Hello readers! Another chapter! Managed to write this in between school! Lucky you!
To islandgirl884: I love suspense. It is honestly a writers best friend! Glad you're liking it! Keep reading!
To My name is Alice: I do apologise about the grammar mistakes, but I don't have a BETA and sometimes I miss a few things. Tried to have more description in this chapter for you! Hope you enjoy!
Happy reading!
June 11th
It had been two months since I'd talked to Danny. He hadn't called or written. Then when my mother rang she subtly hinted of his unhappiness and the fact he avoided her eye contact whenever her and Dad had dinner with the McCawley's and Danny was in attendance.
Rafe's letters to Abbie were not useful. If anything they were the opposite to my mother, stating he was happy and off on double dates with Rafe and his girl of the week. Abbie rolled her eyes every time she read some obnoxious story, knowing Danny wouldn't volunteer for these dates but merely be badgered into it by Rafe.
It was now summer and I had successfully completed my first year at college with flying colours, despite the trauma I had suffered. It was time for me to move on. There was really no point moping around after Danny when he clearly wanted nothing to with me. Shellie and Millie thought he was way out of line for saying what he had. It still didn't make sense to me. And even so, Jeremy had kept his distance after my break up, proving all of Danny's theories wrong.
I looked at the clock, it was ten past eleven in the morning. School had finished the day before and our group was going down to the Hampton's for a month. As celebration.
"Are you sure you don't want to come for a week?" I asked Abbie as I watched her pack every dress and sweater she'd bought in New York into her old, beaten up suitcase.
"No, I've gotta go home and see Ma and Pa. Besides, I want to be with Matt. We'll be looking at colleges for me to transfer too," she said smiling.
"I'll miss my best friend. I don't think we've ever spent that long away from one another," I told her sighing. She closed the suitcase and sat on top of it trying to pull the zipper closed.
"The longest we've ever been away from one another is a day," she said rolling her eyes. I laughed at her sarcasm and thought back to this time last year. We'd just graduated high school and Abbie was teasing Matty with different dates and I'd been starting to fall madly in love with Danny.
"Isn't it funny how so many things can happen in a year?" I asked her.
"Char, you have to stop thinking about him," she said as she finished with her suitcase. I turned away from her disapproving gaze and out the window. The sun was out and the sky was blue. The complete opposite of my feelings. Abbie came over to me and knelt down in front of me, forcing me to look at her.
"I can't," I mumbled pathetically.
"You did everything you could to save that relationship. You did your very best and in the end Danny's insecurity got the better of him."
"I loved him," I told her again.
"I know you did. Everyone knew you did," she said sympathetically.
"But he didn't," I whimpered.
"Charlotte Andrews, you listen to me. You're the smartest, funniest and most beautiful woman I know. You're independent and headstrong, and a year ago if you met yourself today you wouldn't recognise you! You've been a weeping mess over a boy whose got his head so far up his backside he doesn't know what he's missing," she smirked. I chuckled slightly.
"Do not compromise yourself for him. He missed out and now someone else will come along and cherish you like you deserved to be," she finished. Motivational speeches were always her thing. I smiled and she kissed my forehead.
"What would I ever do without you?" I asked her smiling.
"Lose your head, become one of those crazy ladies?" she joked. We settled in silence as we both got up and continued to pack for our holidays. I messed around with different sun hats and swim suits until a knock and a girly giggle interrupted me.
"Come on come on let's go!" Shellie's voice squealed as I opened the door. She was wearing a sundress, a big brimmed hat and sunglasses. The picture of a beach babe.
"Alright, alright," I said walking back into the room, doing a double check and grabbing my things. I said an awfully long goodbye to Abbie and in no time we were walking out of the dorm rooms and meeting the boys in the middle of the school grounds.
"Ready to mingle with the rich and famous?" Steve asked as Millie bounded over to him. They had been an official couple for a month now and beginning to become nauseatingly sweet.
"Jeremy, I cannot thank you enough for letting us come," I said as I hugged him hello. It was his father's house after all.
"Well, it was my mothers idea, they're going back to England for a bit," he told us all.
"Shall we go?" asked Shellie too excitedly.
"Uh, not yet. I'm waiting for my cousin," Jeremy told us.
"A cousin?" I asked surprised.
"Yeah, he goes to Columbia but he's meeting us here. You guys don't mind do you?" he asked.
