The alarm actually woke Steve first. He found out Ghosts sleep, too. But Steve was already too confused to ask another question. Steve was used to waking up early, and he had enough sleep.
Charlotte, however, was slow to get up. She groaned and stretched, twisting and tangling the sheets. She grabbed her phone and turned off the alarm and quickly sat up. She grabbed for her brown glasses at her bedside table. She groaned once again and stood up. Charlotte fixed her shirt and baggy sweatpants to make it more comfortable and headed toward the kitchen. Steve was already there waiting for her.
He seemed like a complete serial killer and stalker but he liked watching Charlotte. She was intelligent, creative, wonderful, and Steve just enjoyed the company. He hasn't really had much since he was in isolation for about 237% of his biological life.
Charlotte made herself breakfast, cereal and orange juice. Once she did, she ran to her room and grabbed a silver, thin box and a black chair that spun. "Alright, computer, what have we today?" Charlotte questioned. She typed in her password as Steve recited the name. Computer.
She ate her Rice Krispies and she scrolled through her emails and there were plenty. Yesterday was her day off yesterday because she needed it. And her work was lenient when she worked her ass off everyday. Her first email she read was from Danny. And there she went. Steve watched every second for his job and his entertainment.
Steve saw Charlotte take out her small box and it lit up. She touched it and it did as she wished. She entered in some numbers and the small box started to ring. Step realized this was a phone. A phone that blew Steve away. You could touch it. And it's so small!
"Danny darling," Charlotte said. "Yeah it was great. You know, stuff. Look, Keith sent me an email about B1 for tomorrow. Yeah. Really? That's fantastic I don't even have to do that much work on a Monday morning. Yeah that's why I work at home. Hey don't judge me. Okay I'll get Jules on it. Alright, yeah." Charlotte laughed, it was Steve's first time hearing it. "Okay bye." She hung up the phone and took bites of her soggy cereal.
"I haven't heard your laugh before," Steve said. Charlotte sighed. "It's a great laugh."
Charlotte stood up and brought her finished bowl to the sink, dumping it out and washing it.
"Why does my subconscious have such high self-esteem?" She asked herself. Steve laughed. Charlotte pushed up her glasses and sat back down at the dining table. Charlotte dialed on her phone again until Jules picked up.
"Jules, guess who's got a story that you will love? I don't know how you could've known. Well being a section editor does give a big clue, yes. Okay so there was a fire down at Mapleton this morning. Danny told me four people died. Jules don't say that, those are people that died. I know just, be a little sensitive alright? And I want you to get the people that knew the deceased. Make it heartfelt. Mmhmm. Alright I have to go. I need it by 3 could you do that? That's why I called you honey buns. Send me the paper once you're done I want to check it before him. Alright bye."
She hung up the phone again. Suddenly, Charlotte remembered a crucial part of her job. She abruptly stood up, and went straight for the door. Steve followed, curious as to where she would go. Charlotte walked opened the green door to find a newspaper, wrapped in red plastic. She picked it up and took it out of its casing. Steve saw the newspaper was Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Charlotte started to read it, scanning over the stories.
This was Steve's chance to look on as well. The good thing about this new era was it still had newspapers. Steve read the paper over her shoulder, quickly taking it in as Charlotte flipped to the next page.
Once they finished reading, Charlotte went to make more calls about what should be on which page. But Steve decided to go for a walk. His job was to observe, right? And he needed to catch up on the latest technology.
He stepped through the door and the mornings air hit his face. He wasn't cold, but he could feel something. Steve found that he had senses, he could feel, smell, see, hear, and he has yet to taste but he does not exactly need to. As he walked down the street, he saw people, all in their spring coats walking with their heads down staring at the road.
"Ethan put your phone away," Steve heard a mother say. He looked and saw a boy and his mother, the boy looked down at his phone intensely as if his life depended on it.
"But mom, it's World War, let me finish this level otherwise I will die," the boy groaned. Steve widened his eyes. Why were these phones so popular if they killed?
"Ethan don't be silly it's just a game," his mother said, reassuring Steve that phones will not intentionally kill you.
"But I'm almost at the Captain America level," the boy whined. Steve was definitely now intrigued. He was in this game?
"Just put it away, you can play it after grandmas," the mother told him. The boy did as he was told and put his phone in his pocket. Steve found the whole thing very odd.
Steve kept walking, going on familiar streets with an upgrade. Everything looked so different and yet so similar. The cars down the road were strange, the fashion was so different, and everything seemed bigger. It overwhelmed him. Apparently he had been staring at everything for to long and didn't notice a man walking toward him. The man walked right through Steve. The man shivered but kept on walking.
Steve was surprised. How did that man walk through him if he couldn't go through Charlotte? He experimented with another person. His hand went right through them. Steve was confused once again. He ran back to the comfort of the apartment. When he got there, he found Charlotte in new, daytime clothes with a cup of coffee in her hands. She was typing away at her computers as she pushed her glasses up with her index finger.
Steve didn't want to have to touch her without her consent, after all he was already watching her. And if that wasn't creepy enough, he had to see if he went through her. So slowly, he extended him arm to touch her shoulder. His hand went through the clothing but stopped at her skin. Steve was even more confused. How? Why?
