Getting Closer

Chapter Thirty Six - Juliet

charlie is over here

I read the text from Max over and over again. After getting ready to head over to Charlie's, I get the text from Max, just four little words. I frown as I glance at it one more time before I shove it into my jacket's pocket.

Quickly making my way down to Max's house, I can't for the life of me figure out Charlie. He's always been the one in the friend group to be the most levelheaded and has the calmest demeanor. But maybe since I've never met his mother, unlike Max and Seth who both know her very well, I can't tell how much it wounds him in his soul to not have her around. Even talking to her makes him want to rip out his hair when I've only ever known him to be this calm and collected kind of guy.

When I arrive, I find the spare key Max showed me for emergencies and I announce my presence. Instead Max coming to greet me, I'm met with Seth who emerges from Max's room. "Hey Jules," he says so nonchalantly that I feel like I'm in a dream.

I give him a look. "Is something wrong?"

Seth glances over his shoulder and turns back to me with a frown. Motioning over to the kitchen island, we sit there and Seth tells me in a hushed voice, "Charlie is my best friend and I love the guy but he sometimes doesn't know how to process things."

"I think I'm starting to realize that," I say, recalling at how stressed he was over the phone and I did little to help him.

"When his mom left, I think it put a massive hole in his massive heart and Max and I don't know how to repair it." Seth's frown deepens. "We try our best to help him and he tries his best to ignore his pain but sometimes he falls apart."

I frown and glance down the hall towards Max's room. "So what can I do?"

Seth shrugs. "He'll get over it in a couple hours. He just needs to not be Charlie for a bit."

I nod but I don't know if that's the best for him. "He needs to talk," I say.

Seth pauses. "From the years I've known him, it's entirely up to him if he wants to. Charlie will open up occasionally. But if he doesn't want to talk, he really doesn't want to talk." I frown but Seth and Max have been dealing with Charlie for the majority of their lives. Who am I to come in and rattle their rhythm.

"It is okay for me to stay, right?" I ask carefully.

Seth pats me on the head. "Of course. Though they might not talk unless it's about the game."

Walking into Max's room with Seth on my heels, Max and Charlie don't greet me as they're totally immersed in a video game. I greet them but they only respond with curse words directed towards the flat screen. Sitting on the bed with my boyfriend, I run my hand through his hair as I try to think of a way to help Charlie. How can I help someone who refuses help?

***

Sitting in a circle on Max's bedroom floor, we all eat silently after roughly four hours of watching Charlie and Max fight it out on whatever video game they were playing. Max eventually kissed me hello but my focus was on the fucker across from me.

Seth was right when he said it would be Charlie's choice to talk but he hasn't muttered one word to any of us. But then when we're nearly done, Charlie says, "She wants me to visit her in Florida."

The three of us give him a look but he's just staring at the floor. "When?" Seth asks carefully.

"Christmas break. She told me to leave behind the Minnesota winter."

"I hope you told her to fuck off," Max says and takes a huge bite of his burger.

I slap his shoulder but Charlie shrugs. "I wanted to but I couldn't make myself do it." He pauses and shrugs. "I can't leave my dad."

"And you shouldn't be forced to," I say softly.

Charlie pulls up his legs and leans back against the wall behind him. "It's my first Christmas without her you know."

Seth and Max share a glance, something in the years of knowing one another passing between them that I'm not privy to. "And we'll deal with it together," Seth smiles.

Charlie looks to his friend and frowns. "Sorry," he mumbles. "I hate talking about this."

Max claps him on the shoulder. "We're brothers, Charlie. Your woes are our woes." Probably one of the nicest things I've heard Max say to Charlie, I watch as they silently converse with one another.

With tears lining Charlie's eyes, he says as he wipes them away, "I love you guys." And though I wish he would say more, it's at least a start.

***

After Seth and Charlie leave, Max and I are wrapped up in one another on his bed, his breath slowing as if he were about to fall asleep soon. "Max," I say quietly to get his attention. When he looks up from my chest, I say, "You boys don't like to talk."

He raises a brow. "We literally talk nonstop."

I shake my head. "Not about the uncomfortable topics. Like your parents."

Max sits up in bed, the mood shifting. "Why should we talk about them constantly? They're assholes."

Sitting up as well, I say, "But I'm new to all of this. I mean, when your dad came around, you barely spoke to me that week."

"Because I don't like the person I become when he's around and you shouldn't be around when he does."

"Okay... Then tell me that initially. I want to know these things about you. I like knowing what makes you you."

Max watches me, his golden eyes looking for something. "We all have shitty parents," he says finally. "And we don't like talking about them because then we have to admit it over and over again." I open my mouth to ask more about it but he shushes me, "Jules, I know you mean well but this is something we don't like bringing up, what I don't like bringing up and you just have to deal with that. If that makes me a terrible boyfriend, if that makes us terrible friends, then so be it."

I swallow my pride and nod. "Okay."

"Good," he says and kisses my cheek. "Now which room do you wanna fuck in this time?"

I roll my eyes and fall back onto his bed. "Perv," I grumble. Snorting, he rises and goes to head to the bathroom. While he's in there, I frown up at the ceiling. Why are boys so stupid?