Park Benches (EDITING)

three

three

 

Charlotte POV

 

            Slowly, my eyes inched open, burning from the sunlight shinning through the window, “Ugh,” I groaned, clutching Marshall Lee closer to my body, "I need to get some curtains."

         Rolling over I opened my eyes and nearly jumped at my surroundings, before realizing where I was. “Calm down Lotts,” I eased myself out of bed, looking around. It felt like I was in a hotel.

            I hadn’t bothered putting on pajamas before slipping into bed or taking a shower. I grabbed a towel my mother packed and glided into the small bathroom. Stripping off my old clothes I turned the knob, let the water heat up, and let the steaming water caress my sleepy body. I moaned, missing my favorite part of the day. As I let my conditioner settle in I began to mutter lines:

Like a steaming cup of Joe,

A warm shower bring me to my toes.

Pulling me out of my trance,

Awakening a wet beauty.

            I quickly rinsed conditioner out of my hair and twisted the knob as fast as humanly possible. Wrapping the towel around my dripping wet skin I bounced out and to my carry-on bag. I pulled out a leather covered journal, flipping to a clean page and scribbled down the stanza that popped into my head. With a smile I closed the journal and slid it beneath my pillow before going to actually dry off.

            I slipped on a pair of leggings, a purple flannel, and my combat boots with my hair still wrapped up in a towel. I dabbed on my usual makeup: eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara: the simple stuff. I had impeccable skin, not a single mark; I must thank my mother for that perfect gene she passed down. I unraveled knotty blonde hair from the towel. I tugged and pulled at the mess before braiding it to the side and adding my favorite grey beanie. It was the beginning of September; I had already been warned of the fall weather.

            I grabbed my phone from the charger and stuck it into my black bag, along with other purse essentials. I locked the door with the key Andrea left me and dropped it into a zippered pocket in my bag. I happily glided down the corridor to the stairs; I was only on the third floor, there was no use for the elevator. I pushed the heavy door open and jogged down the stairs, hearing my purse jingle and my boots trudge against the dirty concrete stairs.

           The first floor wasn’t much, just a few comfortable looking chairs, mailboxes(mine included!!) and the elevator. I brushed past a few arriving and departing residents. None of them paid any attention to the small American girl trying to push past. Finally arriving on the street I smiled and looked around, I had come to buy supplies for my new flat. Before leaving America I had researched a few nearby stores, there was one actually on the corner, Andrew’s Home Goods. I could see it from here, the large red lettering above the shop.

            When I entered the store,  a bell sounded, causing the cashier to look up and rush over to me. He was a young boy with curly blonde hair, probably my age or younger. “Hello, I’m Eric, how may I help you?” His accent was strong and made him seem older than he appeared.

            I looked around him before answering, “I just moved into a new flat down the street and I have absolutely nothing,” I chuckled to myself. He smiled at me, obviously noting I was American.

            “Alright, let’s take you on a little tour.” He led me around the cramped store, happily grabbing items I liked and putting them in a basket. When we reached the last aisle he let me look through the overflowing basket before purchasing the items. He bagged the items for me in reusable bags, encouraging me to come back. “You sure have a lot, I could help you carry them back to your flat,” he asked nervously. I paused for a moment, but smiled, “Sure, I’d like that.” He took many of the bags from my hands and let me lead him to my flat. “28B,” I heard him mutter under his breath, but I ignored it, letting him inside. “Wow, you really need some help. Glad you came to the shop,” he ran his hands through his blonde curls with a smile. I smiled back to him, grateful form all his help. I opened my mouth to thank him, but he interrupted me, “What’s your name by the way?”