The next few weeks fell into routine. Quil and Jared would come over on the weekends but always having to leave Sunday after dinner to go pull doubles the rest of the week so the younger boys of the pack could go to school and get homework done. Quil would occasionally come up during a week day to attend a meeting with Charlie to show support like Embry told him to. Denny was throwing himself into his senior project which was due at the end of the year, it had to be a full comic book and he was in love with an idea that he refused to tell. The twins were trying not to be bored in their business classes, they were already operating their own business so all of the told they were being told was just old news to them. Kim was working as a cocktail waitress Monday to Thursday night after school and was enjoying it. The women were always nice and the tips were outrageous. Just for giving people their drinks she was walking out with at least 500 every night in cash. Charlie was stripping on the nights that Kim worked so she could keep an eye on her, plus throwing in Friday nights now too to make up for the lack of hours she was getting with meetings mixed in her daily routine. She was struggling to find a balance in her crazy life now. School until 2pm then the vet clinic until 8pm then a meeting until 10pm and the club until 4am. Charlie was having trouble even finding the time to eat which has made more weight drop off of her already tiny frame. Quil was worried for her but he knew she was doing the best she could. He would wait up for her when she stumbled in the front door after her Friday night shift, tired and worn out. She refused to let him pick her up at the club so he just took to sitting on the couch playing games on his phone while he watched the clock until it was 4:25am and she would normally walk in the apartment with her eyes half shut. Today though was a special day.
Today was September 23rd, 30 days clean for Charlie. It was Saturday morning and Charlie was sleeping finally after her crazy week. Her meeting wasn't until 4pm that day so she didn't have to wake up until at least 1pm. The people of the apartment had other plans though while she slept.
"You sure shell like this?" Kim whispered to Denny as they hung a 1 Month Down on the wall of the living room.
"I could care less. She needs to see how proud we are of her," Denny places the last piece of tape on his side before they stepped back and smiled. Jared and Quil were sent on a snack run along. The boys had brought all of Charlie's favorite movies home last night from the movie store so today they could run their business.
"30 days. That's a big step," Kim told Denny as they begun laying flower petals from her bedroom door to the living room. They were going to make this all extra fancy and cheesy. Just how Charlie likes.
"Yes it is and she would have never done if not for Quil," Denny wiggled his eyebrows with a grin on his face. He had grown fond of both boys, he was even thinking of letting up on the weekend only rule but also didn't want the girls to distract themselves from school and work.
"I'll let you in on a secret," Kim whispered to Denny as she pulled the blinds closed on the sliding glass door so Denny could plug in the string lights he had hung on the ceiling.
"I do love me a good secret," Denny rubbed his hands together before going to the kitchen to pull out takeout menus. He wanted to find the Indian one. He knew Charlie would be happy with some yummy lamb curry.
"Quil totally loves her," Kim sucked in her lips after the sentence escaped her mouth. She knew Quil would kill her if he ever knew she told anyone how he felt but she also knew that both Quil and Charlie needed a push to really become a couple instead of just occasionally holding hands and a kiss here and there.
"Oh bitch!" Denny exclaimed while clapping quietly, he didn't want to do anything too loud to wake up Charlie before they were ready for her. He could not wait to get his hands on that boy. Quil needed to confess his feelings for Charlie before Charlie started thinking he didn't want anything serious with her.
"We're back," Jared opened the door while holding a bunch of plastic bags with Quil following behind him with drinks.
"Oh good! What did you get?" Denny asked while taking some bags from him to lighten his load. He quickly glanced at the time, it was close to 11am. They could probably wake up Charlie soon and not be cussed out.
"Snickers, twizzlers, Reese's, salt n vinager chips, hot fries, skittles and a thing of vanilla ice cream to go with the root beer we got," Jared started laying things out on the counter. He knew how important Charlie was to Kim and Quil so he did his best to show support. He was proud to watch her get clean, she was more clear headed and less stubborn on things like going out on the balcony with no pants when it was raining out.
"Drinks?" Kim asked as she helped Quil load the beverages in the fridge.
"Root beer, coke, ginger ale and a 12 pack of grapefruit bubble water," Quil was exhausted from waiting up all night for her to get back from work and then only sleeping four hours until Denny woke him with a plan. He was also use to not enough sleep due to double shifts so he wasn't that upset. Plus he got to spend the night one more time in the some place as his imprint.
"You boys did marvelous! Now, Quil go wake her," Denny filled up a mug full of coffee before handing it to the little lover boy. Quil grabbed it and a pack of the twizzlers before heading down the hallway. He opened up the black door into a almost pitch black room. She had hung a black blanket over the curtain rode blocking out all light. He crept quietly over to her bed and set the drink and snack on the nightstand before gently shaking her awake.
"There's no way it's one," Charlie groaned from underneath her covers.
"You're right, it's not. It's 11 but we all have a surprise for you," Quil gently pulled back the blanket to see her eyes still shut but a grumpy look on her face. He pushed some hair back away from her face, he had grown to like the black hair on her. It suited her feautures better, made her look more mysterious and cutthroat.
"It better be that coffee over there," Charlie open one eye and located the mug in the dark room. She begun reaching out for it but Quil quickly snatched it away and stood up with a smile.
"You only get it if you follow me. Blindfolded," Quil wiggled his eyebrows and felt his grin grow wider.
"Prick," Charlie swung herself out of bed before stretching. She tossed up the hat on her hoodie before snatching the bag of twizzlers on the nightstand and shoving them in her sweatpants pocket. Quil placed his free hand over his hands as he guided her out and into the living room. Denny counted down from three on his fingers before everyone shouted congratulations.
"Oh wow," Charlie laughed as she watched everyone jump and clap.
