A/N
Disclaimer: I do not own Chuck or any of the characters (sadly).
Charlotte Bartowski was 8 years old when she realized she wanted to go to Stanford. She wanted to be mature. Dress mature. Just like her mother. So she took her mother's necklace and she felt like a princess. Even though she knew that princess were not mature. No. They weren't even real she was forced to remind herself. And yet she still desired to put on a dress and twirl around in it. Then the necklace broke. And her mom left.
She remembered how Ellie had hugged her. Told her it would be okay while trying to hide her own tears. How her dad looked stricken. How he didn't say much anything afterwards. It took a weeks before she stopped checking out the window everyday for her mother to return. Even now, as 18 year old, she still glanced at it sometimes hoping it'd be there.
"Charlie!" Charlie blinked her eyes for a moment processing the loud voice.
"Ellie?" She exclaimed with confusion. "Is it time to go already?" She was still in Hello Kitty pajamas. Ellie had forbidden her form taking them to Stanford so it was her last night wearing them.
"We agreed we'd leave at 3:00," Ellie said, irritation thick in her tone. "It's 2:30 and you're still in your pajamas."
"I wanted to say goodbye to Morgan." Charlie explained snuggling into her bed.
Ellie rolled her eyes. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you two were dating." With an amused grin she said. "Devon does."
"What?!" Charlie bellowed at the words. "Why would he think that? That-that's just-ugh!"
Ellie laughed at her sisters reaction. "Well most people do think that. You two are always together."
Charlie shook her head. "No way! Morgan is like my brother! My really really annoying brother but still," Her eyes softened. "My brother."
Ellie nodded. "Yeah I know. I don't know why but I know." Thinking for a moment Ellie added. "No. You know what I really don't get? Why he doesn't think of me as a sister."
"You hate hate him." Charlie reminded.
"Yeah but I wouldn't hate him if he wasn't such a-"
"Ellie!" She whined.
"Fine. I already packed your stuff, be ready in ten."
"Ellie!"
Charlie wasn't one to make friends. It wasn't that she disliked people, she was actually got along fairly well with most of them. It was just that though, fairly well was all she had. She'd only ever had one best friend-one true friend, but Morgan was miles away. She'd been at Stanford for a while now, she barely talked to her roommate or anyone for that matter.. It was easier that way she reassured herself. Ellie would argue with that logic though..
"Hey, are you in double-e 131?" That voice shocked Charlie from her thoughts. Shocked was actually a mild word to say what it did. A high pitched squeak imitated from her mouth.
"Woah!" The guy exclaimed. Dark hair, big blue eyes. If Charlie hadn't omitted romance from her life she'd fall for him in three seconds flat. "Someones jumpy." he observed, a playfulness in his voice.
"Well," She held up the book in front of her, waving it for him to see. "Very very long book. I was sorta.."
"Really into it?" He asked, a reassuring smile to go with his words. "I get it." He gestured to the book beside her. The C++ one. "It's pretty brutal, huh?"
Charlie paused processing his words. "Oh, yeah." She said. "The only reason I signed up is 'cause I'm building my own version of-" She caught herself. She knew she shouldn't be getting to excited. Especially considering how most reacted. "-uh. It's kind embarrassing actually."
"What?" The guy asked, his eyes intense.
Charlie frowned but relented. "You don't remember that old computer game, zork, do you?"
The guy's eyes lit up and smile plastered itself on his face. "You are likely to be eaten by a grue."
Charlie gaped. "Holy crap, you do remember zork!"
The guy nodded. "I love that game." He said. "I mean I haven't thought about in a while."
"Oh," Charlie nodded. "Thats probably a good thing."
The guy frowned as if extremely displeased with her answer. "I disagree. It's 1999. The next millennium belongs to the geek."
Charlie stared at him for a moment. "All right." She said, a small smile on her face. "But still, you know, text-based computer games don't exactly get you tons of girlfriends."
"Oh," His mouth formed into an 'O'. "So you're-"
"No!" Charlie shouted. "No-I mean girlfriends as in girl friends. Girl friendships."
He nodded along, amused at her outburst. "This girl Jill on my floor is nuts about everquest."
Charlie's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "If you want, you can meet her."
"Really?" Charlie exclaimed. "Right now?"
"She's over in the quad." He gestured towards said place.
Charlie hesitated. "I-I have to finish this," She held her book up once more. "Ya know for class and-hey!"
The guy took the book from her and read the cover. "Harry Potter?" He read. "That sounds just like something you'd read in class."
Charlie remained quiet.
"C'mon." He offered his hand to her. "What's the harm?"
Charlie arched an eyebrow. "You want a list? Number one would be stranger danger."
"Well then let's fix that." The guy smiled. "I'm Bryce. And you?"
"...Charlie."
"Charlie?" He frowned. "No offense but isn't that a guys name?"
Charlie grimaced. "Well it's better then what my dad used to call me."
"Which would be?"
She puckered her lips for a moment in consideration. "Chuck." She admitted. "He used to call me Chuck."
Bryce smiled. "That's cute."
"More like embarrassing."
"Well Chuck," Instead of offering his hand, he began to pick up her stuff. "We aren't strangers anymore. Would you like to go out with me?"
"Wait-wait-what?! I thought you wanted me to meet Jill!?"
Bryce nodded. "I do. I also wanted to ask you out." Charlie sighed.
"Are you always this straight forward?"
"Is that a problem?"
"No." Charlie answered, albeit slowly.
"So you'll got out with me?"
"Never said that." Charlie replied shaking her index finger at him. "But I will meet your friend Jill."
Bryce stared at her for a moment. His deep blue eyes staring straight into her own.
"Then what do you say?"
Charlie smiled. "I'll get back to you on that."
Bryce took her words with ease. "I'm good with that." He said calmly.
And for now, he was.
A/N
This is a prologue is the first thing I should say. And I don't mean this chapter I mean this whole story. It is a prologue to the story Im going to write when this is done. The main couple in it will be BrycexCharlie (Genderbent!Chuck). This is calculated to be about 3 chapters. Many things will be changed from the series. Mostly things having to do with Bryce. I hope you enjoy it and if you had any ideas pm me. Also please review!