𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐃𝐈𝐄 ¹- jj maybank

𝟎𝟏𝟔; 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵

SEASON 1
EPISODE 3

"Promise you won't get mad at me?"

»»-----　　-----««

          VICTORIA KNOCKED at the large, white door, the sound echoing through the quiet morning air. She shifted from foot to foot, feeling a mix of unease and relief. After a few moments of waiting, the door creaked open, revealing Charlie, still half asleep, his messy hair sticking up at odd angles and his eyes barely open. He blinked a few times before recognizing her.

"Oh, hey Tori," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep as he rubbed his eyes. Without much thought, he stepped back to let her in. "Why so early?" He stifled a yawn, stretching his arms above his head.

Victoria shrugged, her eyes scanning the familiar but slightly disorganized space. "I was bored," she said, her voice quiet, as if trying to convince herself. "Is your aunt home?" She looked around, noticing the absence of the usual hustle and bustle of the house.

"No, no, she's gone for the week with my uncle," Charlie replied, his words trailing off as he walked toward the kitchen. "I'm on my own for a couple days." He grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard and started to pour it into a bowl, his movements slow and relaxed. The soft hum of the fridge and the click of the milk bottle were the only sounds filling the air.

Victoria took a seat at the small kitchen booth, the stool creaking under her weight as she watched him. She absently fiddled with her fingers, still uneasy, but trying to calm herself in the comfort of Charlie's presence. The quiet mornings like these were usually where she found peace, but today, she couldn't shake the knot in her stomach.

Charlie joined her at the table, casually adding milk to his cereal, then taking a bite. He glanced up from his bowl, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the dark circles under her eyes. "Someone didn't get a lot of sleep last night," he said with a light chuckle, his tone teasing but gentle.

Victoria's gaze dropped to the table, and she fidgeted with her fingers. "Yeah," she muttered, her voice low and hesitant. "I— I didn't sleep much."

Charlie swallowed his cereal, then leaned back, studying her with a furrowed brow. "You okay?" His voice softened, the teasing replaced by genuine concern.

She hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She had debated whether to tell Charlie everything or not, but the weight of the night before was too much to keep to herself. "Promise you won't get mad at me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as she nervously bit her lower lip.

Charlie paused, confused but sensing the seriousness in her tone. "I promise?" he said, though a hint of worry crept into his voice. He set his spoon down, fully focused on her now.

Victoria took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "Uh— So— Last night, while I was walking home, I—" She winced, the memory flashing vividly in her mind. "I was nearly robbed."

Charlie's eyes went wide with shock. He dropped his spoon, the clink of metal on ceramic breaking the silence. "What?" he asked, his voice rising in disbelief. "By who?"

"I don't know," she said quickly, her fingers nervously tapping the edge of the booth. "Just some guy. I was walking, and out of nowhere, he grabbed me from behind, pulled a knife on me and everything." She felt a shiver run down her spine as she relived the terror of the moment. "I thought for sure I was done for."