Gone Country

Chapter 14 (Should've Told Her)

It's been about a week since Charlotte has learned about our financial troubles. The only time I see her is when we wake up together in my bed, at breakfast, at dinner, and when we fall asleep next to one another at night.

All day long she's doing something to help out. She does her chores, heads straight to the garden alone to hoe out the weeds and check the crops, comes back home with fresh fruit that she helps Avery turn into homemade jam, then she usually does the laundry herself and has converted from using the dryer to the clothesline outside to save money. Her work doesn't end there, no, she goes to the market for my mother to give her a break, she even cooked dinner last night which was actually edible for once. Charlotte Anne Jackson knew what it was to be us now, she finally understood.

After her father and Jives left with their promise to send some of her things so she could move in down at their old home, she fell into our routine like it was meant to be hers as well. When her things came in the middle of the week, she left them there in hopes of starting to live there next week. Her father was taking care of her bills, all but the rent check that my father didn't feel right taking since Charlotte was working so hard for us.

Today was Saturday, the day of the annual fair we have and the first day Charlotte has stopped to take a breather from everything she has been doing. After seeing her so exhausted to the point that she couldn't make it to bed and fell asleep on the couch almost every night, I was relieved that she would actually be holding on to me as we walked to my room tonight to rest up before tomorrow.

It killed me to see her lying on the couch, her plate of dinner going cold as it as there on the coffee table while she tiredly slept in a uncomfortable looking position. I had to carry her to bed every night, and the lack of meals she was intaking was making it lighter to carry her to bed every time. It was about time she took a day off, she deserved it.

So this afternoon we dressed casually and loaded up in the truck. She looked nice in her burgundy and white plaid top, dark blue jeans, and matching pair of burgundy boots. I smiled when she clung onto my arm, her head resting on my shoulder as I drove along. There was plenty of room on the bench seat where she could be instead of holding onto me, but here she was.

Austin, Avery, and Jax were all sitting on the back of the truck, giving Charlotte and I time to ourselves. They made it sound like we were a couple who hadn't seen each other in over a year. I did miss her though. She wasn't the only one who had been working hard. Since my father and Phillip fixed up the other truck before Phillip left, I've been able to help my dad out with getting feed, hay, and anything else he needed while he hauled some bulls off to sale, then later catch up with him at the sale. I've been repairing fences, repairing the barn, feeding more animals to take a load off of my dad's back, and of course I've taken up the job of making sure Charlotte gets into bed. She was suppose to be staying at her place tonight to get the feel of it. I had no clue what I was going to do without her in my arms. Maybe I could convince my parents on letting me stay with her for just one night. I didn't like her staying there by herself.

"Is that it?" she asked, her voice breaking our long silence. She sat up straight, brightly smiling at the striped tents and various booths set up for games.

"Yeah, this is it."

She squealed in delight, telling me to speed up so we could get there faster. I sped up just a little, I didn't need a ticket piled onto other bills back home. I parked on the side of the road like other cars and trucks had, grabbing Charlotte's hand before she jumped out the truck like a hyperactive child, only to get lost in the midst of the crowd.

"Brant," she whined when I took my time out the truck with her in behind me.

Austin, Avery, and Jax were already off the back of the truck waiting for us. "Lets go play some games!" Avery exclaimed. Charlotte immediately agreed.

"Jax, make sure these two don't get lost," I ordered. "Start on the west side so Austin and I can find you easier when we get done signing up for the amateur bull riding competition."

Charlotte suddenly had a change of heart when I made it clear that I wouldn't be there right at that moment. "I wanna go with you," she told me, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Fine," I chuckled. "I'm not sure Jax could handle your mischievous ways anyhow. Come along little Charlotte." I extended my arm to her, grinning when she clung to me once again.

