Page 96 of In This Together

Sofia recoiled. ‘What are you talking about?’ She looked from Rosalie to her sister. ‘Andi?’

Andrea was motionless but for the movement in her neck as she swallowed deeply. ‘Ros, can we go somewhere and talk, please? Let me explain.’

‘Explain?’ Rosalie yelled. ‘Are you going to tell me you weren’t having an affair with my dad?’

‘No,’ Andrea said.

Just like that. Just that simple. Wasn’t everything just so simple to precious Andrea. As Rosalie’s chest began to heave, Sofia appeared to process what was being said.

‘Yes,’ Rosalie told her, her hands firmly planted on her hips. ‘Your sister has been sleeping with her so-called friend’s dad.’

‘What the fuck, Andi?’ Sofia shot out. ‘Is this some kind of joke? Hunter? You’ve been… How could you do that?’

Then something came over Rosalie. Something she had never truly felt. It gripped her with the force of a superhuman and wouldn’t let go. As Rosalie launched herself at Andrea, Seth grabbed hold of her, but not before her hand connected with Andrea’s cheek.

Andrea raised a hand to her cheek but didn’t retaliate. What Rosalie saw in her expression was shame and remorse. But it couldn’t change the facts and it couldn’t stop the uncontrollable rage that had swept Rosalie up.

‘Rosalie, I’m more sorry than you could ever imagine,’ Andrea said. ‘It was wrong. Terrible. Believe me, I hate myself for it.’

‘You should hate yourself!’ Rosalie yelled the words that were so desperately unlike her and ended in sobs. The force that gripped her had been replaced by the arms of Seth and as she watched Andrea’s eyes fill with tears, a small part of her wanted to go to her friend and wrap her arms around her.

But the biggest part of her felt disgust.

‘You’ve betrayed me,’ Sofia snarled, ‘and you’ve lied to everyone. When did you become so hateful, Andi?’

‘Sofia, please,’ Andrea pleaded.

‘No!’ Sofia snapped. ‘Look at her!’

Rosalie felt, rather than saw, all eyes fall on her as she turned into Seth’s chest, letting him hold her as she cried. Because there was no one else whose arms she wanted to fall into. And she had no other options even if she did. She had lost her best friends. Her only true friends. And the image of her parents she had always believed in had been shattered. She gripped Seth’s T-shirt as he stroked her back, whispering soothing words into her hair.

‘You need to go,’ Sofia said. ‘And, Andrea, I never want to see you again.’

Andrea’s usual stone-faced expression was replaced by a sob. Covering her face, she turned and walked away.

‘Do you have your car here?’ Seth asked.

Rosalie pulled back from his chest and looked up to him. She must look horrendous, she realised, but she remembered Nashville, how Seth thought she was beautiful with no make-up on, crazy hair and ill-fitting clothes. But perhaps her mascara-stained cheeks were a bridge too far.

Yet Seth wasn’t looking at her like he was judging her, he was looking at her like someone who understood the heartbreak of cheating. And in that moment, as he held her face in his palms and wiped away her tears with his thumbs, she had more in common with Seth than ever before.

‘Why don’t you let me drive you home?’ he asked.

Rosalie could only nod.

‘Ros,’ Sofia said, approaching her side. ‘I know you must feel like everyone was in on something except you, but it isn’t true. I swear on my li?—’

‘Don’t do that,’ Rosalie said, cutting her off. ‘Don’t ever swear on your life.’

Sofia nodded. ‘I didn’t know. None of us guys knew, okay?’

Sniffing, Rosalie turned to face Sofia. ‘I believe you but if you weren’t arguing with Andi about the affair, what were you fighting about when I turned up here?’

Sofia inhaled, looking as sad as Rosalie had ever seen her. ‘Maybe that’s a story for another time. Suffice to say, I just lost my husband and my sister in one day.’

‘Oh, Soph, I’m sorry,’ Rosalie said.

Sofia tried to smile but the corners of her mouth barely moved. ‘Let Seth take you home and if you need a friend you can call me or come to see me anytime. In fact, I’d like that, okay?’

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