Charlie's Web (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 17

As Charlie sat on the train on her brief Monday morning commute to the office, she wondered if she had ever had to improvise as much as she had in the last two weeks. Probably not since standard grade Drama - she guessed that had stood her in good stead after all, despite her parents telling her she should be doing something more practical as a subject.

She unconsciously sank her teeth into her bottom lip as she acknowledged to herself that this was probably something she shouldn't admit to her folks though. 

There had been another moment in the pub on Saturday afternoon when she had been put on the spot, when Jake had commented on how little she seemed to actually see Paul. "Not that I'm complaining but I don't know how you have time to work and to see me and him," he had chuckled. And he had a point, she realised.

She'd airily replied that as they'd be spending their life together very soon they'd decided to spend a bit less time together in the run- up to the event. She was actually worried she had actually maybe, in her muddled explanation, made it actually sound that they'd agreed to have final flings right before they got married. But then, as this was technically what she was doing, it wouldn't be that far off the mark if imaginary Paul was also having an imaginary fling. 

Her brain was frazzled.

The train pulled into the station and Charlie began squeezing through people to alight onto the platform, remembering that she hated public transport and other people, and this was why she usually walked into the city centre. That morning though she had really wanted to get an early start . . . And time to grab a Costa hot chocolate and lemon muffin. Which surely counted as a healthy breakfast because of the fruit content?

Sitting down at her desk, Costa goodies in hand, she had barely time to switch on her computer before Belinda and Shelia had plonked themselves down next to her. "Good weekend?" Belinda asked eagerly.

"Yeah, it was great," Charlie replied absently, trying to remember what she had changed her password to on Friday and what punctuation mark she had used at the end this time. "How about yours?"

"Oh come on, Charlie, you need to tell us what happened with Aaron!" Shelia urged. That got Charlie's full attention. 

"What do you mean?"

"You went away to talk, and then he came and got your stuff and said you weren't feeling great and he was going to make sure you got in a taxi," Belinda said, her eyebrows raised skeptically. "Are you telling us nothing happened there?"

"Nothing did happen," she replied. "He got me a portion of chips and cheese, and then put me in a taxi."

Belinda and Shelia looked at each other and chorused; "Aw! How sweet!" Then nudged each other and giggled like ten year olds. Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Seriously though, when are you two going to realise you're made for each other?" Shelia said, looking exasperated. "You're like the Pam and Jim of this office; we're all rooting for you."

"Hey look, if you recall, I was very much into him and then he screwed me over as soon as I was single," Charlie said faux-casually. "I've moved on."

"You talk about him like he's some lothario who goes around collecting the hearts he has deliberately smashed," Belinda cried, somewhat overdramatically. "He's a mild-mannered accountant without a bad bone in his body, who is quite clearly still into you despite whatever happened between you in the past." She leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. "And don't think we didn't all see the two of you getting hot and heavy at the Christmas night out last year."

Charlie knew her face had went crimson by this point. She hadn't realised anyone had actually witnessed that "Oh my god!" She put her head in her hands briefly and took a deep breath. "Look guys, we spoke the other night, and we're friends again, but it's not like that anymore."