illicit affairs | Charlie Barber x Reader

chapter thirty two: when things go right

oops... didn't mean to get in a writing slump and leave you guys hanging... turns out we only have a handful of chapters left of IA. between five to six chapters left and that depends on if I might cut a chapter or combine them. the closer we get to it, I'll let you guys know! 

I apologize again, but life is so hectic (I'm sure you guys are going through the same thing) and i will try to update as fast as i can. work is currently kicking my ass and my family and i are going through some transitions right now so be patient with me please!!

last thing... HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS MY BABY GIRL, THIS ONE GOES OUT TO YOU. 

i'm sure charlie missed you guys as much as y'all missed him, so here... we... go...

-------------------

Stress wasn't a stranger to you. In fact, it was always the shadow that followed you around. While working yourself through college in a state you didn't grow up in, you knew things would be hard. You knew that the trip you were planning to take took a lot of energy. Of course, stumbling into the world of Charlie Barber didn't make things any easier but it wasn't something you couldn't handle.

What you really couldn't handle was the brutal fact that no, you truly didn't know what stress felt like. At least it felt more than stress at this point. It was more... panic. That was a good word to describe how you found yourself in your current situation.

You could even pinpoint the moment it turned into panic.

Of course, looking back at things, you were so naive. You were relaxed and had your guard down. After all, you finally found the happiness you thought you never felt destined to obtain. You were careless... So, after Friday's lecture, you found out something.

You were one person walking into Charlie's office and a completely different person walking out.

Everything you built around yourself, fighting for what you had, you thought you had it all figured out. Or at least, you were in the beginning stages to figure out what you needed to figure out...

You were in your last ever semester of college, falling in love with the last person you thought of, and you were going to take control of things the moment you graduated. Instead of the horrible memories of finding out about your parents, you could finally replace those with something else. Someone else that would watch you walk across the stage.

But, of course, that all came tumbling down the moment you saw Nick. He was right there, his unchanging face not revealing how much he knew or heard. He was right there, willing to yank everything away from you. Everything that was once an arm's length away.

While you tried not to run out of the building, your hands balled into fists, pressing your nails into the palms of your hand. The stinging of pain was enough to distract you, giving you a normal escape while Charlie welcomed Nick into his office.

You wanted to text Charlie, wanting to find the answers to your many questions. You wanted to know if you had a reason to freak out or if it was all in your head. But you didn't do that.

Instead, you walked off campus, not sure where to go. At first, your sites were set on heading back home. Well, Charlie's home. You were going to wait it out there until you finally got answers.

You knew it was going to be a long walk without getting a ride or taking the bus. But given your pounding heart and churning stomach, you needed to work off your extra anxiety. So, you kept your fists tight and your teeth clenched. The farther you got from campus, the more stress you felt rolling off your back.