The Curse of Your Past // Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 27

On the ride to the airport I called Max to ask him where I should meet them. I cost me all my strength to not throw up in the car when talking to him. Ever since I left Charlie's apartment I felt so sick but the moment I sat down in the Uber it got a lot worse.

Max waits for me outside of the airport. Like the perfect guy he takes my suitcase from the Uber driver. For people watching it might appear like he's trying to be nice to his girlfriend but I know he's just playing pretend and making sure my bags actually make it to the drop off and I don't change my mind. It's a miracle he's not trying to hold my hand.

He hasn't looked at me for once yet and I'm honestly more than glad. It would be nice if we could just ignore each other for the next hours. Once we walk through the airport doors I see Evelyn waiting next to two suitcases. Once she sees me she almost seems happy. "Victoria. I'm glad you've finally come to your senses."

I don't reply and I try to avoid her gaze but I can't help but notice the way she looks me up and down. With a disparaging look she says "What on earth are you wearing?" I know she's referring to Charlie's T-Shirt. I continue to ignore her. In the corner of my eye I can see Max looking at me for the first time. His eyes turn dark, scary. "Vicky... are you serious?"

Only hearing my name said like that makes me flinch only a little bit. I gather myself quickly before he notices my fear. I ignore both of them and say "Where can I drop off my bag?" I grab for the handle of my suitcase and start walking towards where I believe I have to go. For a second Max and Evelyn don't move, surprised by my reaction. I know they expected me to say something... try to defend myself but there's no use and I won't give them the satisfaction of acting the way they want me to.

Max is next to me pretty quickly. Quietly, so that only I can hear he says "Don't pull a stunt like this..." He gestures at Charlie's shirt. "...again... understood?" I nod slightly. I can only defy him so much if I want him to leave Charlie alone. I'll have to play by his rules to at least some extend.

We make our way through the security check in silence. "Anyone want anything? Food? Drinks?" Evelyn sounds like she's on a vacation, casually venturing through the airport. I begin to shake my head but Max throws me a warning look. "Yeah... sure."

Evelyn walks around looking at the options. In the end she gestures for us to come sit a table at Starbucks. My heart stings at the memory of my first Starbucks drink in LA. A finger is snipping infront of my face. "Sorry." I mumble. "What do you want Victoria?" - "Just a black coffee." Max looks at me in surprise. "Since when do you drink black coffee?"

I don't but it feels like the only drink that Charlie didn't get me to try. I shrug my shoulders and luckily he leaves it at that. They are both acting so weird, even for their standards. Evelyn acts like she's on a vacation with he daughter and her boyfriend and Max acts like two completely different people. When Evelyn is paying attention he acts like a random guy dating a girl but when she's not watching he looks at me like he's going to hit me if I make one wrong move... which he probably would.

I force the coffee down my throat because I don't to cause any trouble. I tastes so bitter but the taste and the focus on not vomiting distracts me from my sadness for at least a little bit. After what feels like an eternity, but sadly wasn't more than 30min of our three hours, Max and Evelyn decide we shall move to our gate.

As if they are guarding me they sit down on each side of me... as if I had anywhere to go. "Victoria... I'm honestly glad you finally accepted your true destiny." Sometimes I wonder if she actually believes what she's saying. She sounds so friendly right now... I can't remember talking her to me like that ever since I first mentioned my dream. We sit in silence for a while which gives me way too much time to think.

I think back to the day I met Charlie and everything that followed after. "Keep it together Vicky." Max hisses next to me. I touch me cheeks and they are wet from tears I didn't realize were falling out of my eyes. I turn around to him so Evelyn doesn't hear us. "What do you want? Would you like me to be happy that you blackmailed me into doing this?" His eyes darken and I immediately regret saying anything.

"Careful Vicky! If you don't behave you know what'll happen. Now stop crying over that stupid boy. He would have dumped you soon anyways. You should be thanking me, I spared you the embarrassment of being dumped." I catch my breath. "Thanking you?" I need to take breath to calm my voice so I don't start screaming the middle of the airport.

"Thanking you for ruining my life? Yeah... I should be so grateful! Honestly Max? You're insane! I wish I never met you." I can feel the burning on my cheek so intensely I press my hand over it but it won't help.

"Max? What on earth?" Evelyn has jumped up is now standing infront of us, her eyes widened in shock. For a moment I can see worry flicker in Max eyes. I look up at Evelyn, my eyes filled with tears, my cheek probably burning as red as it feels.