*Charlotte*
I didn't want to get up. The twins could jump on the bed all they wanted to, I just really didn't feel like turning over. The bed shook violently as one twin came crashing down and the other went airborne. I pulled my pillow over my head, blocking out their chants as they demanded I wake up. I've barely had any sleep, that gave me the right to say no to them.
"Come on, Charlotte! Rise and shine, sweetheart!"
I sat up at the sound of my father's voice. He smiled, leaning over the bed to kiss my forehead good morning. I wouldn't get up for the twins, but for my daddy I would get up early anytime he wanted if it meant getting to see him. "Good morning," he greeted. "Rough night?" he asked while rubbing his thumbs over the bags I probably had under my eyes.
"It wasn't rough, I talked to Brant until some time this morning."
My father sat next to me on the bed, wrapping his arms around me in comfort. "Miss him?"
"Always," I giggled. "Brant is sort've irreplaceable. No one is as special as he is."
He laughed, pulling away to look at me. There was something different about him this time. He has told me too many times that he was going to be there for me more. That never went as plan. This time he seemed serious, desperate almost. For the whole time I've been here, I don't even think he's talked to Chanel over the phone or via text. She had jetted off to Paris again with a no limit credit card. Even my card had a thousand dollar spending limit on it. How could he not see how ridiculous being with her was?
None of that mattered, not as long as he was here with me. She could have all the money she wanted if it meant I got to spend time with him. He stroked down my bed hair, smiling softly at me. I leaned in, burying my face into his shoulder and enjoying the fatherly embrace he gave me. "No matter how much I'm enjoying this father-daughter moment, Charlotte needs to get ready before we're late," one of the twins spoke up. "You know how Clark gets when we're late."
At the mention of Clark, their director, my father tugged me out of the bed, yelling, "Move! Move! Move!" like a drill sergeant. "Knees to chest!"
I hightailed it into the bathroom with my suitcase since he was rushing me, and started myself up a shower. My outfit today would be a simple blue loose tank too with love written in black lettering that I had gotten from Victoria's Secret forever ago, some jean shorts, and a pair of black and white converse. I searched through my bag, finding my black undergarment set that I left out to be put on first.
"Come on, Charlotte! How long does it take you to shower?"
I rolled my eyes. "Whichever twin is outside of that door, I'm going to strangle you!" I yelled back.
"It's Caleb then!"
I shook my head, quickly disrobing and getting into the shower. I tried to clean myself well with everyone rushing me. They should've woke me earlier if they had to be at the studio at a certain time. I rinsed myself off and hurriedly pulled on my clothes while brushing my teeth. I laced up my converse, blow dried my hair, and ran out the bathroom in record time.
The first thing I did was punch Caleb in the arm. "Ow!" he hissed.
"I'm not stupid! I know you said that it was you to make it seem like it was Cale! You're the evil twin!"
He smirked, reaching out to brush a lock of hair behind my ear. "You look nice." I couldn't bring myself to strangle him, his dark blue eyes reminded me of Brant too much.
"Thank you, but you're still evil."
He nudged me to the door, urging me to get going. I looked around for my dad, but he and Jives were gone. "We're driving you to the studio," Cale explained when he saw that I was looking for my familiar bunch.
"We can handle Clark yelling at us if we're late, but your dad can't, he gets defensive," Caleb added, opening the door for me.
I remembered to grab my cell on my way out with the boys when they reminded me about it. The boys and I headed down in the elevator to the lobby of the five star hotel that someone was paying for us to stay in. The boys linked arms with me, shooting me dashing smiles as we prepared to go out into a flood of paparazzi. We went through the circle around door, ducking our heads like we have been told to do ever since we were sucked into this life.
The twins were spectacular when it came to handling the paparazzi situation. They were polite, but stern. One thin guy with a scruffy beard asked me if I was cheating on my cowboy lover with the twins. Who dates twins at the same time? No one, that's who!
"We're not dating, Charlotte," Cale laughed from my right. "She's like our sister!"
The swarm of people snapping a million photos of us followed the boys and I to a sleek black Mercedes that chirped when Cale pulled out a set of keys and hit a button. Things got a little crazy when I went to slip inside the car to get out of the spotlight. I squeaked when I felt someone grab my butt harder than any girl would ever like. I felt so violated!
