A Soft Touch Far Away - (Stefanielle fanfic)

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Charlotte's POV :

"What do you mean you lied ?" Danielle asked me.

"Girls, come in." Stefania said, unlocking the car doors.

I stepped into the back of the car and Danielle in the passenger seat.

"Charlotte ?" She asked again when Stefania started driving.

"Wait, stop."

Stefania looked at me interrogatively through the rear-mirror.

"Turn around." I whispered.

"But you live this way-"

"No I don't." I said looking down in shame.

Stefania did as I told her and Danielle turned towards me.

"Charlotte ?"

I couldn't look at her, I was too ashamed.

"Talk to us." Danielle pleaded.

"I'm sorry." I said silent tears slowly going down my cheeks.

The car was quiet, and Danielle reached out her hand on my knee.

"It's going to be fine."

"We're here for you."

"Can you guide me ? Or give me your address ?" Questioned Stefania after a little while.

I told her where I lived and I took a glance at the rear-mirror only to see her concerned face at the mention of my neighborhood.

We soon arrived in front of the dirty building, in heavy silence.

All you could hear was people listening to loud music and screams coming from other apartments.

I stepped on the sidewalk and thanked my coworkers, but they also got out of the car.

"Please." I begged them to leave me alone. I was too ashamed already, I couldn't show them the inside of my life.

"Charlotte we're worried. Please let us in, let us help." Said Stefania with concern but also firmness.

I knew they wouldn't drop it, so I just led the way up to the fifth floor.

I just pushed the door open as my lock was still broken and when I was inside I turned towards them.

They had shocked expressions on their faces, trying to take everything in.

The mess, the moldy walls, the dirty furniture and the lack of essential things like curtains, a fridge, a radiator...

"Charlie..." Sighed Stefania, looking at the makeshift bed and then right at me.

"Where are your parents ?" She asked.

"In New York." I simply stated, finding it useless to lie at this point.

"You live here alone ?" Danielle cleared up.

"Um yes. Except maybe for him." I said seeing Catsby peacefully napping on my holed and stained cover.

"And why is your door like this ?" She questioned, gesturing to the lock.

"Someone... someone broke in when we were on location."

"I can't get it fixed." I said, shaking just thinking about my encounter with the locksmith.

"Why ?"

"It's too expensive." I whispered, blushing from embarrassment.

Danielle crouched down to pick up a screwdriver.