Chapter 8★

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Char

"Good morning Charlotte." Terence happily waived in my direction.

His smile could break the prevailing winds in a winter storm. He was one of the jolliest men I'd ever been fortune enough to have the pleasure of knowing.

"Morning Terry," I grinned as I strode across the lobby of my apartment complex.

"What's on the agenda for today?" He gushed.

"The Heath, lunch with Lissy and seeing another somebody later." I smiled cheekily at my doorman as he politely allowed me to pass by.

"Have a good one, lovely." He winked as I exited the building with a little stride in my step.

He always knew how to start my day off to a wonderful start.

The Heath I was referring is a patch of paradise, amongst the busy London streets. It's a thinking spot where all can roam freely.

A place I like to keep secluded from most of my friends, to call my own. I trusted Terry with everything, so I didn't mind sharing my secrets with him.

I've never been left speechless by anyone before and yet when Fede looks at me with that resonating passion; I find myself lost in a speck of dust.

Every time I catch him checking me out, a flow of blush eliminates my face and I have to hide myself under my turtle neck in order to stop him from knowing.

But it's no use, he's already won my attention.

I haven't really felt like myself the past couple weeks and I've been having awful stomach aches.

At first like any sane girl, I thought that maybe we hadn't been careful the first couple times we made love; but I was so sure we had always used protection.

It seemed kinda stupid to discuss this any further than just a speculation. I didn't want to cause any stress on our relationship, seeing as it's still so young and developing; although we both feel this stronger tether holding us together.

I'm not sure how well that would go down with my parents; let alone my siblings. 'Little sister gets banged up'; would be a joke I'd never live down. They don't even know about Fede, let alone that I'm dating someone.

My thoughts were put on hold as my familiar ringtone resonated from my pocket. "Hey Lis, what's up?" I greeted my sister.

"Char, I'm really, really sorry but I can't do lunch today sweety." Before I was allowed to interrupt she continued to explain her situation, "I've just gotten a deal in Moscow last minute and need to meet the buyers. Can you forgive me?"

I wanted to be stubborn, but I wasn't good at holding grudges against my sister; unless she deserved it. "Fine."

"You're the best, you know that."

"I do. Have fun in Moscow, and good luck with you art deal."

"When I come back we should hang out okay."

"Whatever you say, sister."

"Love you." She reminded me.

"You too." I scoffed, slightly irritated by her.

Her phone call had stirred up one of the things I hated the most about having older siblings.

They all live these extraordinary eventful lives and never fail to remind me.They act like these years give them a greater audacity to everything.

I've always been so jealous of their right to call themselves older and yet I can't do anything about it.

They've all treated me like I was an adult since I was thirteen; but it still doesn't make up for the anger that would pulse through me.

Whenever they gloated about some adventure or success that they had achieved. It made me feel so insignificant.

Undoubtedly, as the youngest I frequently compare myself against them; by doing so it always makes me want to top them. Beat them at their own game.

Why join them, when you can top them?

Max mentioned to me the other day that he could see himself before a doctor, which obviously made Dad's heart jump with glee and do about six billion star jumps simultaneously.

He's such a suck up but I can't hate the guy. He always makes me laugh so hard that I have to try and not wet myself in amusement!

But still I'm far too squeamish to do that, I remember this one time when I was visiting Mum's sister - Debs in hospital and practically fainted at the sight of the tubes that were winded through her skin.

It made me want to vomit, but I ended up just staring into her eyes the whole time and forced myself to make small talk and smile as if everything was okay.

When I felt the exact opposite. I wonder how she felt?

Mum's been acting really wild recently and not in her usual upbeat ways. She's started hanging out with these hippies, again.

Which can mean one of two possibilities; either she's trying to lead a more positive outlook on life or she's back to her old ways.

"Char, baby you just need to chill out." I pulled the joint out of her mouth, it was obvious that I was annoyed.

"Mum some of us actually have to do shit with our lives and I don't want you back on this stuff." I threw the blunt straight into the bin, although I knew she'd probably dig it out later as the bin was already empty - apart from the death trap I'd just try to dispose of.

"Hey, don't be rude to your mother." She frowned at my poised posture.

"I'm just being honest." I pouted in her direction.

"You don't always know best you know sweety." She approached closer to me, but I pulled away without even a tinker of hesitation.

"Cut the bullshit Mum, we both know I have more common sense than you." I stormed out of my parents house and didn't even bother to pick up my drilling ringtone. She always had to have the last word, well this time I wouldn't let her.

