Being Alive [Charlie Barber]

Chapter 10: Save Me

    Charlie wanted so badly to talk to you, so that you could explain yourself and maybe offer him some insight. He glanced over at the spot on the bed that you had previously been laying in, the blankets were still formed in a way that he could imagine your body nestled in them. His hand went there, wishing that his skin met your skin instead of the sheets below him.

    He wondered what work would be like on Monday after your unannounced departure. Would you both pretend like this weekend never happened? As much as it hurt him to think about, he thought that it might be for the best. This was all so fucked up.

    But at the same time, Charlie had such a good time with you, regardless of the sex you two had and how much he was attracted to you. You guys laughed together, really laughed. And you really got to know each other. It had been so long since he'd felt like this. Not since his 20's. He was so attracted to you and although he thought you were gorgeous, barely any of it had to do with how you looked.

    He sighed as he scooted off the side of the bed, sock clad feet shuffling across the hotel's carpeted floor so that he could make his way to the mini fridge across the way. He opened it up and grabbed a beer, out of the pack that he brought with him, and took the bottle opener to crack the top off.

    He brought it up to his lips and sighed as he took a long drink, pausing only when he heard his ringtone going off. Charlie's heart sped up as he glanced over to the alarm clock sitting near the bed. He knew it was too late for Nicole to be calling again. It had to be you.

    Charlie rushed over to the bed where his phone was sitting and he turned it over, staring at the way it looked for your name to be on his screen. He saved it originally when you became his intern and it was almost comical to him. It seemed so formal, just your first and last name. You were so much more to him now than you had been then.

    He cussed as his large fingers fumbled with pressing the green button to answer his phone, almost dropping the entire thing in the process. "Hi." Charlie said quickly, sighing in relief when he was sure that he answered it in time.   

    "Hi." You said, just as quickly as he did, thankful that he was awake still and answered your call.

    As it dawned on you both that you were finally speaking to each other again, ironically, the two of you were silent now.

There was so much to be said but neither of you knew how to do it, at least how to start it. You could hear the way that he was moving around the hotel room, pacing. And he could hear the soft sound of your tv in the background. You both just wanted to be together, it would make this so much easier.

A few more moments of silence, then:

    "I'm sorry." The two of you said in unison, speaking at the same time.

    Your heart fluttered at the deep rumble of a chuckle that you could hear from the other end, causing you to laugh softly as well. You two had a habit of saying the same thing at the same time. It always gave you butterflies.

    "You first." Charlie said, running a hand through his hair, unable to stop the smile on his lips. Things were weird between the two of you right now, he didn't know exactly how you felt. But just hearing your voice and sharing that small moment with you, reminded him of why he was involved in this risky situation in the first place. He had such a soft spot for you.

    "Oh. Okay, well..." You said in response to that, growing nervous that the attention was on your words now. "I'm sorry," You repeated, bringing your knees close to your chest on the couch you were sitting on. "I shouldn't have left."