"Hey!" Caleb shouted at the guy. "She has a boyfriend, douchebag! Have some respect!"
Before anyone else could harass me, Caleb opened the backseat door for me to speed up the process. I slid into the back of the car, locking the door for caution when I was safely inside. The twins hurriedly got into the front seats to get me out of there. I barely had time to buckle my seatbelt before Cale hit the gas hard.
"I can't believe that jerk grabbed your butt!" Caleb hissed, hitting the dash in front of him. "I can't believe I didn't punch him in the face! You are not some slut wanting to jump every guy she sees!"
But that's what the media has portrayed me as back home. I wasn't as surprise as I should've been. Back in New York, I couldn't even accidentally bump into a guy without him becoming my new beau. It's a struggle I've always had ever since I hit puberty. Relationships are all these crazy paparazzi care about now. All the good someone does is never caught on camera, only the ugly.
"Caleb, calm down," Cale said, before looking back at me. "Charlotte, can you calm him down before he punches the window out of my car?"
I didn't know what to do in order to calm him down, so I slipped my hands over the seat and gave his shoulders a squeeze. "Caleb, I'm fine," I tried convincing him.
"He better hope you're fine!" he growled from the front seat.
I could only think of how Brant would've reacted if he were here. The guy probably wouldn't have even touched me if Brant was leading me to the car. Brant has a specific glare that could scare off the manliest of males when it came to me. He likes a good challenge and wouldn't hesitate to take on someone bigger than his size for my sake. He's my hero, it's what he does.
What was the best way to calm Caleb down? I couldn't kiss him like I would Brant in a situation like this, so what were my remaining options? I couldn't give him a hug until we were at the studio, I definitely wasn't going to whisper dirty things in his ear like how I would smoothly talk to Brant if he was upset, but I could distract him somehow.
"Hey, Caleb?"
"What?!" was his snappy reply.
"In Moonlight, did you really have to get naked in the lake water during that sex scene with Beverly?"
He suddenly hummed at the thought. "I can't tell you that," he answered in a cheeky tone.
"Please!" I begged. "You took off your boxer briefs in the water, but were you wearing some underneath? Maybe a speedo?"
He let out a husky laugh. "I was wearing something similar to biker shorts underneath," he explained. "It hugged my junk way to harshly, so some of those faces you see me making isn't pleasure faces, trust me."
I laughed at the thought. "And here I was thinking those pained faces were from feeling remorse toward your brother while you sexed up his girlfriend."
Cale scoffed, turning the car onto the road to the studio. "He totally enjoyed my sloppy seconds."
Caleb hit him, Cale hit back, and I reminded Cale that he was driving. Overall my plan had worked! I got Caleb to calm down for the rest of the car trip by asking random questions about the movie I've always wanted to know. When we reached the studio building, I got out the car, flying into Caleb's arms to hug him tight.
"What was that for?" he asked, hugging me back.
"For standing up for me. Thank you."
He nodded, following me to the studio door. Cale caught up with me inside and linked his arm with mine. "Smooth move back there in the car," he whispered in my ear.
I smiled to myself, then abandoned him when I saw the set, and beyond that, the food buffet that was set up with all kinds of breakfast foods. Before I reached the table, I was stopped by two strong arms. I looked back, pouting at my father. He knew I hadn't eaten this morning! Why on earth was he stopping me?
"I already made you a plate, princess. It's in your chair," he informed.
I quickly kissed his cheek and ran off the kitchen set to take a seat next to Clark, who handed me my plate of food and a fancy Fiji water. "Thank you, director, let's get this production on the roll the shall we?"
Clark laughed and reminded me that the boys were late so wardrobe and makeup had to take care of them first. I then knew why he liked them to be here so early. The earlier they get here, the more time they have to film that wasn't being wasted on powdering noses. I picked up my plastic fork and dove into some kind of breakfast casserole on my plate that tasted pretty dang amazing.
