Love Bites

Chapter 20 - Somebody To Love

Charlie just wished she could be absolutely happy for at least one day in her lifetime. She never was. Every time things seemed to be turning for the better for her, some irritating nothings always spoiled her life.

Though she couldn't call a nothing the man she was sitting in front of, for sure.

- These works are nice, miss...miss Withers.

-Thank you so much, sir...

- Nice for an amateur artist, not somebody who's applying for a job as a permanent illustrator in a such well-known magazine. You know more than ten million people read Picturesque, don't you, miss Withers?

- I do, - Charlie admitted reluctantly and gulped nervously. She was known for being overly sensitive, and now her main goal was to be in control of herself, keep her head high and not break down in tears until she left the building. She knew they were not going to hire her from the very first second she stepped in, but it still was painful to hear she didn't fit. She never did.

- So, if you do, you also understand we don't want our readers to be dissatisfied with the quality of the pictures in their magazine. We only select the very best, and we would be more than happy if you decided to join our team one day after having some practice.

- Thank you for your time and recommendations, sir, - Charlotte mumbled, getting up. She tried to pick up her folder but her hand slipped, and it resulted into papers stored in it being scattered all over the floor. He didn't even look at Charlie while she was crawling and collecting them.

- Motherfucker! - she spat out angrily when the door behind her back closed soundlessly. She felt a sudden urge to kick it and she did, having decided to go with the flow. She didn't give a fuck if one of his secretaries saw her do that or if he heard the noise made by her kick. She certainly felt better now, most of her anger was gone and she just felt better. Revenged, maybe.

It was not that Charlie couldn't stand being rejected. She could for sure, having experienced not one and not two such situations when she was directly told to go away. It was just that she felt as if she was about to stop believing in herself and in what she did. She dreamed of being an artist for such a long time she couldn't imagine herself doing anything else. Apart from being a waitress, perhaps. She knew there were no guarantees anybody's going to like her and what she did. She knew there were tons of people like her in the city, trying to fulfill their ambitions while hardly making both ends meet. She knew chances are she was going to serve milkshakes until her dying day, and this wasn't the worst imaginable. She could end up being a cheap stripper or a plain hooker. God only knew what the future holds, and she would be playing with fire if she took another thoughtless step.

Charlie ran down the ladder, holding her folder tight. She opened the door and walked out, inhaling deeply. The sun was bright and pleasantly warmed her face. The palm leaves rustled in the soft breeze. Some birds were singing their sweet little songs in the trees. This day totally couldn't be as bad as it seemed to her only five minutes ago. At least some things were getting clear for her. She finally had somebody to love.

***

- Have you already told her? - Steven asked, tying the tourniquet tightly around his arm, - d'ya think she should know?

Duff knitted his brows, looking right in front of him. He had never thought of this before.

- Whom? Charlotte? Agh, that's nothing bad. Not something she should worry about. We're not full-time druggies, are we? And she should face the fact almost everybody around music has to fix themselves. It's a usual business!

- Sure, but you can't do that forever, you know? You're not Keith Richards, - Steven put the spoon away and carefully wiped his skin with a tissue. Duff gave him his best "Of-course-I-would-never-have-guessed-if-it-was-not-for-your-help" look.

- Surprise, surprise, I somehow knew dat! Maybe because I am a bass player, huh?

- Damn, man, peace! I am just really caring about you, geddit? I don't want you to...you know what.

- Oh that's so sweet of you. I do realize it's not a vitamin though, thanks. Why don't you kick yourself then?

- I plan to, - Steven assured, yawning, then stretching out and curling into a ball right on the floor. His blonde locks hid his face so Duff couldn't tell if he was being serious or kidding, - for real, I do. They just told me in the horoscope Aquarius shouldn't take any serious action this month...

- What?!

- Yeah, a horoscope...In a magazine, it was Vogue, I think. Pretty believable, isn't it?

- Sure, - Duff giggled. He was already starting to get the high, so it wasn't hard to make him laugh now. - Did you find anything interesting besides that? A new hairstyle tutorial or a make-up lesson? Were Aquairi told to do something with their looks?

- Actually, that copy wasn't mine, - Steven protested. Judging by his voice, he has pouted his lips, - some girl must have left it...

There was a knock on the door that interrupted him. Although it could be basically anybody including the police and Slash's mother, there was nobody at home except for the two of them, so Duff got up. He neatened his T-shirt and went to open.

__________________________

♪ Jefferson Airplane (or you can choose the Ramones cover :) ) - Somebody To Love

And whatcha think gonna happen next? Read, comment, vote!