Midnight, The Stars & You

12.

Present Day
Monaco

Ginny felt like she was going to throw up. Her insides were twisting and winding together in a mosh pit of nerves. It didn't help that she was squished in the middle of her brother and Austin in the backseat of Henry's Rolls-Royce Phantom.

The car was silver and reminded Ginny of something her grandpa might have bought... or James Bond. Henry insisted on driving, so Mister Leblanc could get a few hours of sleep before taking them to the grid. Chloe sat in the passenger seat, mindlessly showing off renovations to buildings that Ginny and Timothee had seen as kids.

The brunette could hardly pay attention though. She fiddled with the end of her red dress, wondering if she'd made it too obvious who she was trying to impress. A soft sigh escaped her lips and Austin seemed to notice, unlike the oblivious others. He had his arm thrown behind the headrests, since he was such a lanky guy. He leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "You nervous?"

Ginny chewed her bottom lip, tilting her head to get a better angle of his face. "A little. You?"

"Can I let you in on a secret?" His brown eyes looked like chocolate as a few sun rays twinkled into the window behind him. His iconic side-grin spread across his lips. "I'm always nervous."

Ginny couldn't help but chuckle, causing Chloe to whirl around in her seat. Timothee also glanced at her with a grimace, scrunching his nose up in a contorted expression of disgust. "You're laughing at a grave sight?"

"What!?" Ginny's coffee brown eyes turned more mahogany in embarrassment. She smacked Austin on his shoulder, whilst he belly laughed into his hand. "No, No, I was talking to Austin!"

Chloe narrowed her gaze on Ginny with a frown. "Oh, so I was boring you, was I?"

"No!" Ginny let out an exasperated sigh. "Stop teasing me."

Chloe tried to hide her smile, but failed. Even Henry chuckled to himself, and he'd been quiet most of the ride. Too focused on the dangerous roads. It was hard enough to drive on the streets of Monaco as it was, but the formula one races were unbelievable to think about at the speeds they go. Even watching some races as a child, she was scared they'd run into the wall. She was scared for Charles... not Pierre. Chloe shrugged like it was no big deal. "Sorry, I can't help it. It's like old times, right?"

"For you and Timmy maybe." Ginny shook her head playfully.

"You mean skelly the skeleton?" Chloe reached over and hit the pale boy on his knee.

He grabbed onto his leg and dramatically threw himself over his sister. "Help me! Oh the pain! I'm dying!"

"Shut up." Chloe laughed, turning back around in her seat. She clapped her hands and pointed out the window. "We're here!"

The restaurant almost sat on the edge of a cliff. The outside bricks were painted a creme color that twinkled in the bright sunlight. There were huge, stained-glass windows that allowed passerby's to see into the dining room. The round tables were covered with thick tablecloth that draped over the sides like a wedding dress- elegant and chic.

The waiters and waitresses wore crisp, black, button ups with the sleeves rolled up to their elbows. Ginny watched as one of them poured a glass of wine with one arm behind his back. Henry pulled into a space near the front door and that's when she laid eyes on him for the first time in person for five years.

If Ginny thought she was going to throw up before, she definitely was now. She stared out the windshield, watching as Pierre leaned against the wall with a cigarette in his hand. He was in a crisp, russet, button up that looked like cotton material. It was long sleeve and wrapped around his chest tightly.