The Night's Young - Charmax

699 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Charlotte had learned her lesson. Drinking on an empty stomach was a fast track to one demonic hangover. She could barely move the day after she'd hung out with Max, Miles hadn't even tried to rouse her when they went to lunch. And yet, after all that drinking, the events remained in perfect clarity. Max had kissed her, several times, on the lips. And while it filled her with warmth to think about, it also aided in the sick feeling that was twisting in her stomach. He was drunk, there was no way that he recalled the events. He'd been about as pissed as she was by the end of it. But he called the next day, asked to spend time with her and she'd had to decline then and every time since.

Some would say she was avoiding him (Spencer), some would say that she was just trying to take some time to think on it (Cassidy) and then some wouldn't say anything (Miles and Will). Honestly she didn't know what she was doing. Of course the later part of the week had been party prep central, but she could have made time and she didn't. For more reasons than just the obvious. He was supposed to be spending time with his family, too. She wasn't the center of his world and she wasn't going to act like it. Besides, her grandmother and Miles had really needed her and she was finding any excuse she could to deflect him.

When he stopped texting her first, she was positive that he'd lost interest. She'd deflected him so many times that he just didn't want to bother anymore and it nearly broke her. If she hadn't had Spencer and Miles to channel and focus on, she might have just locked herself in her room until they left. It was fair for him not to put in as much effort to get ahold of her with how many times she blew him off, but that was exactly what she didn't want. She didn't know what to do because she was already so sure he was just her friend and couldn't handle that kind of rejection to her face. Even so, she had texted him asking if he'd still come to the party, sent him the address and crossed her fingers and toes. The bells chiming in a text message made her giddy and hopeful, but the three letter response deflated her.

The whole day of the party, she'd sat in her room staring at the chair that had her dress draped over it. Her hair had been done, makeup too just for the charade, but she stayed in her robe. Charlotte didn't go to Miles' room because she knew he was having a hard enough time and didn't want to make it worse. Same for Spencer and Cassidy and she couldn't stomach the idea of asking her older brother for advice. So instead of ruining everyone else's fun, she remained in her room until the festivities began and tried her hardest to ignore the emptiness in her chest. Of course, the bells chiming on her phone again caused her to reflexively look at it and when she read the message, she stared wide-eyed. He was there, sitting at the bar, waiting for her.

Her fingers fumbled awkwardly as she shot back a text, One sec, finishing up! She threw her phone on the bed and swiftly dropped her robe and stepped into the dress. If it hadn't been for the fact that her grandmother had shown her the neatest trick to zipping her own dress, she might have been there a while, but in less than ten minutes, she had her dress and shoes on and was stumbling out of her room trying to quickly and somehow gracefully make it to him without too much detection. Never mind that she was in a bright red dress.

She approached the bar cautiously, anxiety raging inside of her and she cleared her throat, "Uh, hi."

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

288 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

His outstretched hand made her heart leap and she stared at it before he retracted. The disappointment was probably nonexistent on her face because she couldn't really figure out what to do with her face. She was still in shock that he was sitting in her grandparents' house, looking dapper and uncomfortable. She wanted to reach out to him to make him feel less uncomfortable, but she didn't think she'd be able to do it.

He offered her a drink and her stomach churned, a firm no from her body. Charlotte chewed on her lower lip and shook her head, "Alcohol hasn't really been my friend this week, so I think I'll pass." Besides, she wanted her wits about her in case anything else came from him being there. She didn't know what it would be, but she had to be prepared for worst case scenarios. Being drunk was not going to help her react rationally. But she felt bad for declining because she felt like that's all she'd been doing with him this whole trip, a trip that she hadn't even considered a possibility before he mentioned it a while back.

Her brain scattered for something to say to recover, but she wasn't even sure what he was doing there. Her instincts were screaming at her to just touch his hand, his cheek, something! Or she was going to lose any chance of that ever happening again. Taking another deep breath, she looked up at him and her eyebrows pulled together, "I didn't think you were going to come."

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

310 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Their interaction wasn't what she'd wanted, nor what she'd expected. She couldn't say that she'd expected much since she didn't even imagine him showing up, but she definitely didn't think it would be so hard to talk to him. At least he probably had no idea what happened, and there she was, dwelling on it because it wasn't going to happen again. She was emotionally stunted, unable to project what she wanted to and incapable of understanding what he was already feeling.

But his forced smile and the free booze comment sure felt like a kick to the teeth. It wasn't his fault, he didn't know, she just kept trying to remind herself of that. Beneath her eyes began to sting and she had to look away from him so that he wouldn't notice. No, it wasn't fair for her to treat him like he was at fault for something that for all he knew didn't even happen. The more she thought about it, the more she considered drinking. The sick twisting in her stomach didn't ease up and she knew drinking would only make it worse, so she asked the bartender for a glass of water, something to wash down the bile that was rising and a glass to keep her hands from trembling noticeably.

