"Charlie!" Tara called out, waving at him with a warm smile as he stepped off the train onto the platform. Tara had been standing by the platform's entrance for a couple of minutes now, waiting for Charlie to arrive.
"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered, as she enveloped him into a hug. She could feel the tension in his body. It was probably caused by all the stress surrounding Nick and their relationship.
Or at least, she thought so. With Charlie, you never really know what exactly is causing him the distress. It could easily be something else. But Tara was pretty sure Nick had at least something to do with it.
"Thank you for picking me up," Charlie said as they started walking towards the station's parking lot.
"That's okay. How was the train ride?"
"It was good. Except for the minor delay of course." He replied, his eyes meeting Tara's briefly before returning to the ground.
"Good! So, are you ready to have a fun weekend?"
Charlie hesitated for a moment before a small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Yes."
🍂🍂🍂
The soft hum of Tara's engine filled the car park as she turned the key.
"So, any specific music you're in the mood for, or should I surprise you?"
Charlie chuckled, appreciating the effort to lighten the mood. "Surprise me. I trust your music selection skills."
Tara grinned, fingers dancing over the radio controls. Being the Swiftie she is, she obviously went for a Taylor song. You literally can't go wrong with that.
"Seriously?" Charlie said grinning, as the song started playing.
"What?" Tara responded, not really knowing what he meant.
"You said you'd surprise me."
"Okay, I see where you're coming from," She stated, "BUT, you didn't know which of Taylor's masterpieces I would play. So, that was a surprise!"
"Hmm. Well, I guess you're right about that," he said as they both started grinning. Tara knew he secretly loved it, even though he'd never openly admit it.
The rest of the drive towards Kent was quiet. Charlie's gaze was fixated on the passing scenery, the changing landscapes mirroring the shifts in his thoughts. Tara stole glances at him. Noting the subtle furrow in his brow and the distant look in his eyes, she decided to break the silence.
"Shall we get something to drink?"