Chapter 8 8

Charlie

"What are you doing?"

Ollie's friend didn't like me, that's for sure. Did it bother me?

A little. Not because this guy was hostile to me, but because Ollie told him about me - and not the best things, apparently.

I deserve it. Maybe. No, she definitely deserved it. But it's Ollie! And it hurts so much!

"What am I doing?" I looked at him challengingly.

"Do you want to make him suffer again? Is it not enough for you that you already broke him once?"

"What?" I blinked in dismay. Why was this guy I didn't know telling me all this? And what were his accusations: his own conclusions or Ollie's words? "What are you talking about?" My voice dropped to a confused whisper.

He chuckled.

"You know, if not, then you're a fool. You stepped over him, and now that he's just starting to recover, you're coming back and blowing his brains out!"

Milo's words just hit me like slaps, hurting me. I wanted him to shut up because hearing about what I did to Ollie was unbearable. I never wanted Ollie to suffer because of me, but then I thought I was saving him from even more shock.

There was not a day when I did not regret that I had treated him so disgustingly. But I didn't expect ... I thought that he got over this a long time ago, and everything worked out fine for him.

God!

I began blinking as tears came to my eyes; I felt sick.

"Leave him alone, because he's had enough of you," Milo said, leaning forward in a low voice. "You did enough to ruin his life."

I jumped up; I felt dizzy and bile rose up my throat, but that didn't stop me.

I shouldn't have come here!

Oh, Charlie...

Oliver

I splashed my face with cold water and stared at my reflection.

Get your shi together, Scott. She is your friend. Before you kissed on the roof of your house and things got complicated, she was your friend. Remember this.

But not everything is so simple. Being so close to her and not daring to touch her is a real torture.

I went to the door and pressed my forehead against it.

Boom Boom Boom.

Ollie, Ollie, you're in trouble, you know it yourself.

I returned to the room with the intention of not showing Charlie how her presence affected me, but she was not there.

Charlie has disappeared.

"Where is Charlie, Milo?"

He pointed to the door without looking me in the eye, and then I realized what had happened.

"What did you say to her?!" I broke into a scream, I have never wanted to hit him as much as I have now.

"Oliver, I don't..."

I didn't hear anything he was saying after me, because I flew out the door and raced down the hall, hoping that I would have time to catch up with her.

Charlie could only enter through the side door, because the store was already closed. I ran out into the street and leaned over the railing. This is when I breathed a sigh of relief - her car was still parked below.

I called out her name rushing down the metal stairs.

"Charlie! I ran to the car, slamming on the window, and she lowered the window, turning away from me."

Was she crying?

Every cell of my body was aching.

"Charlie," I called softly, but she just shook her head and let out what sounded like a strangled sob. "You can't drive."

I wanted to keep her here at all costs, because everything Milo said was true. I got all hopeful when she returned. This is a dangerous feeling: as long as you have hope, your heart can be broken again and again.

"I'm not going to," She said softly, sniffling. "I'll get a cab now."

I put my hands on the roof of the car, lowering my head. How did we get to all this?

Despite all the wildness and sometimes nonchalance, there was always a certain vulnerability in Charlie, which I loved in her.

I loved everything about Charlie. Maybe I'm a masochist or just stupid, but even after Charlie left me with a broken heart, she was still the best woman for me.

"No matter what Milo told you..."

"He didn't say anything but the truth," She interrupted quickly, wiping tears from her cheeks. "I'm a terrible person, Ollie, and I've done you very badly."

Charlie looked at me with her sad tearful eyes, and I felt as if someone's invisible fist hit me in the stomach, knocking out all the air.

C'mon, stupid heart, start beating!

"I never meant to hurt you, Ollie," Charlie whispered so softly I could barely hear. "You must hate me, and I accept it because you have every reason, but know this: I never wanted it to turn out like this."

I didn't know what to say. Just at that moment I realized one thing: I did not have hatred for Charlie. Resentment, anger and misunderstanding - but not hatred. When you love as much as I loved Charlie, there is no room for hate.