"Not at all!" James replied. "The more, the merrier." We stood around in the sun waiting for Jeremy's cousin and we were starting to become very late. We were meant to leave at least half an hour ago.
"We'll hit traffic if we stand around much longer," Steve told Jeremy.
"Well we can't just leave," Millie replied.
"I can go get the car," James offered.
"Hang on, hang on. He's coming," Jeremy pointed to a very handsome man walking towards us. I suddenly felt nervous and didn't know why.
"Sorry, I'm late everyone," a british accent filled the air. And it wasn't Jeremy's. It seems like all of the Harrington's had migrated from England to New York.
"No problems Charlie," Jeremy said as he hugged his cousin hello. Millie looked at me confused.
"So we have two Charlie's on this trip," she joked.
"It's actually Charles," he smiled. "Charles Harrington," he said extending his arm to greet everyone.
"Charlie for short," Jeremy explained.
"So, who is this other Charlie?" he smiled, a beautiful smile at that, towards Steve and James.
"That would be me actually," I said smiling. He turned his head to face me and raised an eyebrow. "It's Charlotte really, but ever since I got here I've been Charlie," I explained.
"Alright, alright. No time for more introductions, we better get a move on," James said shoving us out of the Sarah Lawrence courtyard and into the side street where the car was parked. We all stuffed in our bags into the car and I jumped in eagerly, getting the perfect spot next to Charlie.
June 20th
We'd been here for more than a week. It had been a constant stream of camp outs, drunken nights and parties with people we'd met only the day before. It was an enchanted life, really. If only you didn't feel so horrible the next morning.
But besides that, there were beautiful beaches, lots of shopping and many polo games and garden parties to attend. Either way, you always had something to do and were very rarely bored. I shuffled around in the kitchen as it was my night to cook dinner along with Charlie. Truth be told, it was our night to cook a lot of the time as the others hadn't the slightest clue of how to boil water.
"Where'd you learn to cook?" I asked Charlie as we stood around chopping vegetables.
"France," he said smirking.
"Really?" I asked him, slight disbelief.
"I would like to say yes, but unfortunately I'm pulling your leg."
"I knew it was too good to be true," I laughed as I threw the chopped potatoes into the pot.
"No, when I was growing up I'd spend a lot of time in the kitchen with our french cook. He was so interesting that I actually paid attention to his tips," he said smiling.
"So, basically France?" I asked.
"Basically. What about you?" he asked.
"I'm from the South Charlie, every girl is born knowing how to cook," I teased.
"Then I suppose cooking every night doesn't come as unusual."
"My mum likes to do most of it, but not really," I told him. He nodded and then put his chopped vegetables in the pot and tossed them around over the heat. I cut the chicken as I watched him. His green eyes were concentrating hard on not burning anything, and the muscles in his arms flexed over and over again as he stirred them around. I was so distracted by him I managed to cut my finger.
"Ouch," I muttered as I shook my hand up and down, holding my finger.
"Let me see," he said turning around from the pan to inspect. He lifted my hand gently and opened my palm, smiling softly. He inspected it as if it were fatal.
"It seems quite deep, but a bit of a clean and tight bandage will help you live," he told me. "Sit here," he patted the table.
I jumped up onto the bench, swinging my legs back and forth like a child. He came over with the first aid kit and started tending to my wound as if he were a doctor.
"You're quite good at this," I told him.
"I hope so. I am studying to be a surgeon," he said looking up from my finger to smile at me.
"Not a lawyer like the family?" I asked feigning surprise.
"No, I made it quite clear to them it wasn't for me," he said finishing up the bandage.
"Well, you do make a wonderful doctor," I said smiling.
"Thank you," he said grabbing my waist and helping me down. I brushed off my dress and looked up to see him staring back. I blushed immediately. In fact I blushed so much I could feel my face heat up. In two months I had forgotten what it felt like to be stared at with such intensity.
When I finally got the courage to meet his gaze, he said, "You make a good patient."
June 30th
We were sitting around the campfire telling embarrassing stories about family our ourselves. Millie, Shellie, Steve, James and Jeremy were rolling drunk, laughing so loudly I could barely stand it. I sat snuggled next to Charlie. It was quite cold with the summer breeze and it was a fair hike from the beach back to our house.
"Come on, if we leave now, they won't notice us going," he whispered into my ear as Jeremy had finished telling about his grandma flashing his best friend back in England. I missed the start and didn't know how it come about, but somehow I don't think I wanted to.
