Being Alive [Charlie Barber]

Chapter 14 : Alone

Charlie was silent again, turning his attention back to the actors in front of him. "Um, okay, Matt? Your line first." He directed them, pretending not to notice the awkward body language that you were displaying at his side. He told himself he was looking into it too much.

The entire morning went that way. Uncomfortable whispers and nudges against each other. Charlie assumed you didn't feel good and he had this overwhelming urge to baby you and take care of you.

He was being attentive to you during each small break, asking if you were okay, assuring you that you could go back home if you wanted to.

It just made you feel worse.

Your sister's words kept echoing your mind from the phone the night before, "How could you do this to someone else's family?"

When it was lunchtime, you grabbed for your purse, wanting to make an excuse to go get some air.

Charlie's hand gently covered your wrist, stopping you. It was just the two of you alone in the rehearsal room now, everyone else had quickly filed out to ensure that they had enough time to go out to lunch and make it back in time.

"Heading out?" He asked you with a frown. You two always ate lunch together.

You glanced up at him, heart racing at the skin-to-skin contact you were feeling even if it was something as innocent as his hand on yours.

"I brought you soup. I made it last night, I thought you might want it if you were sick."

Your heart fluttered at that. Goddammit. Why did he have to be so fucking sweet?

Charlie could see the look on your face, that shy and flustered look that always turned him on. That was a lot more familiar to him than how you'd been acting earlier. There was his little girl.

"No celery, I promise." He grinned, knowing how much you hated it. He'd purposefully left out when he made it even though it was part of the recipe, having to lie to Nicole and say he just forgot to include it.

You couldn't help the breathless giggle that left your chest. "Okay." You agreed hesitantly. You couldn't help yourself.

You were alone in his office now, sitting across from him at his desk. He was leaning back in his office chair while you sat with one leg crossed over the other in a fold-out chair you always brought over from the back of the room.

    Charlie almost always finished his food a while before you did and today was no different. You swore he must've chugged his entire bowl of soup like it was a can of beer. You were barely a few spoonfuls in, but granted, you were nervous and didn't have much of an appetite, to begin with.

    He was currently telling you about what Frank had done the day before, the thing that he texted you about.

    "Anyways, he ended up asking me again before I left if he could add the kiss in. I don't know how else to tell him to knock it off. You should've seen my face, I'm sure it was ridiculous." Charlie grinned, laughing at the memory. His eyes were expectant on yours, confused as to why you weren't laughing as hard as he was.

    You let out a small chuckle. It was funny, you wanted to laugh, you just couldn't bring yourself to do it.

Charlie's smile slowly fell, watching the way yours never met your eyes.

You two were silent for a few moments, the gentle sound of the box fan in the corner was the only sound that could be heard.

"You got the flowers though, right?" He broke the silence.