Murder on the Dance Floor - Charmax

474 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Back in England, everything was so vastly different than her life in America. She was treated like royalty practically, staying in a fifteen bedroom mansion that she'd run around in her early years, but could hardly navigate now. She'd only even thought that she could go to England because Max had offered to take her with him, come to find out she'd have gone anyway with Will back in the picture. One way or another, she had made it back home and she was the happiest she'd been in a long while. But she felt guilty for her sudden good fortune while Max's seemed to take a hit. Drew was an ass, a total ass who didn't have any idea what he'd given up and though it had benefited her exponentially, she still hated his guts for hurting Max.

Ever since the party, despite the panic attack starting from seeing her crush and his partner kissing and being cute, she'd felt much closer to Max. He'd helped her through the meltdown, he didn't ghost her when they went back to school and she could honestly say that he'd become one of her best friends, which to be fair were few and far between anyway. And in turn she'd grown more and more attached to him. Everything he did made her heart leap into her throat and she could barely stand it. The break-up was fresh and she was doing her damnedest to make sure she gave him time, but she was so impatient. She just wanted to know what it would be like to be with him.

Charlotte had brought her typical attire, jeans and a few t-shirts that were torn and tattered, but she knew that there would be very little casual dressing as long as she was staying with Evangeline. Her grandmother and Spencer were going to have a field day using Charlotte as a Barbie doll to put into frilly dresses. For her escape, she'd managed to talk her grandmother into letting her go out in a simple, but elegant, short, black dress and leggings. She had scrounged up a pair of black ballet flats and a light-weight sweater before she took off to meet up with Max.

Once she made it to their meeting spot, she stood on her tip-toes to find him through the crowd at the door. When she did, she lit up and slid her way through to the table that he was sitting, "Max! Hey," She placed her clutch on the table and considered removing her sweater, but thought better of it for the moment. She already felt ridiculous in the only 'casual' dress that she could find.

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

278 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Waving her hand at his compliment she scrunched up her nose. But immediately her face lightened at the thought of alcohol and lots of it. She nodded excitedly and settled on shrugging her sweater off. If she was drinking as much as she wanted to, she would definitely get hot and she wasn't fond of the idea of sweating profusely.

When the waitress came to take their order she had already made up her mind that she was going to be drinking her dinner for the night. "A double vodka cranberry and two lemon drops please." She didn't mess around and while she wasn't keen on going back home completely schnockered in front of her grandmother, she was hoping she'd be able to get into the Hall without being detected. Besides, it wasn't as though she was driving herself home. That's what Leo was for, one call and she'd be good to go wherever her heart desired.

"So how'd it go with your family? I bet they were super excited to see you," She was speaking from her own welcoming committee. Leo had picked them up from the airport with James and Evangeline waiting ever so impatiently the moment they got out of the car. It was nice and warm and so desperately needed, but with her grandmother and uncle came high expectations from her and she wasn't sure she could fulfill them. Not with the state of mind she'd been in since her parents stopped her from visiting them.

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

267 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Charlotte was unfazed by his laughing because she had no shame in the amount she was planning to drink. He'd seen her at one of her worst moments, the last thing she was worried about was him seeing her silly and drunk. Especially seeing as they both had the same intentions, "I always take my drinking very seriously, Max. Something to remember." She cracked a smile and laughed, shaking her head.

With her chin resting in her hand on the table, she watched him talk about his family. The way he became so animated and happy, it made her heart squeeze in an uncomfortable way. She wanted a mother that cooked her food and got excited when she saw her. What she did have though was a grandmother that she never saw who always tried her hardest to make up for whatever shitty life she was living, and she supposed she couldn't be disappointed about that. "They sound like lovely people," She said with a small smile. She couldn't say that about her mother's side of the family.

When the question was turned back on her, she shifted and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "He is, yeah. But uh, I'm staying with my grandmother. She's the one who gave me this little number." Charlotte motioned down at her dress and coughed. "She's basically a British version of Spencer when it comes to this junk," She laughed.

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

327 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

The invitation to meet his family was nice in theory, but she knew it was probably better if she didn't. Her and parents never really did mix, hell she couldn't even stomach her own and vice versa. It wasn't as though she thought his family was anything like hers, but she knew what people said about her and she knew that she didn't want her crush's mother to hate her too. So Charlotte settled for rolling her eyes at him and smiling, "I'm sure she knows that you have plenty of friends. You're one of the most popular kids at school, Maxie." And it wasn't because he did stupid things in order to obtain his popularity, it was honestly because he was genuine and kind to everyone.