As I waited for the thing to get started, I patiently sat Indian style in my chair, eating sausage, bacon, the casserole, mini muffins, and other little doodads of food my father had scrounged up for me. In between my face stuffing I checked out the kitchen set sitting in front of a green screen.
"Hey, Mr.Clark?" I mumbled.
"Call me, Clark, Charlotte," he insisted, his eyes glued to the script.
"Clark, this is the brotherly fight scene, right?" I asked. I looked over at him, hearing him hum and seeing him nod to confirm it.
"They are fighting over Rosie, the girl they both love."
I scrunched up my nose. "But isn't that really cliché for them? In their movie Moonlight they were fighting over the same girl as well. I'm not going to tell you how to do your job, but it doesn't seem original."
He lifted his head, eyes brightening as he looked at me. "All morning I've been looking for something wrong with the script and I think you just helped me find it! Charlotte you're a genius! You're willing to play the roll as the other girl, aren't you?" he asked.
He wanted me to play one of he twins' girl? "I couldn't possibly," I breathed out. "I especially can't kiss one of them!"
He waved that thought off. "We'll work around that and find a stunt double if you're uncomfortable with kissing Cale. Just as long as you can handle hand holding and an affectionate hug."
I've never acted out anything in my whole entire life! "I don't think I can act, Clark."
"It's in your blood, sweetheart!" he exclaimed. "I'm going to have the script tweaked." He stood up, elated about our discovery. "Everyone! We're going to have a rewrite!" he yelled. My father came over, curious as to what happened. "Phillip, your daughter is a genius! We're going to make her the love interest of Cale!"
My father was just as bewildered as me when we left the studio to go back to the hotel. They couldn't film anymore scenes until the script writers figured out how I was going to be introduce and fall in love with Cale. This was perfect! I had plenty of time for Brant to call me so that we could discuss it. I didn't want to do anything that he was uncomfortable with. He was the only guy I loved, the last thing I wanted to do was make him doubt his trust for me.
--------------------------
"I'm fine with it, babe, honest," he said in his sweet caring tone. "So you'll come home for Christmas and head back?"
"That's the plan," I sighed. "But I want you to come with me. I know it's a lot to ask for since you're really busy there, but I really miss you. How am I suppose to act happy with Cale if I'm not happy because my real love is a thousand miles away?"
Brant sighed on his end, trying to figure out what to do. I was sitting outside on the balcony of the hotel room I was sharing with my guys. I was dying to see him, to hold him. It was like I wasn't complete without him here with me. "I'll come with you, I don't think I can handle one more day without you," he whispered, breathless at the thought of not being together.
"I'm sorry I keep taking you from your family and life. I know what it feels like to be taken away from your home..."
"Shh.." he hushed. "My home is wherever you are."
I smiled to myself as I mindlessly drew things on my thigh. I was the luckiest girl in the world to have such a supportive boyfriend like Brant. "You are amazing, Brant Young. I don't think I could ever be more loved by a man."
He had a smile in his tone with his next words. "And I'm never letting you go so you can find out if you can. I love you, Charlotte, and I'm pretty sure your present is going to love you too."
I perked up at the thought. "So it can love me? It's a living thing then?!"
"Maybe," he teased.
I groaned, dissatisfied once again with his answer. He was killing me with this secret! Knowing Brant he went out of his way to get me something so amazing and expensive that I was going to feel so guilty about the presents I had bought him. Maybe he wouldn't, I put a lot of thought in his gifts, one more than the rest of them.
"Well, your present is pretty amazing too," I grumbled.
"I bet it is, but I like surprises, unlike you." I really did hate not knowing things. That's why I hate Christmas and my Birthday, that is until the day arrives and all secrets were revealed.
My private conversation with Brant was interrupted when the twins came outside to join me. Cale took my phone, putting it on speakerphone for them to hear. Wouldn't you know that Brant said something embarrassing right at that moment. "I'm so lonely without you, babe," he whimpered. "I can't wait to see you, steal you away from everyone, and..."
"Brant, you're on speakerphone!" I warned. "The twins stole my phone!"
All was silent, then I heard Brant begin to laugh uncontrollably. "They really are like brothers!"
"Yes we are," Caleb said proudly. "As her nonrelated brothers, it's our duty to protect her. Speaking of, did she tell you how some guy grabbed her butt today?"
