Chuckie

Chapter theme song: 'Love Hangover' (Remake) by: Jazzy

"Here is the last box, Chuck!" Tommy yelled from the moving truck, plopping it down on the curb outside my new apartment. I wiped stray sweat from my brows before nodding with a smile, taking a breather on the stoop of the three-story, all brick apartment complex. Chicago's south side was infamous for them back in the late 1800's, early 1900's and, unfortunately due to gentrification and city politics, a substantial amount of them vanished or were tore down. I was lucky enough to grab one with a few classmates who decided it be much cheaper to rent an apartment near campus rather than stay in the dorms.

Tommy grudgingly brought the last box to the last step of the stoop. "You know, you aren't paying me enough to be your whipping boy." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "I'm not paying you at all. You're doing this out of the kindness of your heart and because we are best-friends."

"Don't forget free food!" Tommy laughed, jokingly hitting my arm. He took a seat next to me. "I'm proud of you, Chuckie. I mean that; I knew you out of all of us would make it big."

"Thanks Tommy, but what about you? Your film career is taking off."

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. "Nah, it's not. I got a few offers to film for independent films but they either never panned through or were duds at the film festivals. It's hard to make it big in Michigan, Flint Michigan of all places. I think I might move to Los Angeles after I get my degree and try some stuff out there."

"You tell your folks about your decision yet?" I whispered, looking out at the brisk, early autumn morning. I didn't care much for cooler months, but fall was an exception. I enjoyed the changing color spectrum, the newfound freshness in the air, the medium temperatures, and the crisp, nostalgic smells of warm cinnamon and apples on every corner. I watched a few dying leaves dance their way to the tip of my boots.

"I mentioned it." He spoke softly. "They think I should just give it up altogether and find a 'real' career."

"Ouch." I placed a single hand on my friend's back, rubbing him gently to let him know I was here for him whenever he needed me. I knew that as he grew older and went into our respective fields, things would become different. Tommy wasn't lying when he said I out of our gang of friends would be the more 'successful' one. I got accepted into every Ivy League domestic and abroad and was going into a guaranteed, in-demand job market where my life would be set. Tommy was never good in school, always got grades that allowed him a little wiggle room. It left him working minimum wage at the local grocer while finding out his life's conquest. Lillian dropped out her sophomore year to earn a GED because she felt the education system was a "waste of time" and is now currently taking community college classes to me a certified nursing assistant. She was getting her life together and I was proud of her. Phillip was on football scholarship at University of Michigan-Flint and for a while, everyone thought he would go professional until he tore his ACL. Since then, he hasn't been the same. Kimi is doing pretty well. She outgrew her rebellious ways and took up her interests in the arts hard core. She had a few gigs doing contemporary dance for a few underground acts and was looking to go pro. I was proud of my little sister.

I felt bad that since academics came so easy to me and it allowed me to experience a vast amount of opportunities my best-friends may not have been susceptible to, it was my duty to stay behind. Aside from my relationship with Angelica, I stayed in Michigan to stay with my friends and family. I went to Flint for two years to take some general education courses but decided that I couldn't stifle my growth for the cushion of others. I talked it over with both Kira and my father and they both wholeheartedly agreed it be best my academic strengths be fully utilized at a more prestigious university that would allow me to concentrate on medicine. Surprisingly, my best-friends supported my decision and have been behind me every step of the way.

"Don't worry about it, Tommy. Everything will fall into place the way it's supposed to."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Chuckie. It's just hard to be bombarded with constant criticism and nagging about how my life panned out and where I am going."

"Forget the naysayers. They don't understand the plight of a true artist!" I bellowed, becoming a little too theatrical. Tommy laughed at my reference and I was glad I could make him smile and get his mind off it.

"I was fourteen when I said that." He wiped a tear from his right eye, clutching his stomach in a hearty laugh. "And I was not that damn dramatic!"

"You flipped a cashmere scarf and walked off on your heels." We both laughed together, reminiscing of the good ol' days. When days were longer, responsibilities were nonexistent, and nothing else seemed to matter but each other.