Something she couldn't say about herself.

His eyes moved down to her dress and she chewed on her lower lip before he began talking again. She snorted and sighed, "It's that obvious, is it?" Of course her body language must have screamed discomfort because while she didn't mind showing off skin, she preferred jeans to a skirt or dress. Charlotte felt vulnerable in this kind of get-up. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, mostly to hide behind it from her own embarrassment. Something she could say she wasn't used to was someone catching on to her insecurities and she wasn't sure she liked it very much. Least of all coming from him.

But soon enough the waitress brought her drinks and Charlotte could not have snatched the first one fast enough. She lifted her glass and then downed the first shot, sugar, shot and lemon in that order. Followed shortly by the next. Her face puckered and scrunched up before she could breathe again. "Ugh, yes. This is what I needed."

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

205 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Charlotte stuck her tongue out at him, her face scrunching up in a pucker at his words. She couldn't quite believe his words because she knew he was likely just being nice. While the whole thing came off like he was flirting, she figured it was just the alcohol talking and decided it was best not to read into it.

After her set of drinks, Charlotte began to feel a bit of a buzz. It was all she'd been after was something to keep her mind off of everything that was going to happen at the end of the week. Max seemed to be feeling it too and when he asked if she liked dancing, she nodded. With the kind of buzz she had, she definitely wouldn't mind dancing. Dancing led to body contact and she wasn't going to turn that down if it was coming from him. Or perhaps she'd find another gorgeous guy or gal that would like to dance with her. She needed to get over this silly crush of hers eventually.

"Let's go!"

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

348 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

His arm around her waist she allowed herself to enjoy. It was cold and he was cute, of course she wouldn't turn it down. In fact, as they walked, she huddled closer to him for warmth and someone to steady her if she got unbalanced. More often than not, as the alcohol hit she became quite a klutz. Her reasoning was logical to keep close to him, and while she wasn't in the most logical state of mind, she was taking what she could get.

He spoke and she looked up at him, trying to ignore the feeling she got in her stomach when he said her nickname. Charlotte bit her lower lip and frowned. "I do have plans actually. My grandmother throws this giant party and invites everyone she knows," Her face scrunched up and she shook her head. "Bunch of snobs, honestly." Her only saving graces were Miles, Spencer and Cassidy. Her uncle often was drunk by the end, which offered a bit of entertainment while her grandmother tried to flag him down and get him to behave, but she could honestly say she'd rather spend her Christmas Eve in London with Max.

She'd blame the alcohol for her slow reaction when her face lit up and she stopped abruptly to turn towards him, "But you should come! I mean, yes, snobby Londoners, but the food is incredible, the bar is fully stocked the whole night. There's music and dancing." She trailed off and looked down at her feet briefly, feeling a bit awkward. "You'd have to put up with my whole family, but...I mean, I could really use a date. I don't want to get in Miles and Spencer's way ya know?" Charlotte laughed and looped her arm through his so that they could keep walking to take her mind off of what she'd just said. Alcohol. She was blaming all of this on the alcohol.

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.

314 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

The fact that he agreed without missing a beat gave her a tiny pang of hope, but she pushed it down and laughed instead at his next words. She'd been plotting on ways to sort of nudge her best friend and twin together for months. Miles had always loved Spencer, even when they were new to the school and he wasn't entirely sure about girls. She supposed she couldn't blame him with his only knowledge of girls their age coming from her. Her nose scrunched when he mentioned how Miles had been crushing for so long and should have done something by then. To be frank, she couldn't give her twin a hard time for that because the same could be said about her.

"Spencer is an intimidating woman, especially for a guy like Miles. He's not like us, ya know? He's quiet and awkward, he doesn't know how to talk to anyone, let alone a gorgeous girl that he's known forever," Charlotte looked up at him and smiled. "However, I do like the idea of shoving them under mistletoe, especially because I think Spence would go along with it." And Miles wouldn't turn her down even if it was just in a joking way. All she could do was hope that they didn't turn around and do the same to her. It wouldn't be fair for Max to be put in that situation right out of a relationship.

She leaned against him as they walked, "You don't have to, ya know. But if you do decide you want to, it's black tie formal. Which means you'll get to experience me in something far more ridiculous than this little number." Charlotte looked up again and smirked.

You're so very special, but I'm a creep.