We're In This Together

10. A Child. A Hypocrite.

Charlie's POV

"Jake," I say and he looks up from his hands. "Why did you break up with me?"

He stares at me for a moment, pain in his eyes. I want to know. I want to know because he said he was feeling heart broken over our break up. But he was the one who broke up with me. At that party, months ago, he never told me the reason for why he ended our relationship after two years. I never understood it. How everyone could leave me so easily. How he could just up and leave after loving me for so long.

Jake sighs. "Charlie, I loved you. And that love will never die, but I loved the person that I told that too. I loved the Charlie I met two years ago. But ... somewhere along the relationship you changed. You grew distant. You became a person I didn't recognize. Always picking fights every time I asked if you were okay. Getting shit-faced drunk every opportunity you had. I was worried about you. It felt like I couldn't spend one second without you, worried that you were going to do something wreckless and hurt yourself." He takes a deep breath. "I didn't want to leave you. I was worried that if I did, you would fall off the rails. But, I realized I had to value my emotions more, despite how hard it was. You caused me so much pain... I just couldn't bear it any longer."

I stare at him. I didn't expect tears to form in my eyes from whatever answer he had for me, but they did.

"And, I'm sorry I acted the way I did when breaking up with you. I just didn't want you to see the pain I actually held from it all," He finishes, tears in his eyes.

I get silent. Tearing rolling down my cheeks as I stare at the table in front of me. I hurt Roxy. I hurt her when I kicked her out of my house and ghosted her. I hurt her when I lied before confessing what I thought I did. I hurt her. I hurt Jake. I didn't know I was hurting him, but I did.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

He shakes his head, running a hand over his face. "Really, Charlie, don't be. I'm sorry I've been a dick."

Another mental breakdown starts to form as I start to rant my apologies, tears running down my face. "No. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I didn't know my pain hurt you. I'm sorry for causing fights. I'm sorry for giving all your crap to a mutual friend of yours. I'm sorry for being such a bitch. I'm sorry for trying to sleep with you. I'm sorry—"

I'm fisting my hair in my hands when Jake cuts me off. He gently grabs my hands and moves them away from my scalp, and moves his chair closer to mine to pull me into a hug. "It's okay, Charlie," He whispers, flatting out my hair as I cry into his chest, mumbling under my breath of how sorry I am. "It's okay. It's okay," He keeps whispering.

***

Roxy's POV

We're moving into my room, clothes falling onto the floor as we go. Our lips are constantly locked.

But I can't forget her. I can't forget Charlie.

I continue anyways, ignoring the bad feeling in my gut as I lay on the bed in front of Peyton, half naked. Her hands all over me just don't feel right. Her lips against my skin don't make me feel whole and confident as Charlie's does.

Peyton doesn't talk dirty like Charlie does. She's not praising me. She's not making me ache for her. She's not making me crave her.

Stop. Enjoy it. Fuck Charlie.

I have to keep reminding myself how terrible Charlie is. How she isn't the person I should be thinking about, right now. I fake moan as Peyton's fingers go inside me.