Charlotte Everhart has spent the past seven years trying to bury her feelings for her childhood best friend, Jasper Scott.
So when she finds a hidden love letter from him while he is in Australia, she knows she has to tell him how she feels.
Probl...
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"HE DID WHAT?" Sophie asks, an incredulous look written on her face.
Despite living in New York for ten years, her English accent always sounded thicker and more pronounced whenever she was in shock or angry. Though, she always insisted otherwise.
It's Saturday morning when Charlotte breaks the news to her about agreeing to become Jasper's best man. Since she had no plans for the day, she had asked Sophie to join her for a walk in Central Park — needing to surround herself in a place where she knew she could find something to distract herself from the weight of the whole situation.
They strolled leisurely side-by-side, arms linked comfortably while Charlotte's free hand gripped the leash fastened to her cat, Percy.
"And you said yes?"
Charlotte speaks, her voice strained. "Yes."
"I'm sorry but wha — what?" Sophie sputters, not quite believing what she was hearing.
"How can he do this to you? After everything both of you have been through together, he's seriously asking you to stand by his side on his wedding day? Is he insane?" she continues, her voice now laced with anger.
Charlotte stays quiet, not really knowing what to say. To some extent, she knew Sophie was right. Jasper and her had too much shared history with each other, some that were too painful to look back on, and other people who were in their position would never have asked each other for favors like this.
But the thing is, Jasper and her were not other people.
The lines between their friendship had always been blurry, so she knows whatever rules that exist between friends don't apply to the two of them.
Sophie stops walking mid-way, putting a hand on Charlotte. She looks at Charlotte with the same look of pity from two nights ago.
"Lo."
She hates that Sophie is looking at her like that, like she was some abandoned puppy someone left at the side of the road.
"Don't look at me like that Soph. I don't know, okay ? I guess the words just slipped before I could stop. And if I say no now, it's gonna hurt his feelings," she says defensively.
Sophie's head tilts slightly with worry. "You don't owe him anything. You want him to be happy, I get that."
"But that doesn't mean you should torture yourself just so he can get what he wants. I'm sure he'd understand if you told him."
Sighing, Charlotte breathes in the autumn air. It's crisp and light, which was exactly what she came out here for. She could think clearer whenever she was surrounded by nature. Most of the leaves have wilted by now, some of them still clinging desperately to the trees — shades of maple and crimson painting Central Park in a solemn, somber hue.
