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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 2:06:04 GMT
111 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
He almost wanted to rip the earpiece out of his ear when he heard chatter about everything being in place as they descended. The swarm that came around her when they finally settled on the floor had Hunter looking around.
He could feel her grip tighten on his arm and he looked down at her, smiling reassuringly. "Please make room for Miss Spencer." He announced briskly. The people finally eased up and he pulled his arm out of her grip to place his hand on the small of her back.
"I think one round of hellos and then cake cutting and you can ditch." He leaned in and whispered to her.
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 2:36:36 GMT
268 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
His arm slipped out of her hands and she settled for folding them in front of her. Her teeth were clamped down on her lip and she kept her eyes moving over the faces of the crowd. Most of the people in front of her she didn't even know. She ached to grab his hand for some sort of strength to hold onto, but she knew she couldn't with so many people watching them. He couldn't be her friend in the midst of the party, only her bodyguard.
Charlotte felt him lean in and she smiled at his words. She nodded slightly and took a deep breath in, placing a smile on her face as she waded through her guests. Her words became automatic and she felt like she was a recording being replayed over and over again. She was told to say hi to her brother for several people, asked about how she was doing, and hugged by more people than she could stomach.
By the time she cut the cake, she was ready to bail. Hunter had disappeared a few times throughout the night, finding her again every time. After she claimed the biggest piece of cake and snagging two forks, she dipped out to the backyard and towards the garden. Charlotte sat on the edge of one of the fountains and felt like she could finally breathe. She started eating her cake and waited to see if Hunter would find her.
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 2:46:27 GMT
176 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
The party ran far too long but at least Hunter could see that Charlotte wasn't close to a break down at any given moment. He had to leave a few times to settle a few things but otherwise he was by her side, hand on the small of her back just to let her know that he was there.
He hung back when it was time to cut the cake and had to disappear soon after when one of the security found a lurker who turned out to be paparazzi. He was thrown out immediately and when he got back to the party, he didn't find Charlotte.
"Anybody got eyes on Miss Spencer?" He asked through his mouthpiece and several mumbles later, just as he walked out to the garden, someone chirped in. Hunter asked him to get back to the party, thanking him for looking out.
Charlotte was eating cake by the fountain and he second guessed himself before finally deciding to join her. "The cake was pretty right?" He asked in a teasing manner.
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 3:00:53 GMT
132 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
By the time she saw Hunter walking towards her, she'd eaten a third of the piece of cake on her plate. His teasing made her snort and she kept the fork dangling between her lips for a moment before she pulled it out and cleared her mouth to speak. "It tastes better than it looked. But yes, super pretty, and worth the awful social interactions."
Charlotte placed her fork back in her mouth and held out the other one for him, waving it in the air to tempt him. She even went so far as to lift the cake up and wave it at him, nodding for emphasis.
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 3:17:08 GMT
76 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
He smiled and unbuttoned his jacket before sitting beside Charlotte. Grinning at her gestures, Hunter shrugged. "Who says no to a cake?" He responded before grabbing the fork and cutting a small piece to eat.
"Oh, hey...happy birthday." He smiled, nudging her shoulder with his lightly. "Couldn't find the time to slip it in earlier. So did Taylor Swift get twenty-two right?" He asked, cutting another piece of cake with his fork and feeding himself.
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 3:32:37 GMT
168 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
Charlotte laughed at his question. He wasn't wrong, cake had managed to be the biggest reason she came down the stairs. That along with Hunter, although she didn't feel it necessary to linger on the second part. Feeling him settle in beside her, her body eased, the tension starting to slip away. It was so much easier handling things with him close by.
She looked up at him when he wished her a happy birthday and before she could thank him, he continued on about Taylor Swift. Charlotte snorted and laughed, "Oh no. That's so bad. Taylor Swift, Hunter? Really?" She shook her head back and forth a few times before taking another bite. "You're so lucky that this cake lets me drown everything else out. Otherwise I'd be giving you so much Hell right now." She laughed again and sighed, "Taylor Swift...jeez."
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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0 likes
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 3:51:44 GMT
154 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
Her reaction was exactly what he had hoped for and Hunter smiled when she laughed. "Oh that's not who you youngsters listen to nowadays?" He asked, feigning innocence.
Hunter didn't want to admit it to himself but he was becoming rather attached to Charlotte's light-hearted side. Where her humour shined, no matter how snarky she was being. And amidst all that was happening to her, he clung on to the times when she didn't look so bogged down by her life.
He'd stopped seeing her as just a spoiled socialite brat months ago and recently, there were times when it left him wondering why he was even hesitant in getting close to her. He wondered how it would have been if he met her under different circumstances.
He took another bite of the cake before placing the fork on the plate. "So...that party in there. Was that how you usually celebrate your birthdays?"
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 4:13:18 GMT
321 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
"There's so many things wrong with that question, I don't even know where to start," She placed her free hand on her forehead. He made it too easy to pick on him, although she knew that this particular comment had been on purpose. It was safe to admit that he knew how to make her laugh.
