𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞

5. Panic At The Bar

Warning: Light mention of SA, please be aware <3

I asked for time. I couldn't wrap my head around it. There was a part of my brain that screamed in joy and another part that stood shell shocked as the other jumped around.

Jax was kind enough to take me home. I planted a kiss on his lips, wanting to enjoy the taste of him again and another part wanted to make sure everything was reality. I had scurried out of the vehicle after.

Now, I laid in my bed in a a bit of boy shorts and an oversized hoodie. I had the hood over my head, back against the wall as I walked myself through everything that happened tonight.

My eyes closed as I brought back the memory of Aspen spilling the truth. I could see the urgency in his eyes to understand and not just leave. I've had the same look in my eyes before. I froze, unable to move or blink as the words sunk in. It seemed like I was punched in the diaphragm, my breath knocked out of me.

Mates. Soulmates.

It sounded familiar, like I should know what it was, what it meant. It made me wrack my brain over and over. There was no memory I could conjure that told me where it was from. I grabbed hold of my head, closing my eyes as I grunted, muttering "come on" as I tried so hard to desperately grasp at the memory that kept fleeing as I tried to grab it.

I sighed out heavily, dropping my hands, my knees flopping down from being held up to my chest. My head turned against the wall, catching my reflection in the mirror on my desk. I pulled at the ribbon of magic always brewing on the surface, my eyes warming as they glowed. The longer I stared, the more I could feel my spine relax from tension.

Something in the bathroom clattered to the floor, probably my almost empty shampoo bottle, but my eyes still snapped to the bathroom door. Though when I did turn to it quickly, I was no longer in my room.

I sat on carpeted floor, my back against the knee high twin bed, a book open in front of me. My head craned up and to the right, my reflection in a tiny mirror hung on the wall displayed a young me, no more than 7 years old.

I couldn't seem to control my body as I turned back to the kitchen, yelling out "Mom?" My body sprung up as I ran to the kitchen, a left out my bedroom door, and a right to get to my destination.

"Yes Char?" I could feel my heart race as I observed my mom, as beautiful as the last time I saw her. I wanted to run into her arms, but I was only in a memory, I couldn't distort it, I couldn't change it.

"I hear something fall." My tenses weren't quite mastered at my age, I wanted to laugh. Mom simply looked down at me, smiling and gesturing to the fallen Tupperware on the floor.

"No danger Char, don't you worry my love." Mom bent down, placing a kiss on my forehead, "Hop up onto a chair, the foods ready." Her voice was soft, and I followed it obediently. I sat on the opposite side of moms seat. We had a small square table with only 2 chairs, we didn't need anymore.

I listened throughout the entire dinner to mom laughing, whether at me or with me. I was homeschooled, mom letting me know about the some of the topics we were gonna cover tomorrow. I slumped at the thought of school, the feeling still hasn't changed.

Mom cleaned up our spots, my job was to put the tablemats into the drawer. I did that quickly before jumping onto the couch. I made room for mom, who sat beside me, putting on a movie: Tangled. I could feel my younger me's glee and mine combined. I loved the movie.

I pushed my head to rest on mom's lap, her fingers combing through my long hair, bringing me ease. Lightly humming from satisfaction, I curled even closer to her.