You're Just A Diamond In The Rough.

You’re probably all thinking that when we awoke the next morning after the most meaningful sex I’d ever experienced that everything would be perfect. That he would leave Cindy, confess all his words last night were true and we would live happily ever after. Well if you were thinking that..

You were wrong.

Maybe things would have turned out that way, maybe everything would have been perfect if I’d have been there when Zack woke up.. but I wasn’t. I was long gone.

I guess I should probably explain..

I woke up, squinting in the harsh sunlight that glared though the window. We hadn’t exactly had time to shut the blinds last night. I glanced to my left when remembering the events of last night. Zack was still fast asleep in his alcohol induced coma. I couldn’t help but watch him as he breathed silently, occasionally moving slightly to scrunch up his nose or scratch his arm. He was adorable; he was perfect, but he wasn’t mine to have. He was hers. And what we did last night wasn’t right, he’d cheated on her and I’d let him. I took advantage of him, he was drunk he didn’t know what he was doing and I was sober, I knew exactly what I was doing.

As the minutes passed, I started to dread Zack waking up. I knew he wasn’t going to be happy, I knew he was going to regret it and I didn’t think I could handle the disgust when he remembered what we’d done. I should have stopped him before it got too far but instead I wanted to live in a fantasy world. And now I was living with the aftermath and I couldn’t face it.

Had I ruined our friendship?

I didn’t want to stick around to find out. I decided almost instantly after this that I wanted to leave. Disappear before he woke up. So I got out of bed as carefully and quietly as I could; though I’m sure I could be clanging pots and pans at this point and he wouldn’t wake up. I was still completely naked so I went over to my suitcase pulling on a simple outfit of grey skinny jeans and an oversized purple hoody. I took one last look at Zack, I contemplated leaving a note but what would it matter. Like he’d want anything to do with me when he woke up anyway.

And that’s why two hours later I was sat in some corner café sipping my 5th cup of coffee and feeling extremely sorry for myself. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket for the 50th time today and for the 50th time today I ignored it. As much as I tried to think of the band and the tour, my mind always drifted back to Zack. I banged my head on the table, not caring if I looked like a crazy person. A quiet cough caught my attention and I lifted my now slightly throbbing head to look to where the sound came from. My eyes fell on a group of three teenage girls, each standing nervously by my table, the middle one clutching a magazine to her chest.

“Hello.” I said, slightly confused. Surely these girls didn’t know who I am? Had I really just been recognized in Paris? Wow, you know you’ve made it big when that happens. The girl on the left nudged the middle girl who blushed shyly.

“You’re Charlotte Thompson, yes?” She asked in a heavy French accent. I nodded and smiled at them. They seemed instantly relieved and even a bit giddy. The middle girl, placed the magazine down infront of me along with a silver marker pen.

“Can I please have your autograph?” I nodded politely in reply, before grabbing the pen to sign the magazine cover. That’s when I noticed why she wanted me to sign the magazine, considering my face was plastered all over the cover. My mouth dropped, it wasn’t just me in the pictures, it was me and Zack. There were 8 pictures of me and Zack from various different outings we’d all taken since we’d arrived in Paris. The main focus being on a picture taken of us on our ‘alone time’ trip to the Eiffel tower. I was lying down laughing my head off while he was sat above me tickling my sides. I couldn’t take my eyes off of his face, he looked so sincerely happy. If I was a stranger looking at this picture; id of assumed this was a couple in love. I saw the girls exchange confused glances so I snapped out of it, signing the cover of the magazine before passing it back to her. They thanked me before running out of the café giggling to themselves.

I decided it was time to leave the café, mainly since the staff were starting to give me weird looks. I walked for at least twenty minutes until I found a bench in a pretty isolated place apart from the occasional people feeding the birds anyway. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, 67 miss calls and 3 new text messages. I sighed heavily, opening my phone inbox, all 3 texts being from Leana of course.

‘Charlotte! Would you like to explain why I found Zack in your bed this morning!? L xx’

‘Charlotte, are you okay? Answer your phone please, I’m worried. L xx’

‘Seriously Charlotte, we’re all having minor heart attacks here, please get in touch! L xx’

I didn’t bother replying to any of them, I’d ring her when I was ready. I opened my miss calls list, scrolling down laughing to myself slightly as I did.

Leana, Leana, Leana, Leana, Leana, Leana…

Then my heart jumped slightly, after about twenty ‘Leanas’ her name was replaced with a new one. Zacks name to be precise. In fact out of the 57 miss calls, 31 of them were from Zack. My head went straight into over drive, the initial happiness I’d got from him caring enough to ring was replaced by panic.

He could’ve just been ringing to tell me it was all a mistake, right?

My phone vibrated.

‘Please come back. Please. I’m so sorry for everything. We just won’t ever talk about it again, yeah? Please, I just want to know you’re okay. Zack x’

So I was right, he did regret it. So much he wanted it to be erased from our memories. I laughed pathetically to myself as I felt tears threatening to fall from my eyes. All hope of a relationship with me and Zack shattered in just one text. I stood up, realising how ridiculous I was being, the longer I stayed here, the harder it would be to go back.