I glared at Caleb for bringing it up. I didn't want Brant worrying about that. He has enough to worry about while I'm gone, he didn't need to be anxious about me too. "No.." He mumbled. "Charlotte, some guy grabbed your butt and you didn't tell me? I will hunt this guy down, hog tie him, and cut off every one of his fingers..."
"Hence the reason why I didn't say anything," I lightly laughed. "It was no big deal, Caleb handled it perfectly."
Caleb scoffed, taking a seat on my lap since I was sitting in the only available chair out here on the balcony. "I would've handled it perfectly if I would've punched him in the face. I sadly handled it in a civilized way."
I hit him in the arm, motioning him to get off of me. All of that muscle was crushing my legs. He smirked, refusing to move. I swear he is evil! "Babe! Caleb is sitting on me!" I whined. "He's fat!"
Brant chuckled when he heard Caleb gasp in horror. "I am not fat!"
"You're putting on the pounds, buddy," Cale joked, his face sympathetic.
Caleb glared at me. He dared to pinch my cheek as punishment. "You've turned my own twin brother against me!"
I innocently batted my eyelashes, but my playfulness dropped when I overheard something on the line. "Kori? What are you doing here?" I heard Brant ask. What the heck was she doing back there?
All the thoughts I didn't want to think came rushing into my head. 'She's better than you,' my mind mocked. 'She's better for him.' I knew it was true. She was probably prettier, fitter, and wouldn't constantly make him leave home for her own selfish reasons. She was probably a better cook than me, could no doubt give him beautiful country babies that would mean the world to him. I had a feeling our babies were going to be plump little things. 'If he doesn't leave you before you have them,' my cruel brain snickered.
And then my heart says, 'He loves you, you stupid idiot.' I slight smiled, thinking about how he might think I'm pretty or perfectly shaped for him. It was possible that he liked going places with me, and that he just might love my cooking, even if I was just now learning. My heart says that he does and the internal battle inside of me was brutal, but somehow my brain always won.
Caleb suddenly nudged me, getting my attention. "Guys, is she okay?" Brant worriedly asked. "Please tell me that she isn't upset. Char? Are you listening to me? Baby I think you're beautiful and I love you."
I smiled, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "I know you do, and I love you too," I replied.
"Is that Kori girl an ex?" Cale asked.
Brant sighed and went into detail about how Brant and I use to be just friends, but I secretly loved him. He told them about the first night in a long time that he was going on a date and how he bragged how beautiful Kori was to me... "You're an idiot," Caleb tossed in. Brant simply agreed and continued on about the day I found Kori's clothes in Avery's closet and had a meltdown because she seemed so thin compared to me. That made the twins understand why I was so cautious whenever Brant and Kori were even mentioned together.
That conversation led up to yesterday's incident, and Caleb hushed Brant for a moment so that he could speak. "Brant, do you write, B and C forever and always on the mirror every time you get out of the shower?"
Brant's shock was heard through the short silent moment he put us through after hearing Caleb's question. "H-How did you know that?" Brant wondered.
"You took a picture of yourself in the mirror with Charlotte's phone. The flash made the streaks appear. She had been calling you that day to tell you that she loved you."
There was a deafening silence in between all of us. I stared at my phone sitting on Caleb's lap, wanting to know what was on Brant's mind. Caleb shouldn't have told him, I didn't want him to feel bad about anything. Brant's silence was suffocating, thank goodness he didn't leave me curious for long. "I'm sorry I wasn't the one to answer the phone first then," he said in a thick voice. "You are never leaving without me again, Charlotte Anne Jackson. Bad things happen when we're not together."
He wasn't kidding!
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Having brothers turned out not to be so bad after all. They were annoying at times, but then there were moments like the one I was experiencing now. Dad went out with Jives for some manly guy time, promising that tonight it would just be us since we had two extra people to buy presents for. He was going to take me to have a New Year's Eve dinner at some restaurant, and then we were going shopping for my new brothers.
Right now, the boys and I were watching a romance movie. It took me forever to convince them to watch it with me, but they finally sat on either side of my body on the bed and told me to play it when they saw how sad it made me that they didn't want to spend time together.
