Finally Free - Charlie Gillespie

Chapter Twenty-Three

🚨TRIGGER WARNING🚨

Owen
Kenedi helps me change into a pair of clean sweatpants and a sweatshirt then sits me down on the toilet. I look at my fingers as she fixes my hair then brushes my teeth.

All I can think about is Sofia and how much I've hurt her. I hate the thought of her being upset because of
me. She deserves only the best and I know that I've pretty much given her anything, but the best.

I have no clue how I'm going to fix this, but I will do whatever it takes.

"It's gonna be okay, Ow. I promise." I look up to Kenedi and smile lightly seeing her wearing one of Charlie's shirts.

"Talk to Charlie."

"What?"

"I can see how hurt you are that he wouldn't talk to you, but you still love him. Talk to him." She sighs shaking and hesitantly nods.

"Alright. I'll talk to him. But let's talk to Sofia first, okay?" I nod hesitantly standing up. She kisses my cheek then holds my hand leading me out of the room.

I hold my breath unable to stop all my wandering thoughts. I don't know what I'll do if this goes bad.

"You ready?" I sigh shakily looking at the door.

"Ready all I'll ever be." She squeezes my hand and walks into the room.

"SOFIA!" A few seconds later, she walks out wearing some other guy's hoodie. Josh.

"What is he doing here?" I look down at my feet frowning slightly.

"He's here because he wants to talk to you. Also, you can ask him why he's here. You know that, right?" She rolls her eyes sighing.

"Why are you both wet?"

"We showered." I look up quickly realizing how bad it sounds as soon as it leaves Kenedi's mouth. I watch Sofia's face remain emotionless.

"Together?"

"Yeah, but it's not what it seems like."

"Really? Because it seems like you're cheating on Charlie." Oh fuck.

"What?! I'm not cheating on him!"

"You showered with his best friend." Charlie walks in making me hide slightly behind Kenedi.

"Who showered with who's best friend?" I look at Sofia pleading her with my eyes  not to tell him. I can't lose anyone else right now.

"Kenedi and Owen showered together." Kenedi doesn't even try to correct her this time. I hesitantly look up to Charlie seeing nothing but pain and rage in his face.

"Charlie-" He interrupts me pulling Sofia into his side.

"How long have you been together?" I look down at Kenedi seeing that she's struggling to hold it together and squeeze her hand.

"We aren't together. We never have been."

"Then how long have you been fucking?" I laugh nervously in shock.

"What?"

"How long have you been fucking?"

"Charlie, there's nothing going on between us!" He hums nodding.

"I don't believe you." Kenedi whimpers quietly and I pull her into me hiding her face in my side.

"Why don't you believe your best friend? Your girlfriend?"

"You mean my ex best friend and my ex girlfriend?" I swallow hard trying to be strong for Kenedi. "It's okay though because Sofia and I are happy too." My arms drop from around Kenedi feeling what was left of me beginning to crumble.

"W-what?" Kenedi runs out of the room sniffling quietly. Sofia starts to go after her, but Charlie holds her to him.

"She's amazing, Owen. She's just as tight as you said she'd be." I look into her eyes trying to see if she ever meant what she said to me at the movie theatre.

"I hope you and Kenedi are very happy together, Owen." She walks out quickly following the way Kenedi ran out.

"How could you do this to me?" I don't even try to hold back my tears. "You're supposed to be my best friend." He shrugs smiling lightly.

"You get Kenedi and I get Sofia. What's wrong with that?"

"I don't love Kenedi! I love Sofia and you know that!"

"Really? If you love Sofia, why did you kiss someone else? And why have you been fucking my girlfriend?"

"I haven't been fucking her! I'm still a fucking virgin! I wouldn't hurt you like that."

"You fucking showered together." I hesitantly look down at my hands not sure if I should tell him.

"She showered with me so I wouldn't hurt myself." He doesn't say anything probably because he doesn't believe me. "I told her all about how I'm doing mentally and I asked her how to stop because I can't and then she said I should talk to Sofia and I asked her to help me shower because I'm trying to hold it together, but I can't!"

"Owen-"

"Is this why you wouldn't have sex with Kenedi?"

"What?"

"You've been together for how long and you still won't have sex with her. You've had multiple opportunities and you haven't."

"You don't get to ask about my sex life, Owen."

"You're sleeping with the girl I'm in love with. I think I deserve to know why you're cheating on my best friend." He looks at me with his arms crossed then sighs quietly.

"Sofia and I are just friends."

"What?"

"We're just friends."

"But you said-"

"I know...but...you and Kenedi..." He trails off as his eyes fill with tears. I hesitantly walks closer to him.

"I know I've been an asshole the past few days, but I would never do that to you." He nods sniffling quietly blinking rapidly.

I know that there's still a small part of him thinking that I'm lying just like there's the small part of me telling me that he's lying.

I hesitantly pull of my sweatshirt to prove to him that I'm not lying.

"Owen." His voice cracks as his tears start falling.

"This is why Kenedi showered with me. She knows what all of this is like and I didn't want to do it again, but if I had showered alone, I knew I wouldn't have been able to stop myself. I-"

He interrupts me just hugging me. I hesitantly hug back feeling a lump grow in the back of my throat.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice cracks making me completely break down.

"I couldn't lose my best friend." He pulls back holding my face close to his forcing me to look into his eyes.

"You will never lose me, Owen. Never."