Sooner or Later.

-forty nine-

-james-

"Yes Jake I'm on my way now relax." I said tying my shoes and locking my apartment door behind me.

Jake and I were renting tuxes because prom was that evening and we decided to go and not sit home and feel sorry for ourselves.

I got in my car and drove to the mall we were meeting at.

"Hey James," Jake said as I walked up to him.

"Hey." I said taking out my phone.

"Have you heard from her?" He asked seeing as I was on my phone.

I shook my head.

"Not in six days." I said.

Why did I know that?

Its been eleven days since I had left Charlie in the parking lot of the frat house.

She texted and called a bunch of times but I never responded, and six days ago she stopped.

"Did you hear what happened?" Jake asked.

"No?" I said confused.

"Well, I only heard this from McKenna, but apparently her date blew her off yesterday and now I don't think she's coming to prom." He said.

I didn't say anything.

After that Jake had dropped the topic of Charlie. He probably noticed I was getting irritated just by the thought of her.

But to be completely honest, I wasn't irritated. At all.

I wanted to know how she was doing, how her mom was and her brother, but I knew I couldn't just go back and un-see what had happened with her and Alex.

Maybe she was planning on taking him to the prom?

I know she makes poor decisions, but I think she knows well enough not to bring an ex-con to a prom, especially when I still fell like beating the shit out of him.

I tried to focus on getting a tux, but all I though of for the rest of the time we were there was Charlie.

Fuck.

-charlie-

I quickly wiped away a tear that was forming in my eyes as I struggled to make a decision if I should call him again, or wait until he's ready, what if he's never ready?

I locked my phone and immediately saw my lock screen.

The picture of the two of us from our first date flashed my eyes as I swallowed the hard lump in my throat.

I had to go over there.

I tied my hair up and and got in McKenna's car, well I guess it's actually my car now.

I drove quickly down the road and wondered if he was even home.

What would he think of me going to his house and coming to him for pity?

Did I even want his pity?

I didn't even know exactly what or why I was going to the apartment for but I had to go.

Once I got there I immediately knocked on the door.

I held my breath.

James had never checked the peep hole even though I had convinced him to several times before.

So the door flung open and his eyes went from relaxed to guarded in the matter of a second.

I opened my mouth but closed it as I couldn't form words.