This dinner is a disaster thought Henry as he subtlety moved closer to Charlotte for what felt like the two millionth time in the last forty minutes.
They were sitting in a circular booth with all of the Game Shakers. Charlotte was on the end of one side while Henry was to her left and Babe was to his left. Every time he moved to the right to get near Charlotte (and further from Babe) it seemed like she mimicked his actions to be closer to him.
It was getting on his nerves that she was constantly touching him and giggling at things he knew for a fact weren't funny. However, he didn't know how to tell her to back off without hurting her feelings. He wasn't the most tactful when it came to things like this. Also, it wasn't typical that a girl hit on him when he didn't reciprocate the sentiment.
And he truly did not return her affections. She was a nice girl but she was a little too naive and too hyper for him. Plus, the most amazing woman he had ever met was already his girlfriend. He needn't look anywhere else because Charlotte provided everything he never even knew he wanted or needed in a mate.
Charlotte was truly his partner in every way. She was beautiful and smart and talented. She was confident and witty and compassionate. She was a goddess and he was lucky she even wanted to date a peasant like him. He one hundred percent knew this to be true.
He also knew that Charlotte was starting to get agitated by Babe's behavior as well. At first he didn't really understand what was happening because Charlotte is always composed. But as the long night wore on he started to notice the cracks in her facade.
It started when they first showed up outside the restaurant. Henry was helping Charlotte out of the cab when he heard his name being called in a high pitched tone.
"Henry! Hey!" Babe waves enthusiastically.
She is surrounded by Trip, Hudson and Kenzie who all greet he and Charlotte with smiles and waves as they approach.
"So guys, this food is delicious and I can't wait until you try it." Babe says while linking her arm in the crook of Henry's elbow and pulling him inside. At this action Charlotte raises one eyebrow but says nothing as she follows the group through the door.
When seated the waiter asks for drink orders and Babe proceeds to tell them that she wants a fruit punch and that Henry will take a lemonade because he loves lemonade sooooo much.
"Right Hen?" she asked while batting her eyelashes flirtatiously.
In the corner of his eye he sees Charlotte roll her eyes at the statement. Hen? Who told her she could call him that?
"Right." Henry coughed out awkwardly before the rest of the table gave their beverage choices as well.
After ordering their food the group chatted amicably while waiting for dinner to arrive. The dinner seemed to be going along fine when it suddenly all took a turn for the worst.
Henry was turned towards Char giving her some hints about a few of the events they would experience on their vacation when Babe interrupted their conversation.
"Ooh what's this?" Babe inquires while picking up Henry's hand and cradling it in both of hers. She was referring to the invisibility ring that Henry was wearing. She then decides to twist off the jewelry and place it on her own hand. She puts it on her left ring finger and then sticks the hand out for the table to admire.
"Looks good, doesn't it?" she inquires.
Her friends murmur their agreement but Charlotte just scoffs lightly, gives her the side eye and sips her iced tea with lemon.
"That's actually an invention from Schwoz, I'll take that back now." Henry says after letting her admire it for a few more moments.
He places his hand out patiently for the ring but Babe refuses to relinquish it. "Actually, I think I like it and I'll wear it for the rest of dinner."
Before Henry could reply Charlotte quickly butted in and said, "Actually, I think it's Henry's and you'll give it back now."
Charlotte then smoothly turned back to Kenzie who she was sitting across from and asked her another question about the game they were previously discussing.
Babe gave the ring back without further protest.
After they had finished their dinner, they were looking at the desert menu to decide which treat they each wanted. Henry was leaning towards the sundae or a piece of cheesecake. While he was deliberating, Babe turned to Henry and asked if he wanted to share a sundae with her. Henry politely declined, he definitely wanted his own dessert.
After deciding on a slice of cheesecake he asked everyone what they were getting. Trip and Hudson both decided on fried Oreos. Kenzie chose the chocolate cake and Babe chose the Brownie with a scoop of ice cream. Charlotte got the sundae.
After ordering their last course the waiter walked away and Babe turned to Henry for the countless time. She reached her arm up and touched the front of his hair.
To his benefit, Henry quickly pulled away and asked in an incredulous tone, "Uh…What are you doing?"
"Your hair just looked so soft, I just wanted to see for myself if that was true." Babe replied.
"You could have just asked him" Hudson responds nonchalantly.
"Yeah instead of invading his personal space." Char says lowly under her breath.
"Well is it soft?" Trip asks curiously.
"How did it feel?" Kenzie inquired simultaneously, drowning out Charlotte's annoyed grumbling.
"Amazing" she sighs out with a small smile in Henry's direction.
"Thanks? I guess?" came his weirded out response.
"You're welcome." She said happily.
Putting her hand on Henry's shoulder, she leans up to whisper in his ear "But speaking of thanks, how are you going to repay me for my help Kid Danger?"
Lightly pushing her away, Henry asked if she needed anything in particular.
"Well I was thinking that maybe we could go out on the town, just the two of us."
Clearing his throat awkwardly Henry started to reply, "Actually, Char and I are d-"
"Okay guys! I have the best part of the meal for you" the waiter says while bringing out everyone's sweets.
At this point Charlotte has had enough. She has been understanding and accommodating all night. She has tried her hardest not to make a scene about this little girl's relentless flirting but she was done.
When Char's sundae is in front of her she takes a bite to calm her nerves and then turns her head to the left.
"Babe?" Charlotte asks coyly.
"Yes?" Both Henry and Babe reply.
Charlotte smirks. That's the exact reaction she was hoping to garner.
