A/N: Once again, thank you all for the brilliant reviews and for reading!

Hope you all enjoyed the cliffhanger :p

What will her answer be...enjoy :)

Chapter 8

"I...er..." Charlie's voice caught in her throat, but the words that managed to escape were barely audible. Her hand flew up to her chest, resting on the pendant that Brax had given her only minutes before. Angelo's face beamed up at her, his smile both hopeful and expectant. She could feel everyone's eyes glued to her, waiting for a response that she wasn't entirely sure would ever come.

"Charlie?" Angelo questioned as he studied her face, which still looked in a state of shock.

"Oh my God."

Someone whispered excitedly behind her. She wasn't quite sure who had said it, maybe Leah, maybe Bianca.

"Will you marry me?" He asked again, just to make sure that there was no doubt that she hadn't heard him.

The longer she remained silent, the longer she had to stare down at the face gazing up at her. The longer that she allowed the excited atmosphere build up around her. She wasn't quite sure where the words came from, but she found herself saying them all the same.

"Yes."

The minute the words left her mouth she wished that she could take them back. However the blur of events which took over the next five minutes made that almost impossible. Angelo jumped up from his knees and scooped her into a huge hug, swinging her around before placing her back on the ground. Applause and cheers filled the room as everyone began to celebrate the news.

Her friends couldn't wait to congratulate her and Charlie found herself quickly guided around the room with Angelo holding tightly onto her waist. She tried to ignore the numb feeling that had taken over her as her heart beat faster in her chest. The realisation of what had just occured hit her and she quickly scanned the room but he was no where to be found.

"Hey, mind if I steal her for a minute?" Leah approached the couple and Angelo smiled as he let go of Charlie, and walked over to the bar to get another drink.

Leah wore the same ecstatic expression as most people in the room, although her eyes were full of curious concern.

"So...when I told you that you had a couple of options, I didn't realise that this was one of them?" She asked, while she smiled nervously, waiting for Charlie's reaction.

Charlie sighed as she forced a smile onto her face; something which she was now becoming good at. People were still looking over in her direction and the last thing she wanted to do was to arouse suspicion. "Did you know he was going to do that?"

"No I was just as surprised as you...although judging by the look on your face, it wasn't a surprise you were expecting?"

Charlie's eyes scanned the room for a second time but she didn't find what she was looking for. "I was just so caught off guard. I couldn't do that to him, not with all these people standing there, watching us. Waiting. God, the look on his face." She rubbed her forehead as she went over the past couple of minutes in her head. She could feel the tears threatening to escape but she willed them not to fall. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

Before Charlie had a chance to answer, Ruby came running over, closely followed by Casey. Ruby grabbed her mother and pulled her into a huge hug as she squealed.

"I am so happy for you! Congratulations."

They broke apart and Charlie's attention turned to Casey. "Casey, where is Brax?" She tried to keep her voice calm but she couldn't help the panic which laced her voice.

Casey shrugged. "He left a couple of minutes ago."

Charlie's face fell. "Where did he go?" She emphasised every word as she stared at him, not minding how desperate she now sounded.

"Charlie..." Leah spoke softly, touching Charlie's arm but Charlie shrugged out of her grasp.

"I don't know. He just said that he had to go..." Casey looked at Ruby who was wearing the same blank expression that he was.

"I have to go..." Her mind raced as she tried to figure a way out of the situation she had gotten herself into.

"What? But it's your party."

Charlie ignored Ruby's statement as she turned back to Leah. "Can you cover for me? I won't be gone long." She waited for Leah to nod before making her way through the crowds and quickly walking out of the restaurant.

"Ok...what the hell was that?" Ruby watched her go before looking back at Leah for an answer.

"I think that was your mother realising that she said yes to the wrong man."

Ruby stared at Leah for a moment as the meanings of Leah's words hit her. "Oh..."

Charlie ran out of the restaurant before she realised that she had absolutely no idea where to look first. She had tried calling his phone but it went straight to the voicemail. Leaving a message for him to call her as soon as he got the message, she made her way down to the beach figuring that she would start there.

She tried to call him again as she removed her heels and started jogging down the path towards the beach. Her eyes searched the deserted beach before she caught sight of a figure walking in the opposite direction.

"Brax?" She shouted. She wasn't entirely sure but she thought that the figure started to walk a little faster at the sound of her voice.

Sighing, she ran after him, calling for him to stop which he eventually did.

"Hey...where are you going?" She was slightly breathless as she caught up with him. He turned around, his face blank.

"Home."

"You just take off now without saying goodbye?" She tried to smile at him but he refused to return her smile.

"I didn't want to get in the way of the celebrations." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "You should get back to your party before your fiance wonders where you are." He sighed as he tore his eyes away from her and started to walk away again.

Charlie watched as the distance between them grew. The knot in her stomach tightened.

"Brax!" He stopped again but kept his back to her. "Is there...is there a reason why I shouldn't marry Angelo?" Her voice cracked slightly as tears formed in her eyes. He spun around and walked back towards her, the coldness on his face not easing up. He remained silent so she spoke again.

"Well? Can you give me any reason?"

The question lingered painfully in the air.

"What do you want from me, Charlie?" As he made eye contact with her she saw for the first time that she wasn't the only one with tears in her eyes. "What is it that you want me to say? Is it that since the day I first met you, I haven't been able to get you out of my head?" He waited for her to say something which she didn't. "Or maybe you want me to tell you about how the thought of you going home to him each night and sleeping in his bed kills me?" He tried to keep his anger in check, but revealing everything to her made him feel vunerable. Anger was one way to conceal the pain he was now feeling.

She felt the tears roll down her cheek as she listened to him.

"Brax...I..." She choked back her tears as she stepped towards him but he backed away from her.

"No, Charlie!" The pain was clear in his voice and on his face. "I can't believe what an idiot I've been. I convinced myself that it would be worth it; that maybe...someday you would pick me." He paused for a moment, taking in the sight of her crying in front him. His chest ached and he longed to just take her in his arms and tell her it would be ok. But he couldn't and he knew that things wouldn't be ok.

"I was stupid for ever letting myself fall in love with you." He continued, his voice just above a whisper.

Charlie felt as though the wind had just been punched out of her stomach as his words echoed around her head. Her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to supress her cries. She stepped towards him but yet again he stepped away from her.

"Don't Charlie. You want me to give you a reason not to marry him...I can't. I can't do this anymore...just go back to your party." It took him all his strength to walk away from her; to tear his eyes away from the pain and the look of horror on her face as she just stood there hoping that he would turn back. She's made her choice.

Charlie fell down into the sand, her head falling to her chest as she let the tears flow freely. She had called for him to come back, but he had ignored her requests. Could she blame him? She remained on the beach as long as she could before making the dreaded journey back to the restaurant.

Angelo ran up to her as she rejoined the party, the excitement and alcohol now taking an effect on him. She hadn't thought it possible but his smile had grown in her absence.

"There you are! Where have you been?" He pulled her into a hug. Her eyes fell on Leah who threw her a hopeful look from across the room. Charlie ever so slightly shook her head and Leah's eyes fell to the ground disappointed.

"I had to get some fresh air. A little too much champagne." She lied, forcing on a smile.

Angelo didn't seem to notice as he led her further inside the club. "Come on, let's get this party started!" He smiled brightly at her as Charlie feigned happiness while inside her heart was in pieces.

Eeeek! Don't hate me...haha! Update will be soon! Reviews are always lovely... ;)