One Shots | Formula 1

CL☁︎

Be concerned with your homies telling me "I deserve better"- Inspired by Your Friends by Hunxho and Summer Walker

I stood in front of the mirror, fussing over my outfit for what felt like the hundredth time. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Tonight was supposed to be girls' night out with Julie and Rina, a chance to catch up over dinner and drinks, but the thought of leaving Charles behind made my stomach churn with nerves. Ever since we had started dating 5 months ago, Charles and I had been inseparable and rarely made plans without eachother.

"Hey babe, are you almost ready?" Charles poked his head into the bedroom, his messy hair falling over his forehead in a way that made my heart flutter. He was wearing his usual casual attire, a comfortable hoodie paired with jeans, but somehow he managed to make it look effortlessly stylish.

I turned to face him, forcing a smile despite the butterflies swirling in my stomach. "Almost, just trying to decide between these two tops," I said, gesturing towards the pile of clothes on the bed.

Charles nodded, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than usual. "You look beautiful in both of them," he said softly, stepping closer to wrap his arms around me from behind. His warmth enveloped me, momentarily easing my nerves.

But then he asked the question I had been dreading. "So, where are you girls planning to go tonight?" His tone was casual, but there was an underlying edge to it that set off warning bells in my head.

I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing for a plausible answer. "Oh, just to that new Italian place downtown," I replied, mentally kicking myself for the half-truth. Julie and Rina had actually suggested hitting up a trendy bar afterwards, but I didn't want to worry Charles unnecessarily.

His grip on me tightened slightly, and I could sense the unease radiating off him like waves of heat. "And who else is going to be there?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

"Just us three," I assured him, turning around to face him and placing a reassuring hand on his chest. "I promise, it's just a girls' night out. You know how much I value our time together."

For a moment, Charles seemed to relax, his shoulders slumping slightly as he exhaled. But then a flicker of doubt crossed his features, and he glanced away, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the walls of our apartment.

"I trust you, babe," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. But the words felt heavy, laden with unspoken fears and insecurities. "Julie and Rina, however... They are always partying but complaining about money, why don't they fucking work or something?"

My heart pounds in my chest, a mixture of anger and hurt swirling inside me like a storm. How could Charles say those things about Julie and Rina? They're my rocks, the ones who've been there for me through thick and thin, and now he's trying to tear them down.

"You don't know anything about them, Charles," I spit out, my voice trembling with emotion. "They may not have it all together, but they're good people. They're loyal and caring, and that's more than I can say for some."

Charles's expression hardens, his jaw set in stubborn defiance. "I'm just worried about you, okay? I care about you, and I don't want to see you get dragged down by people who don't have their lives together."

I shake my head, disbelief coursing through me like a live wire. "You think you're better than them, don't you? You think just because you have money and stability that you're somehow superior."

He recoils as if I've slapped him, his eyes flashing with wounded pride. "That's not what I meant, and you know it. I just want what's best for you, and I don't think running around with Julie and Rina is going to get you there."

I take a step closer to him, my fists clenched at my sides. "You don't get to decide what's best for me, Charles. I'm not some damsel in distress who needs saving. I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

His gaze softens, a flicker of remorse crossing his features. "I know you can. I just worry about you, that's all. I don't want to see you get hurt."

I shake my head, the tears threatening to spill over at any moment. "You're the one hurting me right now, Charles. You're the one tearing me apart with your judgment and your privilege."

"I'm just saying, babe. If I gave them a minute of my attention, they wouldn't even hesitate to betray you." He spats.

My breath comes out in ragged gasps as I stand there, facing Charles, feeling like I'm drowning in a sea of emotions. His words echo in my mind, a relentless assault on my senses. How could he say such things? How could he accuse my friends of betraying me, of being with him if only given the chance?

"You're insane, Charles," I retort, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Julie and Rina would never do that to me. They're not like that."

He shakes his head, his expression stubborn and unyielding. "You don't know them like I do. You don't see the way they look at me when you're not around."

I scoff, incredulous at his audacity. "And you do? You think you're some kind of expert on my friends now?"

He opens his mouth to respond, but I cut him off, a surge of frustration propelling me forward. "If we're going to talk about friends, then let's talk about yours."

With trembling hands, I pull out my phone and scroll through my messages until I find the conversation with Grayson. I thrust the screen in front of Charles's face, the words staring back at him like an accusation.

"Remember him?" I ask, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your good friend Grayson, who couldn't seem to take a hint and leave me alone? I had to block him because he was obsessed with me, Charles. Obsessed."

Charles's eyes widen in shock as he reads through the messages, his face paling with each passing second. "I... I didn't know," he stammers, his voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head, the bitterness rising within me like bile in my throat. "Of course, you didn't know. Because he has his life figured out, right?"

He reaches out, his hand trembling as he tries to touch me, but I pull away, the sting of betrayal too fresh in my mind. "I'm sorry," he whispers, his voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just... I got scared, okay? I got scared of losing you."

I swallow hard, the tears threatening to spill over at any moment. "You don't get to use your fear as an excuse, Charles. Not when it comes at the expense of my friendships, my trust. And you better be concerned with your homies telling me "I deserve better" instead of what my friends do."

The air between us is heavy with tension, suffocating in its thickness. Charles stands before me, his eyes pleading for forgiveness, his apology hanging in the air like a fragile promise. But I can't bring myself to respond, not yet.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. "I messed up, and I know I hurt you. I just... I let my insecurities get the best of me, and I took it out on you and your friends. I shouldn't have done that."

His words linger in the silence, the weight of his guilt pressing down on us like a heavy burden. Part of me wants to reach out, to wrap him in a comforting embrace and tell him that everything will be okay. But another part of me knows that it's not that simple, that forgiveness isn't something that can be given so easily.

"We'll talk in the morning," I finally say, my voice steady despite the turmoil raging inside me. "I need some time to think."

Charles nods, his expression crestfallen as he steps aside to let me pass. The warmth of his touch lingers on my skin for a moment longer than necessary, a silent plea for understanding. But I push it aside, focusing instead on the cool night air that greets me as I step out onto the street.

Thank you for reading and voting!

Guys I've been a bit MIA, I was very busy with school and work, so that is why I haven't been posting on schedule, only when I had the time lol. I'm a bit less busy now, so remember requests are always open <3