You | Chaelisa

10. Spotted

The sun was at its peak, shining brightly, filtering through the office building, giving everyone their daily dose of vitamin D. The office was lit beautifully from the shining sun outside.

In contrast, the mood inside Roseanne wasn't so joyful. She was feeling grumpy today as she was asked to edit the valentines edition of the magazine and she was not having any fun at all.

"Whats the point? It never lasts anyways" Rosie angrily muttered under her breath as she placed a text reading "love always prevails" in bold red letters over the picture of two couples.

"You don't seem too positive today" Niki chuckles as she goes to sit next to Rosie, placing her hand on Rosie's back in a comforting manner.

Rosie looks up a little surprised not expecting anyone to have heard her muttering away at her screen.

"What? No I'm fine" Rosie replies with a forced smile.

"I can take this over for you if you want? I know valentines isn't exactly what you'll be wanting to think about right now" Niki continues as she rubs Rosie's back in a soothing manner.

"Really? I mean, no, its okay. Honestly, I'm fine" Rosie persists, sitting up straighter.

"Rosie...its okay, you don't need to do this. I want to help okay? Not just as your co worker but as your friend too"

"I-I can't" Rosie trails in thought.

It was just so hard for her.

Valentines was once her favourite day of the year.

Where she got to spend an entire day with her girlfriend doing nothing but loving one another, caring for one another, treating one another, how could she not have loved it?

Now Valentines just felt like a reminder of everything she had lost. Like a slap in the face. A slap that stung.

She didn't dare open up her phone and check her photo gallery as it would just be plastered with memories from the last 3 valentines she'd shared with the red haired girl. Memories that she couldn't bare to face.

Rosie ducks her head down as she begins to feel tears trail down her face, completely out of her control. She tries to compose herself but when she feels Niki squeeze her shoulder she looks up at her and the tears drop to the floor in-between them.

"Oh Lovey..." Niki whispers as she goes in to hug Rosie. Rosie places one arm under Niki's arm and up her shoulder as she shakes a little, letting herself cry.

She'd been trying to keep herself together, but, with valentines only a few days away and her having to work on the valentines edition, it just got a little overbearing for her.

"Niki, what do I do? I can't live like this... Ashley is just ... always there with me even when I don't want her with me" Rosie sobs into Niki's shoulder. She didn't care right now that if people were looking her way they would see her sobbing uncontrollably into her colleagues shoulder.

Niki holds Rosie tight as she lets her tears stain her white blouse, feeling the dampness of her tears on her shoulder. "You need to let yourself move on. Its been 5 months... maybe you need to try and put yourself out there. Otherwise, she'll always remain with you"

"I know" Rosie says barely above a whisper as she continued to cry in Niki's shoulders for a few more seconds, letting the warm tears slide down her cheeks.

Rosie moves back from Niki's shoulder and looks right at her before she sniffs "I know... I just, I don't know how to anymore. I've not been single for so long, I can't even remember how it all works"