“Wow! You sure know how to make a prom dance romantic.”
I grinned and kept my mouth shut. It was time to enjoy the moment. This was the end of an era, time to move on and live life as a woman.
To new beginnings, I thought.
I watched the lights flickering against the Eiffel Tower, my mind lost in the lyrics that consumed me. There couldn’t have been a better moment to bring up the question that burned within me, the one question that would make or break us.
“Alex—”
“Shh… one day, my Charlotte, we’ll be in Paris dancing with everyone watching. I promise you, one day it will be our turn. I meant what I said in that room… we can’t be apart, Charlotte. Never.”
And so, in that moment, he promised me a life together, promised me the world.
I closed my eyes, imagining it was now, that people around us meant nothing, and we were free, free to show the world how much we loved each other and that nothing could tear us apart.
CHARLIE
Present
The ride back seems fast.
I checked the speedometer a few times, and he was way over the legal limit. When we got back to the property, it’s more than obvious Lex has an attitude with me. He told me he’s tired and headed to bed. I didn’t dare follow him. Instead, I sat on the porch knowing that I’m well and truly in the wrong. Yes, I am still hurt, but I have no right to trample all over his obviously hurt feelings even though I had no idea guys could be offended like that.
Somehow, I have to make this right, but the weight of tonight’s events feels enormous. I drag my sorry ass to bed and fall asleep just before sunrise.
I feel my body moving like I’m lying on a trampoline. What the hell is this dream about? It happens again, but this time I open my eyes. There’s jumping, and it’s waking me up from my deep slumber. I’m just about to yell when it dawns on me that it’s Will. No, it’s Rocky.
“Rocky, what the fuck?” I groan.
He’s standing on my bed jumping like a fucking four-year-old, except he is making moaning sounds and screaming my name.
“Rocky Romano, get the fuck off my bed!”
I’m beyond exhausted, but he continues jumping until I get up, pushing him off the bed.
“Are you kidding me? Plus, I don’t sound like that… moron.”
He stands up laughing as he walks out of the room scratching his ass.
I decide to have a quick shower to wake myself up, but a quick shower turns into a much longer one as I may have accidentally fallen asleep in there sitting on the floor. I finally get dressed and head to the kitchen.
The house is quiet, and I wonder what everyone is up to.
“Morning, Elijah. Where is everyone? Apart from gorilla over here,” I chastise, pointing to Rocky who’s doing the maze on the back of the cereal box. He lets out a big, “No,” when he realizes it’s a dead-end. Seriously, even Will could have done that with his eyes closed.
“Adriana and Nikki we
nt to the markets, and Lex and Will are playing on the beach.”
I quickly eat a piece of toast and head out to the beach. A few minutes later, I stand there by the bushes watching Lex play football with Will. He looks so content teaching Will how to kick, the laughter coming off them when Will tackles Lex. At that moment, my heart breaks a little.
Is this all my fault?
Yes, Lex left me, but I made it nearly impossible for him to find me again.
He did what was expected of him back then, and I acted like a spoiled teen annoyed that he chose someone else.
He’s different now, he truly is a man.