I thought the boys were watching the movie, that was until their heads simultaneously fell onto my shoulders. I giggled over them. How they fell asleep at the same time was beyond me, but they were gone. I kissed the top of Caleb's head who was on my right, then Cale's who was occupying my left. I hated that they didn't have any family this Christmas or any of their past Christmases. It didn't matter if we did this movie and I never saw or spoke to them again, they would always be brothers of mine.
I nuzzled my face into Cale's hair, the sensitive but cheeky one. It was going to be tough portraying as his love interest, mostly because I didn't feel that way about him whatsoever. How the heck do you pretend to be your brother's love interest? That's just weird.
I turned my head, nuzzling my face into Caleb's hair this time. He was the protective, cutely evil one. If Brant wasn't around but Caleb was, I had nothing to worry about. That also went for Cale. I've only known the boys for about a day and a half, and they suddenly had a special place in my heart. It was almost like I loved them just as much as I love Niona, Austin, or even Clay. I didn't know if I could walk away from this production later and not have a hole in my heart.
"Char?" I sat up straight, weakly smiling at Cale. "I'm sorry I dosed off, don't cry, I'll watch the rest of the movie with you," he rushed out while brushing a stray tear strolling down my cheek away.
"That's not why I'm crying," I sniffled. "I was just thinking about when this is all over, what will I be to you two, because I don't think I can leave and handle never hearing from either of you."
Cale hit his brother in the face, waking him up. I giggled through my tears when Caleb sat up to glare at him. Caleb looked at me and frowned. "Did the main character die?" he muttered, turning his eyes toward the TV.
"No you idiot, Charlotte is scared that she won't hear from us when the production of our movie is over with," Cale explained.
"Of course you will!" Caleb yelled, completely sure of himself. "We'll come visit you in Motown and we have your home number so that we can call and bug you all of the time. You're family now, Charlotte."
I smiled when he leaned over and pressed his lips to my temple the same time as his brother. "We'll I can't consider you family right now, Cale, you're about to be my love interest in a movie."
He wiggled his brows at me, moving back in to kiss my temple one more time. "Keep on and I'm going to tell Brant on you," I sang.
He gave a pout but retracted his lips from me. I brushed back my useless tears and heavily sighed. We still had a while to go until we went separate ways, I needed to make the most of it until then. "Do you guys wanna go to the beach?" I asked hopefully. "I haven't been in ages!"
They immediately hopped up from bed. "Let's go!" Caleb howled.
It was a good thing the boys and I packed our beach gear. My swimsuit was cute and extremely modest compared to what we might see later on. It had a red and white striped tanktop and a navy blue miniskirt bottom. I brought it because I was confident in the presence of friends and family, but in public I rather not show off the stretch marks on my stomach and lower back.
I changed in the bathroom after the guys who didn't mind sporting their muscular torsos off to the world. When I shyly forced myself out, I didn't think about how they would react, until they started hooting and whistling. "Don't you look cute," Caleb winked.
"Flirt," I teased, sticking my tongue out at him.
"I'm only being a gentlemen, it's required," he informed with a shrug. "Just like opening doors for you, unfortunately you're on your own with that one. Hold open your own door, don't be lazy."
I rolled my eyes and grabbed my cellphone from where it was charging at the night stand. I stuffed it into the only across body purse I brought along, then pulled the strap over me. "Shoes," Cale reminded.
I went back to my suitcase in the middle of the floor and pulled out my red sandals I brought for the trip. "You guys better not throw me in that ocean water," I told them on our way out. They smirked at each other, already getting bad thoughts. I have a long history of being tossed into large amounts of water, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it.
We went downstairs, arm in arm. They pulled down their aviators on top of their heads and I pouted at how cool they looked. I quickly searched my purse, finding my own aviators in one of the compartments. We walked out of that hotel in style, embracing the flashing cameras and reporters.
"Is it true that you're going to be in The Family That Fights Together, Charlotte?" one reporter asked.
"It's still being worked out, the director may change his mind," I told them as I followed the boys to the car.
"If it works out, the rumor is that you'll be Cale's love interest. Are you looking forward to that?"
