Disclaimer : I don't own anything so there!

HOCKEY-GIRL90 : Honestly, I purposely left the name of the mystery guy out because I was unsure who to make it. Anyways glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

CAKEEATER : Nothing gets by you does it? Lol. My new task in life is to get one over on you lol. Charlie actually does love her, he said so in his speech at the end of the last chapter "But it doesn't mean I love her any less". But lets face it, can you blame him for feeling different toward her after everything. Anyways thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

CONNIE/CHARLIE FAN : Thanks for the support and review. CHEERS MI DEARS!

Chapter 14

CONNIE'S P.O.V

I can't believe he was saying those things. I thought he was the only person I could trust no matter what. Everything I had been through these passed few weeks, he's stood by my side, comforting me all the way. But it was all one big lie. "YES, ok, Connie isn't the same person to me anymore, but God, how can she be. She is different no matter how you look at it. She herself acts and thinks differently". I never thought words could hurt as much as that. They had been spoken by, the one person I thought I could count on the most.

I backed away from the door before I allowed any sound at all to escape my lips. How could he have the nerve to act, because that's all it was 'acting', act like the ever loving supportive boyfriend, when all along, he felt that way about me. All my fears about people looking at me differently, he had stomped on, telling me it was all in my imagination. How he could do that was incomprehensible to me?

I ran back to my dorm, tears pouring from me eyes in anger, hurt, humiliation and fear. Julie wasn't in, and I slammed the door shut, before locking it securely, then bounding over to my bed, where I cried heavily into my pillow. Was I that pathetic that he'd lied to me all along about how he felt, and how he'd be there for me no matter what? It made me start to ponder how many more things he'd lied to me about. Had our full relationship been one big lie? He wasn't the Charlie I had grown up with, grown to love as more than a brother.

After I had calmed slightly and my breathing had slowed to a steady rate, I sat up, hugging my pillow to my chest. There sat on my bedside table was a picture of me and Charlie in our happier times. I lifted it gently, running my fingers tenderly over the photo. Within a second I was throwing it across the room, wanting to never see it again, or rather Charlie again. Tears ran again from my eyes, but I wiped them away quickly, but they were soon replaced by fresh tears. The quicker I wiped them away, the quicker they came.

Needing something to do, I grabbed the nearest back and emptied it's contents out on my bed, then repacking it, with anything I could find that represented Charlie or anything he had given me. Once satisfied that I had everything of his in the bag, I dumped it by the door, ready for when he came round or when I saw him next. The tears came more furiously in the thought of having to see him again.

"Con it's just me Jules, let me in will you"? She shouted through the door along with the gentle tap, tap of her knocking.

I fumbled with the locks and opened it, allowing her entrance, then closing and locking it again after her. She had neither seen my face or the bag sat by the door, but I knew she'd already picked up on the tense atmosphere that had surrounded the room already.

"Um Con, what's your photo doing on the floor"? Julie asked, picking the photo I had earlier thrown across the room up, and turning to face me. "Oh my God what's wrong"? She saw my face and pulled me into a hug straight away.

I told her everything I had heard Charlie say. She sat and listened to me as I poured my heart out to her, nodding occasionally, but never the less keeping any opinion she might have to herself until I had finished my explanation of events.

"Are you sure you didn't mishear him or take what he said in the wrong context"? She asked carefully.

"He was shouting it at someone". I said whilst shaking my head miserably. "I still love him soo much Jules, but he's lied to me, pretended to feel something for me that he clearly doesn't. I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him, he's hurt me too much". I wept.

"Well ok. You've both been going through a rough patch these passed few weeks. So what you're going to do, is spend a little time apart from each other, and if you're meant to be together, you'll find a way to get back together". She told me gently.

She hugged me gently telling me everything would be ok, and she knew I must be hurting at the moment but everything would turn out ok. I felt like turning around and telling her she had no idea how much it hurt, and that I hoped she'd never have to go through this pain.

I didn't see Charlie that evening, but dreaded the following day. It was a Saturday, and we always did things together at weekends. I knew that I wouldn't be strong enough to spend the day with him, pretending everything was ok, when it clearly wasn't. I knew Julie, knew that too, and though she told me she'd spend the day with me, I declined her invitation telling her I'd just bum her out too, and that was the last thing I wanted to do. She tried to convince me that I wouldn't but I eventually got her to go meet Portman, and convince her I would be ok on my own.

