Faded Petal

Chapter 10 - Charlie - The Confession

DAY EIGHT

It is late afternoon- the sun is bright, and the wind is softly singing.

We decided to take break from walking for the rest of the day; everyone was starting to get a bit irritable with each other.

Edith and Beth now roam the clearing together, on the hunt for more rabbits to cuddle. George is wandering the trees, lost in his thoughts. And Akiki is lying on her back in the grass, shielding her eyes from the orange sun with one hand.

Everyone is distracted. Now's my chance.

"Hey, Akiki!" I call to her, walking over and taking a seat next to her.

"Hello, Charlie! You doing okay?"

"In current circumstances, no. I have to admit even I'm slightly worried about the food situation, and that says something. But overall, I'm really happy to be here with you guys"

"About that... and don't get mad at me for saying this! But I'm struggling to feel one hundred percent glad that we left. I know that it wasn't as bad for me as it was for some of you guys back there, but since we've been out here, I've felt... almost unsafe. One thing I liked back home was the sense of security."

"I suppose I can't argue with you," I sigh, "but that is a fair point."

"I've had so much fun, though, on our little adventure! I definitely don't fully regret leaving, if it makes you happy," she leans over to nudge my arm playfully as she says this.

"I appreciate it. And living like this isn't for everyone, I know..."

"It sure is for you though, Mr. Tarzan!" she chuckles, which sets me off, and before we know it, we're laughing uncontrollably until tears form in our eyes. That day with the lake and the swing will remain one of my happiest memories for the rest of my life.

I feel a pang of love for Akiki in my chest as I look at her- I feel I can let my guard down around her.

"You're very easy to talk to, you know," I begin.

"Yeah?"

"Like... when I was telling you about what happened to me and my family on the ship, I felt more comfortable talking about it then than I ever have before."

Akiki nods slowly, eyebrows drawn together in an expression of sympathy.

I continue, "I just... I feel like I can be myself around you because you find it so easy to be yourself. I think I found it kind of scary when I first met you so I formally apologise if I was ever rude to you."

"Don't you ever worry about that again."

I draw a long breath, ready to blurt out what I've been meaning to tell her this whole time, but the breath catches in my throat and I choke on it for a second.

"Take your time," she laughs, as I splutter.

Once I'm finished gulping down air, she looks me in the eye, serious now, and asks, "Charlie... is there something you're meaning to tell me? I'm sensing that you want to say something."

"There is a little something, yeah," I mumble and begin to subconsciously rub the back of my neck with my hand.

A silence settles in between us for a few pounding heartbeats.

"You don't... you don't fancy me, do you?"

It's almost embarrassing how loudly I blurt out, "NO!"

It's even loud enough to turn Beth's head- we make eye contact for a split second before she turns around again, realising she may be intruding on something.

"I mean... no. Sorry, that sounded horrible. You're lovely, Akiki, but... no."

"Phew," her body sinks deeper into the grass as she relaxes again.

"In fact..." I take a deep breath, "it's someone else who I've been... thinking about."

She props herself up on her elbows, intrigued. "And do you feel like sharing who that someone is?"

"I do, it's just... it's complicated."

"Don't feel like you have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

"No, I want to."

She waits.

Another deep breath another gulp of air.

"It's... it's George."

Akiki's eyebrows fly up and her jaw drops ever so slightly.

"Woww..." she breathes.

"That unexpected, huh?" I grin, feeling like a ton of bricks has just been lifted off my shoulders.

"I'm just surprised..." she trails off without finishing the sentence, then restarts.

"It's a very brave thing that you've done, Charlie. I'm proud of you. And honoured, because I'm assuming I'm the first person you've told...?"

"Congratulations," I chuckle.

I flop onto the ground next to her and we lay in silence for a while, simply enjoying the view of the cloudless sky above us, and breathing in the fresh air together.

"Do you think you feel... serious about him?"

"I don't think so," I answer with a laugh, but it's a sad laugh, "I mean, everyone loves George, don't they? What makes me any different?"

"But you love him."

"And he's so caught up on Edith that he doesn't see it."

This silences her. I realise I may have said it a little aggressively.

Guiltily, my cheeks flush and I look away.

"George does love you, Charlie, you need to remember that," her voice is quiet, merely a whisper. "Just maybe not... in the way you want him to."

"I know."

And with this, she shuffles closer to me and rests her head in the place where my shoulder meets my neck. Her bushy hair tickles against my skin, making me smile.

"Thank you, Akiki," I whisper.

A few more heartbeats.

"Thank you, Charlie."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

***