Charlotte felt as if someone's cold hand was on her shoulder, but it was so cold it couldn't possibly have been alive. Still, she shivered and drank another sip of her warm coffee. It wasn't a long workday, the news was slow today. Charlotte assigned people stories and read them once they were finished. Calls were made, papers were typed, and soon enough the day was over. It was around 6 when she finished and when she did she took her glasses off and stretched incredibly.
As she extended her arms, her stomach rumbles angrily. "Oh right. Eating," Charlotte mumbled and put her computer and spiny chair away. Steve sat down at the dining table, observing Charlotte and the way she moved. He was completely intrigued by her. When she walked back into the kitchen she began looking for something easy to make. However, all of her microwave dinners were eaten and all of her Ramen was slurped.
"You could make spaghetti," Steve mentioned, noticing her noodles in the cupboard. His mother always made it for him when he was younger.
Charlotte felt as if a light bulb went off in her head. "Spaghetti it is!" she announced to the house. Steve laughed a little. Charlotte grabbed her phone and put her music on shuffle and grabbed the ingredients. The first song was Na Na Na by My Chemical Romance. Steve never heard of it but he knew it was gritty. But that doesn't mean he didn't tap his foot with it.
Charlotte loved it. She filled up the pot with water while bobbing her head up and down. The song continued as she set her oven and got another pan for the sauce. As she waited for the water to boil, she cut the onions, peppers, and garlic. Charlotte sang along in a deep and raspier voice while Steve chuckled. Once she was done she put the cut up ingredients a pan and and let it simmer.
The song changed into a more delicate one. Charlotte got excited for this one. "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collections complete?" Charlotte sang. It was her favorite Disney song. Steve did know Disney, yes, but he did not know The Little Mermaid. Still, Charlotte kept singing as she tossed the noodles in the boiled water and stirred the sauce ingredients. "Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they stay all day in the sun wandering free. Wish I could be part of that woooooorrrlllldddd," Charlotte sang. She has had a lot of practice with singing this song. Steve thought she was wonderful.
She stirred the noodles around and added the can of tomatoes in the sauce pan. She stirred it up and continued to sing. "When's it my turn? Wouldn't I love, love to explore that shore up aabbboooovveeeee?" Charlotte sang loudly as she reached her hand to the kitchen window. "Out of the sea. Wish I could be. Part of that woooorrrrllldddd." Charlotte finished. Steve clapped loudly and she bowed to no one in particular. The songs continued and so did the cooking. Eventually, the noodles were done and she drained them and kept them in the strainer. All that was left was to occasionally stir the sauce which was almost finished.
Suddenly, one of Charlotte's favorite classics came on, Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley. A grin spread across her face and Steve did the same. Seeing her smile is what made him mirror the action. Charlotte curtsied to her imaginary man that asked her to dance. Steve took this as an opportunity and stood in front of her. Charlotte put her hands up to nothing, but it was the perfect height for Steve. Her left hand rested on his shoulder and he put his hand on her waist. Their hands came together and Charlotte didn't shiver. Steve smiled widely.
Charlotte had her eyes closed, imagining a man in front of her from her eyelids, if only she truly knew. They swayed around the kitchen together, dancing to the smooth tune. Charlotte hummed to the song.
Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay? Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you.
"What a lovely song," Charlotte said to the imaginary man.
"Yes. It makes it better dancing with a lovely partner," Steve answered, not expecting to get a reply. But he looked down at her, her smile contagious and her framing it. If only she would open her eyes so he could look into them.
Charlotte laughed "Oh you are just the charmer, aren't you?" Charlotte asked.
Steve was surprised, was he supposed to respond? Did she think he was in her head? "Just for you, Charlotte," Steve responded.
Take my hand
Take my whole life, too
For I can't help falling in love with you.
Steve spun Charlotte and she laughed at what her imagination could do. And she was a tad surprised she had coordination with her eyes closed.
Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Somethings are meant to be
"You are a very good dancer, I must say," Charlotte said.
Steve laughed, "You aren't too bad yourself."
They both laughed this time. Steve loved her laugh.
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you
The song slowed until the last chords the piano remained in the air. Steve and Charlotte stopped dancing but they held each other still. Charlotte opened her eyes slowly to find there was in fact a man standing in front of her. One with blonde hair, blue eyes and a big smile. He was faded but he couldn't have been imaginary, there is only so much detail a brain can make and this extended her limit. Her eyes widened but when she blinked, he was gone. She blinked again to see if he would reappear but he didn't. Charlotte shook her head and scrunched her eyes. That was it, she was insane.
Steve quickly stepped away. Did she see him? Does she see him now? How does he even explain this. Steve stood still until Charlotte walked right past him to stir the sauce which was done by now. Steve backed away to his seat as Charlotte put a plate of spaghetti together for herself.
Charlotte ate in silence as she thought about this man she saw. He was handsome no doubt but he looked familiar. And why would he have been barley visible? She wished she could see him one more time.
If only she knew she knew that she could look straight at him with out even knowing. That part is what pained Steve. He wanted her to see him and notice him. But how would be the question.