Park Benches (EDITING)

twenty-seven

twenty-seven

 

Charlotte’s POV

 

            When I awake I was no longer tightly held in Louis’s arms. “Louis,” I mumbled groggily as I reached out to the other side of the bed, eyes still shut, but feeling the light shining on my lids.  When I found nothing on his spot I let my eyes open to my regular flat, although it seemed a bit tidier.

            “Louis?” I called out again, hoping he was probably somewhere out of my view, but nobody responded to my dismay. I slumped against some propped up pillows and sighed. Was all of last night a figure of my imagination? Was Louis ever over here? Had we kissed? Had he even slept over and sung to me with his spectacular voice? I hoped so.

            My tired eyes began to search the room to make sure I wasn’t dreaming of Louis too realistically. They fell upon the horrid mug with a small puddle of tea at the bottom. “Bingo!” I raised myself from beg, taking both our glasses over to the kitchen to wash. “Now where are you?” I muttered to myself as I tangled my hair back into a wild ponytail.

            My ears responded to the loud rustling outside my door and I moved to approach it. As I grabbed the knob the door was flung open, nearly missing my face. “Oops!” Louis kicked the door shut with his foot and balanced a pizza box and coffee in his arms on the way to the kitchen.  “Sorry about that, didn’t hurt you did I? Good. As you may see my hands were a bit full.” Louis handed me a warm cup of coffee with my name swirled neatly on the side.

            With a sip I peeked into the pizza box, Hawaiian, my favorite. “Isn’t it too early for pizza? What time is it?”

            Louis was preparing us both plates as he answered me, “About midday, you sure are a heavy sleeper.”

            “Did you spike my tea?” I teased taking a bit of the pleasant pizza.

            “No, not at all, but I did get your favorite…which may or may not be spiked.” Louis seemed slightly wary yet silly when he took a bit. Whenever I told people it was my favorite they looked at me as if I was loony. I mean…pineapples on pizza. That’s crazy!

            “You remembered?” My voice sounded weak and my insides started to feel all mushy and over-romantic.

            “Course babe,” Louis smiled with sincerity and took another bite, looking as if he enjoyed the new flavors.

            My body felt paralyzed, but a good kind of paralyzed. This lovey-dovey emotion had overtaken my body, but I liked it. This was weird. The last time I’d felt this overwhelming sensation was when Emilio kissed me on our first date. He took me ice skating, which was a long ways away from our town. I had fallen badly and he pulled me into him, setting his lips on mine.

            “This is really good. Who would’ve thought?” Louis cried with joy, bringing me from my paralysis.

            “Yeah, it sure is.” I finished the last of my slice and took a sip of coffee. “Thanks again.”

            “Anything for my little lady,” Louis winked then took his free hand, rubbing it on my exposed thigh, sending joyous shivers all over my body.

            My mouth pulled into an ostensibly nervous smile before taking slow sips of coffee. Louis was too sweet and it made tingly and jingly inside. Maybe I did love him…yeah I loved him. I loved the way his hair fell around his face when he slept and his eyes that always would beam when they met mine. I opened my mouth to say something, feeling the letters forming on the tip of my tongue, but was cut off before I could say them.

            The default Android ringtone sung muffled from somewhere around my room. My body leapt from its comfortable position to the source of the ringing. “Hello?” I panted sweetly into my phone.

            “Char!” Every ounce of my body fell heavy inside of me. Emilio.

            “Emilio!” My voice strained as I tried to punch out an awkwardly happy greeting. However, all I could think was how bad of a time he had called. “How are you?” I swirled on my feet to face Louis, who was approaching me like a rocket.

            “Great! I’ll be greater after I tell you some news!” The sound of his voice threw me over rocky cliffs and I impatiently waited to hit the bottom. “I’m going to visit you over Christmas break for your birthday! I bought my ticket yesterday! I was going to surprise you, but I couldn’t hold it in. I missed you so much Lotts.”

            “That’s great!” A flood of actually happiness filled my body before I calmed myself under the eyes of Louis. “I can’t wait to see you.” I said more monotone, but inside my mind was bouncing around. I needed Emilio here next week.

            “Alright well I’ve got to head out. I’ll see you soon. I love you Charlotte.” There it was. The sound of my heart breaking.

            “Alright,” I intently watched my heels rock, too afraid to face Louis. So I took a deep breath and did what I had to, hurting obviously both of them. “I love you too Emilio.” Then ended the call and looked up at Louis.

            Louis’s expression was unreadable. I wanted to say it looked angry, but I knew it could also pass for constipation. He stood merely a foot away from me, just staring with his arms at his sides. His shoulders were hunched, as if he’d been carrying the weight of the world for far too long. As I studied his face, the emotion was clear. Louis was hurt.

            And all I could do was clutch my phone and stare back at him, thinking of what to say. “Lou—” I started off, but was interrupted by a slightly trembling voice.

            “Don’t.”

            “Louis,” I reached out to him with my phone-clutching hand.

            “Don’t!” He stated more firmly, gritting his teeth at me. “Charlotte, just don’t.”

~

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