This would all be well and fine if she didn't have a substance abuse issue, which Mum's all too familiar with. Sadly, I think it's the option which she is used to.

She promised me the last time she almost over-dosed, that she would wake up every morning and look in the mirror and tell herself, "Drugs are for the weak ones." I gritted my teeth at the thought she was back on the band wagon.

I'm not too sure whether she believes it herself or not, but I'd rather see her fake a smile in my direction than seeing her unconscious again surrounded by a mind field of paramedics.

I feel like we should probably invest in one of those trackers that they give convicts when they're on parol, it would probably save Dad from having thirty-minute heartaches every occasion she doesn't answer her phone.

I started thinking about whether I was pregnant, most girls seem to explore the idea atleast once even if it's just cold feet in the relationship.

I guess if I was, I wouldn't even dream of destroying the life of this unknown spirit; although I haven't known him for a long time. I feel like Fede would be everything I could ask for in a husband; I smiled at that thought.

It's such a early days, but I'm still young and these thoughts are allowed to whirl around my head sometimes; especially when I'm alone and my mind reader isn't perving on my thoughts.

"What's on your mind amore." Somehow be could always tell, I felt like an open book through his eyes.

He always seemed to have a rough idea about whatever I was pondering. I liked it, a lot. Although it frightened me, when I proceeded to assume things that I wished he would never find out.

I guess I would want children when I'm approaching my thirties; but I mean that's almost a little less than double my life time away. I shivered uncomfortably for a few minutes as a breeze gushed pay.

So let's push that though to the bottom of the stack now shall we?

I do love having a large network of people to rely on, even if it means you have double the number of lives to keep in touch with.

I know that no matter what my siblings would rush to my side, even if I was I was in the wrong.

11:04

Alex:

Still up for going the movies later?

Yes, thought to myself as my trail of thoughts were interrupted.

Thinking about my family now reminds me that I'd made plans to catch up with another sibling who'd been off my radar recently.

I'm still a little fainted hearted about telling them about Fede yet, he was one thing that belonged to me and he wasn't up for sharing with that lot yet.

I perched on a bench dissecting my thoughts for a brief few moments, that felt longer than they really were. Almost like when you're in the bath and you enter this new aqua world of bliss.

I hadn't noticed the companion who had joined me on the bench, adjacent to me. He smirked as I toyed with the ends of my hair through my fingers playfully; wondering what this unborn child would be like if it existed.

I was aware of the toxic puffs of air that escaped his mouth as he fumed on his cigarette. It caused a sequence of coughs to tumble out of my mouth, which I disliked.

It disgusted me and made me blood boil and awe at his reckless decision to partake with this action.

"Do you come here often? I reckon I've seen you here a couple times but you're always by yourself."

His words pricked the sublime atmosphere that I had cocooned myself into; as he fogged my vision with his hand-made smoke clouds.

"I used to come along as often as I could, it's so peaceful here; but I can't really find the time anymore. I'm not really sure why?" I replied to the stranger hiding from my stare.

"You look rather cute when you're puzzled, what's troubling you? Would you mind sharing what it is with me?" He took a deep breath and relaxed his posture.

"Don't worry if you don't want to, I'm not trying to come onto you. I promise. I'm just intrigued."

"It's fine you seem like a nice guy, I'm just questioning where the outcomes of relationships unravel, you know?"

"I guess, it's up to you how far you let them cascade down the river is up to you."

"You seem like someone I wouldn't mind chatting to more regularly, can I ask what your name is?"

"Jacques, twenty-two-year-old law school drop out, and yourself pretty lady?"

"My name's Charlotte but my friends call me Char, you can as well if you would like to, Jacques."

I chirped with a knowing smile, I elongated my expression of his name which seemed to please him.

Everything about him made my skin prick, his jet black greasy hair and even my hatred for smoking was compromised when I saw him take another drag.

He was all right looking and I might even say he was attractive if I wasn't already in a relationship but I have a boyfriend and I'm not in the slightest bit interested in anymore than a friendship.

"Nah Charlotte will do just fine, it suits that devilishly youthful face of yours. Would you care to continue this conversation over at the pavilion with some coffee?"

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but almost in a trance like state, I nodded and followed him down the path.

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✶ I need a Terrence in my life, starting each day with a brisk in my step. Char might be pregnant; thoughts? Her mum seems a little wild don't you think?✶