I hated at what they were implying. For one, I didn't know what to say. Two, why couldn't they understand my feelings about the boys? It was starting to get frustrating. "Well, Cale is like my brother, it's going to be hard to portray it. It's also a little weird now, so I don't know what to feel."
They looked to the twins expectantly. "Are you looking forward to being Charlotte's lover, Cale?" the reporter mistakenly asked Caleb.
"This one is Cale," I corrected, nudging my thumb to the handsome twin on my right.
She turned her microphone towards him. Cale let out an awkward laugh. "Like Charlotte said, I see her a lot as my sister now, so it's a little weird, but I'm extremely comfortable with her, I guess that's going to make it easier."
He smiled my way as he opened the backseat door me, making sure that no one was close enough to grab my butt again. "A celebrity rating site has had everyone's attention. A lot of people have been ranking celebrities from hottest to not. Charlotte is struggling to even maintain a seven. What do you two boys think about that?" was the last question given. I resisted to scowl at the women when she shot me a smirk. Bastard.
"What do we think?" Cale echoed, the reporter nodded.
"She's the hottest damn seven I've ever seen in my whole entire life," Caleb told the woman before slipping into the driver's seat. He looked back to me and winked.
"Charlotte is beautiful, inside and out," Cale smiled. "I don't know why everyone always wants to make her look like a bad person."
I nearly cried at their kind words about me. No one has ever stood up to the press for me. My dad always paid them to go away instead of standing his ground to set the record straight. Paying them off just made them attack more so that they could get more money.
Cale got into the car, letting out a frustrated sigh as he buckled himself in. "Next time, brother, we start swinging," he told Caleb. "I don't like the way they talk about you, Char. They have no clue as to who you are. We know almost everything about you and it's only been a day."
I was an open book to people who I felt like I could trust. They were two people I trusted as soon as I met them. Inside of me I like to think I have a best friend radar that was pretty dang accurate. I've never had a bad friend. I let my head fall against the window, my eyes flickering in between the two twins as they chatted about how they couldn't believe that I was a measly seven. I honestly didn't think it was all that bad. Sure, I was no ten, but a seven wasn't completely horrible. It seemed average to be a seven.
"Charlotte, you know you're a ten, right?" Cale asked, looking over his shoulder trying to see me.
"If you say I am, then I guess..."
"Charlotte," Caleb sighed. "We're going to get your confidence boosted up. You're not the type to get a big head, so this might take a while, but I will make sure you know how amazing you look."
I was fine with the idea until I learned that the way we were going to build my confidence had a lot to do with walking up to random guys at the beach and ask if they would do me. I glared at Caleb for his choice of words, but were surprised we most guys said that they definitely would, the other guys walked away, glancing back at us like we were weirdos.
"Feel confident yet?" Cale asked over the roaring waves of the ocean.
"No, just embarrassed," I replied. "Can we go walk on the shore now? It doesn't matter what other guys think anyway, only Brant."
They pulled my arms around theirs, hooking elbows to lead me towards the water. "Do you feel not good enough for Brant?" Cale asked. I casually shrugged though he had hit the nail on the head. A part of me knows that he thinks I'm beautiful, he tells me all the time to make sure I know it, but sometimes I don't feel like I should be seen with him. I'm ashamed of myself, I guess.
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Charlotte. I understand that your past has made you weak in the confidence area, I'm guessing a lot of people tore you down to that level, but honestly, the self pity party has got to stop," Caleb told me in a stern and slightly hostile voice. "We get it Charlotte, you were fat, but it didn't make Brant love you any less now did it?"
Though his words were harsh, he had a very valid point. I always mope around when something like this happens or when I think of how perfect Kori probably looks to Brant. I feel undeserving, but I know he loves me. I've never actually told myself that he loved me no matter what shape I was. He loved me when I was young and the size of a baby walrus, now I was thinner and I was still insecure for some reason. I should feel proud of myself for getting where I am, I do at times, but I needed to more often.
"You're right, I'm being stupid!" Caleb gave a nod. "Brant loves my body!"
"Exactly!" the twins exclaimed.
