Chapter One-2

"Hmm." We hastily pulled away from the parking space and upon doing so, I caught sight of the three remaining members of Song 41, their expressions resembling that of relief. They hadn't all been present throughout the three-day tail but Matt Winters, the bassist, had been. I was inclined to do a little research and had discovered the two were often pictured together, branding them 'best buds'. The other two; Jaxon Peters and Kyle Malone were mostly preoccupied and seemed to have been running things in the absence of Will. The four were vastly known throughout the UK and The US; meaning Ben had little chance of finding justice for my Dad. Having a combined nation on their side was hard to fight back against and although on many occasions I lost sight, Ben had been the main reason I continued onwards with the entire charade. Little did he know, I wasn't as committed as him. Did I blame Will for my Father's death? No. Did I think he was a murderer? Certainly not. And at the end of the day, sentencing Will to a life of imprisonment would not bring me my Dad back. Perhaps I was too lenient. A pushover, even. It was no secret I was a people pleaser but I struggled to see the wrong in that. So what if I secretly saw the good in everyone?  Will O'Connor didn't wake up with the intention of killing my Dad so why should he be made to rot away in a prison cell for the rest of this life?  His speeding may have been what caused the head-on collision that ultimately ended my Dads life but holding a grudge that wasn't there simply because it was expected was stupid. It was tiresome and fruitless. It was unnecessary. #### "So it wasn't the result we were expecting but at least it's over with now," offered Zoe, securing a hand on each of my shoulders. Her soothing tone matched the rhythm of her touch and with her huge, molten chocolate eyes blaring into mine, I felt instantly at ease. It was nice knowing I had an understanding BFF on my side, and even more so that she was able to care for Ben in a way that I couldn't. He looked no better than before and only seemed to be drowning in his inevitable rage. "Yeah, you're right. I'm glad to see the back of it," I agreed, shooting her a weak smile. "Ben's not taking it so well, though," I warned, worried for the festering body slumped over my kitchen table. "Don't you worry about him. I'll sort it." Zoe and Ben had been casually seeing each other for the best part of two years. The pair insisted on not being exclusive but just about managed to act like an old married couple anyway. We all grew up together and struggled on through school as an inseparable threesome, managing to keep hold of that friendship well into adulthood. My Dad practically raised Ben as his Son when his own brother failed to step up to the mark and seeing as he lost my Mum during childbirth, he willingly took on the distraction and welcomed two crying babies into his life. Biologically, Ben and I were cousins but he was more like a big brother to me. "Are you okay, though? Honestly?" she asked, offering my shoulder another gentle caress. Zoe was the only one who knew of my true feelings on the matter. She was aware I didn't directly hate Will and his posse. It was the situation I hated and had it not been for Ben's insistence to 'get justice', I would've happily not attended the trial altogether. Simon Montgomery was not a fighter and I just knew he'd be turning in his grave at the thought of his too-nice daughter going along with something to keep others happy, but what choice did I have? Ben was the only family member I had left and I understood that his need to fight was perhaps part of his grieving process. "I'm fine. This entire thing has been dragged out for too long. I'm ready to move past it all," I shared, feeling determined. "Good." Zoe briefly glanced over at Ben and let go a reluctant sigh. "Babe, you ready to go?" she asked, hopeful in her enquiry. Did I mention the two also lived together? Not exclusive, my left foot! "Yeah. You're okay for us to take off, aren't you Rosie?" he asked, resurfacing from his grumpy mood. "Of course." I refrained from telling him that I actually required a little space before work. I was needed at the care home for night shift and wanted to get at least a two hour nap in beforehand. "Text if you need anything, kay?" smiled Zoe, shooing her deflated boyfriend from my one bedroom flat in Oxford. "Will do," I replied, following them to the door. "Ben, I know it's hard but try and move on," I stated, hoping to initiate some enthusiasm. No such luck! "Hmm." Came to his response, lacking any oomph. With one final look shot to Zoe, I said my goodbyes and closed the door behind them, happy to be left alone. Putting on a brave face for the sake of others was a tricky ordeal and certainly exhausting. Dad's death was no longer a shock, having happened eight months ago, yet I lived through the ordeal of losing him daily. Not because I was reluctant to let go of my grief, but rather what the trial entailed. Weekly meetings, defence strategies, horrific facts. Everything to do with that horrendous night had been dragged through the mud and I was finally happy to be in a place where none of it would be brought up again. I'd never have to hear about my poor old man dying on impact. Or that it took the fire brigade two hours to cut him free. I was ready to forget the events that followed his death and didn't want him to be remembered for that, anyway. He was a happy, energetic and caring man, all of which Ben had inherited. But aside from that, my cousin also carried with him a lot of resentment. So much so, I was really starting to worry about this obsession he seemed to have over finding justice. He honestly hated Will and I failed to see how doing so would make anything better.  We're very different; Ben and I. He showed traits of hot-headedness and confidence, whereas I possessed a more reserved and shy approach to life. I rarely said what I thought if it meant upsetting others and I often found my inability to say no a complete hindrance. Simple things such as agreeing to cover a shift at work would often see me sleep deprived and overworked. But did it stop me from doing it over and over again? No, it didn't. It was a much simpler way to live and if it meant those around me were happy, then I was happy. Rosie Montgomery; number one people pleaser. Number one pushover.