She probably wouldn't admit to it, but I knew she missed me. I couldn't help but love her for everything she has done for my family this past week. Sometimes she's a pain in my neck and she knew exactly how to stomp all over my nerves if she wanted to, then there were the times I couldn't help but love Charlotte Jackson. Like when she becomes passionate about solving an issue. It's almost like she makes it her dream to help out, and she chases after that dream hard.

I didn't realize until earlier this week that I never told her that I loved her when she said it. It might seem odd to some that she would say such a thing when were opposite gender friends. Personally, I saw nothing wrong with it. We both knew what she meant, how she meant it. That's all that mattered. Now I feel guilty for not saying it back when I had the chances to. Maybe I would surprise her when we walked down Lover's Lane to see the lights later on this evening.

While Jax and Avery headed off to the games, Austin and I tugged Charlotte into the field where her eyes watched everything in amazement. The old hay field was about the size of four football fields, two to make the bottom half and two to make the top half. It was huge, and filled with various things that she would love to explore.

Of course there were games, food stands, and even pony rides, but there were also antique tents set up with valuables to sale, jewelry stands, homemade clothing areas, a farm petting zoo for kids, and the bull riding zone. We took our time getting to the bull riding arena to sign up, Charlotte was too fascinated by everything for us to speed up. Austin and I didn't mind, it was her first fair here after all.

"That's so pretty!" she shrieked, pointing to a simple hand made floral dress that was for sale at a remarkable five dollars. She shoved her hands in her pockets, pulling out only lint and old candy wrappers. Clearly she forgot that she has been working with no pay. I was going to search my own pockets, but I knew that the money I had was for food later. It was either the dress or food for the both of us.

"Do you want the dress Charlotte?" Austin asked. Charlotte being Charlotte shook her head in reply. Austin knew she wanted it, and after she gave him that check to cover all his college expenses, which he made her take back, he bought the dress for her as a thank you for caring about him.

With a bag in one hand, and my hand in her other, we walked on to the bull riding arena without getting ran over by the crowds making their way by. As usual, Mrs.Diane Folly was taking care of the applications. "Here to sign up boys?" she asked. "Clay just signed up a minute ago, you're not going to let him take home the gold again, are you?"

I would win tonight, but not for myself, for Charlotte. Clay has been the champion since he was liable to enter at fifteen, so four years now since he was a year older than I. I always took second or Austin took second, we never went under third place. Tonight would be different, I had to win. "He's not winning this year," I grumbled, signing my name under Clay's with the ball point pin. I signed my age and other statistics about myself that they would announce while I prepared to ride.

"Who is this pretty little filly on your arm, Brant?" Mrs.Diane asked.

"Has she changed that much?" I chuckled, looking over to Charlotte who was trying to figure out where she has seen the woman before. "Mrs.Diane, this is Charlotte Jackson," I explain. Charlotte's eyes brightened suddenly and I think she had an idea of who the woman was then.

"Charlotte?"

"Mrs.Folly?"

They looked at each other in bewilderment before Mrs.Diane stood and embraced Charlotte in a hug. "You were one of my best students! I loved you! Then you left!"

"Well you were the best second grade teacher ever!" Charlotte replied in the same gleeful tone as our old teacher.

While they talked, Austin signed himself up for bull riding and I let my eyes find a pretty brunette by the cotton candy machine. She was attractive, just wasn't my type when I saw the pound of makeup on her face. Besides, I like blondes. Charlotte dug her elbow into my side, making me look away from the somewhat pretty girl. "Quit staring at her you creep," Charlotte teased. Her hand loosened in mine, making me grasp on tighter. It was then I could see how beautiful Charlotte really was compared to most of the girls around here. Not an inch of make up blemished her face, and even when she does wear make up it's not over the top, that's what made Charlotte different. All the girls in Motown are make up deprived for so long they go overboard with their faces.

I leaned down to her ear with a smile, asking, "Do you want to go play some games now?" in a quiet whisper. She eagerly nodded, practically jumping up and down in excitement.

"It was nice seeing you again Mrs.Folly, but we have to get going," Charlotte told her while tugging on my arm. "Come on Austin!" she rushed. He laughed, catching up with us as we headed towards the games.