"Okay," I told Charlie. He stood up first, holding out his hand for me to take. I did so, and he dragged me away. He was right, they didn't notice. The further we walked, the closer Charlie pulled me into him.
I didn't know if I should relax with him or be completely disgusted with myself for forgetting about Danny. Despite the fact Danny was wrong about Jeremy and I, did it also count for other people too? I don't know, but I chastised myself. He left me, I should be happy with someone else.
"You're quiet," he said as he looked out over the darkened sea.
"Just thinking," I replied.
"What about?" he asked.
"How it's been a while since I have been like this with someone," I told him honestly. I wasn't going to hide my past from him. If what we had ended up going anywhere, he would eventually find out and I wouldn't want it to be back home, around the dinner table with Danny sitting across from us.
"How long?" he asked.
"Three months," I told him. I looked up at him and he smiled.
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"
"Uh, well it was the distance at first, and then it was worry about your cousin coming between us and then in the end it was just too much for him," I said shrugging my shoulders. We'd stopped on our way, the water brushing our toes and our bonfire a speck in the distance.
"Well, I guess he didn't know what kind of woman he had in front of him," Charlie said caressing my face.
"Let's not talk about it, I'm here with you now," I told him. I was honest, I didn't want to talk about Danny, that stage in my life was over and I needed someone who would cherish me.
"I'm so very lucky," he said shyly. I laughed softly.
"I wish we could stay here forever," I told him as I broke the eye contact and turned around to face the sea. I was so nervous. Was I meant to be like this? I wasn't nervous with Danny. Maybe it's a good nervous though.
"Charlotte," he said turning me around slowly. "Can you just let me kiss you," he sighed. I buried my face in my hands, knowing he was ready to do it before but I'd let my nerves get in the way.
"I'm sorry," I chuckled. He laughed too and pulled my hands away from my face. He held them in his and then leant forward ever so slowly the anticipation killed me. Instead of him kissing me, I caught his face in my hands and pulled his lips to mine. I could feel him smile as his hands snaked around my torso. He picked me off the ground and held me tight. His kiss was like no other and suddenly, I didn't care that this wasn't Danny. I was glad.
July 16th
We'd left a few days after July 4th. After a week or so in the city, everyone returned to their families. Charlie dropped me off at Grand Central Station with many a kiss goodbye and the promise to pick me up when I got back.
We'd made it pretty clear to everyone of our unison and they weren't at all surprised. Jeremy even admitting he knew we'd be the perfect couple and that's why he'd invited Charlie.
I'd arrived at the station back home at six o'clock. Everyone was probably sitting down for dinner, but there was my brother, waiting for me and waving like a child.
"Charlie bear," he said squeezing me tight.
"Matty," I said. "How are you?"
"Feeling smothered by our mother now that I'm a qualified accountant," he said as he opened the door for me.
"That's still the most boring job I could ever think of," I told him when he rounded the car and started to drive off. I honestly could never get used to the fact that that was the job he'd picked. Looking after other peoples finances and numbers.
"Just because you don't like maths," he said rolling his eyes, going past the turn on the main road to get to our house.
"Uh, never mind that, you just missed the turn home," I pointed out.
"We're not going home first. Mother dearest forgot of your return home and planned a dinner with the McCawleys," he said. He looked at me to see my reaction. Which was one of mortification. This would be the first time I've seen Danny since we broke up. I began to hyperventilate. I planned to tell my parents about Charlie and all the things I've been doing in New York and now Danny and the McCawley's would witness it too.
"Can't you turn around, drop me at home and tell them I'm tired?" I asked, breathing fast.
"Charlotte, it's going to be okay. He may not even come tonight," Matthew told me.
"He lives there, of course he'll be there," I said as if he were stupid.
"Not necessarily. He got an apartment in town when the house sold."
"He sold the house?" I asked.
"Apparently," Matthew told me.
"I didn't even know," I breathed out.
"Well it's not like you two talk." I tried to calm myself down. I was getting way more than I bargained for on this trip home. I should've just stayed in New York. There would be no ambush dinners and no idea that Danny was clearly moving on without me.
"What's wrong?" Matthew asked as he noticed my silence while we drove up the drive way to the farm house.
"Oh nothing, I just had some news for you all," I said as we got out. As soon as I closed the door to the car, Abbie shot out from behind the screen door and bounded down the steps.
"Charlotte! Charlotte!" she screamed as she barrelled towards me. "I've missed you!". She threw her arms around me and I caught her, taking in her familiar scent.
