EAT. SLEEP. Work. Repeat.

That's how past two months had been for Charlotte.

She had been in and out of the children's center for two months and she couldn't be more over the moon about it.

She met new friends, colleague... friends.

He was a friend, at least, Charlotte saw him as a friend.

Luke Johnson had been the freshest face at the children's center. He sorta took over Charlotte's old position. He made sure the children were doing okay, if he could get them anything, played them a song every once and awhile. They adored him and really saw him staying long term for the time being.

He and Charlotte had gotten close, especially since she had to show him the basic in's and out's of what she use to do.

Luke didn't want to be a doctor though. He liked the idea of helping people, but in some sort of different light. Through music mainly, but nonetheless, this is what he currently wanted to do.

"Come on! A visit wouldn't be too bad would it? Besides; Ally's coming! You might as well come."

Charlotte sat at her desk with Carter on the other end. They were making a stop in Maine and Charlotte had next week off. It would be perfect to come and visit while being on break.

"Maine, you said?"

"Yes." Carter sighed, "Look, you didn't hear this from me, but Austin misses you like crazy. I saw him spinning Dez around while saying your name."

Charlotte held back and laugh and leaned back in her seat. Of course she missed Austin and it was very clear that he missed her.

Work kept her on her feet and she barely had the time to talk to anyone unless it was during her breaks or her off days, but she mainly slept and studied during those days, so not a lot of interactions between her friends happened unless it was between Ally and Luke.

"Fine! I miss you too."

Charlotte smiled, "I'll go. I'll let Ally know."

"You're coming?"

Small bickering between Austin and Carter started as the other tried grabbing the phone. At the end, Austin won and locked Carter out of the bathroom.

"You're coming?" He asked again.

"Yeah." She smiled, "Sounds fun."

"I got you souvenirs from each state."

"That's sweet."

Charlotte and Austin hadn't spoken of or about their relationship whatsoever. They knew if they were worth the wait, they would come back together as a couple.

So, to answer the dying question... Austin and Charlotte were friends.

"Hey, Charlotte ready for lunch?" Luke called.

"Who's that?" Austin asked.

"The new guy." She answered, "Luke, remember?"

Austin had vaguely remembered a conversation about a guy working there but he hadn't figured it would be someone Charlotte would hang around with.

A lot of Charlotte's coworkers were older and she had been the youngest to work at the facility.

So, when Luke came into frame, Austin held a tight jaw.

"Hey, I'll call you later when I'm with Ally." Charlotte smiled, "I'll see you soon."

Austin waved goodbye as the line disconnected and huffed.

Maybe three months was a little too long of a wait.

CHARLOTTE ROCKED back and forth on her heels and she held her suitcase close. She had caught band earlier flight than Ally (who was coming the next day), so why not come now instead of wasting another day doing nothing.

"There she is!"

She looked up from her feet with a smile on her face as the others came rushing into her view.

"I've missed you guys." She smiled.

"We misses you too." Trish said, "Where's Ally?"

"She'll be here tomorrow."

Dez sighed, "Man, I was saving this sandwich I got in Philadelphia."

"It was our second stop." Carter said.

"Come on! We're wasting time by just standing here." Austin said, grabbing Charlotte's suitcase, "Let's go sightseeing, adventures, come on!"

"He missed you." Carter whispered.

"I heard." She smiled.

NIGHTFALL CAME quickly and Austin had found himself using the bathroom other at the nearby pit stop rather than the one on the bus as Dez beat him there.

Just as he was leaving, he saw Charlotte heading towards the direction of the bus.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked.

She turned slightly and nodded, "Had to use the bathroom and Dez was singing in the other one on the bus."

Austin nodded; taking in Charlotte ruffled appearance.

Her hair was falling out of it makeshift bun and her nightgown just touched her knees.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, let's get back on the bus."

Austin didn't want to overstep and newfound boundaries if Charlotte was going out with the Luke guy. He obviously wanted to be with Charlotte in the moment, but if she was happy with Luke, Austin wasn't going to get in the way of that.

