27
Charlotte heard the familiar doorbell echo throughout the mansion. She stood on the front step, balancing on the balls of her feet almost ready to turn and leg it down the long driveway. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t feeling pretty anxious about seeing all her friends for the first time in two weeks.
The door swung open and she saw the side of Eli’s head, the shocking black messy hair she’d found herself smiling at one more than one occasion. He was looking over his shoulder into the house laughing at something someone was doing behind him, swinging around his eyes settled on Charlotte. The smile slowly slipped off his face, but his eyes still had that sparkle of interest behind them.
‘Well hello stranger,’ he leant against the doorframe, his stare sweeping over her from head to toe and Charlotte felt a familiar shiver under his gaze.
‘Hey there,’ she took a deep breath.
It had been two weeks since she’d seen Eli or even spoken to him. She wasn’t sure how her just rocking up on his doorstep would be received. The last thing she remembered was waiting in anticipation for Chuck to return with the news, and her and Eli sitting on the living room couch all cleaned up after their showers. Charlotte was shivering, not because she was cold but maybe from the horror of the last twelve hours of her life.
She remembered Grace peering out the window, her shoulders sinking in relief, ‘He’s back.’ She raced toward the front door pulling it open and the blue and red lights poured into the hallway illuminating it, and Grace’s face caught the lights making her look a little freaky.
Chuck had reached out for Grace trying to pull her into a hug but she pushed him back shaking her head, ‘Did you catch him? I need to know.’
Chuck nodded, his eyes seeking Charlotte out on the couch. ‘We have him. He’s been taken to the local station under strict surveillance. You’re safe.’
Charlotte’s shoulders sagged in relief and she could feel the tears streaming down her face as she rushed over to her mother into a tight hug.
‘Thank you,’ she remembered whispering to Chuck as he enveloped his two girls in his arms. His own relief apparent in his body language as he squeezed them tighter.
They hadn’t noticed Eli, Max and Joyce slipping out the front door, they were too busy putting the last eight months of their life to rest.
‘How are you holding up?’ Eli frowned slightly at her. ‘Is everything sorted out with… you know?’
‘Um, yeah I guess so,’ Charlotte nodded slowly. ‘We spent the last two weeks at the police station giving statements and then giving some more statements.’ She let out a nervous chuckle. ‘But he’s in jail.’
‘You spent two weeks at a police station?’
‘Well not the whole two weeks, Chuck took Mum and I away for a little while too. Just to take a breather from everything.’
Eli’s eyes widened slightly, ‘Oh right.’
‘I’m sorry I didn’t text or call Eli,’ Charlotte felt terrible. ‘It was just so messed up, and when he was finally caught there was so much we needed to sort out as a family.’
‘Please don’t apologise Char,’ Eli’s hand reached out to her and snapped back awkwardly as though he thought better of it. He wasn’t big on affection, and to be honest didn’t really know when and what was appropriate for these kinds of situations.
‘Charlotte?’ April appeared in the doorway shoving Eli to the side giggling as he whacked into the frame. ‘I’m so glad you could make it!’
‘Oh so you invited her,’ Eli raised his eyebrows in amusement. ‘Because I certainly didn’t.’
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open slightly at his tone. Her heart sank.
‘Eli,’ April said in warning tones glaring at him. ‘Behave.’
‘Look, I can just…’
‘Charlotte, relax,’ Eli grinned. ‘I’m beyond kidding. Get your butt in here right now.’
She glared at him, ‘Ass,’ and pushed past him roughly to get inside.
‘Charlotte!’ Everyone greeted her as she entered the huge games room, Max even jumped up pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.
‘I’m so happy to see you,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘We thought you’d gone home or something.’
‘So uh, do we call still call you Charlotte?’ Polly piped up from her seat next to Tristan on the couch. ‘A little birdy told me that’s not your real name.’
