Charlotte & the Seven Frat Brothers

4

Re-written 05/2022

****

"No."

"No?" he looks stunned. "You really aren't going to come back down to help?"

"No. See Chase, I was really hoping you would be a lot nicer. I know back then you weren't such an asshole. I have another class in about an hour or so and I need to wash up. Is that all you wanted to talk about?" My hands tighten on the doorknob.

"I was right about you and the guys will see that too." He takes a step closer to me. "You will regret it."

"Are you threatening me, Chase?" I close the tiny space between us. The air around me feels suffocating me.

"Not a threat Charles but a promise." He takes a step back and goes downstairs. I need to call Martha from the administrative building and see if they got any new openings. Whatever Chase has in store for me will definitely leave me in tears for sure. Closing and locking my door, I strip out my clothes and take a nice long shower. Getting dressed and strolling around my room, I finally make my way downstairs. The guys are still in the living room as I walk in.

"Hey, Everett can we talk?"

He looks over at me and then turns back to his book. Figures, I wonder what lies Chase has told them.

"Please, Everett? I want to talk it won't take more than a minute."

He sighs and stands up, walking my way. Rude much?

"What?" He is being rude; I shouldn't have thought he was going to be any other way but this.

"I'm sorry. I-I don't think I should he-"

"It's cool Charley no worries. Like Austin said no rush, but how you went about it wasn't cool. I gotta get back."

I didn't think me not helping would cause such a huge problem. I wanted to say, but some things are better left unsaid. I look over to Chase who I know is staring at me. A smirk tugs at his lips and then his eyes are back in his book. Vincent cleared his throat, catching my attention.

"Where are you headed?"

"The Albert building."

"I'll walk with you; I am not needed here right now anyway." He stands. "Catch you guys at football practice."

He and I walk out of the house in silence.

"I want to apologize on behalf of the guys." He said once we were a few feet away from the house. "I know you don't mean any harm, Chase can do that to a person. You have to grow a thick skin and toughen it out. I like you, Charlotte," I stop walking to look at him. "Shit, not like that. You aren't my type, but as a person I like you. You clean the house and cook dinner for us. Like a mother would do-I'm not trying to call you our mother because we have moms bu-"

"I get what you are trying to say," I chuckle. "Thank you. Earlier Darren mentioned you not wanting to focus on business after graduation, what are you thinking about doing then? If you don't mind me asking," I began to walk again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I want to be a photographer."

"Really?" My face lit up. "That's so cool."

"Yeah? Thanks. I love to take pictures and I am really great at it too. The guys want to be billionaires. Don't get me wrong I want that too, but I don't want to be cooped up in an office for the rest of my life doing so." He looks down at me. "You feel me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you feel me? Like, do you get what I am saying?"

"Sorry, that totally went over my head."