My Roommate with Freckles

Part Five (Charlotte): Sorry

Authors note: Hello everyone and thank you for being so patient! I know I said it would have been uploaded a while ago, but stuff happens! To those of you who have stuck by and waited out my very long hiatus, thank you. To my new readers, thank you for taking time to read! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and like and leave comments, I'll be sure to answer.

I felt bad for keeping everything from Parker but, I can't drag one of the only friends I have here, besides Andy, into my own mess. I felt hot tears fall from my face. I didn't even feel like crying, they just fell. I didn't sleep much that night, even though I had class at 7am. At around 5, I showered and headed out early. I hoped Andy was out for an early jog and would consider getting coffee with me.

I walked around for an hour waiting for the coffee shop to open. Andy met me at the door, yawning.
"Look, I'm all for helping you out with your problems but could you schedule your venting sessions for after ten o'clock next time?" I laughed.
"Sorry. I just really need to talk." Andy smiled sympathetically and held the door open for me. We sat down at our usual seats.
"So what's wrong Char?" He asked. I took a deep breath thinking about how to explain everything.
"Okay. So there's this guy back home," my stomach started twisting just talking about him, "and he keeps calling and I'm ignoring him, but Parker noticed I was ignoring him and wants to help me but I don't wanna drag her into my problems." Andy smiled.
"A boy? He must have really fell hard for you." I wanted to throw up. Falling hard is an understatement.
"Andy, I'm serious. What do I do? He's not a good guy," actually he a lot worse than anyone could imagine, "and if Parker gets involved she could get seriously hurt, and I can't imagine- " I laid my head on my arms against the table in defeat. Andy laughed.
"Okay, so let me get this straight, or gay. You don't like this guy back home and don't wanna get Parker involved because you like her?" I shot up and felt my face drain of blood.
"N-no! She's my friend a-and I just don't want her to get involved." I turned to look out the window. Andy smiled.
"Look I get it, but your feelings for Parker are so obvious even oblivious Parker could notice." My eyes widened. "I guess you finally realized it too?" I sighed.
"Okay, so I like Parker. I've heard her say many times that she doesn't want a relationship, so there's no chance." I crossed my arms, embarrassed that I actually said I like Parker out loud. "Besides, I've got too much on my mind at the moment.
"At least tell her, odds are she likes you too. I don't think she'd offer to help you if she didn't." Andy said sipping his coffee. "And about the guy, just keep ignoring him and he'll give up eventually. They always do." I nodded. If only it was that easy.
We headed to class and my mind was definitely not focused on art. I sat in a daze the whole time.

After class I promised Andy I'd tell Parker everything. I went home knowing she wouldn't be home yet. When I unlocked the door a women was standing in the kitchen. She had bleach blonde hair with pink at the ends. She was really tall too and pretty.
"You must be Charlotte?" She said with sass. I set my bag down on the sofa.
"I am, and you are?" I asked. She smirked and placed a hand on her hip.
"I'm Casey, Parker's girlfriend. I'm in town for a visit. I didn't know she found a new roommate already." She scoffed. I held back tears and tried to think of something to say. Why hadn't Parker told me she had a girlfriend?
"Well, nice to meet you. How long will you be staying?" She took a few intimidating steps towards me and I felt a lump form in my throat.
"Hopefully forever sweetheart." She said crossing her arms. My face grew so hot with anger and I felt like screaming this girls head off but then Parker came in.
"Casey? What are you doing here." Casey tried to nonchalantly back away from hovering over me.
"Park, I'm in town this week so I thought I'd stop over and see the love of my life for a little." Parker did not look the least bit happy to see her which made me kind of happy. I grabbed my bag and headed towards the front door.
"I'll give you two some space." I said.
"Charlotte, wait." I ignored her, though I wish I hadn't. I stood at the front door wondering if I should go back in.

I sat on the stairs for about twenty minutes. I could here faint yelling but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. Whatever it was, Parker was the loudest. After an hour, I thought I'd head back in. Quietly I opened the door. Casey was sitting on the sofa with a cigarette in her mouth. I could smell it from the door. Parker stood at the bar table, pinching her forehead.
"Sorry. I'm just heading to my room. Don't mind me." I said awkwardly. I could feel Parker's eyes following me. I shut my door and after a few more minutes of yelling, the front door opened and slammed shut. Footsteps flooded the hallway, pacing back and forth until they stopped at my door.
"Charlotte?" Parker lightly knocked on my door. "Wanna go get dinner?" She asked. I opened the door slowly and nodded. Parker smiled, not looking me in the eye. She walked towards the living room and stopped. I followed.
"Parker, are you alright?" I asked in the nicest way. I could tell she was upset. She nodded. I walked a little closer, hoping she'd talk. "Are you sure."
"Yeah, I just, never mind. Let's go, there's a Chinese place down the street." She said walking towards the front door.

I grabbed my purse and followed her down the road. She was quiet the whole way until we reached the restaurant.
"Wanna eat in or take it home?" She asked.
"Take it home." I said. She smiled. After we got our food we trekked back up the road in a more comfortable silence. When I looked at Parker I couldn't tell if it was the moonlight casting shadows but her face was filled with pain. I put my food on the ground and hugged her. It was all I could think of.
"Charlotte? What's wrong?" She asked. I pulled away a little.
"I know your upset and I want you to know, I'm here for you." I said. She looked down at me and finally smiled a real smile.
"Thanks." She said, her face growing red. "I guess I can talk about it now." She laughed.

We found a table in the park and started eating. I sat quietly as she told me about Casey.
"We started dating two years ago, my freshman year. She was a junior and a lot more experienced than me. It was great and she was always fun to be around. But after a few months she started hanging out with a few seniors who were definitely not my kind of people. She started doing drugs and even got arrested. Sadie told me to break up with her, but every time I tried, she would make excuses and I believed her." I could see the sadness in her eyes when she talked about it. "Two weeks before you came, she cheated on me with a guy at a party. She blamed it on the alcohol but, I finally realized that she's just not the one for me."
"So when she came by today-"
"I told her to leave. I don't want to be with her. She had her chance, multiple chances but she blew them, literally." She chuckled.
"I'm sorry Parker." She shook her head.
"It's no problem. I'm over it, really." I nodded. "Besides, I found someone else who's worth more than anything." She said smiling at the ground. I felt crushed. She likes someone. "How are you doing?" She asked. I knew it would come up at some point.
"I'm fine." I smiled.
"Really? Charlotte you can tell me. Our friendship isn't one-sided." I felt my lungs almost shut. Telling Parker anything is a bad idea. "Who's Foster and why are you ignoring him?" My heart jumped into my throat. I didn't want to talk about it. "Please, if its something bad, I'll never ask again, but just tell me if it is." I took a deep breath, tears welling in my eyes. I wasn't sure if I could tell her anything, but we're friends right?

Authors Note:

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