Remember This✔

Chapter Thirty-Two

Aggressive shouting wakes Molly up abruptly. She doesn't know how long she's been asleep for or where she even is. Charlie is still beside her; he's looking out at the street and although he knows that she's awake he doesn't say anything.

"They caught him," Molly says. "The man that killed my. . . he's in custody."

"What?" Charlie says as he turns his head.

"I'm free."

"That must have been a big relief," he says.

"He's controlled me for long enough!" Molly says as she slides up the wall. "Now I just want to live. And forget. And drink."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not sure yet," Molly mumbles, stumbling sideways as she tries to walk. "Somewhere North."

"North of where?" Charlie laughs.

"The pole." Molly makes it to the curb of the road and then sees a group of men staring at her from across the street. She backs up to Charlie's side and puts her hand on his arm. "Why are they staring at you?"

"They're staring at you. You have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?"

Even while drunk, Molly can feel her cheeks flushing. "No one's ever said that to me before. Except my mother. But she doesn't count."

"Well, it's the truth." Charlie glances away, suddenly becoming shy. "Unfortunately, it does tend to attract the wrong kind of attention."

Molly glares up at him, her eyes softening. "You make my pulse do weird things."

"What?"

"There you are!" a voice calls from behind them. "I've been looking everywhere for you! She's not interested, pal, beat it." Lauren positions herself between Molly and Charlie, crossing her arms as she scowls at him.

"You must be the friend," Charlie says. "I'm Charlie."

"I don't care who you are," Lauren says. "You think just because a girl is out here alone and drunk that you can worm your way into her underwear? Not going to happen."

"Woah," Charlie says. "We know each other."

"We do, we know each other," Molly says. "He helped me."

"I did a little more than help you."

Molly rolls her eyes. "He saved me. Twice."

Charlie holds out three fingers and grins. "Not that I'm counting or anything."

"Oh," Lauren says. "Wait! I know you! Aren't you the guy from that high school video that beat up that football player?"

"I didn't beat him up," Charlie hisses resentfully. "Is there anyone that hasn't seen that video?"

Molly raises her hand slowly. Charlie smiles at her.

"You're viral," Lauren says. "What's most impressive to people is that you humiliated him with a cast on your arm. I bet he left you alone after that."

"Yeah," Charlie says. "You okay? Need some more water?"

It takes Molly several seconds until she realizes he's talking to her. She's drifting further away from them, it's like her feet can't stay still. "I'm okay," she mutters.

"She's never been drunk before," Lauren says.

"I know."

Molly collapses to her bottom and closes her eyes, repeating that she's okay. When she looks back up there's a new addition to the group. A man with mixed race skin and black hair is throwing his arm around Charlie's shoulder as he looks between Molly and Lauren.