‘We kind of filled everyone in,’ Eli said from behind her leaning against the doorway. She looked over her shoulder at him standing there, it was like his favourite spot or something. Just leaning casually against a doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest his shirt straining effortlessly on him. It didn’t matter where he was, he’d find something to lean against and look ridiculously cool. She felt herself blush as she looked at him and turned back to the others quickly before she could embarrass herself, ‘Well yeah my real name is Ellie actually.’
‘This is insane,’ April shook her head. ‘I can’t believe we didn’t know you were in Witness Protection the whole time you were here!’
‘I guess that’s the point isn’t it,’ Carter grinned. ‘That no one knows she was.’
‘Yeah it would defeat the purpose,’ Tristan laughed.
‘Oh shut up,’ April rolled her eyes at them turning back to her friend. ‘So are we calling you Ellie or Charlotte?’
‘I think I’m sticking with Charlotte,’ she shrugged. ‘New name, new beginnings and all that.’
‘Good,’ Eli murmured as he walked past her into the room his shoulder brushing past hers ever so slightly.
‘So does that mean you’re staying in Winchester?’ Polly grinned. ‘New beginnings and all that?’
‘Um,’ she looked up and saw Eli was busying himself getting a can of coke out of the fridge. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination but he seemed to have stilled his movements completely. ‘Yes we are.’ He straightened his back opening his drink taking a seat next to Liam.
Polly and April jumped up giving Charlotte her second bone-crunching hug for the day.
‘I’m so happy!’ April babbled excitedly. ‘This is great, when the boys told me the story I thought you’d be heading straight back to your old friends and family in Ranger Downs as soon as you could.’
‘Mum wanted us to go back at first, but her job is going really well here and Chuck is happy to stay here for a while. I do miss my friends, and it’s been amazing to actually call them and speak to them in person. One of my best friends Stacy is coming up this weekend to stay with us, so you’ll get to meet her.’
‘That’s fantastic,’ Polly grinned. ‘So that guy that was after you, is he in jail now?’
Charlotte nodded, ‘He is for now, and he was just denied bail the other day thank God.’
‘How could they give that loser bail?’ Max shook his head. ‘He’s an absolute psycho.’
‘Yeah, and he had run and hidden from the police for so long they couldn’t risk it. He’s a massive danger to society there was no way he was getting out on bail.’
‘Is it all over then?’ Eli asked from his spot on the couch.
‘Yep, I guess so.’ The corners of her mouth turned up slightly at him. She turned back to the others, ‘Definitely wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Max and Eli.’
April and Polly giggled, ‘Well aren’t we glad they were.’
‘You can thank me later,’ Max winked at her theatrically as the others laughed.
‘Where is your bathroom again?’ Charlotte turned to Eli tilting her head in the general direction of the door.
‘Down the corridor, last door on the left.’
Charlotte shut the door behind her, the loud voices shouting and music quietening down to a dull roar in the long corridor. She counted around six doors on each side of the hallway and rolled her eyes a little. Eli was beyond rich, his games room floor and hallway was bigger than her entire house! She was still smiling as she turned the corner, today went better then she had ever imagined. She was expecting them to at least be confused or annoyed why she’d gone AWOL on them after everything that had happened. Not even a phone call or a text to say she was fine and coming back. It had just seemed right at the time to focus on Grace and Chuck and heeling, and she was glad they understood. She turned the corner and let out a little gasp of horror at the couple really going for it against the bathroom door.
‘Oh God,’ Carter stepped back so fast he bumped into the wall hard when he heard her. ‘I can explain!’
‘Thalia?’ Charlotte’s eyes widened and looked over her shoulder to make sure they were alone. She turned to Carter shaking her head, ‘Oh man.’ She hadn’t even noticed Carter ducking out of the games room!
Thalia giggled, ‘ It’s not a big deal.’
Carter’s face had gone a deathly pale shade, ‘Please don’t tell him!’
‘Eli will kill you, what were you thinking?’ She groaned. ‘And me! He’s going to kill me too!’