"When are Stella and Jack coming down?" Charlotte asked on the way.

"Probably a little later around the competition." I looked over the games coming up ahead, searching for one in particular that I wanted Charlotte to play.

"Hey Charlotte, if you stand behind this booth I'll give you ten dollars..." Austin said, pointing to the kissing booth up ahead. "I'll expect ten kisses, but you get the ten dollars."

She shoved him with a laugh, while I hit him in the back of the head for being an idiot. Those two I swear are ridiculous with their 'friendly kisses'. If they're going to do that, they might as well be in a real relationship, then again, I sleep next to her every night so I couldn't really say anything.

Then I saw it. "Charlotte, you have to do this one." I pushed people and kids out the way just so I could get her to the game I wanted her to do.

"I hate you," she laughed when I pushed her over to the tent.

"This is your only chance to get in the experience, Charlotte," I reasoned. "Come on, I'll even help you out." The man working the booth, also know as Mr.Whitaker from the grocery store, he handed over the specific tool she would need and wished her luck.

"I can't believe you," she grumbled, taking ahold of the small hand held toy fishing rod with a magnet hook on the end.

"This is the only time you'll ever get to fish," I told her when we stepped over to the machine operated river that made the fake fish move with the current to make it a harder task. Don't let the idea and miniature plastic fishing rod fool you, it was actually pretty hard.

I thought that since she freaked out when it came to real fishing that she could at least do this much. She finally agreed to do it, and carefully lowered the fishing rod into the moving water. She had one minute to catch as many fish as possible to get a prize, but would win a eat free card at Peggy-Ann's for two if she caught the golden fish amongst the red ones. The magnet on the plastic golden fish was smaller and weaker than the ones on the red ones making it almost impossible to win. It's been done before, but only once or twice.

Right off the bat of her magnet hook being in the water she was able to catch a red fish and reel it in. I took it off, placing it in the basket to save her time to continue fishing. She giggled at Austin who was loudly rooting for her on the side lines. "Focus Char," I said sternly. The gold fish floated by, making me glare at it's presence. I remember not catching that thing every time I tried with Caroline. Stupid golden fish.

She caught two red ones at the same time that I quickly removed and put into the basket. "I always knew you were a fishing pro," I murmured in her ear, holding on to her from behind.

"I can't get the stupid gold one," she complained. She forgot about the gold one and managed to fish out the remaining seven fish out before Mr.Whitaker told us she had ten seconds. The only magnetic fish left was the gold one.

"You can do it Charlotte," I encouraged. "Do it for your mom."

"My mom?" she question, glancing over her shoulder at me with sadden eyes.

I nodded. "She would've love to have carried you here when you were little," I told her in explanation. For her mother, Charlotte focused on the fish with her last remaining five seconds and perfectly waved the hook in front of the fish when it flowed by. The fish's magnet caught, leaving Charlotte to excitedly reel it in. I proudly placed it in the basket, half of a second before Mr.Whitaker told us times up.

Not only did she win the Peggy-Ann certificate, but she also won a body pillow length fish plushie that she made Austin hold while her photo was taken to be hung with the rest of the winners of the game. "I can't believe I did it!" she shrieked with the most beautiful and brightest smile you could possibly ever imagine. She dove into my arms, tightly hugging me in excitement.

"You're a fishing champ!" I laughed. She wrapped my arm around her, wanting me to hold her while we continued on with the day. I didn't refuse, I held her tightly in my side, smiling just as wide as she was. I'm pretty sure Austin was more excited than the both of us. He kept telling strangers that she was the fishing queen and his best friend, making sure to show the huge fish stuff animal trophy off that she had won and her certificate.

We stumbled upon Avery and Jax who congratulated Charlotte when we told them what happened. By the look of the two teens slightly swollen lips, the collection of stuff animals in Avery's arms, and that goofy smile on Jax's face, he had won her plenty of prizes in which he was rewarded back for with probably a billion make out sessions that scarred the little children. Crazy kids.

