heads or tails // m.t + c.p [ discont. ]

Ch 1.2 • Park

The next morning I was woken my Ryan, carrying me upstairs. "Ry?" I mumbled in my sleepy state.

"Hey Meg," he smiled, "You're okay now. Thinking about Len?"

"How did you-" he presented a picture of our younger brother to me, the same picture I kept with me everywhere. "Oh."

"You fell asleep holding this. I came downstairs to grab some food and I saw you leaning against the door with tear stained cheeks, then I saw you were holding that picture."

"I'm sorry," I spoke, nearly crying again. He shushed me and assured me it was okay. He placed me on the bed then brought the blanket up to my chin and kissed my forehead.

"Get some sleep, sis." I nodded, yawning and somehow managed to fall back to sleep.

I woke up a few hours later, in my bed, with a slightly aching neck. Probably from sleeping against a hard-wood door for 6 hours. I trudged over to the window and looked out of it, looking down after a few minutes. I saw feet. Outside of my... Charlie! I practically ran downstairs and opened the door. Charlie's limp body fell into my house. "Charlie," I shook him awake.

"What? Meghan I love-" he shot upwards. "Meghan!"

"Hey," I smiled a little, "Look I'm sorry about last night..."

"It's fine," he told me, getting up and leaving.

"You want any breakfast Puth?"

"No thanks, Trainor!" He shouted back, not even turning around or stopping. He just got into his car and left me there. After that the day sped by, sat on the couch, lounging about with Ryan.

I need to clear my head.

I called Charlie, asking him to come pick me up. He hung up the call and I found a hoodie and some sunglasses to hide my identity, having recently gained a little more fame, and the attention of the paparazzi. I left Ryan in the living room watching football and left the house, breathing in fresh, clean air. A very welcome change. Charlie pulled up and I got in. "To the park please Charlie," I tell him smiling and without response he starts driving. "You okay buddy?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. I'm fine."

"Now even I know that's a lie, and I'm pretty gullible," I lightly laugh, before it stopped in dead-end silence. "Charlie?" I whispered. I looked in the mirror and caught his eye, a tear slipping down. That. Was. It. "Charlie, pull over. Now."

"Meghan, what? Why?"

"Pull. Over," I hissed and he did so. "Charlie, you're telling me what's wrong". He scoffed.

"Nothing is wrong, how many times do I have to say that to you before you realise that?!" He snapped at me and I leaned forward.

"Look, Puth, you may not think it but I give a damn about you, okay? I really, really care about you and it's killing me to see you like this," I spoke, my eyes watering a little. His face softened and then he just looked crestfallen as he peered into my eyes, another tear dropping onto his cheek.

"My dad, he uh- he hit my mom," he told me, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh Charlie," I sighed, taking his hand.

"It's just, I was there before you know? I could stop him, he could hit me instead but now... Now I'm not there for her and I-" a sob caught in his throat and I pulled him in for a hug.

"Charlie, none of this is your fault. Okay hazel eyes?" He laughed a little with a hiccup.

"Thank you, Meghan."

"My pleasure," I smiled.

"No," he shook his head, "Thank you." I smiled at him, knowing what he meant. "Still en route to the park?"

"Yeah," I sighed, "I need to clear my head." He smiled lightly through the rear view mirror and pulled back onto the road. We pulled up at the small parking lot and I started getting out.

"You want me to come with you?" Charlie asks, sincerity lacing his tired and upset tone. Only now did I notice the toll all of the drama and complexity with his past and future with domestic abuse was taking on him. He has dark circles underneath his dull eyes, eyes with no sparkle to them, not anymore. His face has sunk in, like he's not eating and his hair is messier than it usually is. It's really taking it's tole on him.

"No thanks, Charlie, but thank you for the offer," I grinned, he smiled halfheartedly in response and turned back to the steering wheel.

"I'll wait for you then," he replied, still not looking at me.

"You don't have to-" he turned to face me now and something in his auburn eyes told me no matter what I said or did he was going to wait for me. "Okay." I left the black Cadillac SUV and closed the door. The engine hummed until total silence, other than the light serenity of the park. I tried to clear my head of all thoughts so I could be left entirely alone but it was not possible. Memories followed me everywhere and thoughts plagued my mind making the silence so deafening and it was driving me insane. Slowly, very slowly, I managed to calm down. I managed to forget little things despite the fact that the big things stuck out like a sore thumb. Lenny still haunted my memories and loving the wrong man was messing with my insides. Why can't life be simple? Why can't it be easy? Why does life have to be so hard?

A/N: This was originally going to be a lot longer, but I kinda thought it was gonna be too long, so I copied and cut it, haha.

QOTD: Who's excited for 'No'?
AOTD: I am oh my god it's going to be perfect I can't wait! Ugh! I'm way too excited!

Stay strong lovelies,
- Faye xx