‘I don’t know…’ He groaned softly, and his eyes met Thalia’s as he held her gaze. ‘I really like her,’ his body slumped down in embarrassment as Thalia smiled widely at him. ‘Wait, what?’ Carter turned to Charlotte confused. ‘Why would he kill you?’
‘Never you mind,’ she sighed and threw up her hands in surrender, ‘Ok, ok I won’t say anything but I really think you should tell him sooner rather then later.’
‘Thank you!’ Carter sighed in relief. ‘Yeah…we’ll uh tell him for sure.’
Thalia laughed.
‘Ok let me into the bathroom,’ Charlotte rolled her eyes. ‘And maybe take this somewhere else?’
They nodded and Charlotte smiled when she saw Carter reach out and take Thalia’s hand in his as they walked back out of the hallway.
She was still smiling as she washed her hands and opened the door widely hitting someone standing on the other side.
‘Oops, sorry,’ she giggled when she saw it was Eli. ‘I thought it was Carter and…’ She trailed off turning bright red. ‘I mean I thought it was Carter. Just Carter.’
‘Carter and who?’ Eli cocked his head slightly looking interested.
‘No…I meant… You see Carter was waiting here before and uh…’
‘Relax,’ Eli chuckled. ‘The question wasn’t meant to be hard, and I promised April I’d take it easy on you today.’ His eyes had a wicked glint in them and Charlotte swallowed hard nearly choking awkwardly.
‘I’m glad you’re here actually,’ she shook away any weird thoughts, focusing on Eli standing in front of her. ‘I wanted to thank you again for everything.’
‘You’ve already thanked me enough,’ he rolled his eyes. ‘You can thank me by stopping thanking me every time you see me.’
She laughed, ‘Ok I can definitely do that. I can’t promise the same for my Mum though.’
‘Well that I can handle,’ he grinned and Charlotte punched his arm lightly.
‘Woah there,’ he caught her fist in his hand easily, opening it with his fingers and clasping their hands together.
Charlotte stared at where they held hands, in the hallway, outside the bathroom. She was super glad she’d dried them properly when she left the bathroom, how awkward would that have been!
‘I’m so unbelievably glad you decided to stay here,’ he spoke softly pulling her in to him. Charlotte had no choice but to place her other hand on his waist, around his back as he pulled her even closer. He let go of her hand, both of his trailing down her arms, sending shivers throughout her entire body. They rested on her lower back squeezing lightly.
‘You are?’ She breathed as she looked up at his face, she was going for some eye contact but her gaze tripped up over his lips and kind of focused on them instead. Man, she missed those lips.
‘I really am,’ his mouth formed a wide smile and Charlotte couldn’t help but mirror it.
He leant down, his grip tightening over her waist as their lips met so softly. Almost testing her, tasting her…. Her own heart thumping in her chest drained out all the noise around them, it was so loud she was certain he could hear it. Completely giving away how much he affected her. He deepened the kiss, nipping at her lower lip until she opened her mouth inviting him in.
‘Oh,’ Charlotte sighed when he pulled away. Her eyes fluttered open staring at him. ‘Wow.’
‘Yep,’ he grinned, almost proudly.
‘What is it with your family and making out against the bathroom door,’ she sighed again dreamily leaning back against the door.
Eli’s grip tightened slightly, his face hardening, ‘Wait, what?’
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A/N: Sorry for the wait!! Will be trying to finish this up as soon as possible :) As per normal, as I finish up one story I begin another... Check it out if you like my style
LOVE BITES
Ruby Kensington had lost her parents. No they weren’t dead, they were literally lost. Sent to live with her Godfather and his strange but beautiful family, Ruby finds herself falling into a world she never knew existed. A world full of wealth, extravagant balls and arrogant men. They were the Vanderbilts, and they were kind of a big deal around town.
http://www.wattpad.com/story/13175714-love-bites
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