Flying through the door yelling out Joeys name and Rubys, panic had finally set in. No one answered her calls.
"Rubz, where are you?"
Ruby came rushing out of the bathroom when she heard Charlies frantic voice.
"Where is she Rubz, Where's Joey?"
Ruby looked down, disappointment etched across her face, she was unable to put the words together.
"Rubz, seriously where is she?" Charlie's voice was well and truly hitting high notes now. Panic and terror had set in at the thought she would never see Joey again, and never be able to right the wrongs she had made.
"She… I'm sorry Charlz… she ran out of here about half an hour ago, she was a mess but she wouldn't stay. She said she couldn't, that she didn't have the strength".
No sooner had Ruby explained Joey's whereabouts (or lack there of), Charlie flew back out the door yelling to Ruby to stay home in case Joey came back. She was desperate to find her, to convince her to come back home and most importantly to make sure she was ok.
Minutes seemed like hours, metres seemed like kilometers. Charlie was exhausted, she was no closer to finding Joey. Every place she could think of had come up blank. Joey was no where to be found. Then it hit Charlie like a lightning bolt… she had stopped by the diner to grab a water and think. Where would Joey go to get away from everyone, where would be the one place she could feel safe. Just like that it hit her and so Charlie set off in a mad run again. Every muscle in her body was sore, her legs about to give way but her heart had a burning desire to keep going. Something was telling her don't stop.
Charlie had finally made it to the spot she was sure Joey would be, looking around the beach was bare, a handful of people surfing at the other end but her closest to the caves there was no one about. Taking a moment to examine her surroundings and catch her breath, Charlie looked once more beyond the sand and the sea, she could make out a person huddling near a open cave, brown hair whipping in the wind. She smiled d in relief and slowly made her way over, intent on not frightening Joey away. Upon reaching Joey, Charlie sat down next to her. Neither girl spoke a word. Resting their heads against one another, they just held each other and watched the sunset.
…..
Some time later, Charlie broke the silence which had settled over the girls since her arrival.
"Jo…. I thought you'd left…. I am so sorry for Brax's behavior and the fact that he hurt you. I broke it off you know, with him. It was inevitable as that relationship was toxic you know…" Charlie didn't know what else to say, she stammered trying to start again, her fear at Joey's silence was petrifying her.
Joey looked up at her finally, her eyes red from all the tears she had shed that afternoon. As she looked into Charlie's eyes, she was looking for anything which would suggest that Charlie was uneasy or lying. Sincerity, concern and love was all that Charlie returned in her gaze.
"I'm sorry Charlie, I needed to be alone, Ruby's a gem but she can over smother at the best of times… I didn't want to be there with her if you came back with Brax. I don't think I could have handled that kind of rejection."
Charlie was astounded at Joey's reply, even more so as she expected that Charlie remain with Brax.
"do I mean anything to you Joey? I mean more than a friend?"
Joey replied perhaps a little hastily and aggressively "you mean do I intend to give you a second chance and then leave again! You were the one that cheated Charlie, you the one who turned your back first on us. Honestly, I thought I made myself clear where my feelings lay!"
"you did Jo, I just… I wonder sometimes you know, what is it you see in me, I mean why waste your time with someone like me who's so messed up and has betrayed you, and given up all the morals that were once crystal clearly cut."
Reaching for Charlie's hand, Joey stroked in and a twinkle appearerd in her eyes "Charlie, you have everything I want in my life. I want you to be happy in your career and in your life in general. Why do you need t o question your past mistakes when you know they will bring you unhappiness and stir up unnecessary turbulent emotions. Why not just accept that I'm back, I want you and that we both have to work at it."
"Be honest this time right?" Charlie quizzed.
"Openly honest even if the truth hurts" Joey replied
"You got yourself a deal then Miss Collins" Charlie mischieviously answered. "Now I think we should get you to the hospital, check you out that Brax didn't do any permanent damage".
"Sure Charlie, but I think you're going to be carrying me as the walk over here, I think I put too much strain on it".
"OK, hop on then, it'll be a long walk back to the main road. After we fix you up up I'm going to throw the book at Brax, he's going down for this."
Putting a finger to Charlie's lips, Joey hushed her and whispered "He's lost Charlie, he doesn't have you anymore. Don't dwell on it."
"No, I insist, I'll get Watson onto it"
"Ok" Joey conceded in defeat. With that, Charlie set off slowly, holding Joey gently, both girls just keen to have broken free of the past, and keen to write a new chapter in their lives… together.