Toxin

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷

Charlotte's heart fluttered wildly as she stood before the office door, its brass plaque bearing the name "Doctor J. Crane." The asylum loomed around her, its cold stone walls casting shadows that seemed to whisper secrets. She had slipped in unnoticed, avoiding the watchful eyes of the staff. Her smile, once wide and hopeful, now clung to her lips like a fragile memory.

A soft knock echoed through the corridor, and the door creaked open. Charlotte stepped inside, her heart racing. There he was-Johnathan, her best friend, her first and last confidant, her first love. His gaze met hers, and confusion furrowed his brow.

"Are you...new here?" Johnathan's voice held a hint of scepticism. He thought she was a new nurse. Charlotte's smile faltered, but she couldn't contain her excitement. She rushed toward him, arms outstretched.

"What?!" Johnathan pushed her away, his expression a mix of annoyance and bewilderment. "What is wrong with you?"

"Johnnyyy," she called him, her voice trembling. His name tasted like bittersweet nostalgia on her tongue.

"Can't you remember me?" Charlotte's eyes searched his face, still wide with hope.

"Have I taught you before?" Johnathan's arms crossed, his tone curt. "You do look familiar."

"Do I look like a student to you?" Charlotte's voice quivered. "You look like a kid to me." He answered.

He remained rude, but she loved him nonetheless. "Oh, come on!"

Johnathan busied himself with papers on his desk. "Don't waste my time. I have things to -"

"I am Charlotte. Charlotte Bauldelair. Does that ring a bell?" Her words hung in the air, fragile as a spider's silk.

Johnathan froze, his eyes locking onto hers. "Charlotte?"

She nodded, her smile returning. Her beauty struck him-the kindness in her eyes, the delicate pallor of her face, the bun that revealed her slender neck. She was even more beautiful than he remembered.

"You have to go," he said coldly.

Scarecrow stirred within him, disliking this intrusion. He didn't want Johnathan distracted, not again.

"What!?" Charlotte's confusion deepened. She had expected a warm embrace, an "I missed you."

Johnathan sighed. "You have to leave. I don't like repeating myself."

"But you promised at prom that we'd stay friends."

"Yes, and then I broke that promise when I ran away."

"But now you're not running away." Her arms tightened around him when she hugged him. "I will never leave you, Johnathan."

Johnathan missed her-the sound of her laughter, her teeth stained with dark chocolate, her complaints about chemistry tests. How had he forgotten his angel?

Scarescrew whispered, urging him to rid himself of her.

"Please, Johnathan. I can't live without you. Since you left, my life has been miserable."

Could he really get rid of this angel?

"My life is a mess," he said gently. "I don't want you caught up in it."

Charlotte's tears flowed. "I don't care about your mess. Let me be lost in it."

He gazed down at her, feeling the pull of attraction. His feelings were more intense now, adulthood amplifying what had once been innocent.

"How did you even get in here?" he asked.

"I made sure no one saw me."

Charlotte clung to him. "I am so happy."