"One month! 30 days bitch! I'm so proud. So is mom and dad," Denny kissed Charlie on the forehead and gave her a giant hug. His parents couldn't believe that the wild party girl was changing.
"I didn't even realize it had been that long," Charlie was lying though. She knew. Although all the withdrawals symptoms were gone she still felt the itch to get a pill or a line from someone. She held it together though. Chugging caffeine or bubble waters like it was nobodies business and smoking cigarettes galore when she found the time. These were things that kept her mind off the drugs and alcohol.
"The twins got your favorite movies. We got your favorite snacks and drinks. We're gonna order Indian. We know you have a meeting in a bit but we figured you could celebrate before going to that," Kim's smile always lit up a whole room.
"It'll just be you and Quil tonight do we wanted to do this now," Denny explained before turning into the kitchen to finish placing the lunch order to be delivered.
"What do you mean?" Charlie suddenly got nervous. She had never been alone in the apartment with Quil. Sure, they've been together alone plenty but always in the open or around others. Never just him and her.
"Oh I picked up an extra shift," Denny answered before dialing the restaurants number and stepping into the twins room for silence.
"Jared and I are going out on the town," Kim gave her boyfriend a smile happy because they were going to get alone time.
"I can leave if you want," Quil blurted out before even thinking. His eyes went wide so all he did was look at his feet instead.
"No, no. It's fine," Charlie told him but her face still had fear written all over it. She took the coffee from Quil and began to chug it. Once Denny was done ordering they all sat around to start watching Big Fish while they waited for food to arrive.
Soon enough it was time to go to the meeting and time for everyone else to head out for the night. Quil and Charlie walked in silence to the rec center. Once they arrived Charlie was given hugs from everyone there, they were all proud of her as well.
"Here is your 30 day chip Charlie," Miss Gomez held out a chain necklace with a poker chip on it. The number 30 engraved in the middle.
"I made that," Jose announced to everyone with a grin on his face. He was proud of his new hobby.
"You did a good job. Now who wants to go first," Miss Gomez stood still the stand waiting for someone to raise their hand and was shocked when Charlie did. Usually they get a hall pass on their chip days.
"I think about using all the time. Like, would one line throw me backwards? One pill? One drink? My entire apartment have rearranged everything they do. The twins I live with no longer talk about their beer business in front of me. Kim won't go to any college party. Poor Denny now refuses to buy champagne for mimosas on Family Sundays so now we all drink sparkling cider. I mean...they all changed because I'm an addict and I hate myself for that," Charlie didn't wait for anyone to respond before she stepped down and left the room. Quil got up from his normal seat and waved at everybody before following suit. Charlie was already outside lighting up her cigarette.
"Can we just go home and watch The Princess Bride?" Charlie asked while trying to steady her voice. She wished she had her sunglasses still.
"Anything you want," Quil told her because they started walking to the apartment building. Once they got back it was getting dark but they could hear the music already blasting from the party houses. Quil put the dvd in while Charlie made herself another cup of coffee and grabbed a bunch of snacks.
"I'm glad you aren't one of those guys who are grossed out by the amount of junk I'm about to consume," Charlie said while opening a bag of salt n vinegar chips. For once in weeks she was starving.
"I pretty much consume a horse on a daily basis so you're fine," Quil laughed but he knew serious. He ate anything and everything he saw usually to fuel his appetite.
"Twenty questions," Charlie turned to look at the man who was actually watching the romance movie. Quil sat up straight on the other end of the couch and turned to face her. He grabbed a twizzler before telling himself to just breath, stay on normal questions.
"Favorite color?" Quil asked but Charlie scoffed.
"Lame. Purple. Favorite place you've been to?" Charlie asked while taking a bit of the twizzler in Quils hand.
"Here? It's fun and exciting. Always something new happening. Favorite place you've lived?" Quil asked while taking a drink out of a bubble water can.
"Easy, Austin. Best food. Best atmosphere. Best manners. Best art scene. Favorite thing to do?" Charlie asked before taking the can that Quil was holding out for her to drink out of.
"Um...this. Doing this," Quil didn't break eye contact for once as he answered. Charlie raised her eyebrows at him to explain.
"Hanging our with you. And everybody. It's my favorite thing to do. It's fun and exciting and full of energy all the time. I like that it's something different everytime. New food, new movies, new adventures. My favorite thing to do is learning about you," Quil gulped as he watched Charlie set the drink down.
"About me? You sit in a room full of junkies like four times a week and your favorite thing to do is learn about me? How fucked up I am? How crazy I am? How bad I want some coke or a Xanax?" Charlie felt the heat rising in her face.
"No! I mean, yes I enjoy learning about that stuff too. That's the open and bare stuff but I also enjoy learning little facts about you. The things you like and things you don't like," Quil watched as Charlie stood up and continued to stare at his imprint. He was trying to read her mind and wished he had Edwards power for once.
"Then you really are crazy," Charlie whispered before closing the few steps in between her standing and him sitting to kiss him. Hard. Her lips crashed on his like it would give her life. Quil didn't wait long before reacting and kissing back with enough force to not hurt her but give her what she wanted. They stayed like that for a few minutes before jumping apart when a knock came on the door.
"Fuck," Charlie whispered before fixing her hoodie and going to the front door. She unlocked it and opened it to see a guy from her Chemistry class, she believe his name Frank. Before she could even say hello Frank was rushing to get a sentence out.
"Kim...Russell...boyfriend...you need to just follow me now," Frank just took off running and Charlie wasted no time to follow. Quil was right behind her worried. Russell was the asshole from the party and he could only wonder what was going on with Jared and Kim around that dickhead. It had to be no good.