*****AT THE BAR*****
I was sitting in my car outside the bar just watching people go in. I couldn't find the courage to step out of my car and go inside. I jumped when there was a knock on my window, I looked at saw Oliver standing there smiling. I rolled down the window.
"Hello." I said in a phony tone giving a just as equal phony smile.
"Whatcha doin'?" Oliver asked in a funny tone.
"Oh, ya know just people watching." I said.
"Why don't you just come inside. Sitting out here isn't going to make it any better." Oliver said.
"Yeah, actually it will because no one will know I'm in town." I said. Oliver just shook his head. I sighed, rolled up my window, opened the door and got out of the car.
"Have you been inside?" I asked and Oliver nodded.
"Yeah, I was taking out the trash when I saw you." Oliver said.
"Is anyone in there?" I questioned.
"The whole gang is." Oliver said and I instantly felt like I was going to throw up.
"I have no clue what to do. I want to go in, but I can't just go up to them." I said.
"Just rip off the band aid and do it." Oliver said.
"That's what dad said." I said.
"Then do it!" Oliver said. He grabbed my arm and practically pulled me into the bar. He left me standing at the door as he went back behind the bar. I looked around and noticed a couple people looking at me noticing who I was, it was either as the Author Charlotte Wallace or Charlie from their hometown. As my eyes scanned the bar I saw them, the group of my old friends and my old boyfriend. I took a deep breath to push down the sickness feeling I was having and walked up to their table.
"Hey everyone." I said. They all looked at me with looks of shock and confusion on their faces.
"Charlotte?" My old best friend Nat asked seeing me breaking the silence.
"Surprise! I'm back in town." I said trying to make them all smile. They all just stared at me.
"What do you mean back in town? Like to stay?" Wanda, another friend asked.
"Not exactly sure yet. I came in for family business so we will have to see what happens." I said. Everyone was still silent, so I looked at Steve, who hadn't even made eye contact with me.
"Hey Steve." I said since he was just looking at the beer in his mug.
"I'm going to go get another pitcher." Steve said getting up and leaving the table. I just sighed and went to follow him.
"I got this." Bucky, another friend and the closest thing Steve had to a brother said. I just stood there looking at Nat, Wanda and Sam, our final friend rounding out the group.
"So how have y'all been?" I questioned.
"We have been fine. Charlotte please don't take this wrong way, but you can't just come into town and act like nothing has changed from when you left." Sam said.
"Sam, you know you all can call me Charlie..." I trailed off.
"I don't think we can...Charlotte." Wanda said and I sighed with a small nod.
"Okay well I just wanted to let you know that I was back in town. I'll see you guys around." I said and walked away. As I was leaving, I saw Steve and Bucky standing at the bar talking to my brother. I gave my brother a small wave and left. Once I got in my car, I finally took a deep breath that I realized I had been holding since walking up to the table. I don't know what I was thinking coming into town this soon, maybe holing up in the house would have been the best option. I drove through town to see what had changed and smiled seeing a certain store front in the small downtown area. I parked and walked up to the window and saw my first book sitting in the window with a picture of me working here when I was a teenager. I smiled and walked in, I looked the same, smelled the same.
"Welcome to A Bookworms Dream, be right with you." I heard the voice say and I smiled knowing it was her, the old owner. I just started looking around. I heard her come out of the backroom and then she saw me.
"CHARLIE?!" She said and I smiled.
"Hi Mrs. Rogers." I said and she pulled me into a huge hug.
"You know to call me Sarah." She said and I smiled.
"Well, I thank you for the hug, that's the warmest greeting I have gotten since my parents." I said and she sighed.
"You saw the old gang?" Sarah asked.
"Yep, just left the bar and it was a pretty chilly reception." I said and Sarah sighed. Sarah was Steve's mom and I started working in her bookstore when I was 15. I wasn't supposed to be working that young but ever since I was a kid my parents couldn't keep me out of the bookstore.
"Well sweetie I hate to say it but what did you expect?" Sarah asked and I shrugged.
"I mean that actually, but I was hoping someone would have been a little excited." I said and she sighed. I then pointed to window display. "I find it hard to believe Steve lets that stay." I said and she sighed.
"Well, it's my shop, not his. I'm proud of you. He is too, in his own way." Sarah said and I huffed a laugh.
"Right, his way of ignoring me when I said hi to him and leaving the table." I said and Sarah sighed.
"Do I need to talk to him?" She asked and I shook my head.
"No, looks like I will be here for the foreseeable future, he can't ignore me forever." I said and we both gave a small laugh as the door opened and I looked to see who walked in.
"Peter, right on time." Sarah said and I smiled at the young kid who just walked. He looked at me in shock.
"You're her! Charlotte Wallace!" He said excited and I smiled.
"Yeah, nice to meet you." I said sticking out my hand and he shook it.
"Peter Parker, I work here at the store." Steve said and I smiled.
"Well, it's a great job Peter, cherish it." I said, he smiled and nodded.
"I do." Peter said and he looked nervous.
"Something wrong Peter?" I asked.
"I was wondering if you would...maybe...sign this..." Peter said pulling a worn-out copy of the book out and I smiled as he handed me a pen. I signed it and handed it back to him.
"To Peter, the first one to ask me to sign this when I came back home. Thanks for welcoming me back." Peter read what I wrote, and he smiled.
"Peter, can you work on getting the new stock out?" Sarah asked and he nodded.
"Nice meeting you Miss Wallace." He said and I shook my head.
"Charlie is fine." I said and he smiled. I looked back at Sarah and smiled. We heard the bell ring and before I could even turn to look, I heard his voice.
"Ma, you'll never guess who pulled herself out of her high life in New York and waltzed back into town." Steve's voice rang out and then he saw me standing there. I just sighed and looked back at Sarah.
"I'm going to go. I'll stop in later." I said and hugged her.
"Don't make promises Charlotte." Steve said as I went to walk past him. I stopped at looked at him.
"I know you don't like me right now and I understand you may never again, but I'm going to be in town for the foreseeable future. Can we at least be civil?" I asked and he groaned.
"Bye Charlotte." Steve said and I walked out with tears threating my eyes.
YOU ARE READING
Home Again ⭐️
Fanfiction*~COMPLETE~* Charlotte hasn't been home in 12 years since leaving when she was 18. She left everyone behind including friends, family and her high school sweetheart Steve Rogers. Now after being gone for 12 years Charlotte gets a call from her Aunt...
