Yesterday

Chapter 27

PAUL'S POV

I had to admit, I was impressed with how well Charlotte had been handling the last couple of days. Naturally, she seemed quite upset and distant throughout the whole time, but that was only expected, and I had tried to be there for her the best that I could. Maybe it was my imagination, but I really think that I had helped.

When she had finally told me what had happened that next morning after I found her in her room on the floor, I was in utter disbelief. I couldn't help but feel awful for this poor girl. What family did she have left now? Her father and sister were gone, and her mother could have left the country for all she knows. When I had first decided to find Charlotte, I hadn't even considered the possibilities of what her life was like now. I mean, here I was living my dream and she was living in her own personal hell. I clenched my fists in frustration, my fingernails digging into the arm of the couch I was sitting on. 

It was the most painful thing in the world to have to watch the one you love suffer, and not be able to do a single thing about it.

Yes, I loved her. There was no doubt in my mind about that.

I sighed as I laid back onto the couch, deciding to finally fall asleep. We had returned home from her father's funeral only a few hours ago, and I insisted that Charlotte took the bed by herself for the night. She needed the rest more than I did. I had secretly hoped that she would ask me to sleep with her, but she didn't.

I guess she just needed her space. I could understand that.

I looked over at the clock. Nearly midnight. I began let my eyes flutter shut, when I suddenly heard the faint sound of footsteps, and then the slow creak as the bedroom door opened. I popped up quickly to see Charlotte tip-toeing out into the hallway. Her wavy hair was thrown up into a messy bun, a few strands falling out here and there.She was still wearing my clothes as pajamas - a pair of big sweatpants and an over-sized white t-shirt. She had one of the blankets from the hotel bed wrapped around her, like a big, fluffy, cotton cocoon. Her eyes looked tired and heavy, and she appeared to have dark circles underneath them. The tired expression on her face made her look as if she had aged five years in the past few days. She didn't look very...healthy. Even in the dark, I could see her cheeks fill with color when she noticed that I was still awake.

"Er, sorry," she said, embarrassed, "I just needed to use the bathroom. I figured you'd be asleep by now." I gave her a tired smile. 

"No need to apologize, love. I'm having just as much trouble gettin' to sleep as you are." She smiled back at me and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. I waited to go to sleep until she came back out, which to my surprise was quite a while, nearly twenty minutes.

"What, did you fall in or something?" I asked her cheekily once she had finally come out. She looked at me, shocked, and for a second I thought she was going to cry. Then she threw her head back and laughed. I smiled smugly to myself. It was the first genuine laugh I had heard from her in a while, and I was happy to have been the one that helped supply it. I was also pleased with myself with the fact that I knew her so well, and I knew the kinds of things that made her laugh.

"I did have a bit of a spill, I do apologize. I hope I haven't broken the toilet." she said in a mocking tone, and then it was my turn to laugh.

"Goodnight, Charlotte," I said with a smile as she made her way back into the bedroom. If she were to ask me to sleep with her, it would be now. I quickly gave a silent prayer about the girl who so clearly was in desperate need of someone to take care of her.

Please God, let her ask me to sleep with her. Please give me this night. I need it, she needs it. I need to be there for her. Let me be there for her.

She glanced over her shoulder and gave me a smile, but I could tell it was a little forced. "Goodnight, Paul."

Once she was gone, I rolled my eyes dramatically and looked up at the ceiling.

Really man, you couldn't have just given me this one? Typical.

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