𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐈 | 𝐂𝐋𝟏𝟔

𝐈𝐕

·˚ ༘

────────────────────────────────────────

August 3rd 2018

ZAHRA NICHOLS

Ring.

The ring of my phone shattered the calm of the morning, Emmy's name flashing on the screen. I eased myself out of bed with the delicacy of a whisper, careful not to wake up Charles, and answered.

"Em?"

"Hey Zahra, you coming to the band session today?"

The question hit me like a cold splash of reality. Don't get me wrong, my I'm all in for the band, I truly am. Yet, the thought of attending practices and meetings flared up an all-too-familiar ache, the thought of facing Aarav again. The very idea sent a shiver down my spine. I'm just not ready. Charles has been my escape, a gentle force nudging me towards moving on, and he's great, really. But his presence doesn't erase the shit stuff Aarav dragged me through. If I know Aarav, he'd want to hash things out immediately, but I'm not in a place to confront that. Not yet. And then, there's Charles, lying there without a shirt, a reminder of how better I've been doing with him. How could I possibly think of leaving that behind, even for a moment?

"Um, I swear I'm trying so hard not to be a bitch but, is it okay if I miss out on those for a few more weeks? I'm still gonna do manager shit and update you guys, I just don't want to see Aarav right now."

"Zahra that's completely fine, Aarav's been a real bitch these days."

"Thanks Em, trust me if I had courage I would go."

"As long as you come back though."

"I will, promise."

"Okay, bye Zahra."

As the call with Emmy ended, Charles' voice, still laced with the remains of sleep, broke the silence. "Who were you calling?" His eyes, barely open, and his hair in a messy state, caught my attention. "Just a friend," I replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.

"You hungry?" he asked, stretching his limbs as he rose from the bed. "I could eat," I admitted with a smile, warmth spreading through me at his thoughtfulness. His chuckle filled the room, "I'll whip up something for you." There I was, standing in my bareness, suddenly conscious of my vulnerability. "Do you have anything I could slip into?" I asked, a hint of shyness in my voice. His laughter, light and inviting, reassured me. "Come here," he said, leading me towards his closet with a gentle hand.

My morning was spent at Charles' place, where he generously offered me one of his comfy white tracksuits. Not just for the moment, but to keep as my own. By 11:00 AM, Charles was driving me back, the journey home filled with the comfortable silence. As we pulled up to my house, I gathered my stuff. "I had a great time last night," Charles said, his smile reaching his eyes. "Me too. Also thanks for the breakfast, the tracksuit, and well everything I guess," I replied, my laughter tinged with genuine appreciation. "Think nothing of it," he dismissed casually.

Our chat hit a brief pause when Charles noticed someone coming our way. "Who's that?" he asked, spotting Rory charging towards us full of energy. "Oh, that's just Rory," I said, getting out to greet her. The car door stayed open, giving Rory a quick peek at Charles. "Thanks for looking after her!" she shouted, then quickly shut the door, a quick but warm exchange. Charles' goodbye smile and wave matched mine.