Tommy patted me on the back, moving to stand and stretch. "Thanks for the laugh Chuckie. I needed it. Now, let's move this last box into your apartment so we can get that breakfast you promised me and watch the game by noon."

"Sounds like a plan!" I stood as well, digging through my front pocket to get my loose apartment keys I have yet to get a keychain for as of yet before someone called out my name. Both Tommy and I looked and I could have sworn Tommy swore under his breath; damn near dropping the box in his hand.

"Charles Finster!? Tommy Pickles?!" The woman said again, this time putting down the small white dog she had in her hand to bum rush us both with full body embraces.

"Good to see you too, Mrs. Carmichael." Tommy forced a smile, looking at me with a silent, sadistic laugh. I gave him a look that made his expression worsen much to my personal expense. She gave him a long, overdue hug and then moved to do the same to me.

"What are you boys doing in Chicago?" she glanced at my building. "Here of all places in our neighborhood of Hyde Park?"

"Chuckie goes to the school up the way and I just came to visit for a few days and help him settle in."

Mrs. Carmichael beamed with excitement. She clapped her leather gloved hands, tightening the waist belt of her leopard print trench coat. "I always knew you would do spectacular things, Charles. You going to take up medicine, correct?" I nodded. "Marvelous! This is a great school choice and a great neighborhood; very hipster, progressive, chic that you young kids now days enjoy."

I thanked her with a smile, my gaze not leaving that of Susie's. She remained at bay, pretending to be deeply entranced in full-blown conversation with her husband, Travis. His jaw was clenched, seemingly irritated and he kept casting side glances my way every so often.

She looked damn good in her all black ensemble of denim jeans, long sleeve turtle neck, and leather jacket. Her long, curly brown hair was in a modest French braid down the middle that kissed the middle of her back with ease as her gold hoop earrings accentuated her face. Even when she didn't try, she was stunning.

Mrs. Carmichael turned around to face both Susie and Travis. "Susie! Travis! Don't be rude, come say hello to Tommy and Chuckie."

Susie shook her head vigorously, plastering a small smile across her lightly glossed lips. Her lips were perfect. "I'm still getting over a cold, mother." She waved at both Tommy and I. "Good to see you Tommy, Chuckie."

Travis nodded in acknowledgement of me and Tommy's presence and left it at that. Mrs. Carmichael sighed. "I apologize about my daughter and son-in-law's behavior. They were having a small tiff earlier about where to have breakfast this morning. You know, you should come by sometime Chuckie; we live only five blocks north of you. It's no more than a ten minute walk at best."

"Fascinating." Tommy replied, chuckling. I lightly kicked him.

Mrs. Carmichael nodded, happily smiling. "I must go, but here is my business card which has both my cell and office line. Give me a ring and the next time we have family dinner I would like to see your butt at my dinner table." She removed her business card from her exotic leather clutch, giving one to Tommy as well to not be rude.

"Thank you."

"Well, I must go. Fiona over there needs to get her shots after breakfast so I am on a strict schedule. But fabulous to see you both. Don't be strangers!"

She gave us both one last hug and turned on her heels to prance down the street, her stilettos clacking ominously. I watched Susie and Travis follow suit, Susie turning around briefly to have her eyes locked with mine. She turned back around just as quickly.

Tommy began to make a joke but I cut him off and told him I wasn't in the mood for it; which he brushed off anyway with a hearty laugh.

I thumbed my cup of coffee, reading over this week's assigned readings before class. I took a well-deserved sip, biting into my dry bagel afterwards. I took a few notes on my laptop and went back to reading again, highlighting a few lines that seemed important. The bell to the coffee shop rang, my eyes instinctually darting to the doorway. I smiled. Angelica.

She looked great…stunning actually. She cut her hair into a cute, wavy bob with the ends dyed a tint of greenish blue. She wore less makeup, which I preferred on my women, and had her face framed with cute black rectangular non-prescription glasses. I watched how her sun dress hugged her curves as her jacket and scarf kept her warm. She was beautiful.

