breathe

chapter 10 | charlotte

Chapter Ten

Charlotte

"You are a very nice girl," Ben grinned, looking at me as we relaxed in our room in Ash's cabin.

"Oh, really? Do go on," I teased, grinning back at him.

Ben's blue eyes twinkled with delight as he considered his response. "Well," he began, a playful tone in his voice. "Your braids, though messy, are incredibly adorable. You should wear it like this more often." He tugged one of the French braids in my hair.

His tone turned more serious as he continued, "You're strikingly, intensely beautiful. And I love how you're unapologetically yourself. And that you take no shit from anyone. You're like my little orange cat girlfriend."

"First, my braids are messy because of you. Second, orange cat girlfriend?" I asked, my eyebrows raised in a mixture of amusement and confusion. "Is this because of Mango?"

"No," he laughed and shook his head. "But you have random bursts of energy, you're kind of mean to people, you like to eat my food, and you sort of get overwhelmed when too much is happening, but you love attention any other time. Like an orange cat."

"Oh," I said in surprise. "Wow. That's a... unique comparison. But I'll take it as a compliment, considering how much I adore Mango."

Ben's smile widened. "Exactly," he replied warmly. "You're unique, Charmander, and that's what I love most about you." I smiled and leaned in, kissing him lightly.

"So, don't get mad at me," Ben began reluctantly when we pulled away. I raised my eyebrows. "But I promised Laurel that we would watch a movie with everyone tonight."

I swatted his arm. "You have the worst timing. And I mean that literally and figuratively. It's gonna be so embarrassing walking downstairs after... you know."

"No, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I swatted his arm again and glared at him. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." I felt my cheeks growing warm with awkwardness.

Ben chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Alright, alright. Let's just say we'll need a few moments to compose ourselves. Though it may be hard, you know. Keeping my hands to myself till then."

I tossed his shirt at him in mock annoyance, though my grin gave me away.

I slid off the bed with one of the blankets covering my body and picked up clothes off the floor. "Where the hell's my bra?"

"Hmm?" Ben asked, still looking at me with amusement.

"I can't find my bra," I grumbled in exasperation. He laughed, and I glared at him. "Benjamin."

"Sorry, sorry," he managed to say in between laughter. "You mean this bra?" He held up my blue sports bra. I stood up from searching under the bed and grabbed my bra from his hand.

"I'll be back," I announced, glancing away from Ben's lingering gaze and hurrying into the bathroom. My hair was a tangled mess from tossing and turning all night. Running my fingers through the knots only made it worse. With a frustrated sigh, I yanked out the braids, letting my curls fall loose around my face. At least it was growing out again after my foolish haircut.

My reflection in the mirror only deepened my scowl. There had to be an easier way to tame this mess each morning. A soft knock sounded at the door.

"Everything okay in there?" Ben's gentle voice called out, laced with concern.