I proudly smiled, gaining a pep in my step. No longer would I feel unworthy of Brant in that way. He loved me, I needed to start remembering what that meant. It meant that I was chosen by him and I wouldn't have been chosen if he saw something he didn't like.
The twins and I walked along the shore line, letting the ocean water come bubbling over our feet on our way to wherever the beach led us. They talked among themselves, but I enjoyed the view of L.A's coast and the setting sun. I'd have to be back soon when we're not busy so that I could come out here with my dad.
I wanted to bring Brant here to see how forever the stormy blue ocean seemed, and how the sun slowly set behind it, giving the water a special kind of sunset glow. The red and orange colors turned the water a luminous purple. I smiled to myself. I really miss Brant.
Good thing we would be reunited tomorrow or I would go insane.
"Hey, Charlotte?"
I looked up to Caleb. He gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry that I was so harsh with you, I just don't like how you think so low of yourself." He nuzzled his nose against my temple, making me giggle.
"It's okay, I needed to hear that."
"We should head back," Cale spoke up, stopping in his tracks. "Charlotte has a daddy-daughter date to attend to."
All of this spending time with my father has made me insanely happy. He has done nothing but change for me. I got to see him all the time, we talked way more than we use to, and I finally felt like his daughter again. I didn't feel like he was ashamed of me anymore.
"But before we go..." Caleb trailed of, surprising me when he pulled my purse off of my body, letting it fall to the ground.
I shrieked when Cale grabbed my feet, Caleb going for my arms. "Don't you dare!" I screamed at them. They laughed, running into the waves and carelessly tossing me high in the air. I shrieked as gravity pulled me down into the freezing cold salty water. When I resurfaced, I wasn't a happy camper. "I am going to kill you both!" I threatened, brushing back my salt water drenched hair.
They tried getting away, but weren't quick enough for this angry beast. I jumped onto Cale's back and locked my arms around his brother's neck to put him in a chokehold. Cale tripped at my impacted, bringing us all down with him into the water. We fell in some shallow water and laughed like crazy as we sat up and let the waves crash against us.
"I'm going to miss you guys," I told them when they helped me stand to my feet.
"You're only going to be gone a day, Charlotte," Caleb laughed. "It's not going to kill us to be separated for twenty-four hours."
I pouted, following them out of the ocean water. "Can't you guys come with me?" I whined. I halted at the thought. Why couldn't they fly back to Motown with me? They weren't doing anything for Christmas, they could come and meet my some day to legally be second family! "Guys! Come with me to Motown!" I insisted.
They shot me sad smiles. "We would, honest, but on Christmas we deliver presents to kids in the orphanage that we grew up in," Cale explained. "You're lucky to even get a Christmas present in an orphanage, so we buy things for every kid and their caretakers. It's kind of our tradition ever since we left."
I was disappointed, but what they were going to do, it was extremely sweet of them. All they wanted was to make the kids' experience better. They knew what it was like not growing up with parents and they wanted to give a little hope that life was better than it seemed. The twins gained a lot of money from Moonlight, they were probably getting paid even more for this film they are currently making. I liked that they weren't being greedy with their money, it showed how kind they really were.
"We're sorry, Charlotte," Caleb said as he tossed his arm over my shoulders. "Any other time we would be jetting off with you little sister."
I softly laughed and rested my head on his shoulder, thanking Caleb when he handed me my purse. "It's alright, the three Cs will be united again soon."
They bobbed their heads in agreement, leading me back up to the beach to leave. I was proud of the two boys by my sides, they were really good guys. I've always wanted siblings, I couldn't have chosen a better pair for myself. I wonder if we could adopt them even though they're nineteen.
Wait a minute...
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AN:)
Sorry the chapter is being uploaded so late. I have been staying with a six year old while her parents have gone on their honeymoon. I love Adeline, but she is a complete handful. It's my fault though, I spoil her too much. :)
So here's the chapter!
The chapter after the next is going to reveal Charlotte's present! Some of you have already guessed right. Smarty-pants!!
Here's a Trivia question: On a scale from 1 to 10, What did the Celebrity rating site say Charlotte was?
(((Bonus Question))) What did Caleb say when the reporter asked for the twins' opinion?