It was well past midnight, and the contestants were all gathered in the hotel lobby after their little celebration.
Someone had suggested telling ghost stories, much to the excitement of the group. The dim lighting and eerie quietness of the night added to the atmosphere.
Charlotte sat at the edge of the circle, trying to remain unbothered as the others exchanged chilling tales. She was fine—until P'toey, with her theatrical flair, started recounting a particularly creepy story about a ghost that haunted beauty pageants, appearing only to the most "graceful" contestants.
Engfa POV
I had no strong feelings about ghosts, but watching Charlotte react to, made the whole thing worth it.
She was trying so hard to act unaffected.
I smirk pretending to listen to Anna's story while my eyes kept drifting to Charlotte. She was perched on the edge of her chair, stiff as a board, her fingers clutching her arms tightly.
She’s terrified, Engfa thought, finding it both endearing and hilarious.
"...and when the lights flicker," P'toey said in a low, menacing voice, "that’s when she appears, reaching out for her next victim..."
Third person POV
Engfa suppressed a laugh when Charlotte flinched, her eyes darting to every shadow.
"Scared, Cha?" she asked, letting her voice carry just enough teasing to get a reaction.
"I’m not scared," Charlotte snapped, not even looking at her.
Engfa bit her lip to keep from laughing.
You’re not fooling anyone, Cha.
“Mm-hmm,” Engfa teased, moving a bit closer. “Your face says otherwise.”
Right on cue, the lights in the lobby flickered.
Charlotte stiffened, clutching the edge of her chair.
A sudden, loud thud echoed in the hallway. Everyone jumped, but Charlotte?
She didn’t just jump.
With a terrified gasp, Charlotte shot straight up and launched herself right into Engfa’s arms.
"Whoa!" Engfa gasped, caught off guard but quickly adjusting. Charlotte’s face was buried in her shoulder, and for a moment, everything was quiet.
Time seemed to stop
Engfa’s heart skipped. She could feel the warmth of Charlotte’s body pressed against hers, her hands gripping her tightly. She barely heard the others laughing. She was too focused on the girl in her arms, who was now nervously pulling away but still avoiding Engfa’s eyes.
Charlotte’s heart pounded, not just from fear but from the realization of how close she was to Engfa.
“Let go,” she whispered, her cheeks flushing.
Engfa just grinned, enjoying this more than she expected.
"You’re not in a hurry to leave," she teased, holding Charlotte gently, not letting her go right away.
Charlotte frowned and took a step back, looking at the others in the room who were laughing and cheering.
"It was just a reflex," she insisted, trying to sound confident even though her cheeks were bright red.
YOU ARE READING
Written In The Same Star
Fanfiction[=*Englot AU*=] After losing her partner, Engfa Waraha, in a tragic accident, Charlotte Austin is given a chance to go back in time and change their fate. Determined to save Engfa, she returns to a past where they're not lovers but enemies who can't...