Hunter was starting to grow on her, more than she ever expected him to. After giving him the set rules she wanted to live by, she'd expected them to always be on edge with each other. She didn't think it would ever pan out as him becoming a really good friend. She took comfort in his proximity and she lived for their banter. It was so much easier being around him now than it had when they first met. Spending her birthday with him had made the whole thing somewhat bearable, and sharing cake with him was just topping it off.
Charlotte polished off the cake and set the plate down near her feet. His question made her purse her lips and she nodded, "It was worse last year. Everyone was giving me glasses upon glasses of champagne and wine as if that was a way to celebrate being twenty-one. My parents and Will got a huge breakfast ready the next morning and I couldn't eat it because I was so sick and hungover." She laughed a little before letting out a drawn out sigh. She chewed on her lower lip and nodded slightly, "There's always been a lot of people, but...this time was different. There were so many people I didn't even know. They were just there because they thought it would make me feel better having a huge crowd to fill the void of my family being gone."
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 5:03:07 GMT
64 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
Hunter laughed along with her recount. He could definitely imagine the scene as he had celebrated his twenty-first birthday being bombarded with drinks by his platoon.
Her sigh caused him to scoot closer, against his better judgment, and laid a hand over hers. He decided to bring her out of that state. "If you could choose your own party, what would it be like?"
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 9:08:21 GMT
223 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
This way his hand covered hers didn't both her. She knew she should have pulled away for his benefit and to protect his job given that they were so close already, but she felt selfish. She allowed herself to be selfish on her birthday with the one person that had been there the whole time, despite risking his job to do so. In her selfishness, she turned her hand over and gripped his.
Looking down at their hands, she thought for a moment on his question. If she were to be honest with herself, she'd tell him that this was really all she was looking for on her birthday. Spending it with someone that was interested in making her feel happy and making her laugh when she didn't think she could.
Her eyes lifted to his and she gave him a small smile, "It'd be similar to this I think. Just a quiet time, talking, eating as much cake as I possibly could with people that wanted to see me enjoy it. I'm spoiled beyond belief, I know that, but I never really wanted to live this way. The extravagance of it all is overwhelming most of the time."
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 9:21:05 GMT
126 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
The moment Charlotte gripped his hand, Hunter was certain that there was just no turning back for him anymore. He'd made the first step and if he backed off, he'd lose her trust. He regretted his move almost immediately. Not because of her, his regret had nothing to do with her. The regret came from him actively jeopardising his job, knowing the consequences.
But he couldn't very well back away now, could he?
He looked at her as she spoke, her answer not surprising him at all. Not after the time he'd been exposed to who Charlotte was. "Maybe next year you should celebrate it like this." He said before looking down at their joined hands.
He dragged his thumb over the back of her hand.
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 9:29:14 GMT
212 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
Charlotte planned on giving him his hand back first. She really did plan on it. But it was so comforting, just sitting in the garden, on her birthday, with a nice person who was making her a priority. She hadn't felt as light as she did then since the death of her parents. She deserved it for as long as she could maintain it. But she was going to give him his hand back first, she wouldn't make him pull away and feel guilty for doing so.
Just a little bit longer.
Charlotte found herself smiling at his words. If it were up to her, it was how she'd celebrate her birthday every year after this one. She just wanted Hunter to be a permanent fixture in her life. She wasn't ready to give him up yet, but she couldn't very well tell him that. Instead, she decided to make light of it, "I dunno, I'm hoping by next year I won't need a babysitter." She grinned and nudged his shoulder with hers, giving his hand a light squeeze.
She still wasn't quite ready to let it go.
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 9:38:04 GMT
109 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
If Hunter were to be honest with himself, being a permanent fixture in this household was not a bad deal. He was doing a good job for a young woman who needed a good friend. The only problem was that any type of physical contact would be deemed inappropriate. He wanted to hug her, he wanted to let her know that he was there on a more personal level than just her guard dog.
"Oh, so that's who I am to you. Just a babysitter. Alright...okay. I get it." And much like her, he couldn't tell her how he really felt so he decided to joke about it.
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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944 posts
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Sept 17, 2019 4:43:32 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Trix on Mar 8, 2018 9:43:22 GMT
122 Words
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Waiting Game
I wish I was in love
The way he joked back made her heart squeeze and she burst out laughing before she smacked his arm lightly with her free hand, "Oh stop being so dramatic, that's my thing." Charlotte grinned wider and shook her head, still unable to stop the giggles that escaped.
She turned to him with her best serious face, "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry. I'm hoping next year I won't need a bodyguard." She raised her free hand in an air quote around the last word for emphases. "There, feel more masculine now?" Charlotte stuck her tongue out at him.
But I don't wanna cause any pain
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962 posts
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Authored by
Nu
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Sept 19, 2019 9:40:59 GMT
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Advanced Member
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Post by Nu on Mar 8, 2018 9:56:16 GMT
88 Words
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so here i go
Bid farewell to yesterday
When she smacked his arm, he pretended to be hurt before rolling his eyes at her. "People can have the same thing. You can't monopolise things, Charlotte." A little grin escaped.
Her changing the word was so not the issue to him but he let her have it.
When a voice crackled over the earpiece, Hunter turned his head to the side a little to hear what was being said. He turned back to Charlotte and smiled. "People are leaving...wanna go back inside and get more cake?"
Oh sweet ignition be my fuse
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