Becoming Ready

Chapter 25 - Pay Up

Before she could answer, she heard a voice that she never wanted to hear again for the rest of her life.

"Sorry Riv, there's no prize for second place," Kaley said, standing in front of their table.

River whipped around to look at her. "What are you doing here?"

"Collecting," she smirked. "I won, after all. Pay up."

"Won what?" Charlie interrupted.

"The bet," Kaley answered, as if it were obvious. "We put money on who could hook up with you or Shawn first. And since I kissed Shawn last night, that makes me the winner."

Charlie felt like someone punched her in the gut.

"Let me out," she abruptly said to River.

He just sat there, almost frozen, looking like he wanted to murder Kaley.

"Let. Me. OUT!" she yelled, attracting attention from other people.

He got up and Charlie almost flew out of the seat. She knocked Kaley with her shoulder, hard, as she walked past her. She wanted to do much worse, but she contained herself.

She damn near ran outside. It was getting hard to breathe, and she felt like her throat was restricting. She kneeled down in faint recovery position so she wouldn't fall over.

Some people who walked past her asked if she was okay. She held up her hand silently, as if to say thanks but no thanks. She could get through this, she just needed to breathe.

So it had been a bet, then. The two of them had been trying to get in the middle of her relationship all along. Charlie felt disgusted. She hadn't kissed River just now, but she had come awfully close. In a moment of weakness, she had truly considered it. Especially because he had been so vulnerable with her. What was all that about if it was just some stupid competition?

River came running out of the restaurant. "Charlie!" he yelled, looking for her. He spotted her crouching nearby and walked over.

She stood up. "Don't take another step."

He froze, putting his hands up. "Okay, I'm sorry. But if you'll just let me explain..."

"Explain what? That you're an absolute creep?!" she shouted.

"I totally forgot about the stupid bet, Charlie," he said, taking small steps forward, his hands still up. "It was Kaley's dumb idea, when we saw you and Shawn at the meeting that one time. She said it, and I thought it was a joke. But I guess it wasn't. I literally didn't even remember it until now."

"Right, so it was all her idea then," she scoffed.

"I've known Kaley for a while. She's got other issues... issues that make her act out like this. She actually goes to sex and love addicts anonymous, but that's besides the point..." he said.

Charlie ran her hand through her hair in frustration. "Convenient. Why should I believe that you weren't in on this the whole time?"

"Because it's the truth." He put his hands down. He was right in front of her now.

She shook her head. "I can't believe I got close to you. I told you things. I let you in. I almost just kissed you in there."

He reached for her. "And I'm glad you did. I really like you Charlie."

"And then everything you said just now about your brother... is that even true?" she asked, scared to know the answer.

He frowned. "Of course it's true. I would never lie about something like that. I don't want to mess up what's between us."

"There's nothing between us." She tried to shrug him off.

"You know that there is," he said, stepping even closer. "You felt it when we kissed."

"I don't care!" she raised her voice again. "Ok? I don't care if there's anything there. I'm already with Shawn, or at least, I think I still am, and I love him!"

"Yes. And he cheated on you."

That was it. Charlie had enough, she turned to walk away.

River grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back. She wrestled her hand out of his, and slapped him.

The loud smacking sound rang between them like a bell, and a couple people walking by looked shocked.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally said, "Charlie..."

"That's enough," she cut him off, and walked away.

He didn't try to stop her this time.

**Whoaaaaaaa! Do you think River deserved that? Has Charlie been pushed to her breaking point? Should she go find Shawn now that she knows about Kaley and the bet? If you don't know how to feel, I get it, lol. Xx