𝙲𝙰𝙺𝙴: 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚠𝚘 (𝙰 𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙻𝙶𝙱𝚃 𝙽𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕) 🍰

㊷ 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝙴𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙺𝚂

~~~

Charlie

Carefully, I fit the buttons of my white button-down t-shirt through the individual slots on the placket, one by one. My hands were a little shaky from nerves, but I was able to get the simple task done and successfully wear a tie around my collar.

Dropping my hands to my sides, I looked up and stared at the reflection of myself in the mirror. 

I looked pretty good. I'd forgotten how it felt to have confidence, inside and out. It was nice to experience that kind of self-worth again.

Brushing my paw through the hair on my head, I made sure everything about my appearance was top-notch and shipshape. I wanted to look good for tonight, not just for the Independence Day festival, but for what came afterward. I'd long prepared for and awaited this day. 

And, right now, it feels like the best time, more than ever. 

Because I finally feel so, so happy.

For the past month, everything has been... pretty good. Skyler and I have maintained our love; our relationship hasn't faltered since. We've never been stronger together before. She's been gaining a lot of success with her artwork lately and has been making a name for herself online. Post-production for the film I shot with Deno has wrapped up and is now being prepped for press and distribution. We've been handling ourselves well with both our careers and our personal lives, including our bonds with our friends and family. Recently, Skyler has been checking in on her family more, especially after our last visit, and Becca has been doing better as well. As for me, I've slowly worked up the courage to reconnect with my father again.

My phone on the bathroom sink counter had vibrated, driving me to pick it up. It was a text from Dad.

"Good luck, son. I know you can do it."

A very faint grin had crossed my face. After a bit of hesitation, I texted back.

"thanks, dad. i'll tell you how it goes."

As I pressed the send button, my eyes drifted back up to the mirror. I saw, very faintly, a glimmer of joy, both in my eyes and in the way I smiled. It was subtle, but it was there.

I had come such a long way from that hurt, broken, troubled little kid I used to be. I wish that, somehow, I could tell my past self that it would be okay. That it would all work out.

Here I was, Charlie Cooperton, still alive and kicking.

And I owe it all to the people I love.

"Hey, you." I heard Skyler's warm, tender voice as she entered our bathroom unexpectedly, wrapping her arms around me and cuddling up to my side. As she threw her tiny, red leather purse on the sink counter, she began to kiss my cheek and nuzzle the tip of her nose into my neck, her paws feeling up my torso, slowly and dexterously. "You almost ready to go?"

"Yeah, almost," I muttered flirtatiously, turning to face her, fondling her ears and rifling my fingers through her hair. I kissed her forehead, my hands gently inching their way down from her cheeks, to her neck, to her shoulders, and to her waist. "This is cute," I admired, pinching the cloth of her adorable, navy blue, tiny-white-star patterned cami dress.