Forbidden Love 💙

Chapter 16

"You're going to be fine Chris, just breathe." Charlotte knew public appearances made him nervous and gave him anxiety. He had to do a comic con panel and sit for fans to sign stuff and take pictures with. She wanted to hug him, that would calm him down, but they had to maintain their relationship as strictly professional. Chris looked down at her and she knew he wanted the same. He wanted to kiss her, to hug her. He knew that would calm him down. But he hated that he couldn't.

The first thing of the day was photos. He introduced her to Karen Gillan and Elizabeth Olsen before introducing her to Tom Hiddleston. She noticed Chris looking at her as she shook Tom's hand, "are you blushing Charlie?"

Tom laughed as Charlotte pulled her hand away, "shut up Chris."

They all laughed, including Chris, "you can't tell me to shut up." She knew he liked her defiance as she rolled her eyes. They all spent some time talking while they waited for the lines to form for their photos.

"So you're Chris' assistant?"

She and Tom stood off to the side a little as Chris watched them, "I am. Yes."

Chris interjected, "she's more than that, without her there would be some days that I didn't eat. She's always taking care of me. My life would be a mess without her."

"That must be kind of difficult to date when you have to be in charge of not only your own life, but someone else's." She couldn't get enough of Tom's accent.

Before she could say anything Chris answered for her, "she's dating Sebastian actually." She shot him a dirty look as he took a step back. She didn't know why he kept answering for her.

"It's fine. Chris is a pretty laid back guy for the most part," she hesitated for a minute because she knew it had to be done. She looked from Chris back to Tom, "actually, Sebastian and I broke up."

"What?" Chris looked at her surprised and crossed his arms. She knew she needed to break up with him, and she knew it would irritate Chris in that moment.

"I didn't have time to tell you yet."

"Oh. Why did you break up?" Tom took a step towards her.

She looked at Chris, "kind of hard to date a celebrity that isn't around all the time. That's all. I should go sit down and leave you guys to it." Charlotte left them before Chris could say anything and sat off to the side. Chris watched her walk away knowing he irritated her. Tom was trying to find out if she was single, he was positive. He wanted to shut him down before he got too far. Now he made her angry because she thinks he doesn't trust her or could handle herself. He sighed knowing he would have to make it up to her later.

Charlotte had to watch Chris take pictures with touchy fan girls. She knew they meant well, for the most part. But it still made her a bit jealous, all of them touching Chris. He was supposed to be all hers. Chris paced back and forth backstage as he waited to be called out. He hated doing these, but he loved meeting fans so he just tried to get through it without throwing up.

After the pictures, Charlotte didn't say anything to Chris as they started to walk to where he would be signing and meeting fans. She handed him a water bottle, "drink." He nodded and took the water. She was always taking care of him. She was good at anticipating his needs and wants, sometimes even before he did. He wasn't sure if it was because of how perceptive she was or because she loved him. He finished the water and handed it back to her making her laugh.

"I'll get you another one, go sit down." She put her hand on his shoulder, "and breathe. Okay?" She winked at him, "boss" before walking away. He knew it was her personal 'I love you' because she couldn't say the actual words. Charlotte left him to sit at the booth as she disappeared behind the curtain to grab more water for him. She grabbed two water bottles setting one on the table for him and the other at his feet.

As she turned to leave behind the curtain again he grabbed her hand, "thank you Charlie." She wanted to kiss him, but instead she nodded and left him to do his job.

The last thing of the long day was a panel. He had to sit on stage in front of everyone answering questions for the fans. She knew he felt like an idiot a few times. He couldn't say much regarding the movie so he had to watch what he said making him feel like he was coming across flaky or unprepared.

Charlotte tensed up backstage when she heard someone mention him working with Sebastian. But Chris was a professional, and handled it as one. He said nothing but nice things about him, and why shouldn't he, they were good friends. Nothing he said was false; Sebastian was a great guy, for sure one of the best ones she had ever met. He continued to let them carry on a fake relationship just to protect Chris' image even though he himself was in love with Charlotte too. But he never crossed any boundaries or tried to make her feel bad for having to keep her distance from him. She felt bad because she knew it was hurting him, despite not being in love with him, she did really love him. Just not the way he wanted her to.

When the panel ended he met her backstage and handed her a shirt one of his fans had given him, "hold on to this for me, will you?"

"Of course." She held it up to look at it, it said 'I don't wike it'. She laughed and put it in her bag. She couldn't wait to wear it later.

"Did I sound like an idiot?"

"No. Of course you didn't Chris. People find you charming and down to Earth. You did fine. Let's go."

They were stopped by a few fans as they exited the convention center. She did her best to field fans, to keep them from getting too close as she led him to a car to take them back to the hotel.

When they got into the car he laughed, "you're territorial of me. I like it."

"You want to talk about territorial?" She glared at him for how he acted when she was talking to Tom earlier that morning.

He groaned, "I know. I'm sorry. Are we going to talk about you and Sebastian?"

She sighed. "I can't do it anymore Chris. I have to go see him. As soon as possible." She looked up at him pleadingly as he just nodded.

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Charlotte didn't tell Sebastian that she was coming to see him as she waited impatiently outside his apartment for him to answer.

"Charlotte? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" He ushered her inside his apartment as he waited for her to explain why she was there.

She paced in front of him as he sat on the couch, "I can't do this anymore Seb. I'm sorry. We never should have asked you do to this to begin with. I shouldn't have asked you to do it. I have been using your feelings for me."

Sebastian leaps from the couch when he sees Charlotte start to cry, wrapping his arms around her, "hey. It's okay. I knew from the beginning what it was. I agreed to it. I'm okay."

"No." She pulls away as he wipes her tears away, "we need to break up. I can't do this anymore Sebastian." She sits on the couch, laying her head back. "I just want to be with Chris, why is that so hard?" She looks at Sebastian as he sits on the table across from her, "can you help me?"

"Of course I will Charlotte. I love you."

"I know you do Sebastian. I'm sorry I don't love you the same way."

Sebastian leaned forward and grabbed her waist, "we'll just let it fizzle out. Then if either of us are asked about it, we'll just say we grew apart, it didn't work out. Okay?"

She rested her head on his, "okay. Thank you Sebastian. Not just for doing this, but for being such a good friend." She wrapped her arms around his neck as he held her for a moment before letting go.

"It'll be fine Charlotte."