Chapter Text
Charlie never expected to return home after spending a little over a couple of decades away from it all. She had no complaints of how her life was as she grew, but she had a feeling there was more to life out of her hometown. The young woman wanted to live an adventurous life and see the whole world as years had passed by. She has encountered several people along the way, but there were very few that has left a scar or a loving memory she has tried to let go of as years continued to pass. Charlie has been living the life she had dreamed of for years. Though once hearing her family struggle with what's been happening to the town, she hurried home.
"I can't believe I'm back home..." Charlie mumbled, bewildered with the feeling of nostalgia blending into one odd emotion, "It looks like a lot has changed... what in heavens name turned this town into a fortress wasteland?"
She exited the bus, breathing in the unfamiliar air that reminded her nothing of home. Charlie was saddened by how different the town has become. Now she understood why her family called her back home. Slight depression fell upon her since she saw nothing familiar in the town. Discomfort began to grow inside her that she had difficulty accepting of what has happened and was impatient on finding the source of it all. Charlie walked around, examining the whole area as she was heading home. She felt uneasy by how her home was no longer home sweet home when she explored the county. As she did though, there came one man she never expected to see in her life reappear before her.
The young woman wanted to avoid him at all costs, but she was detected instantly, "Charlie...?"
"Hm? Who? Me?" She tried to pretend she was not who he called out, "I think you're mistaking me as someone else. My apologies, sir." Charlie chuckled awkwardly with uneasiness.
"I'm not an idiot, pup. Just because several years have passed does not mean I'd forget that face of yours." The brute looking man responded with meager annoyance, "Let alone forget that attitude of yours." He scoffed.
"What? Why are you calling me pup? Is that the nickname you called-"
"Charlie!" He barked, expecting honesty from her.
"Fine. Yes... it's... it's me." She sighed deeply, feeling pathetic for surrendering so easily, "Never expected to see you here, Jacob Seed." Charlie looked up at him with slight irritation, hoping her announcing his full name would annoy him in turn.
Jacob Seed- A man of few words, but several actions. He was a ruffian the time he encountered Charlie. A little hot headed, aggressive if treated wrongly, and a bit of a... control freak would be putting it lightly. More like a somewhat forceful man by the cause of his time in the army. Charlie met him during his worst time in his life and she wanted to help him get back on his feet. As a couple of years together passed, their time together was wonderful, but as their time furthered, it turned into something that seemed more like wishful thinking if being honest with each other. After one huge explosion of a fight, Charlie left him without another word. After that, everything disappeared in the blink of an eye. She tried to wash away that memory, but it of course stayed as a scar she tried to no longer recall.
"Jacob is just fine. Thanks." Jacob growled, yet tried to hide his look of annoyance just to avoid conflict, not wanting to face what happened last time, "What are you doing here?" He cocked his head to the side slightly, his brows furrowing.
"That is none of your business. So if you'll excuse me." She walked passed him, nudging him harshly in the side, showing she still hates him from last time.
"Are you fucking serious? You're still holding onto what happened last time? It happened fifteen fucking years ago!" Jacob's hands turned into tight fists, trying to hold back his anger.
Charlie didn't turn back. She didn't listen to him. She just continued to walk forward, wanting to forget everything about him and their past.
"Typical..." She spoke under her breath, trying to calm herself down from the feel of anger that built up inside her, "Always a stubbornly infuriating asshole!" She said, when in all honesty, she was one to talk, "Why the hell is he here?!" Charlie growled, her resentment toward him returning eagerly, "Why did he- Oh! My-?!"
"Charlie? Is that you?" A man bumped into her, making her take a couple steps back, "Oh, how God brings things back in mysterious ways. It must be a blessing from God to lead you here, child."
Oh, for Christ's sake... not him... Charlie thought to herself, the pit of her stomach boiling with unpleasantness, "My apologies, but I think you're mistaking me as someone-?!"
The man gently grabbed hold of Charlies wrists and turned them a little, her palms facing up, "You still have the scars..." He impulsively massaged it softly with his thumbs as though it was something he cherished painfully, "And the blue and green eyes of yours that glows so brightly is something I would never forget in my life." A faint chuckle escaped, his eyes looking straight into hers.
Not this again... not here... not now... not EVER! Charlie looked down instantly, trying to calm her racing heart. She yanked her hands away from him and masked her pained look with a glare. "I have no time for a man like you!" She snipped, "I do not have time to go down memory lane with a man like you, Joseph!" Charlie passed by him, not giving him a chance to speak, "I need a goddamn drink..."
Joseph Seed- A man of many words of wisdom. One who was becoming a preacher the time Charlie encountered him. She didn't fully believe in God, but she did believe there was a higher up. The two clicked easily, but as his years of preaching continued, it began to irritate her since that was all they spoke about. The young woman didn't have much of a complaint, but when their time together was becoming thin, she felt she was practically abandoned by the man who she thought saved her. He did technically heal her from her sorrows which helped her end her self-harm, but she felt she wasn't becoming healthy mentally so she just up and left. Charlie did suffer through the feel of guilt, but it slowly lessened as time passed.
The young woman massaged her temple by the cause of annoyance that continued to rise. She was hoping that her migraine would end soon, and yet it just continued to get worse, especially after bumping into the last man she wanted to see.
"Why are you doing this to me, God? Why him? Why them?!" She growled, "Screw this..." Charlie groaned, trying to find a way to avoid the next man.
"Charlie? What are you doing in Hope County?" Charlie was so close to avoiding this next man, but was right in view point when the man turned the direction she was heading.
The young woman wanted to keep walking, but by her cause of stopping in place, she had no choice, but to turn, "John Seed..." She sighed as she turned, trying to force a fake grin on her face.
John Seed- A man of several words who is known to be quite the charmer. He was in law school the time she encountered him. She met him through a friend that attended the same university as him. And as she spent time with him, she fell into his trap within a matter of seconds. Charlie thought she was special because of his sweet nothings that was always whispered into her ear as they held each other close, but as time passed, she noticed he spoke nothing, but lies. But she felt she should have expected that since he was becoming a lawyer and yet still fell for him. Though once she saw him with a woman named, Holly, she left without a second thought given.
Wait a sec... Charlie thought to herself, everything suddenly connecting, Don't tell me...
The young man walked up to her, about to question her presence, until Jacob and Joseph appeared alongside him. Charlie froze in place. She didn't exactly know how to react to all three of the men that stood before her. The young woman felt discomfort begin to arrive as the three men looked at each other with confusion before looking back at her.
"Charlie...?" They all said in unison.
"Of course..." A deep sigh escaped as she felt both, stupid for not realizing she practically encountered a family at separate times and awkwardness as she bumped into all the men she did not want to encounter ever again in her life, "The Seed brothers... should have known..." The young woman shook her head, laughing faintly, feeling both, pathetic and complete and utter idiocy as she was stared at by all three men she had a past with.