"Guys, I'm hungry," Austin complained. "Bragging on Charlotte made me work up an appetite."

Everyone else, including myself, all decided that we could eat right about now anyway. We all headed to the food stands where anything bad for you was available. "I've got Avery's" Jax made sure I knew.

So it just left Charlotte and I. "What do you want fishing champ?" I asked her. I motioned to the hotdog, burger, and sandwich stands, all which she scrunched her nose at. I didn't really feel like eating those things either.

"I think I want some onion rings..."

"Yes!!" she groaned in bliss. "Where are they?" With a chuckle at how it seemed she would die without them, I pulled her to Mr.Rodgers food stand, ordering two things of onion rings and a sweet tea to share. I used the money in my pocket to pay and Charlotte happily took the cardboard basket full of onion rings for herself.

I grabbed my basket of onion rings and the tea, making sure to tell him thank you. When I turned around, I froze when I saw Clay with his lips latched onto Charlotte's. It took everything I had not to drop my onion rings and punch his face. In surprise, Charlotte stumbled away from him, quickly stepping into me to hide her face into my t-shirt. "Clay!" I growled.

He stared at the hiding Charlotte, the truth on his hurt expression. Charlotte had really been a girl he had loved. Now he felt my pain, he felt what it was like for her to run away knowing how he felt. He now knew what it felt like to be crushed from the inside out because she didn't and never would love him back. "Back off," I ordered.

"Don't tell me what to do Brant, you have no clue what it's been like for me the last week, what missing her has felt like."

Charlotte pulled away from me, allowing me to catch a glimpse of her angry eyes before she whipped around to face Clay. "Are you kidding me?!?" She shouted at him. "How can you dare to even say that to him?! Are you forgetting that Caroline left him for you, that she obliterated his heart because you had sex with her and stole her away?"

Charlotte was in his personal space, doing everything but slapping him across the face for being so stupid and clueless. I didn't know whether or not I should stop her or let her take her anger out on him. "Are you also forgetting that he had to relive that just last week when we found you two...."

She stood there, shaking her head in disapproval, speechless as she remembered what happened. I knew she told me that she couldn't be too upset about it since she had gone there to break up with him, I just knew that the only reason why she was going to break up with him was because of me. She didn't want me to hurt anymore. It was another thing she gave up for me.

"I'm sorry Charlotte, I know I hurt you, but..."

"There's nothing else to it, Clay. You were the first guy I ever went on a date with. You lied to me, and I forgave you. You were careless, I understood and forgave you again. I don't want to feel insecure in a relationship. That's not how it's suppose to be."

Clay was more than furious, but not with her. His daggers were pointed at me, he had hardly been listening to Charlotte at all. "Did you have sex with her?" he suddenly asked. My brows curiously raised in question. "Don't give me that crap!" he hissed. "Did you have sex with Charlotte to get back at me? I stole your girl so you're going to steal mine?"

He was stepping on my nerves, and not for the reason you may think. I wasn't getting mad over the fact that he thought I would stoop that low just to get back at him. I was mad because he thought Charlotte would just let me jump her bones only a week or so after their breakup. She's not some kind of whore! She was a good, decent, definitely still a virgin, girl!

Charlotte stopped me before I reacted, pushing me back a little without looking into my eyes. She hates it when I'm so angry that my hands shake in dire need to punch something to relieve the built in stress. "Let's go, Brant," she whispered. "You'll show him up in the competition, let's not ruin today." She finally looked up to me with pleading eyes. That's the only reason I was able to walk away, even with Clay shouting things about me for everyone around to hear. Charlotte didn't deserve to have a bad day today, not after she worked hard for the past week. We came here to have fun, get our minds off of things and relax for a while, not get into fights with her ex-boyfriend and my former second childhood friend.

"I'm sorry, Brant," she said in one of her guilty tones. "I never should've dated that jerk."