"My grandmother comes from a string of nobility. I don't really know what we are," The second sentence, she realized, had a double meaning and she gripped the glass in front of her until her knuckles turned white. Charlotte took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly, she wanted Miles, but she knew that he was with Spencer and she couldn't do that to them.

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

328 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Her eyes were still closed when his hand touched hers. She jumped, although she didn't really know why. Other than her brain telling her over and over again that he was never going to touch her again. Charlotte was fairly certain the tears that threatened were going to fall in a disgusting gush down her face. It would ruin the effort that had been put into her makeup and she'd look pathetic. She didn't want to cry anymore, crying was awful.

Max took on the comforting role, just like at the last party they'd attended and she wondered when he would stop caring whether she was losing it or not. He should have already. Charlotte didn't like looking like a victim and she sure as hell didn't like acting like one. He hadn't done anything to make her lose her grip and yet there she was, clinging to a glass that she half-expected and hoped would break and shatter in her hand. She wasn't that strong though and his hand over hers made her grip loosen. He laced his fingers with hers and she kept her reyes closed so that she could focus on that. On him. Even if they were just friends, she was lucky, she didn't know why she was acting like it was such a bad thing.

Charlotte took a deep breath, her teeth clamped down on her lower lip. When she finally opened her eyes, she still didn't look at him. She was embarrassed and frustrated. "I don't know what is wrong with me. I used to be so much more fun at these things," She tried to joke, but she couldn't even fake a laugh. Char glanced at him and sighed, "I missed you this week and I suck for bailing on you so much."

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

368 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Charlotte felt panic rise in her chest again when he loosened his hold on her hand and remained quiet. She couldn't think of anything from her sentence that he would have been offended by. Or anything that could have made him uncomfortable. Of course she'd said she missed him. They were friends, that was normal. It felt like minutes or maybe days before he finally spoke and she felt her shoulders release all of the tension that had been there.

But the next words out of his mouth made her sick. Maybe he did remember. Maybe he was upset with her for letting it happen. Maybe that was why he'd been so harsh before.

She could feel the panic starting to inch up her throat and grasp her windpipes, making it hard to breathe. Her chest hurt and she wondered if it was written all over her face. Charlotte chewed on the inside of her cheek and looked away from him. She didn't hesitate when she stood up and she even went so far as to offer her hand to him. Obviously she knew plenty of quiet places in the Hall and he didn't. She wanted to ask if he was mad at her, but with her brothers scattered around the room, she knew it wasn't the place for it.

The room that Charlotte immediately thought of was the music room. It was where she'd peek in on her grandmother playing the piano when she was little and where she would hide when she wanted to escape. Charlotte released his hand once they were in the room and without a word, she went to the piano bench. Her fingers traced over the keys and she glanced over her shoulder at him, waiting for him to say what she was worried about. At least she had the comfort of her favorite room in the house. It was dark, lit by only a few lamps scattered around the room, but it was warm and simple and made her think of calming things.

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

258 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

When he started talking about the other night, she tensed up and continued pressing keys lightly, a song that she had made up when she was younger that had always sort of stuck with her. It was just to keep her from completely freaking out. She'd let him say what he had to and she'd defend herself when she needed to. All she could do was hope that he wasn't mad at her for the events which occurred, but if he was, she just had to deal with it.

He brought up the kiss and she chewed on her lower lip. He paused and went on to tell her that he liked her which made her swing her legs around to face him slowly. Her eyes were narrowed, probably because she didn't actually believe him, but she didn't interrupt him. He smiled at her and she stared at him for a few moments, trying to register what exactly he'd just said. He liked her for a while and being drunk had helped him kiss her? Could he really be serious?

Charlotte reacted purely on instinct. She stood up and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him because she was pretty sure she was about to explode with happiness. "I thought you didn't remember it, or that you were mad at me because it happened," She mumbled against his shoulder.

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

191 Words

I couldn't look you in the eye

Charlotte groaned and shook her head, "I forgot that part. I called you pretty? I'm never allowed to get that drunk in front of you again." She peeked up at him and rested her chin on his chest, "Well I don't know, I thought you'd feel taken advantage of? You just...you're newly single and I...I dunno." She shook her head again, "I don't know how this all works, I mean you're the only crush I've ever had and it's been forever so I'm still not even sure this is all real."

She cleared her throat and nodded, "But uh, yeah, I did. I kissed you back. A lot." And she wanted to again. Frequently. Charlotte chewed on her lower lip and slid her hands down his arms in order to take hold of his hands. She liked holding his hand. It was comforting and they fit really easily with hers. She was nervous still. Waiting for it all to go poof!

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