"Do you want a bite of my ice cream?" She says while holding her spoon to Henry's face.
Henry immediately takes the spoonful of ice cream without hesitation.
Charlotte then wipes some ice cream off the corner of his mouth and licks it off her finger.
Henry stares at her lustfully the entire time.
"Mm. Delicious." She says while returning his heated gaze. Then she reaches for his hair.
"You know what Babe, Hen really does have soft hair." Charlotte says while running her fingers through his blond locks.
"I almost forgot since I hadn't touched it in a while." Henry groans as Char lightly scratches his scalp and he leans into her hand, craving more contact.
Kenzie clears her throat, breaking Henry out of his reverie.
The table goes back to their eating their desserts eagerly after that. All except Babe, who is pouting and looks as if someone has kicked her puppy.
After quickly devouring his cheesecake Henry turned to Charlotte to ask for more of her sundae.
Charlotte complied with his request by spooning another bite and holding it to his lips again. They continued alternating spoonfuls until her dessert was finished.
Since his hands were free, Char took her left hand in his right. Henry interlaced their fingers on instinct. He rubbed her palm with his thumb unconsciously. Deciding to take it a step further, Charlotte unlocked their hands and played with his slim fingers. She slowly traced each of his digits up and then back down to the center of his palm before connecting their hands again.
Babe watched this intimate action with envious eyes. Hudson was still working on his Oreos obliviously. Kenzie looked on with a dumbfounded expression while Trip nodded his head, silently praising Henry for landing a gorgeous girl like Charlotte.
When the waiter came back to clear plates and ask how everyone was paying Babe responded that everyone was separate. Henry quickly cut in that he and Charlotte were actually on a bill together.
Gathering her purse, Charlotte gave Henry a lingering kiss on the cheek and told him that she was going to the bathroom really quick.
When she left, Hudson's eyes widened in discovery. "Wait, are you guys dating?"
Henry rolled his eyes in response.
After Charlotte finished, she washed and dried her hands and was looking down into her purse for her lipstick when she heard the restroom door open.
Glancing up, she saw Babe approaching cautiously like a frightened deer. She ignored the girl and leaned closer to the mirror to reapply the fading burgundy.
"Heeeeeyyyy." Babe said nervously.
"Hi." Charlotte replied while taking a paper towel and blotting the corners of her lips.
"About that… whole thing. I'm sorry."
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to" she responds while throwing away the paper towel.
"U-ummm h-huh?" was Babe's stammered response.
Zipping up her purse, Charlotte sighed before turning towards the brunette.
"I'm not the one you've hit on constantly since we arrived in New York. I'm not the one whose personal space you've disregarded and whose boundaries you neglected. I'm not the one who you threw yourself at wholeheartedly even though you received no reciprocation." Char replies in a calm but commanding tone.
"I-I… But I- uhhhh… I wasn't trying to- umm"
"But you did. You've made Henry very uncomfortable since we've been here and that's not okay. Even if he didn't have a girlfriend, you have got to learn how to pick up a hint. He just wasn't into you."
Looking down at the floor Babe said in a small voice, "I didn't realize."
Lifting up her head by the chin Charlotte looked into the younger girls eyes. "I know, that's why I'm telling you. If a guy that you Didn't like had done what you did today, how would you feel?"
Babe took a moment to think about the question seriously. "Creeped out. Violated. Disrespected."
"Exactly. Why do you think it's any different with Henry?" Charlotte replied before grabbing her purse and leaving the bathroom.
When she returned to the table everyone was signing their receipts and leaving their tips. Henry stood up and placed his hands on her hips. "Everything okay Char?"
"Everything is fine" Charlotte replied before briefly pecking his lips.
When Babe came out of the bathroom she noticed their simple kiss and then saw Henry helping Charlotte into her coat.
Babe couldn't help but let out a large sigh in disappointment. I should have known that she was his girlfriend. He kept asking if I thought she would like certain events and saying that this needed to be the best trip ever for her. I'm so dumb. No one that hot is single.
As they all exited the restaurant and journeyed back into the chilly night air Babe asked if she could talk to Henry for a moment.
Stepping aside, Babe apologized to Henry for her behavior. She said that just because he was 'Handsome Henry' didn't mean she needed to be 'Basic Babe'. She also told him that he and Charlotte made a cute couple.
He chuckled and thanked her for the compliment then let her know that there were no hard feelings. After saying goodbye he walked over to Charlotte who was wrapping up her conversation with Trip, Kenzie and Hudson. Henry bid them goodbye as well.
As they walked in the opposite direction from the group, Henry slung his arm around Charlotte's shoulder and asked, "What did you say to her? You give her one of your famous Char Chats?"
"Maybe. What did she say to you?" Charlotte inquires while reaching up to intertwine their fingers and wrap her other arm around Henry's waist.
"She told me that she didn't mean to infringe upon my personal space and was sorry that she made me feel uneasy."
"Good for her" was Charlotte's simple reply.
"Uh Huh. So you had nothing to do with that?"
"I may have given her a quick lesson on human decency. Possibly."
"Well I know you definitely gave her a lesson on not messing with your man."
"I have no clue what you are talking about."
"You were jealous. It took me a while to notice. I wasn't sure that you could even feel that emotion, if I'm being honest." Henry laughed.
"Still not sure what you're referring to." Charlotte replied.
"Don't worry, I thought that territorial display during dessert was super sexy babe." Henry whispered to her before gently kissing the shell of her ear.
Charlotte bit her lower lip and looked up at Henry through her eyelashes.
"Don't get used to it" she deadpanned.