We found everyone at a different food stand and I quietly whispered, "You have nothing to apologize for," I whispered into Charlotte's ear. She had liked Clay, he liked her, everything was fine until he made that one stupid decision.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Austin muttered over to me, seeing the mood change with Charlotte and I.

"Clay snacked on Charlotte's lips, she told him off, and we walked away," is how I summarized the story back to him. This time I was the one stopping him from going after Clay. I told him to sit down at the picnic table in front of us and stuff his mouth with the burger he had gotten. He of course sat next to Charlotte, somehow latching onto the onion ring hanging from her mouth. I slapped his head before their lips touched, leaving her to laugh at how protective I was of her lips now. She shouldn't be kissed if it wasn't meaningful.

After we ate, somehow getting passed the Clay interruption earlier, we were able to go on together and play some more games. Austin and I were awesome at bull roping where you got to lasso a fake bull, Avery and Jax did pretty well, but poor Charlotte kept getting tangled up in the rope somehow.

We moved on from that game onto darts where Charlotte almost killed someone with her terrible aim. "I'm not wearing my glasses," she apologized to the man behind the booth who had ducked for cover.

"You wear glasses?" we all asked in unison.

She shyly nodded. After that, we made sure she didn't do anything life threatening. Slowly, the sun went down and Lover's Lane was ignited. Avery and Jax went ahead in with Austin and the random girl he picked up in the crowd in behind. I was still unsure about going in with Charlotte. I stalled by showing her around more. Not once did she complain, that's what finally made me stop and force myself to take her.

I shoved my hands in my pockets, walking beside of her with no physical contact whatsoever. She held on to her giant pink fish that Austin forced back into her arms when he spotted the lonely girl to walk with him through the lit forest, and not once did she ask me why I was being distant. We reached the entrance and I cringed when the woman operating it gave us a dreamy sigh, probably thinking we were another perfect couple going inside for a romantic walk. That definitely wasn't the case. I still entered inside with Charlotte close by. She gasped at all of the white lights hanging in the trees. It looked like an off white snow had fallen and clung to every branch and leaf.

"Do you like it?" I asked, slowly walking along the dirt path while she took everything in.

"It's beautiful" she breathed.

I looked down to her, catching the enchanted look in her eyes and how the lights reflected in them, making them shimmer like light blue ice crystals. She looked to me, beaming a radiant smile to show she loved it.

Through the rest of the walk the lights changed to ones that slowly dimmed in and out, flickered, and some lights had been hung to be shaped as hearts. Toward the end was the part that got extremely cheesy and romantic. Flower petals were scattered all over the path as it led over a small bridge that helped you cross the creek that also had flower petals scattered on the surface and a pair of fake swans who seemed in love because their necks and heads formed a heart.

There was no way I could tell Charlotte that I loved her in a friendly way here. This place wasn't for friends. "The lights remind me of New York's lights," she said when we exited on the other side from where we had circled around.

"That's what I was going for," I replied. "I didn't want you to get too homesick and leave me."

She lightly hit me with her giant fish plushie. "I'm not going anywhere and you know it."

I smiled, relaxing at how happy she seemed. I couldn't do it earlier, but I pulled my right hand out of my pocket, grabbing her left one that I noticed had a couple of calluses on her palm. Her hands use to be baby soft. "Charlotte..." My voice was unrecognizable. I've never talked in such a quiet tone like this before. She looked up at me, giving a nod to tell me to go on and that I had her undivided attention. "Thank you for helping out for the past week."

Before I chickened out for some reason, I lowered my head closer to her beautiful face until my lips met the smoothness of her skin. I felt her blush against my lips, only to ignore it and let my lips linger there for a moment. It was the perfect time to tell her that I did love her for it, my voice had just suddenly vanished when I pulled away. She smiled, flattered by my recognition toward her hard work. I was proud of her for being so strong and kind and I was a heck of a lot thankful for a friend like her.