"I've missed you too Abs," I said.
"You've gotten so tanned!" she said pulling back and surveying me. "I want every detail of the Hampton's! Your letters gave nothing away," she scolded as she dragged me up the steps. The closer we got to the door, the more my stomach turned. When we were inside however, I was bombarded by my mother, Aunt Ethel and a newly pregnant Lindy. Those two didn't waste any time.
"Finally, we can eat," said Rafe. He gave me a smile, but not greeting me as usual and sat down at the table. Everyone followed and sat down. I looked around and sighed in relief as there was no sign of Danny. The table watched the door nervously, just incase he decided to join us like last time.
"Shall we start?" Uncle Johnnie asked after five minutes. Aunt Ethel nodded and Rafe dug in.
"How was your time in the Hampton's?" my mother asked.
"So good Mum! There was always something to do and the beaches were spectacular," I told her dishing myself some beans.
"Abbie, I told you that you should've gone," Aunt Ethel badgered her. Abbie rolled her eyes and she spooned potatoes onto her plate.
"Are you sure Danny isn't joining us?" Lindy asked feeling guilty for starting with an empty seat.
"I dunno," Rafe shrugged shovelling food into his mouth.
"How is Danny?" I asked bravely. The table stopped what they were doing subtly and no one replied until my father found the courage to address what everyone knew was a touchy subject.
"He's good. Sold the house, got an apartment, he's taking on a lot more work at the farm too, isn't he John?" my father asked passing it over to Uncle Johnnie.
"Oh yes, he's keeping busy. He has some crazy idea about saving up and taking a trip to India."
"India?" I asked, my voice cracking. It was one of the places on our uncompleted list.
"Heavens knows where he got that idea from," Aunt Ethel muttered. The conversation dropped and all that was heard was knives and forks hitting plates until the door opened.
"The drive over took a lot longer than I thought," Danny said walking in, pausing when he saw me.
"Well, come quick, we're eating now," my mother said smiling at him. He looked around the table for a spare seat, only to see it was his usual spot next to me. Everyone froze. It was so awkward, no one was speaking and no one knew where to look.
"Sit here," Rafe said moving over to the spare seat to let Danny sit next to Uncle Johnnie. Danny smiled and took his seat. He began to dish his food and the conversation started again.
"So, we have some news," Rafe started. Everyone knew 'we' for him meant Danny and he.
"You haven't done anything stupid have you?" Ethan smirked.
"Maybe," Danny said rubbing his eyes as he watched Rafe, readying to tell everyone.
"Okay, so I've been reading the paper closely for the last couple of months," he started.
"Surprise surprise," Abbie said sarcastically.
"Anyway, so what I've read is that things out there are getting really heated. Hitler is taking over Germany and the Brits want to stop him before he gets Europe."
"And what does that have to do with you?" Aunt Ethel asked and I had a feeling she knew where this was going.
"Well, I was thinking and so was Danny about what will happen when Roosevelt will put us in-"
"And," Aunt Ethel pushed.
"Well, we joined the air force," Rafe spluttered out. Everyone froze and Aunt Ethel gasped.
"The air force! Rafe! What were you thinking!" she yelled.
"Why didn't you talk to us when you were thinking about it," Uncle Johnnie chastised.
"We didn't want to worry you," Danny spoke up for the first time.
"Worry me? You've gone and given me a heart attack," Aunt Ethel scolded them.
"Ma, calm down. They still have time before they can change their mind and withdraw," Ethan said putting a calming hand on her shoulder. She looked away from the boys and took calming breaths.
"We will talk about this later," she paused, "let's just enjoy this meal."
"Well Charlotte has some big news too," Matty said, trying to ease the tension. What he didn't know is that it could potentially create more. Which I was certain it would.
"Go on dear," my mother encouraged me.
"No, no it's fine. I think we've had enough surprises for now."
"It can't be any worse than then boys," Aunt Ethel smiled.
"Well, uh, just the next time I come home, someone will probably come with me, that's all," I said stuttering. Not feeling very hungry anymore.
"Who dear?" my dad asked.
"I think I have a pretty good idea," Danny spat. His eyes were full of remorse and hatred as well and I couldn't help but send a defiant glare back, knowing he was about to be proved wrong. The table noticed our exchange and Abbie cleared her throat for me to continue.
"His name is Charlie," I said smirking. "He's my boyfriend."
