I ended up a drunken mess by the end of the night. I had called Audrey and asked if she could pick me up, fully aware I would only do something to embarrass myself.

"Charlie?" Audrey spoke appalled by my appearance getting out of her car and jogging over to me worriedly.

I was disheveled and sloppy, haven't having a care in the world as I leaned on the wall outside of the pub.

"Audrey." I kicked myself up off the wall, stumbling over my own feet and smiling widely at her like an idiot.

"Care to explain why you called me in the middle of the night drunk and crying?" Audrey questioned slinging my arm over her shoulders to steady me.

"I wasn't crying." I slurred defensively.

"You were sobbing on and on about Paul, whoever that bloke may be." She furrowed her eyebrows over at me inquisitively as she began walking me back to the car.

"He lied to me." I pouted shutting my eyes out of exhaustion, unwilling to pour out who he was and risk sounding like I completely lost it.

"Well he's probably a miserable sod anyhow. Let me take you back to mine and you can stay the night." She smiled to me comfortingly.

"Thank you." I grinned warmly back, my eyes shutting slightly out of sleep deprivation.

"We're having a proper conversation about this in the morning when you've sobered up, I've never even heard you talk about a Paul before." She mumbled making me groan slightly in protest.
                 ___________________

I woke up the next morning with a raging hangover. It was even worse that yesterday, I could barely even move without feeling like I'd been hit by a truck.

I realized I had no recollection of the night before, but I knew I was in Audrey and Ben's guest room although I was unsure of exactly how I'd ended up here. Audrey must've gave me one of her nightgowns because I was wearing a short silk bubblegum pink nightgown I couldn't imagine anyone but Audrey to actually own.

"Wake up sleepy head." Audrey sang softly bringing a tray of food into the room.

"You're awake." She noticed with a smile coming over and setting the tray of food beside me.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up as she sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's the occasion?" I asked her looking at the food like it may be poisoned.

"I just want to make sure you're alright is all." She spoke nonchalantly with a shrug.

"Uh huh." I nodded with slight hesitation picking up the glass of orange juice and taking a small sip.

"You were pretty upset when you called me to pick you up, you kept on talking about some bloke, Paul," She rambled.

I began coughing, the juice having been inhaled as I gasped in shock. I couldn't believe I'd called Audrey about Paul, there was no way she'd leave this alone until she knew every single detail.

"So that's why you're being so nice." I smirked slightly in amusement.

She leaned back with a guilty look on her face.

"He's no one, I don't even know what I was talking about. I was absolutely hammered yesterday." I shook my head trying to sound as convincing as I possibly could.

"Sure." She looked at me not believing a word I said.

"Here, lets go get you some clothes to wear and then you can freshen up before we go pack up the apartment yeah?" Audrey smiled.

"Yeah." A grin creeped up on my lips.

Audrey lead me out of the room and into the hallway until we reached the living room where we heard Ben arguing with someone at the front door.

"Ben, who's at the door?" Audrey asked immediately after hearing the commotion.

Ben turned uncovering the doorway and revealing Oliver, looking disheveled and frustrated wearing white jeans and a brown button up shirt. As the two of them looked over, Oliver's tenseness softened as his eyes met mine. I was completely paralyzed in fear, never imagining I'd see him again.

"What's he doing here?" Audrey growled protectively.

"I just want to talk to Charlotte." He spoke firmly, his eyes never straying from mine.

"Forget about it buddy-" Audrey began.

"-sure." I cut in behind clenched teeth.

This would be my chance to tell him how much what he did impacted my sense of security, I was far from feeling comfortable in my own skin again.

Audrey began to protest my decision as I walked to the door. Ben gave me a worried stare before letting me by to talk to him knowing this was something I had to do.

My hands trembled as I found myself standing in front of him on the porch, the front door closing behind me so the conversation would stay between Oliver and I.

"I know what you're going to say, Charlotte I'm so, so sorry. What I did was inexcusable and I know you must think of me as some sort of monster," He rambled.

"-I do." I cut in with a snarky smirk.

He looked shamefully down at the ground for a moment.

"I was drunk, not that it excuses anything. I-I'm just a mess Charlie. I just got out of a relationship and I, well, I'm so sorry for what happened, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for what I did." He sighed.

I gulped and shifted from one foot to the other knowing exactly what it feels like to be a mess after being broken hearted. I guess in some way I connected with him, broken hearts can cause someone to go crazy.

"Why did you come here?" I asked trying to keep my guard up.

"I wanted to say sorry, and see if somewhere you can find it in your heart to give me another chance?" He looked deep in my eyes as he lifted a hand to the side of my face gently.

I flinched to his touch, sucking in a deep breath conflicted with emotions.

After what happened yesterday I wasn't completely thinking straight, I thought maybe Oliver could be the only man who would ever want me and understand the things I felt.

I didn't know if I could forgive Oliver for what he had done, but he seemed to be really ashamed of what had happened, maybe he really was a good guy, only really heartbroken.

A moment of thought had passed before I nodded meekly.

His face lit up immediately sliding his hands down to mine and holding mine in his.

"I promise you, you won't regret this." He smiled charmingly.

I hope not, I thought feeling uneasy about my impulsive decision.

"How does tomorrow night for dinner and a movie sound? I can drive." He grinned.

"Alright." I breathed out feeling my stomach dropping.

He gently let go of my hands and leaned down placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

I must've finally given up on this idealistic love story I had always wanted, maybe all along Audrey was right. I had to find someone who would be able to supply for me and be a constant in my life.

As he began to walk away Audrey and Ben opened up the door with terrified looks on their faces.

"You agreed?" Audrey said in mortification.

"You listened to all that?" My cheeks reddened.

The two of them stared at me in shock.

"Look, I just don't want to be alone forever. He made a mistake and owned up to it, Audrey, aren't you the one who's always said a real man should know when it's his turn to apologize?" I sighed out exhaustedly.

Audrey huffed and nodded still looking slightly uneasy about what I've done.

"-but if he does anything, and I mean anything like that again, Charlie I will make sure his life is a living hell." Ben spoke protectively with venom lacing his words.

I nodded understandingly with a small grin.
               ___________________
When we got back to my flat it was already practically empty because of the movers. It was bittersweet to have to go, this had been my first apartment since I'd moved out on my own.

"It's the end of an era." Audrey smiled over at me from across the empty room.

"I guess it is." I nodded. I looked down at the clothes I'd borrowed from Audrey and frowned slightly, if today was a reflection of how things would be now, it was a drastic change I wasn't sure if I was willing to make.

The phone rand suddenly, Audrey Picked it up being right next to it and sung a hello causing me to roll my eyes.

"This is Paul? The Paul that broke Charlie's heart?" Audrey's eyebrows furrowed with anger.

My stomach dropped and my eyes widened in fear.

"What do I mean? Oh you've got some nerve- no you cannot talk to her- I don't care if you've left twenty messages," she argued.

"Audrey, get off the phone." I whispered angrily walking over to her to try and pry it from her hands.

"Look, don't call this number anymore, Charlie's moving in elsewhere- I'm not telling you where- good day Paul." Audrey scoffed before slamming down the telephone.

My heart rate picked up as my stomached continued their backflips.

My life was falling apart beyond repair and I wasn't sure if there was anyway I could get it back together anymore.