and to the cinema. She had enjoyed the evening, to start with anyway. Being just the two of them, Rosie had been the centre of his attention. They had talked about maybe going away for the weekend. Rosie fancied York, Lee hadn't been quite so sure. He'd suggested Blackpool. They could decide nearer the time. But then Rosie had mentioned the house again and how she'd been looking at sofas online and that perhaps they could go across to Thurrock and look at some, to get an idea what they wanted. Lee had gone quiet. Then he'd reminded her there weren't even floorboards in the living room in some places. She'd suggested that Lee could perhaps do something about it. It had got rather frosty to say the least. They'd watched the film leaning in opposite directions from each other. If Lee hadn't had a bit to drink, Rosie was sure he'd have driven home to his mother's.

Rosie had slid out of bed and gone downstairs to make a cup of tea. Opening the patio doors, she took her drink outside, wandering the garden and dead heading flowers as she went. She took a seat on the Jack and Jill chair her parents had bought her for Christmas. She took her phone from her pocket.