Charles Alblice has always led an ordinary life in Birchtowne. He enjoyed the company of his cousin, Quinn, and their best friend, Michael. The three lived their lives as carefree as any other teenager would.
But life in Birchtowne gets messy when...
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The next morning, Charles was woken by the blaring sound of his alarm. He looked, bleary-eyed, at his phone and turned the alarm off before stuffing his head back into his pillows.
He let out a long sigh into the pillows before dragging himself from bed. Lea told him to be ready by nine, and it was just now seven thirty. She was an early riser, so he half expected Lea to show up at his doorstep a little after eight.
He dressed and headed into the bathroom. While in there, he poked his head into Quinn's room. His cousin was still fast asleep in the upright position Charles had forced him to sleep in. He gently shut the door again.
His plan to leave Quinn today so he could talk with Lea about things he hadn't even told him about yet made him feel guilty. Quinn was clearly hurting, and he was just dipping. Tomorrow, he decided, he'd make it up to him.
After he finished in the bathroom, Charles went downstairs and grabbed a granola bar. His aunt and uncle were already gone, having left for work. They worked most weekends, something Quinn and Charles were incredibly glad about. It was time away from them. He ate his granola bar while walking up the stairs to go back to his room. Just when he laid back down on his bed, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out, sitting upright.
lmk when you're ready read the message.
He didn't recognize the number, but knew without a doubt who it was.
I'm ready now
He pressed send and busied himself with creating Lea's new contact. After she'd blocked his number, there had been no reason for him to keep her in his phone. Michael had actually been the one to delete her contact, claiming it to be for the better. And it probably had been. After that, he'd been unable to obsessively read old messages between the two of them just for an inkling of that feeling back. His phones buzzed with Lea's reply not long after his message sent.
good. i'm by your window, let me in
Charles glanced over to his window, opening his blinds. He knew she was there, but he still managed to jump in surprise at the sight of just how close the figure was. She was right there, face covered and in her Flare costume. He slid his phone into his pocket, unlocking the window so he could open it and the screen.
"Are you insane?" he asked, closing the window after she flew into the room.
"Maybe," Lea answered with a shrug. She pulled the Flare mask off her face.
He had to admit, seeing Lea in her full Flare ensemble standing so nonchalantly in his bedroom was a wild sight. The suit was mostly black, save for the flame detailing on her chest and back. Her boots and gloves were the reddish-orange color of a summer night campfire, and she wore a sash tied around her waist like a belt to match. The suit had an acute attention to detail. Her satin mask was black with a blooming of orange across it, and even the elastic holding her long, blonde hair in its braid resembled fire.
