clean slate | charlie swan

~ the one without expectation

Alex sits with her feet on the dash watching cars go by. "I don't miss this part." She says, breaking the silence.

Charlie brushes crumbs off his shirt. "Huh? Oh, yeah, it's a bit dry." He chuckles. "Not often we get speeders around here so most of the time it's just a couple hours of silence."

"How boring! Aren't you so glad I'm having no luck with my business and have so much free time?" She grins, setting her coffee cup in the holder. She snatches the cookies from his hands.

"Hey! You ate the last packet!" He groans. "God, have sex once and you're suddenly sharing everything." He tuts.

Alex smiles and eats a cookie. "Yummmm."

Charlie chuckles. "So can I take you for dinner tonight?"

"Again?" She asks. "No."

"Oh..." He frowns.

"No, because I want you to come to mine for dinner. My treat - I'll cook." She smiles.

"Yeah?" He smiles back. "Well, then, I have high expectations."

"I better go get some food in then. Beer or wine?" She asks, sitting up.

"Surprise me." He says, smiling.

She kisses his cheek. "Come when you're off shift. See ya!" She calls, closing the door.

Charlie waves as he watches her go to her car that's parked behind the cruiser. He flashes his lights at her as she drives away.

Alex smiles to herself and drives to the store, grabbing a cart and heading in. Steaks are his favourite so she grabs some nice cuts of meat, vegetables, potatoes and some marinate, grabbing donuts for dessert and a couple of packs of beer. As she heads to the check out she sees Sue and for some reason she ducks back into the aisle.

Oh god, is that awkward? Does Sue know about her and Charlie? It's not been a secret they've hung out a lot the last week or two but nothing exactly had happened, not since the 4th. But are Charlie and Sue a done deal? Totally off? She doesn't know - it's not exactly been on her mind and probably not his.

"Grow a pair." She whispers to herself, straightening up before she confidently walks to the cashier. She doesn't look round as she packs, proud of herself as she heads out.

"Alex?"

Damn it! Alex slowly turns and looks at Sue, smiling politely. "Hi Sue , right?"

"Yeah, that's me." She smiles, walking out and stopping by her. "I just wanted to introduce myself, Charlie talks a lot about you."

He what? Alex forces a smile. "Oh really? He doesn't talk about you, I'm sorry." She says, trying to be a little petty. "I'll mention to him later that you say hi."

"Oh, he's coming over? How lovely. He likes his steaks rare. And he hates cauliflower." She says, peaking into the bags. "But have fun!"

Alex smiles and walks away, growling under her breath. She throws the bags in the car and speeds away, tapping the wheel. Why is she so annoyed? Her and Charlie aren't a thing, they haven't agreed to be with just each other but they haven't agreed to see others, either. What does it mean.

"Oh for fucks sake!" Alex snaps, the loud pop of her tyre making her jump. She parks over on the side of the road, almost in the middle of nowhere, and kicks the car, yelling. "Fuck you!" She screams at the sky, sitting on her hood for a moment with her head in her hands.

First John doesn't leave her alone. She has sex with a man she just met. She starts falling for this man only for him to maybe still be seeing his ex. She also has loans to pay off but no money coming in coz her business is failing. And now her tyre bursts and damages the wheel bearing. What else could possibly go wrong now?