A Love, a Lie and a False Identity (Louis Tomlinson)

Charlie

Chapter 34

Charlie

A month later…

I had let him go. I had to, it wasn’t my place to keep him or fight for what we had. I had woken up from the dream and realised that our lives were too different. Even if we had met under difference circumstances, if he had met me as Charlie and not Veronica, it still wouldn’t have worked. I knew that now. 

I had also stopped writing now. It was just too painful, every character I created had a reminders of Louis deep down, and it just brought up memories I wished to stay buried. I had left my notebook back at Veronica’s and I didn’t want it back. As far as I was concerned, it just held lies and lost dreams, nothing more. Instead I was focusing on moving forward, working full time with my mum at her café and learning the ropes of how to manage a business. It wasn’t my passion, but I was pleased to be helping my mum out, and I loved spending time with her. 

“Hey Charlie, you mind serving table three?” Mum called over to me from the till. It was Saturday lunch time and the café was jam packed with customers, the noise level slowly rising as people spoke above one another. 

“Sure thing, Mum.” I smiled and grabbed my notepad and pen before weaving through the tables to reach Mrs Wallows and her best friend Mrs Fairchild. “Hi ladies, what can I get for you?” 

I took their orders with a smile, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. I hadn’t been properly happy for a while now. Just because I had let Louis go, didn’t mean I didn’t miss him terribly. I did, I really did. I caused a pain in my chest when I heard his music on the radio, my eyes well up whenever he did an interview or was on the news. It wasn’t going away like I planned for it to. 

I was behind the counter when Laura and Katherine wandered in, leaning against the desk as I took two slices of raspberry and dark chocolate cake out from the fridge and slid them onto plates. 

“Hey guys. What brings you here?” I asked, placing the plates on a tray along with two cups of tea. 

“Thought we would come in and say hi,” Laura answered. 

“I didn’t realise it would be so busy here today,” Katherine said, looking around. 

“Yeah, Mum just came up with two new recipes and I guess word spread.” I shrugged, and left them by the counter for a moment to serve the cake to the two old ladies. They thanked me, I asked if they wanted anything else, and then left them to their meal. The same routine with every customer. 

“You want something to drink?” I asked my friends, and they both ordered a coffee. 

“We haven’t seen you for a while Charlie, what’s been going on?” Laura asked. 

“Nothing much. Just been working a lot, helping Mum out here with the café. Sorry I haven’t spent much time with you.” The truth was I had been avoiding nearly everyone apart from my mother in these past few weeks. I just didn’t have the energy to deal with all the questions or trying to put on a brave face. I knew my friends would be understanding but I didn’t want to put them through having to put up with me in such an emotional state. 

“That’s OK. We can wait,” Katherine said, and in her eyes I could see she understood. I grinned ruefully and handed them their drinks, leaning against the counter. 

“Mum, I’m going to go on my break!” I called through the hatch, and she called out to say it was fine. Harriet, the other waitress, took my orders for me as I grabbed myself a coke from the fridge and cracked it open, taking a long sip. 

“So…is this what you are going to do from now on? Work here?” Laura asked, and I shrugged. 

“Maybe.”