Finally Free - Charlie Gillespie

Chapter Sixty-one

Owen
"Charlie, why am I here, dude?"

"I already told you. I set you up on a blind date!"

"I don't want to date."

"I know. Trust me I know." I see sadness flash across his eyes, but it disappears before I can even comment on it.

"What's going on, Charlie?" He hesitates looking down at his hands in tears.

"We broke up." I look up to him quickly in shock.

"What? Why? When? What?"

"We got into a stupid fight over Sofia which then led to her saying we're not good for each other. She broke up with me, I asked for the ring back, I kissed Sofia and I honestly have no clue why and it meant literally nothing to me, but she walked in and saw it."

"When did all of this happen?" He sighs shakily shrugging.

"Almost a week ago." I frown deeply. "I'm sorry for kissing Sofia. I really don't know why I did it."

"I'm not mad at you, Char. I'm really not. I get it."

"You do?" I smile sadly shrugging.

"I lost count of how many women I've slept with in the last week and a half." He smiles sadly in tears.

"I tried to sleep with someone else, but I couldn't. It was too painful." I nod knowing what he means.

"We'll hopefully be okay."

"I'll never be okay without her." He smiles through his tears. I squeeze his shoulder then sit down at the table just hoping I can have a nice, short fuck after this to get my mind off everything again.

I look through the menu while waiting for this date to show up. I'm going to laugh if she never does.

"Owen?" I look up quickly nearly knocking over the water.

"What are you doing here?" She smiles nervously.

"I guess our friends set us up on a blind date." I blush deeply feeling awkward now.

"Oh...um I can get you an uber home if you want."

"Or." She takes off her coat. I look her up and down smiling lightly to myself. Maybe this is a good sign. Wait, no it's not. We're just friends. "Maybe we could just...stay." She sits down in front of me smiling nervously.

"You want to stay...with me?" She nods smiling lightly. "O-okay." Well, I guess I'm not getting laid tonight, but it is nice to see her again.

The engagement ring that I put on a chain under my shirt feels like it's burning my skin. I hate feeling like this.

"My high school diploma came the other day in the mail."

"Wait what?"

"It did. I know my mom told you I dropped out of school, but I didn't really. I had already completed all the credits I needed to in order to graduate so I just didn't complete this semester."

"Oh." Okay so maybe I'm not that bad for her. Fuck, I'm so stupid.

"Anyway. Kenedi is leaving tomorrow."

"What? Where is she going? When is she coming back?" She shrugs picking at a breadstick.

"She's moving to Montana and she's not coming back." I frown deeply eating half the breadstick in just one bite.

"Why?" She hesitates then says softly.

"She saw Charlie kiss me after she broke up with him. She says she can't see him anymore because every time she does, all she can see is him kissing me."

"She doesn't have to leave in order to get away from him though."

"I tried telling her that. I even tried telling her that we could move into our own apartment, but she doesn't want Charlie to be a part of the baby's life at all."

"Baby? What baby?"

"Fuck! You can't tell anyone!"

"She's pregnant?!" She reaches across the table and covers my mouth with her hand. I look into her eyes nervously feeling my heart pounding out of my chest.

"Don't tell anyone, okay? Heer and I are the only people supposed to know." I hesitantly nod tempted to just kiss her.

But I can't. She's not mine to kiss anymore.

She slowly pulls back and sits down again clearing her throat. I clear mine nervously then take a sip of my water.

"Does Charlie know?"

"No and she doesn't want him to."

"Why?"

"There's still a possibility that she could die or she could..." She trails off. I know it's hard for her to talk about miscarriages. It's hard for me too.

"Why didn't you tell me?" If this night goes to hell, at least I can say I asked what's been on my mind since Heer told me.

"Tell you what?"

"About the baby, Sof." She closes her eyes tensing up. I hesitantly reach across the table holding her hand. "I know we aren't on great terms, but that was...is our baby. That will always be our baby. You shouldn't have to deal with this alone." She looks up to me silently crying.

"You wanted nothing to do with her."

"Her?" My voice cracks.

"I could tell that she was a girl." She smiles sadly at me. I look down taking a moment to collect myself. I always wanted a baby girl. "I never told you because I thought you'd be happy."

"I would never be happy over losing my baby, Sofia. Never."

"You wanted me to get an abortion."

"I never wanted you to, but I thought it might have been the best option considering the circumstances."

"What circumstances? I thought you wanted kids." I sigh shakily feeling stupid for all of it now. "Kenedi told me about the letter." I look up to her sadly. I can't believe this is really happening.

"I had just finished reading the letter when you got home. I thought you had dropped out of school and then you told me you're pregnant and you're only eighteen. I couldn't see anything other than the fact that I'm bad for you."

"But you're not bad for me." I look down at the table and smile lightly noticing we're still holding hands. "I wish you could see yourself the way that I see you, Owen."