It took almost an hour to find the hotel again, I felt nerves building up in my stomach as I approached the entrance doors. I practically ran through to lobby to the elevators in fear of anyone seeing me. Right now, the only person I wanted to see was Leana. The lift came to a halt on my floor and I arrived there just in time to hear a door slam loudly. I looked down the corridor to see none other than Cindy.

Cindy with a suitcase.

“I hope I never see you again!” She screeched at the closed door infront of her before stomping past me towards the elevator doors, not without sending me the dirtiest look ever though. I rolled my eyes, I guess he’d told her about last night then. I pulled my room key out of my bag, taking a deep breath before opening the door. Jimmy, Leana, Val, Matt, Frankie and Kelly were all sat in the living room area. I froze as everyones eyes fell on me before closing the door behind me.

“Guys I don’t want to talk about it.” I muttered before any of them could speak. I refused to make eye contact with any of them as I walked past and straight into my room. Seconds later there was a knock on my door and I opened it before throwing myself onto my bed, knowing full well it was Leana. She sat down next to me rolling me over so I was lying on my back.

“Tell me everything.” She said. And so for the next half an hour that’s just what I did.

“I just can’t believe it finally happened!” She squealed, bouncing up and down from her spot on my bed. I rolled my eyes, she was completely missing the point.

“Leana, he was extremely drunk, I’m pretty sure it meant nothing to him. And I over heard him tell the guys he was in love with Cindy remember?” She sighed at my reply, seeing her romance dreams for me and Zack crash around her.

“Well, maybe you misunderst-“

“I didn’t misunderstand Leana.” I interrupted, not in the mood for any false hope. She looked down and nodded, realising I wasn’t in the mood to argue any further she left me to my own devices and joined the others in the living room.

I looked around the now empty room and groaned inwardly, I’d been in here almost 40 minutes and only just remembered this is where it all happened last night. I saw his shirt was still slung over the arm chair in the corner of my room, I slowly walked over to it, breathing in his scent, hoping for some comfort for the pain I was feeling, but it only made things worse as a fresh wave of tears came spilling from my eyes.

I reached for my phone, reading and re reading the text I’d received from Zack earlier, I didn’t want him to have the satisfaction of knowing how much last night had meant to me when It obviously meant little to him so I decided to reply.

‘Don’t worry about it, I’m okay. It wasn’t your fault, it was mine, I heard what you, Matt and Jimmy were talking about at the club so I knew your true feelings and I still took advantage of you, that was wrong of me and i’m sorry. And I never wanted to fuck things up for you and Cindy, I’m so sorry x’

I sighed, now he’d know I heard his conversation about being in love with Cindy and how much of a bitch I am for still sleeping with him after that. What was I thinking? I groaned again, falling back onto my bed and burying my face into a pillow.

I’ve really fucked up this time.

-- -- -- -- --

Leanas Point Of View.

It had been about an hour since I’d left Charlottes room, I was lying down on the sofa with my head in Jimmys lap whilst him, Frankie, Kelly, Val and Matt talked amongst themselves but I couldn’t focus on that, I was worried about Charlotte. I didn’t understand why Zack was doing this to her. If he was in love with Cindy, why hurt Charlotte like this by sleeping with her? I heard Brian enter the room and lifted my head slightly from Jimmys lap to glance at him. He sat down next to Val and ran a hand through his hair whilst sighing.

“Is Zacky okay?” Matt asked him, since Brian had spent the past couple of hours with his fellow guitarist.

“He’s not good man, never thought he’d get like this over a girl, took me almost an hour just to get him out his room.” He replied. I scoffed whilst sitting up.

“Dunno what he has to be upset about, this is all his fault.” I snapped, my anger for Zack becoming known. Everyone looked at me weirdly.

“How the hell is this his fault?” Matt asked, defending his friend. I rolled my eyes, guys are all the same.

“He tells you and Jimmy he’s in love with Cindy then gets all drunk and sleeps with Charlotte? He’s hardly innocent in all this is he?” I answered, knowing full well I was right. Jimmy looked at me, his face scrunched in confusion.

“Babe, what are you on about? He never told us he was in love with Cindy, he told us he was in love with Charlotte.” Now I was confused, what the hell was going on?

“No,” I started, unsure of what I was saying anymore. “Charlotte heard you three talking, Zack said Cindy was making him choose between her and Charlotte and he said he was in love with Cindy.” Jimmy laughed lightly, shaking his head.

“Well she obviously wasn’t listening properly because yeah, he did tell us Cindy was making him choose but he defiantly said he was in love with Charlotte not Cindy.” He replied, emphasizing the ‘Charlotte’. I looked to Matt for support but he just agreed with what Jimmy was saying.

“Oh crap” I muttered, jumping from my seat. “I have to speak to Charlotte”