I stood to hug her, she returning the favor in silence. I inhaled her scent of vanilla and fruit scented shampoo, careful not to snag her necklace on the string of my hooded sweat shirt. I pulled away, placing a small kiss on her cheek. "You look great."

She smiled. "Of course I do, but thank you. So do you." She scanned me with a grin. "You look like a true college student. College sweat shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Nice."

I laughed, sitting down with her following my lead. "Hey, as hard as they classes are, laundry has taken a back seat on my to-do list."

"Maybe if you invite me over more often, I could do it for you do it could be one less thing for you to worry about."

I looked at her, she still keeping that sly smirk across her face before grabbing my half-eaten raisin bagel to take a bite. I decided to change subjects. "So I take it you found the place alright? I know this particular coffee shop is hidden on campus from those who don't know about it."

"Yeah, I found it alright. My mom had a few meetings at the hospital back when I was younger so I always came in here to get hot cocoa and cookies when I was little. I knew exactly where you were."

"Good." There was a small spell of silence. It was a tad bit awkward considering Angelica and I broke up a few months ago and just started to recently reconnect. She took our breakup a little hard and cut me out of her life completely. It pained me that the woman I love could just treat me like I was a stranger on the street with ease but I allowed her to heal in her own way as I did mine. Looking in retrospect, we broke up over something petty- I believe it was an argument over who washed dishes last- but it was one petty argument to a long list of many.

Angelica had a tendency to turn anything into a world war and it was emotionally and mentally draining. When we weren't arguing, we were either making love or getting ready to argue. I don't think Angelica knows how to be in a relationship which is why I suggested we take time apart. We never did normal 'couple' things and when we were together it was dull. It didn't start off that way but it somehow transformed into that and I kept asking myself the same question over and over again:

How did we get here?

Although my feelings for Angelica never ebbed, I found myself growing; wanting more from Angelica than what she was willing to give me. I wanted to know more about her than what I already knew- hell what everyone else knew- aside from her favorite sexual position and some personal secrets. I wanted to know her ambitions, her deepest fears, most audacious dreams, and the crypts of her mind that only she and the chosen few dwelled. I wanted to know it all and for some reason or another she kept me at bay. It never led me astray from Angelica but it had me grow impatient in our stagnant relationship.

"So how long are you in Chicago for?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"A few days." She took another bite. "I am staying a bit longer than anticipated because I am apartment hunting."

That stopped me cold, me looking at her with piqued curiosity. "Come again?"

She shrugged, her eyes locked with mine. "I was thinking about moving here permanently. My mom supports it and my dad is funding it so why not?"

"What about school?"

"I was going to take classes at a community college nearby to get certified as a paralegal and work at one of my dad's friend's law firm downtown starting in late January."

I was speechless. Had she been giving this much more thought than she put on? How long had she been contemplating this move?

"Why…here?"

She giggled. "Why the shock? Is Chicago not big enough for the both of us?"

"I'm just curious. You never gave thought to moving out of Flint before recently so I just wanted to know why here of all places?"

She remained silent, finishing off my bagel. She grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth. She looked tantalizing, tracing the curves of her peach, rose kissed lips that I remember maiming all too well. "Must you even ask, Finster. You are clearly smart as they come."

I sipped my lukewarm coffee. "I don't know what to say."

"Say nothing then." She scoffed, standing up to leave. I raced to stop her. "I have to go, Chuckie."

"No, I'm sorry, Angelica. I just don't know how to respond to that. You are moving several states away for me and we aren't even together anymore."

"We can be if you stop playing and realize you still love me."

"I never said I didn't love you, Angelica." I whispered lowly. "I never stopped. But things changed and more specifically, you are engaged to Harold Frumpkin!"

She folded her arms over her protruding chest angrily, hiding her engagement ring she thought I didn't catch on first glance. I heard through the grape vine that Harold had proposed to Angelica a few days after I had left at one of his family's cook outs. I also heard she only accepted under the condition that he always take care of her. Everyone knew Harold was undyingly in everlasting love with Angelica Pickles; and maybe at one point, Angelica had genuine feelings for Harold that could have been turned into true love if given the time to develop properly. But with her lingering feelings for me that never truly got out of neither of our systems, it left Harold with the short end of the stick.

