The Entanglement [Charlie Barber]

Chapter 23: Earn It

You stared up at Charlie's ceiling, unable to fall asleep.

Being surrounded by his scent caused every inhale to send a sharp pang through your chest. It had been an hour since he left you in his bedroom after your separate showers to wash away the shame of the evening. You insisted on showering alone to keep yourself in check, not wanting to create an air of confusion on why you were staying the night. It was out of convenience and nothing else.

You got up and headed into the master bathroom to soothe your mind by taking a minute away from lying in the bed you swore you'd never let yourself sleep in again.

You splashed some cool water over your face, patting it dry with a soft, fuzzy hand towel. Your tired reflection caught your attention and you stared at yourself for a moment. A part of you didn't even recognize who was staring back. You studied your uneven and dry complexion, the darkness under your eyes, the blemishes.

There was no life left in your appearance and it saddened you.

When every bit of makeup was removed and you stood face to face with the woman you'd become over the last month and a half, you looked... unwell.

He did this to you.

You swallowed back the emotions that had begun to glass over your eyes, running both hands through your hair and taking a deep breath to stop them from taking over. You looked down at the vanity, chewing on the inside of your cheek and avoiding your own reflection.

Glancing to the cabinet door under the sink, you grew curious if Isabel's belongings still resided there. You wondered if she came over after the break-up and fucked Charlie. You wondered if they teamed up to make your life hell on purpose, just to toy with you, meeting up on occasion to laugh about it behind your back. Just the thought of it angered you.

Fuck it. It didn't matter anymore. At this point, ignorance was bliss and you welcomed it.

You stepped back into the bedroom, gazing at the bed with uncertainty.

Charlie had just fallen asleep on the sofa downstairs when he awoke to the sound of you slowly opening the front door. He perked his head up, able to see your dark silhouette from the living room. You turned and paused with the door ajar, taking note that he was awake but saying nothing.

He mumbled your name but you didn't respond as you closed the door, leaving him alone in the silence of his own home.

He sighed deeply, letting his head fall back to the pillow.

You stared out the window of the taxicab, watching the city that never sleeps sparkle in the distance as you headed to your apartment located only a few miles away.

Stepping through the threshold, you dropped your belongings at the door before heading into the kitchen. You grabbed a bottle of dark rum and a glass from the cabinet, pouring yourself a double and slinging it back entirely.

You coughed from the burn that slid down your throat, coating the pain in your chest as you waited for it to numb. You sniffled from the strong sensation starting to subside, pouring yourself another and repeating the same. It came to you gradually, as it always did, but you started to feel your muscles relax and your mind becoming senseless.

You gripped the neck of the bottle, sliding it off the counter as you carried it lazily into the dark living room like a security blanket.

You were startled when a lamp flickered on and your eyes adjusted to a figure sitting in a chair.

Isabel.

"There you are."

Her voice was both welcoming and dark.