About an hour later, there was a knock on the door, and I knew it was Charlie. Who else could it be? Julie was out somewhere with Portman and the others, the ducks wouldn't think twice about bothering me. Yet Charlie had this thing where he thought he had a duty to withhold toward me. I swung the door open without even thinking.

"I see I didn't need my social security number this time". He joked, a smile playing on his lips.

"What do you want Charlie"? I asked, though not as bitterly as I assumed my first words to him would be.

"Well um Jules said you didn't want to hang out, so I thought I'd come check on you. What's wrong"? He seemed a little shocked as to why I wasn't stepping back and letting him in.

"Might be quicker if you told me what was right". I retorted seeing confusion cross his every feature. "It's over Charlie". I almost muttered, feeling my emotions conflict suddenly.

"What? Why"? He almost yelled.

"I think you know why. I've just been too stupid to notice".

"Enlighten me"?

"We were stupid to think that we could survive this". I told him. "I'm a different person to you now".

"No you're not. You're still my Connie". He stepped forward attempting to take me in a hug, but I stepped back too.

"Charlie, you look at me and all you can see is a tainted version of the Connie you used to love".

"You're wrong". He told me adamantly.

"Am I? Then why did I hear you saying that I was different to you now, and that I'm not the same person to you anymore". I felt my tears start to come, but I forced them away. "I don't blame you Charlie, I really don't. I just wished you could have been honest with me from the start". I spoke gently.

"I… I didn't mean it the way it sounded, Connie I love you". His voice turned soft and gentle, almost as though he were pleading with me to believe him.

"I never doubted your love Charlie, and I still don't. But honestly, I do think you meant every word exactly the way it sounded. We've been through a lot together, but we were just stupid enough to believe nothing would change between us".

"Connie, please don't do this"? I could see the hurt in his eyes, and my stomach churned.

"You have been my rock Charlie over the passed few weeks, I probably couldn't have gotten through this without you. But carrying on isn't fair on either of us".

"Connie"… He began.

"Please Charlie, just leave". I muttered, tears really forcing hard not to spill as I offered him the bag from beside the door.

He nodded mutely, took the bag and walked away. I closed the door tightly, leaning heavily on it. A stray tear rolled down my cheek. Strangely though, I felt a sense of relief peep through all the hurt and anger. I suppose I felt relief because I no longer felt myself holding Charlie back. He'd probably be able to get on with his life now. I had relied on him for too long, maybe being apart would do us both some good.

Over the next few hours, I just sat, staring at the wall. Thoughts had begun to haunt me, not long after I had spoken with Charlie. Was what I had done right? Did I make the right choice? Should I just have said I needed some time to myself, rather than a clean cut break up? Soon I began to physically, emotionally and mentally miss him. Miss knowing he was my guy, miss being his girlfriend.

For the next two days I lived in self pity. Feeling sorry for myself, trying my hardest to lock all my feelings away. I had never felt like this when I broke up with Guy. Granted we were 13 at the time, and I suppose we no longer really felt anything for each other, the way I still felt for Charlie. I was still very much in love with him, and I suppose I was going to be for some time.

"C'mon Con, cheer up. I know it's hard right now, but trust me, you did the right thing". Julie told me.

"Wish I had your optimism Jules". I replied, without lifting my head from where it rested on my arms, as I laid flat out on my bed, feet on my pillow, staring into space as I had done all weekend.

"C'mon, it's nearly time for classes". She informed me.

I almost dragged myself up off my bed, and followed her out the room. Once we neared the main building, I began noticing people looking at me, their eyes following me. At first I thought maybe I was being paranoid, but there was more and more people just staring after me, weirdly even.

"Jules". I blurted out, stopping her mid sentence.

"Yeah". She responded cheerfully.

"Why are people staring at us"? I asked nervously.

"They"… She began.

"Oh hey Connie, I'm sorry to hear about what happened". Natalie, one of the girls in a few of my classes, said apologetically as she passed us.

"Um thanks". I responded a little baffled. I could see a few of the ducks heading our way. "Jules"? I glanced around myself at everyone who seemed to be leering at me, then at her.

"I think"… She began and again.

"NO! Please God tell me they don't"?

So what do you think? PLEASE R&R!