But I couldn't talk. While Angelica and I were on break, I found solace in talking to Susie Carmichael- who is VERY much a married woman. It initially started out at strictly platonic and on a friendship level. She would give me advice on what to do to begin to heal from my relationship with Angelica, what to say, if the mild depression I was experiencing was normal, if I should date immediately after or have a grieving period, basically anything. She counseled me, consoled me, and because she was one of the few people that knew Angelica as well as I did, I gravitated towards her for advice more often than none because no one aside from her and her parents could truly understand what I was going through in dating Angelica Charlotte Pickles- and even it's debatable if her parents could at all.

When we weren't talking about my woes with Angelica, we were actually spending time with each other; doing things that Angelica and I should have been doing when we were together. We went out to arcades, the movies, theme parks, even had movie nights at each other's houses to horrible horror movies for fun. When we weren't active, we were in each other's company purely enjoying each other's conversation. It flowed freely and wasn't forced or awkward. It was like talking to Tommy or Lil or Phil- one of my best friends and it was something I never knew I needed in a relationship. I enjoyed that most about my relationship with Susie.

Things took a slight turn for the worst when Susie came over my home around two in the morning on the eve of her birthday. I remember that night like it was yesterday because it was when we had unusual flash floods for the summer in Flint and it was the night Susie and I made love. She was drenched with rain and I immediately let her in and gave her some clothes to change into. She came out of the bathroom with one of my oversized t-shirts with her damp hair in a high bun. She told me after a considerable amount of me holding her in darkness to the smooth sounds of acoustic jazz and softening rain against glass that her husband had another violent episode after refusing to take his medication for several days. He charged at her with a knife, even threatening to kill her and then himself if she didn't love him like she used to anymore.

Her tears strummed against my shirt like liquid metal and all I could do was console her the same way she had with me in my episodes of helplessness with Angelica. One thing led to another and I found myself carrying her to my bedroom to lay her down on my twin sized bed in the kiss of early dawn, turning off the lights.

"But at least I'm not married." She shot back angrily, glaring at me. "Are you still in pursuit of Susie?"

I groaned, rubbing my hands across my face in frustration. "Does it matter? We broke up and you gave me the green light to talk to her romantically."

"Well, that was before I thought you two would actually hit it off, Chuckie."

"So what were you expecting, Angelica?" my voice coming off a little stonier than anticipated. But she was irking me.

"To be honest, Chuckie, I was expecting you both to maybe sleep together but not go further than that. I'm not dumb enough to know that you two have not been intimate but I did not expect you to fall in love with her." Her voice trailed off, cracking slightly. My face softened.

"Angelica…"

"Am I wrong?"

A long spell of silence.

"Angelica, can we talk about this a little later? I have class in a bit and I don't want us to divulge into this conversation unable to finish."

"Sure." She curtly responded, turning to exit the building through the turnstile angrily. I sighed, scurrying to pack up my things to catch up to her. I left a tip on the table and raced out the door. I finally caught up to her as she neared her parked car where her driver awaited her with a smile.

I forcefully shut the door before she could enter; she spinning around angrily to verbally bash me. But I cut her off with a kiss. I could tell she thought about if she should pull away or not but ultimately, succumbed to my advances. I ran my hands through her voluminous hair; she wrapping her arms around my neck to deepen the kiss. My hands traveled down to her waist, cupping her bottom as she meshed against my skin. I heard the driver clear his throat as he opened the car door, only to return to the driver's side and enter.

Angelica was the first one to break our kiss, her eyes laden with lust and uninhibited passion. She grabbed my hand and led me into the pristine vehicle to be met with the supple leather of her spacious backseat. Her tongue traced the entrance of my mouth, begging for access that I happily allowed. My hands roamed her smooth, flawless legs, pulling up her sun dress to expose her milky thighs as her hands pranced up my sweatshirt.

"Driver, roll up the partition please?"

If there is a cure for this…I don't want it.

If there is a remedy…I run from it.