Charlie Rose

seven

"I need to go now Brandie!"

"You just got here. The person is just messing with you and you are falling for it. The police have it covered. Please just sit and be calm. Go to bed and get some slept we'll talk tomorrow." I am a mess. I can't stop crying.

I go to bed and no dreams, thank god. If I did dream it would have been bad, I know it would of.

I really need to know who did that to my mum, and the fact that the random is killing my loved ones makes me feel sick.

When I wake, I see that Brandie is still asleep, so I decide to go to Starbucks and get some breakfast. The long walk will help clear my head too. I pack a bag with a water bottle, jumper, wallet and phone. That's the trend in America: take random thing around the city with you in a "cool" bag.

"See you in half an hour baby." I kiss Brandie gently on her forehead. It's soft. And smells like her face cleanser and lavender.

*****

The walk was longer than I thought, or maybe just because I was walking so slowly, looking at all the features of this place, in case I never see it again. I could smell Starbucks about 100 meters away from where I was. The smell of coffee and crisp bread makes my mouth water so I decide to hurry a little. The walk made me so hungry.

I order Brandie a double caramel shot latte. She loves them. That was our first conversation together, how we like our coffee. I'll never forget that day. I order my usual black with no sugar and two cinnamon buns. It took them so long to complete my order. Starbucks is a busy place at 8:00am on a Friday morning. I guess I'll have to get used to it.

I was about to walk out the door when I run head first into a person.

"Oh shit, sorry."

"No your right. I'm always running into people. The perks of living in the most populated place in the world."

"Um, actually the most populated place would be China. Hi I'm Charlie." I introduce myself because that is the polite thing to do, since I just ran straight into him.

"Hi Charlie, I'm Nick. Are you new here? Your accent seems to be, um English?"

Nick was a very attractive man. He had the greenest eyes I've ever seen. It matched perfectly to his very tan skin. He worked out, you could tell. His muscle were massive. His smile was perfect. His teeth were perfectly in line and they were as white as snow.

"Haha, no, you were close though. I'm from Australia. I recently moved here with my partner."

"Ooo, lucky guy, with a pretty girl like you."

"Um sorry to disappoint, but my 'boyfriend' is a female."

"Nice, a bruiting lesbian. It's hot I like it."

I think Nick was flirting when me. I wanted to play along, but I have Brandie and I don't feel like pissing her off by hooking up with a dude I just met.

"Sorry to bust your bubble mate, but I have to take this home to the girlfriend. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Maybe more than often. My boss is hiring," He hands me an address.

"And you'd be a perfect fit. Come to this place tomorrow at eleven and you have the job."

"Do I get t... "

"Don't question Blue, just be there." He put his finger up to my lips and called me blue. That was Brandie's thing.

He walks off. I have a good feeling about this. I walk home with the a grin on my face. I think I made a new friend.

*****

"Hey baby. I bought breakfast and coffee, double shot latte?" I call out. She doesn't reply. I get worried until I hear foot steps running down our hall.

"I've been waiting for you. Put breakfast down, I have a surprise."

She covers my eyes with a blindfold. I start to giggle.

"Where are we going?" I question her. I keep giggling but nervously.

"It's a surprise." It feels like a long walk, but it's only down our hallway. Brandie keeps giggling. I can tell it's going to be good.

"Okay, take the blindfold off."

"It's a puppy!" Brandie says withe biggest grin. I don't know what to feel, but in her case I smile and act so surprised.

This puppy was tiny. It had golden fur with bits of dark brown. It looked like a Labrador.

"This is Denny. I bought her last night. I thought she would cheer you up." I grin ridiculously. This was so sweet of her.

"This is the best gift ever. Thank you. So much, I mean it, thanks." I embrace her with every muscle I have in my arm. I have never loved someone so much.

"I also have a surprise for you." I feel like I need to tell her.

"Okay, spill, what is it?" I can tell the anticipation is killing her so I slowly let the details out.

"First, let's grab our breakfast." We grab out it and sit down with Denny.

"I met a guy today at Starbucks, and his boss has a job for me at wherever he works." She doesn't seem so glad but I keep talking.

"He said I was the perfect fit for whatever it is." She still doesn't seen impressed.

She goes to speak. "Charlie, have you got no common sense? You don't even know this guy or what your in for." I get angry.

"Well neither did you. When you auditioned for that acting position, it could have been for a porno for all you know."

"Well it's not. Okay yes I had no idea, but neither do you. And you don't t even know what occupation it is. Are you stupid?" I get so angry. Just because we are going out, it doesn't mean that she has a say in anything that I say.

"Well I pretty stupid to ever fall for you, that's for sure." I storm out the front door. I didn't want to see her again. She didn't even follow, that proves her loyalty.

I storm though Central Park. It wasn't too far from out flat so I sat there. In the middle of the park. I was getting calls and texts from Brandie. I didn't answer any of them. I needed time to myself, to think. If I was unreasonable or not.

After all that time thinking, I think of Gracie.