Bright Lights

Chapter 1-Leaving

I stare out the window at the busy platform waiting for the train to move. "Charlie! What the hell?" I hear a familiar voice say before they grab my arm and yank me up.

"Ben, let me go." I say pulling away from him.

"Charlie, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to New York. There is nothing here for me." I say.

"Charlie come on, don't go." Ben pleads.

"I can't stay, I just can't."

"Then I'm coming with you."

"Ben, you need to stay, I need to do this on my own."

"But I love you. I'm coming."

"Ben I-I don't want you to come."

"W-what?"

"Ben go. You need to take care of your baby sister."

"She has my father."

"You and I both know that without you Christie would be taken away." He shakes his head holding back tears.

"Just promise you will come home." With that he walks off the train and out of my life.

That was almost a four year ago when I ran from my small town to New York. I wasn't going anywhere in that town. I came to New York to become someone; I left and vowed to never look back. I had not talked to anyone from home, not my parents, not Ben, no one. Until today.

I'm getting ready to head to the studio, when my phone rings, the caller I.D. is Ben. "Hello?"

"Charlie?"

"Christie? Where is Ben?"

"Charlie! He was in a crash and he is waking up from surgery. Charlie, he keeps calling your name."

"Alright, I'll be home as soon as I can." I say.

"Hurry Charlie."

"I will." I say hanging up the phone. I grab my bag and rush to the train station, hoping to make the 9 AM. I make it as the last whistle sounds. As I take my seat the wheels start to turn and I am on my way to a place I thought I would never go. Home.

Around 11 we pull into the station. I grab my purse and run off, not stopping for anything. I run to the hospital, which isn't that far so I literally run. "Ben Mason!" I say frantically.

"Charlotte Rockwell? Never thought I'd see you in this town again," the lady mumbles.

"Please, I need to see Ben!"

"Room 215"

"Thank you!" I call sprinting to the elevator. Once I press the 2 button over and over willing it to go faster. It doesn't help. I finally arrive on the floor and jog down the hallway. I burst through the door of 215, to see Ben's family huddled around his bed.

"Charlie!" says Christie, as she jumps up to hug me. Her small fragile, figure moving faster than I thought possible.

"Hey baby girl. How have you been?"

"I'm so scared. T-they said it was really bad!" she sobs.

"Shh, shh it'll be okay I promise."

"I missed you Charlie. Why did you leave?"

"It was only for a little while I'm back now."

She opens her mouth to say something else but there is another voice that speaks before her. It is scratchy, low with tiredness to it. "Christie don't cry. I'm fine," says Ben.

"Ben!" she says running over to him. He easily picks her up and places her next to him in the bed.

"Charlie?" He says blinking making sure it's really me. I give him a half smile. "I thought you would never come back!"

"I promised I would." I shrug.

"Well come over here." He says. I slowly walk towards him. He sits up a little in the bed wrapping his strong arms around me, "It took you long enough." He mumbles into the crook of my neck.