The tension in the room had lifted by one hundred. Danny had dropped his fork, Rafe's jaw had hardened, Abbie absolutely beamed with joy that I wasn't a weeping mess anymore. The parents smiled and said how nice it would be to meet him, Lindy enquired more and Ethan and Matty just sat their drinking their cups of scotch as if world war three was about to start.
"Right well, I'm finished," Rafe said standing up.
"Me too," Danny said taking his plate into the kitchen. Everyone sat still as he plate clanged into the sink. He'd obviously thrown it down in rage.
"I think I want to go home now," I stood up and walked outside.
"Charlotte," Abbie called out after me.
The night went exactly how I thought it would and I cursed my mother and her friendship with Aunt Ethel because I knew, no matter what I did, we'd always be a family and I'd always have to face Danny.
July 31st
I'd been cooped up for the last week and a bit. I couldn't do anything in this town without seeing Danny or he joining in. It was like a constant struggle. We'd go shopping, Danny would be on his way to work. We went to the lake, he'd come with Rafe. I was at the McCawley's, he'd be there despite his own damn apartment. It was really like torture.
And today, of all days was the worst. The carnival had been postponed a bit, so instead of me missing it like I'd planned; I was here for it. Abbie hadn't even bothered to ask because she knew the answer due to last years events at the same carnival. It was because of that, I decided to pack my bags and head back to New York City.
It struck me one day as I was sitting in my old room, that, there was nothing left for me at home. My room even felt foreign. My girl friends from high school were engaged or married or having babies. They spent half a year at college and went off to become a housewife. They were too busy to catch up too.
This town was a reminder of who I was when I was with Danny. It was a reminder of us and it was a reminder of his father, who'd given me his beloveds bracelet believing I would spend the rest of my life with his son. I'd out grown this town and there was no reason to stay longer than a week which in future would only be to visit my parents and Aunt Ethel and Uncle Johnnie, Matty and Abbie as well and Ethan, Lindy and their unborn bundle of joy.
I borrowed the car and drove it over to the McCawley's to say goodbye before I left in the evening. It was a slim chance Abbie would be home, but I'd write her note and call her when I got back to New York. As I pulled into the drive, I felt sad, knowing it would be the last time in a long time I'd return.
I got out of the car and walked into the house. The door was never locked.
"Hello?" I called out. "Abbie?"
"She's not here," Danny said walking out of the living room and pausing when he saw me.
"Um, could you-"
"Tell her you came by? Sure," he said moving past me and over to the kitchen sink to put his dirty dish in. It still baffled me why he was always here when he had a place of his own.
"No, actually," I said, he turned and leaned against the counter crossing his arms. "I'm going home."
"You are home," he pointed out.
"No, back to New York," I said.
"You've only been here two weeks, you still have a month of summer left," he pointed out.
"Yes, I realise that," I started but he cut me off.
"Then why are you leaving?" he asked sternly. I sighed frustrated. He was being so cold and rude which was really unnecessary. And why did he need to know anything about me anyway? It wasn't like I was his girlfriend anymore.
"Look Danny, I don't know what you want to hear. But I'm leaving because there is nothing left for me here."
"Nothing, like your family," he shrugged. "That seems to be the new you."
"Why are you being like this? You left me remember," I said raising my voice slightly, but surely as if to get him to back down.
"You gave me that choice," he spat back. He was right. All this time I was blaming him, but if I'd just let him walk off, we could've been still together and happy. I shook my head, riding of those thoughts. I was happy now, without him.
I sighed, letting it go. "I've been mean to give this back," I said as I undid his mother's bracelet from around my wrist. I held it out in my hand and his face dropped.
"Keep it," he said.
"Why? It was given to me when your father thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together."
"Well, it was his last gift to you. You should keep it," he said. His voice getting sadder at the mention of his father.
"Okay," I said putting it back on. "I better go, I don't want to miss my train. Tell Abbie and everyone I said bye yeah?"
"Sure," he said watching me leave.
"Oh and Danny. I hope you get to India. I want to know all about the Taj Mahal," I told him. He looked stunned, as if I'd actually bring something up from the happier times of our relationship. I left him standing their and got into the car. I could see his face peer through the window and get smaller as I drove off.
Soon, I'd be leaving Danny, the McCawley's and my own family all behind for my new life with Charlie and New York City. I couldn't be more thrilled or scared.
Don't forget to R&R! Much love! xx