"Brant!" My head jerked up from Charlotte, finding Austin running this way. "Come on! It's time to ride!"

Now wasn't a time to be nervous, now was the the time to be determined. I dragged Charlotte to the bull riding arena, leaving her to sit in the stands with my mom, dad, Jax, and Avery when we arrived. "I love you both," she had told us. "Be careful she added."

Austin had reacted like how I should have. He told her that he loved her, while I told her to knock it off and stop acting like we were babies and couldn't handle ourselves. I was such an idiot.

Clay was to go first since his last name started with a 'H', then Austin, and lastly me. We've been tough competition for so long that we're the only three that signs up for this thing anymore, that and all the other younger guys in Motown were off at college still.

Clay was already in the pit, sitting on top of a bull named Mojo who weighed over a thousand pounds. Austin and I climbed onto the tall wooden fence, looking down at the snarling slobbering monster that I was hoping would sling Clay off within a second.

"When I win this, I'm going to claim my prize," I heard him say. He looked up, his eyes finding Charlotte in the stands.

I didn't even bother responding, I had to keep my head in the game. I watched Clay give a nod, alerting the man working the gate to open it. He braced himself as the bull lunged out of the gate, kicking and thrashing about. Clay kept his hand up for the ride, only to get bucked off around the four second mark. If you at least reach the eight second mark you're bound to get a top notch score from the judges. The crowd around us roared for him, but he angrily got up and pulled himself over the fence. Austin and I have never gotten anything under fiive seconds before. Clay had been too distracted, too sure of himself, and it cost him.

I gave Austin a pat on the back when the next bull was led down the chute into the pit. Austin climbed aboard, preparing for the ride of his life. This bull would ride well, I knew it would. Once comfortable with his grip on the rope tied around the bull, he gave a smirk and nodded at the gatekeeper. I watched as the bull put on a show with it's giant leaps and violent thrashes. Austin stayed on for five point two seconds, taking the lead over Clay.

Then the bull I would be riding was angered into the pit. He looked like satan himself. His coat was sleek and black, his body being nothing but pure muscle. I hopped onto his back, shoving down the things that could go wrong during this ride. All I had to do was beat Austin.

I was handed a glove for my hand and quickly pulled it on. As I was taught by my dad, stuffed my hand under the rope and held on. I took a couple of deep breaths, zoning out the crowd and noises, just focusing on my hand that I was using to gripping onto. Without even giving my brain time to process it fully, I nodded my head and the gate was opened.

My free hand shot up in the air while I held on for dear life. I was determined to stay on no matter how much the bull underneath me jerk and twisted. He threw his body around, slinging me around on top of him, but I held on. I couldn't explain the feeling that came over me when the buzzer went off, it just wasn't relief.

The bull finally slung me off backward, but I felt his hoof kick my side when I fell to ground. I felt the pain, but when my head hit the ground everything in my vision became sluggish for a moment as I laid there. That wasn't the worst part.

A scream rang over the gasps from everyone watching, and I saw her leap over the fence. She was panicking, not thinking correctly, and that's when I yelled at her to go back over the fence. My warning came to late, the bull spotted her and I helplessly watched as he flipped her body into the air. They caught the bull before it could do any further damage to her, but I forced myself up, running as fast as I could with my dizziness and excruciating pain coming from my left side that was hitting me all at once due to all of my movement.

I saw blood, that's all I needed to see in order to fear that she had left me again, but this time for good. It was then that I just fell beside her, wrapping my my arms around her petite body and whispering that I loved her over and over until I somewhere along the line fell unconscious. All I could think about was that she would never get to hear me say it, that she was going to die before I got to tell her in person how much she meant to me. Why didn't I tell her?














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AN:)

This chapter was written faster than it should've been, but I really needed to upload. I'm sorry if it seems off.

Anyway!!!

Random winner of the Trivia Question is: @kathyselbe!!! Thanks for playing along!

No Trivia Question today, but next time I promise we'll do one :)