The next morning Charlie snuck out of Winnie's grip to make some 'im sorry' breakfast. As he cooked he started thinking of all the ways to say sorry to Winnie. He decided on making some waffles. Her favorites. No one really understood her when she said she liked waffles more than pancakes. She always said she loved them because of all the pockets you could put things in. Charlie laughed remembering when she told him that for the first time. Soon Winnie did wake up. She sat in her bed remembering all the events that had happened last night.
"Morning." Winnie said shyly as she saw Charlie making her favorite breakfast.
"Good morning sleeping beauty." He said, sending her a smile. She sat down on the counter across from Charlie. She didn't want him to remember either. Sadly, he did..
"So, about last night." He started as she sighed
"I'm so sorry Charlie. I never should have kissed Owen." She said, starting to ramble. Charlie walked over to her and put his hand on her leg which made her stop speaking.
"I'm not mad at you Win, it was all my fault anyways." He said making the brunette girl confused
"Nothing was your fault Charlie, it was all mine." She said putting her hand on his.
"I should've done this a long time ago. Win, I don't know why I waited 10 years." He paused grabbing her hand in his. " I like you Winne Jane Jones. I have since you kissed me under that basketball hoop in kindergarten. It took me until I was 12 to realize but now I've wasted ten years watching you go from one failed relationship to the next. Holding you in my arms after every heartbreak. Made me just want to scream it to you. I liked you then and I like you a whole lot more now." He said keeping eye contact watching as a smile grew on the smaller girl's face.
"Oh Charlie. You have no idea how long I have been waiting for you to say that. I've always had the biggest crush on you but thought you were never going to like me back like that. Which is why I always had to distract myself and get a new boyfriend." She said shyly looking away from her best friend feeling like a fool. It was until she felt his hand release hers and put it on her face turning it so she was looking back at him
"You don't know how happy it makes me to hear you say that Winnie. Come with me to set today, so I can show you off and so we can clear some things up with Owen and the rest of the cast." He said as she nodded. He helped her off the counter, gave her some waffles and then she was off to get ready.
She walked off into her room with the biggest smile she had ever had on her face. Charlie really brought out the best in her. She headed over to her closest to pick out her clothes for today. She grabbed some sweats since it was supposed to be a little bit colder than the normal today. Once she had found one of the hoodies Charlie had given her she knew that's what she was going to wear.
Charlie was in his room fist pumping in the air. This was the moment he had been waiting for, for ten years. He threw on his usual outfit and a beanie knowing his hair was going to be done on set. He walked out to the living room to find Winnie fixing her hair in their big mirror. He walked up to her and hugged her from behind. The two shared a smile together as Winnie leaned into his touch. His hugs felt different today. Like they meant something else.
"Are you ready to go love?" He asked, placing a kiss on her cheek making her blush.
"Ready." She said grabbing her purse as they headed out to Charlie's car. They got into his car and he handed her the aux. She smiled but didn't plug it in. He looked at her weirdly.
"I wanna hear your voice." She said, giving him a smile.
"Okay, what do you wanna talk about?" He said grabbing her hand and pulling it into his lap. Making her heart do a little dance. They weren't even dating yet and yet he was doing things that made her heart run a million miles an hour.
"Have you written anything lately?" She asked looking at him
"I have actually. Kenny wanted Madi and I to write a song together. I wanted to show it to you today! Plus we get to be in the recording studio today!" He said excitedly rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.
"Aw, I can't wait to hear it!" She said, the two continued talking until they arrived at the recording studio. Charlie being the gentleman he is, got out of the car and walked over to open her door for her. She blushed at the cute gesture, taking his hand as he led him into the studio room. Once they walked in together, Owen's eyes found Winnie's as she sent him an apologetic smile. They walked over to Owen and sat down next to him.
"Hey Win, did you sleep well?" He asked as she nodded
"I wanted to say that I am sorry for kissing you last night. My emotions were all over the place but I think they are all figured out now." She said looking from Owen to Charlie.
"Yeah? Did Charlie here finally confess his undying love for you?" He asks as Charlie hits his shoulder, making Winnie giggle.
"Something like that." She said bumping shoulders with Charlie, making him smile. The three of them continued talking until everyone else showed up and they got started. Madi and Savannah quickly found the girl once Charlie was called to go into the booth.
