-Forever and Always-

-Alone-

Charlotte looked lifeless in the mirror, easing the knots in her auburn hair. Her under eyes were pale and discoloured with a twinge of purple. She was preparing for a night filled with the absence of sleep. She stumbled over to her bed, carrying her heavy body. Her gaze remained locked on the ceiling whilst her mind reminisced on how she ended up here. Silence hung over her apartment but her thoughts remained loud and consistent. The face of her ex-husband placed itself firmly within her thoughts. His words echoed in her ears.

'You're nothing without me.'

'No one would love you, you should be grateful I'm here.'

'You're going to end up alone. Forgotten.'

Forgotten.

Charlotte winced slightly at it, pain blooming in her chest. Her hand ghosted over her forearm, grazing the old bruises. Her ex was abusive, but when she was with him she wasn't alone. Now she was. Was she really in the wrong for leaving? She shook her head in an attempt to alleviate that thought, however it stuck. She knew he was wrong, but he was also all she had. The beginning of their relationship blossomed from something beautiful, they had run into each other in a coffee shop. He was polite, courteous at times. James was everything a man should be so Charlotte stuck around. She couldn't understand how something so gentle became something so toxic. Saying his name caused her mouth to dry, a bad taste being left with it. He started to come home later, blaming it on work. Charlotte knew it wasn't, It was her. His boss. She was aware of the affair they were having but lacked the energy to confront him.

After all, it was her fault. If she was more interesting, invested a little more time then she wouldn't be here, would she? Yes, he hurt her. 'But I deserved it.' Charlotte thought to herself. The weight of everything hung down deeply in her chest and in her heart. She knew it was wrong but continued to yearn for someone to care, for him to care. For someone to notice her. She missed her old self but now all that remained was a ghost of her past. Now she had left her husband and was alone in her own home. It was supposed to feel freeing, but all Charlotte was rewarded with was isolation. Tears pricked her eyes and slowly began to fall soaking her pillow. They tore rivers through her face, cooling her burning cheeks. Why did no one notice that she was drowning?

----------------------------------------------

The sun blared through the gap in Charlotte's curtain casting a warm glow that hung lightly over her face. It warmed her slightly, giving her a rare feeling of safety and security, a contrast to the vulnerability she felt only a few hours prior. Her duvet was shoved aside, dangling over the edge of the bed and was scrunched up on the floor. Evidence from her restless night as the nightmares continued to haunt her. She threw her arm over to her bedside table to silence her alarm. She hated going to work. The children in the nursery were bundles of energy and Charlotte adored them however the staff made it difficult for her to cope. She was drowning and no one had noticed, not even her longest friend, Marjorie. She swung her heavy feet over the edge of the bed and planted them firmly on the cold hardwood floor, grounding her. It was going to be a good day, she told herself. Although she didn't believe it would be, not really. She forced a smile as she tried to remain positive while getting ready. She pulled a black top and trousers from her wardrobe and did her makeup carefully, covering up the exhaustion that was clear on the face. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to keep up this facade, but it worked for now. If she let her true self show then people would start to ask questions. Then she would have to admit her weakness.

Charlotte made her way down the stairs, passing by the kitchen. She had no reason to stop, as she wasn't planning on eating. Anxiety tore at her stomach making it difficult to even think about preparing a meal. She grabbed her phone that was abandoned on the sofa, as it had been since she got home from work last Friday - untouched. No one ever messaged her. She placed it in her bag and exited her house to head to the one building that she dreaded.

The car ride was a blur, the road and surroundings merging to become one image flying past her eyes. Without even releasing, Charlotte had made it to work and was now parked. She rested her head against the steering wheel, mentally preparing herself for the walk inside. She ran through it in her head. Get out of the car, walk to the rooms, say good morning. Be polite. Say 'I'm fine' if anyone asks. No one actually cares. She reached for the handle and made her way to the door. She had her head down, trying to keep a low profile while slightly unfocused. That's when Charlotte realised that she wasn't alone. Raised voices were coming from adjacent to the building. Marjorie's voice cut through her thoughts...and someone else's too.
"So you crashed my car? When will you learn that your manipulation isn't going to work anymore? Reece doesn't want you." Marjorie yelled.
Charlotte really regretted what she did next. This was not part of her planned routine, however her curiosity got the better of her and she walked closer to the commotion.
"Yeah well you got in the way, plus you're stuck with me today, I'm covering in this nursery." The other woman said. As Charlotte approached, she got a better look at who Marjorie was talking to.

Oh. My. God.

Her red hair struck Charlotte's eyes instantly. It laid gently on her shoulders, a slight wave at the ends. Her breath hitched. She was stunning, Charlotte thought. She had admired a woman's beauty before and could admit when she thought they were pretty but this...this was different. She was snapped out of her trance by a voice.
"Hiya my love, are you alright?" Marjorie spoke gently, contrasting to her previous raised tone.
"Yeah I'm..." Charlotte's eyes caught the redheads and they held it for longer than necessary. Their expressions soften slightly as they admired one another. The atmosphere shifted to something gentler, something more subtle.
"S-Sorry, Yes marjorie I'm fine." Charlotte corrected herself, turning back to face her manager.
"Okay well you're in the baby room today, I'll head in soon, just need to finish up here." Marjorie said, her eyes glaring in the direction of the redhead.
"Mia, you need to back off." She said as Charlotte turned back towards the nursery and continued to walk. She looked briefly over her shoulder to see Mia smirking, completely unbothered. She winked at Charlotte when Marjorie wasn't looking. Her gaze snapped forwards as she tried to ignore the blush creeping up on her.

This very distracting woman had now chaotically placed herself firmly on Charlotte's radar.