"Goodnight, Austin."

"Night, Char."

HORRIBLE NIGHT and a horrible way of starting the day.

Charlotte and Austin got on the wrong bus in there semi sleepy phase. They had no idea where they were, had no phones, and were surrounded by a ton of Sunshine Girls.

Even worse? They weren't going to let either of them use a phone until Austin left a voicemail on each of there phones.

"Now can we please use your phone to call one of my friends?" Austin asked.

"I can't believe Austin Moon-"

"I know what you're gonna say." Austin sighed, "You can't believe Austin Moon is gonna use your phone."

"I can't believe Austin Moon knew what I was gonna say."

Charlotte grabbed a phone from one on the girls hands as the others went in to hug Austin once more.

"Pick up." She muttered, "Carter?"

"Charlotte, where the heck have you been loca?"

"Carter."

"Sorry, where are you?"

"Austin and I stumbled on the wrong bus last night. We're in Idaho. They said they would drop us off in Washington."

"You and Austin are together?"

"Yes, we're fine. Just on a bus with a ton of Sun-"

"You and Austin are together?" He asked again.

Charlotte glanced over at Austin and smiled, "Yeah..."

"Did you guys talk?"

"Thank you for asking if we're okay, Carter. We'll meet you guys in Washington."

"Charlotte, don't-"

She hung up the phone and sat down next to one of the Sunshine Girls, Lulu.

"Friendship bracelet?"

Charlotte held a small smile as she grabbed the string from Lulu's hands.

Austin joined the two as he sat next to another Sunshine Girl.

"So," Lulu smiled, "you dated Austin right?"

If Charlotte knew this conversation would happen she would've stayed on the phone worth Carter a little longer.

"Yeah..." Charlotte answered.

"What was that like?" Another asked.

"Um-"

"Charlotte, you don't have to talk about it."

"Yes she does."

Charlotte held a tight smile before shifting slightly in her seat, "Austin was great. Would recommend to anyone around."

"Then why aren't you two dating right now?" Hailey B. asked.

"Dating is a little more complicated than that." Austin answered.

"Really?" Lulu asked, "Because my mom told me if two people like each other they would be together forever."

"That can't be true! My parents aren't together!"

"Dating and relationship are more complicated than meets the eye." Charlotte explained, "When two people like each other, there might be something-"

"Or someone." Austin interjected.

"In the way of reaching the dating field." She finished.

"Well, who or what, is in the way of the two of you being together."

"You guys are nosey, aren't you?" Charlotte smiled, scrunching her nose, "Dating someone then versus dating them when a big change has happened are two different things."

"Fame... Paparazzi."

"Yeah, just different things." Charlotte sighed, "People can still like each other. There's just a lot of bumps in the road."

That was probably the most Charlotte and Austin would talk about there relationship for the day. They seemed to understand that she was still scared of the Paparazzi and that it was a lot more than what others knew.

It would be something that she would slowly have to adapt to if she wanted this relationship with Austin to work.

Fame, Paparazzi..., Luke, just small things in the way of Austin and Charlotte's almost, barely there relationship.

- lucy has something to say!!

yeah i ended this early WHO CARES

BRO https-driverera brought up austin's christmas soul and this shit SLAPS

ignore the name of my airpods please 🙏

we simply can't ignore the excellence of this song

he put his moonussy in that (never again am i making this joke) also yea i did skip that episode because i didn't see why i needed my oc to meet jessie prescott for two episodes and never see them again but that's just me

ANYWAYS

luke johnson 👹

if y'all chose angus (fez from euphoria) the plot would've been different 🧑‍🦯

ANYWAYS i picked the episodes that i wanted to write about and i didn't plan ahead but act one and four have eight chapters and act two and three have eleven... poggers me thinks

i also start school today 🤩 so bare with me as i try to get back into a decent schedule :))

bye :))))