Charlie
"You need to eat." Fleur said, pushing the bowl of Cherri Owls towards me. "You haven't eaten for two whole days."
I glanced up at her before I looked back down at my hands. I had picked at my skin for the past couple of days out of pure stress from the situation and I kept making myself bleed because I can't stop picking in the same wound.
"If he doesn't want to eat, he shouldn't have to." Bill said and grabbed the bowl from the table. "He'll just starve but it's up to him."
To say my older brother was cross with me, was an understatement. My entire family were on Ember's side and I didn't blame them.
After all I didn't tell anyone the truth to why I left. They all believe in my pathetic excuse. Maybe that's why I'm acting like such an idiot — because I wish I could tell Ember the truth.
It's easier if she hates me for leaving than if she hates her granddad for the reason behind it.
"I'll take a bath." Fleur announced. "Bill, be nice to him, alright my love? He's struggling too."
She patted Bill's shoulder before she made her way upstairs, and I glanced at my brother who took a seat across from me.
"You're an asshole."
I'm aware.
"Ember has done nothing but love you since you were teenagers and she's even so kind to let you stay in her loft when you came back and even kinder for giving you a second chance, and then you just can't help yourself but to put up a fight because she wants couple counselling."
I raised my head and sighed as I looked at him.
"Charlie, it's only couple counselling." He said. "Why can't you do it for her? If you really loved her—"
"Don't you dare." I snapped. "I love her with everything I have. With every fucking fibre in my body."
"Then you should be able to put your ego aside and do it for her sake. Maybe you don't believe in counselling and that's okay, but if she thinks it'll help, then do it. Don't question it, don't question her because she's simply trying to make it work and if you don't cooperate, it'll hurt her and she'll end up thinking you don't actually care about her."
That wasn't true. Ember knows I love her more than anything. Doesn't she? I've never loved anyone the way I love her. I do want what's best for her but I want to be with her at the same time.
The six months in Romania were hell for me. I know it was hell for her too, but I didn't have a choice. I had to leave her. Otherwise he would make sure Ginny lost her place with the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch Team.
The man knows how much I care for my family and I couldn't let him do that to my sister. He's got way too much power. I could've told Ember the truth about it. I could've told everyone, but I'd rather Ember hates me than her hating her own grandfather.
A few days before I left, Ember's grandfather came to talk to me at my job in Romania. He told me I was ruining Ember because she had to take care of me. I was a pathetic shit who couldn't even get his shit together to get out of bed after Fred died and Ember's grandfather Edison threatened to get Ginny fired if I didn't get out of Ember's life.
Now I'm terrified that if he finds out I'm back, he'll ruin Ginny's career with the snap of his fingers.
The man never liked me. Said that his grandchild is too good for me, and he's probably right.
"She knows I love her." I said. "She knows I would do anything for her."
"Then why didn't you? Couple counselling isn't that bad. I've never tried it but all you gotta do is show up and not complain."
I sighed deeply as I looked at my brother.
"She has always been better than me. She just doesn't see it." I shrugged. "I did her a favour by leaving. Maybe—"
"No." Bill interrupted. "I know where that was about to go. If you ever leave her again, I will find you and I will drag you right back. I don't care that you're my brother, because that girl is madly in love with you. Don't you dare hurt her like that again."
"Am I interrupting?" A voice filled the room, causing me to shoot out of my chair, though when my eyes landed on Ember's younger brother, I let out a breath of relief.
Bill stood up as well and we both looked at Romany who had entered through the fireplace.
"You're gonna leave her again?" Romany asked, his eyes staying on me. They were full of anger — like he was gonna kill me at any given moment. "Because if you do— I'll warn her so she can leave you before you get to do that to her again. I don't think you understand how broken she was. She—"
"Romany—" I interrupted him. "I'm not leaving her again. I promised me to stay. I won't break my promise again."
He scoffed in response as I let myself fall back into the chair, running my hand into my red curls that were starting to grow way too long. I needed a haircut.
"Is there a reason you're here, Romany?" Bill asked. "Is Ember alright?"
"Oh, she's good. She looks like shit if I have to be honest — tired and she's kinda emotional but other than that, she's good." Ember's brother said. "She actually asked me to come here and make sure Charlie were alright."
I immediately looked up from the table to see Romany's expression change.
"Shit. I wasn't supposed to say that." He said. "Oh fuck, she's going to kill me, isn't she? She told me to be discreet about it — act like I wanted advice about Luna."
"Luna?" Bill asked. "What— you got a crush?"
Bill watched him in amusement while I simply sat here, struggling to hide my smile. She still wanted to know if I was okay. I didn't deserve that, but it sure as hell made me happy to know she still cared even if she did kick me out for two weeks.
"Actually, she's my girlfriend." Romany said, rubbing his hands together before he looked to me. "So— are you alright?"
I didn't get to respond before Bill did instead.
"Just tell her he's doing fine." He said. "We wouldn't want her to worry."
"So I shouldn't tell her he looks worse than her?" Romany asked. "Because I think that would make her day."
Of course it would.
"Tell her the truth or tell her a white lie." Bill shrugged. "Whatever you think will make her the happiest."
"Right." Romany said. "Well, seeing as this didn't go as planned, I'll figure something out."
Ember's grandfather ruined everything. He's a bully, but I was still the one who let him boss me around. I let myself be scared of his power but I just wanted to protect my sister and the career that means so much to her.
After Romany left again, Bill turned towards me and shoved his hands into his pockets while he watched me with a judgemental look on his face.
"I miss her." I admitted. "It's only been two days which means there is still twelve to go and I can't — I can't wait that long to see her again."
"Charlie—"
"I miss her so fucking much." I continued. "I'd be grateful even if she was here to yell at me. I just want to look at her and hear her voice. You don't even know what it's like. You got to marry the love of your life and she doesn't hate you."
"Don't do that." Bill said, shaking his head. "It's not my fault that you followed your insecurities."
"I didn't have a fucking choice!" I yelled, causing Bill to go quiet. We looked at each other for a while before he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Go on."
"After the war, I was terrified of losing her like I almost did that night in the hospital and I know I said that was why I did leave, so that she could get a chance with someone better, but I would never leave because of that." I said, feeling my eyes sting as I teared up. "Her mother's father has hated me since I entered Ember's life. Because I'm from a not-so-wealthy family and she's from an upper class family."
I started crying. I wiped my eyes and pressed against them with my palms as I tried to stop.
"Quidditch is what helped Ginny after the war. She's always wanted to play professionally and so when that happened, she was over the moon, don't you remember? He was gonna take that away from her if I didn't get out of Ember's life."
Bill sat up straight.
"Charlie— that's— why didn't you just say that? Everything would be easier if you had just said that."
"How am I supposed to do that?!" I snapped. "I've already come up with an excuse. I've already told her that lie and if I tell her the truth now, she's both going to be more mad at me and hate her grandfather. It's easier if she just hates me."
"Charlie—"
"She's going to hate him if she finds out." I said. "She's close with him— always have been. That's going to break her."