Alex's POV:
I turn off the water and step out of the shower. There is a light knock on the door.
"Hey, Alex? Can I come in and brush my teeth please?"
"Yeah, that's fine, Charlie, come on in,"
"Hello!" He exclaims as I open the door.
"Hi, yeah, there are no towels in here. I figured you wouldn't mind the view," I give him a wink.
"Yeah, whatever, I don't mind," he pushes past me to the sink.
Something was bothering him. I turn round to face him but his back is to me.
"Charlie, are you cross at me for some reason? Have I upset you?"
He doesn't look at me. He just wipes the mirror so he can see my face.
"No, Alex, I'm fine. Just don't expect us to have hot crazy sex all the time, okay?"
His words stung. I nod, solemnly, not knowing what to say. I had obviously done something to upset him.
"Sometimes I just want to be able to be around you and not get a hard on. Is that alright with you?"
"Of course that's alright, Charlie. I love you. Everything will be fine, That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't.
I wanted to hold him in my arms and tell him everything was going to be alright. He was looking at my body with those cold, hurt eyes. I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to leave.
"I'm going to go get dressed," I say, finally.
I leave the room, hurriedly. I proceed to my bedroom robotically, closing the door and putting on the first cloths I can get my hands on, not caring what they are. I sit down, blankly. I stare at my bedroom door for a few minutes before I release my mind.
What is wrong with Charlie? Is it me? Is he upset that we had sex? I hadn't even thought about him at the time. He didn't say no. I figured he wanted it….
I thunk my head against the wall. I'm so stupid! Of course that's why he's upset! He was a virgin and I took that from him without even asking. I have to talk to him. I have to apologize.
I stand up and walk out of my room and in to the hallway.
"Charlie?"
No response.
I walk in to his bedroom and look around. No sign of him.
"Charlie?"
Still no response.
I look in the kitchen and the living room. Still nothing. He left.
I go back in to my room and pick up my phone. I call him.
His cell phone rings, piercing the silence. I follow the sound back to his room. It is laying on his bed.
I disconnect the call and shove my phone in my pocket, getting worried. I put a coat on and walk outside. I fly down the stairs.
"Charlie?" I call out.
Still no answer.
I reach the street. I look up and down but there is no sign of him.
Suddenly, something whizzes past my head and hit's the ground making a light "ping". I pick it up. It's a two pence coin. I look up to its origin and see Charlie. He is standing on the edge of the building, looking strait ahead.
"Shit," I hiss, running for the stairs again.
"Charlie!" I scream as I reach the roof top.
He is still there. Staring straight ahead.
I walk up behind him, "Charlie, don't do this, please! It's only ten levels high, it won't kill you. It'll only break my heart."
He doesn't move or speak.
"Listen, Charlie, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to rush you in to all of this. I really love you and I just want this to work out."
"Doesn't it bug you?"
I smile. At least I was getting to him. As long as he talked to me, as long as I could convince him to stay, things might work out.
"What, Charlie?"
He turns around to face me, his face covered in tears, his eyes blood shot.
"That we live in a world where death seems like the only answer. That we are surrounded by people so incompetent, so judgmental, that we can't bear to be different."
I step closer to him and take him in my arms.
"Come here, Charlie. Everything's going to be alright, I promise. We have friends and family that love us. That is never going to change no matter what we do, and I love you, Charlie. That's all that matters. Being with someone you love and being with someone that loves you."
Charlie shakes in my arms as his tears soak through my shirt. I hold him and try to comfort him as he cries. We stand there for a few hours, not saying anything. Charlie has stopped crying by now and we are just holding each other.
"I'm sorry, Alex," he says to me finally.
I step back slightly so I can see his face, "Why?"
"For scaring you, for over reacting…"
"You didn't over react Charlie. I'm just glad you didn't jump."
"I love you".
I smile at him, "I love you too, Charlie".
He reaches up to kiss me on the lips.
"You want to go inside?" I ask once our lips have parted.
He nods. I take his hand and lead him down the stairs and in to our apartment once again.