"Hey girl, how are you feeling today?" Savannah said hugging Winnie
"I'm feeling really good." She said with a smile which confused the two girls. When they left last night she was a wreck
"Ok, what happened after we left?" Asked Madi
"Well, all I remember after you left is Charlie came into my room crying and when he was walking away I asked him to stay and he did. Then this morning, he was making my favorite breakfast and told me that he had feelings for me. And that he did for 10 years." She said as her smile kept growing bigger and bigger. The two girls watch their sweet friend truly become happy, happier than last night for sure.
"Alright Charlie, take us away!" Kenny said as they started the track for him to sing along too. The song they were currently working on is called 'Bright' she always heard Charlie singing it around the house.
As Charlie sang he kept eye contact with Winnie. Winnie had chills, she had never seen Charlie sing with such passion before. Don't get her wrong he always sings with passion but, this was different! Charlie's voice was one of her favorite things in the world. When they first started having sleepovers Winnie was having a lot of nightmares and Charlie was always to rescue singing her to sleep. That's when she fell in love with his voice.
"That was the best you have ever done!" Kenny said,
"Yes, that one is definitely a keeper!" The recording artist said as every clapped for him. Making him do a little happy dance. Winnie was lucky she has someone like him in her life to always put a smile on her face and laugh when she needed to.
"Oh my gosh, Winnie! Do you love Charlie?" Savannah asked after watching their googoo eyes at each other while Charlie was recording
"What? Me? No...." She held out. Making the two girls giggle and squeak.
"You so do!!" Madi said excitedly
"Ok, maybe I do. You can't tell anyone though" She said warning the two.
On the other side of the studio, Charlie was interrogated by the two boys.
"Dude, you must like her so much.' Jermey said after Charlie had told them the whole story. Owen nodded his head agreeing with the boy.
"No man, I love her." He did not even realize what he had just said.
"No, you can't tell anyone that I said that. That stays between us." Charlie said immediately after making the boys swear to secrecy. He didn't want Winnie to find out from anyone other than him. He wanted to make it special for her. He knows how many times she's been told that but never really meant it. He wanted it to mean something to her.
"Hey! Char, that was soooooo good!" Winnie said breaking apart the group of boys to hug her best friend. The other two boys had made their way to see their other castmates. Leaving the pair alone.
"Yeah? Well, I had my good luck charm here with me." He said sending her a wink making her laugh
"Oh stop, you are just amazing no matter what!" She said honestly making him smile
"So where to next?" She asked as they headed out of the studio and back to Charlie's car.
"Back to the set now!" He said opening her car door for her.
"Always a gentleman." She never told anyone or said anything but it's always the little things that make her swoon over Charlie. Like him opening her car door. Grabbing her hand when she least expects it . Swooping her up into the biggest hug just because he was happy. Charlie really was her soulmate.
Once they got back to the set the girls instantly came and grabbed Winnie to show her all the things they were working on. Charlie reluctantly let her go as he went off to go find the boys and Kenny. Little did they know the four girls and boys were actually planning something to get them to confess their true feelings for each other.
"Hey! We wanted to show you something!" They said dragging Winnie over to the school set. Distracting her from the boys. They took her away and started giving her a tour of the whole set while the boys worked on helping Charlie set up his trailer. They had snuck some props and made sure to set the mood for the two. Putting flower petals leading into and around his trailer with some led candles. Charlie laughed at all the effort they were putting into this but he didn't mind because hopefully by tonight he would have the girl of his dreams
"Ok, now here are the trailers and ope, look there's Charlie. Okay bye." They said dropping her off in Charlie's hands making Winnie really confused.
"What's going on Char?" She asked looking at her surroundings.
"Do you trust me?" He said grabbing both of her hands and looking into her eyes.
"With all my heart." She said honestly.
"Follow me." He said leading her into his trailer where they were surrounded by rose petals and candles. Even if everything was just fake and props it still made her heart melt. She really had no idea what was about to happen but she trusted him every step of the way.
"So you are probably wondering what we are doing here and what is about to happen. Nothing bad, just that you are stuck in a room with me for a while." He says, making her laugh.
"Winnie, I know I already told you how I felt about you this morning but I never told you how I really felt." He said, making Winnie a little confused.
"i , um so I." He paused stumbling over his words. "I love you Win. I have for such a long time. I've watched you go through every heartache from guys who have said that but never really meant it. So I am telling you know and meaning every word. I love-" He said getting cut off but Winne grabbing his face and kissing him with all she's got. They rested their foreheads together breathless as Winnie said,
"I love you Charlie Gillespie."