Coffehouse Sweetheart: Merlie Fanfiction

Chapter 2

Meryl agreed and went back to her suitcases, triple checking everything. Her cell phone rang, and instinctually she grabbed it without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey Meryl, it's me." Charlie needed her help to pack. "Um, my stuff won't fit into the suitcase that I'm bringing can you help me, Mer."

"Oh hi Charlie, roll your clothes into little bundles. And why in the world would you bring only one suitcase on a months trip to Europe?" She laughed. "How many times have I told you this over the past years we've traveled?"

"Well, you usually pack for me." Charlie retorted shamefully.

"True. I'm kinda busy packing right now, I'll call you back when I'm in the car, okay?" Meryl replied as she ran around the room, trying to find her passport.

"Wait you're leaving right now?" He stared at his phone in shock.

"Um, yeah, haven't I told you all of our plans?" Meryl said, still trying to find her passport.

"Maybe I wasn't listening."

Meryl sighed in exasperation. "Well, you should listen. Right now, I'm really stressed out so if I could call you back-"

"I'm leaving right now too. Maybe we'll see each other at the airport." Charlie interrupted.

"Really? Yeah sure, see ya there. Bye Charlie, I really have to go now." Meryl ended the call, not really believing what Charlie had just said.

Charlie looked down at his phone in frustration as she ended the call. He could tell that she didn't believe him from her careless tone of voice. He just wanted to be there with her, comforting her, knowing that she was stressing out.

I will be there, he promised to himself.

A knock sounded at the door as Meryl rushed around her house, checking everything for the last time. She instantly knew it was Jessica and yelled down, "Come in, it's unlocked!"

"You should start locking your door. You never know." Jessica walked in and burst out laughing when she saw Meryl struggle down the stairs with her three neon pink suitcases and bags.

Half an hour later, all of the girls walked out of Brooke's house, helping her with her bags.

"Wow, it looks like we packed for a yearlong trip instead of a three week stay." Jessica commented as she shoved Brooke's suitcase into the back. Her car was filled with suitcases, three from each, and their carry-on bags and purses. Two of the suitcases were filled with their belongings and clothes, and the third one was for souvenirs.

They would take turns driving, starting with Jessica and Meryl in the passenger seat. Kassandra and Brooklyn sat in the back.

"Oh yeah, I was gonna call Charlie back." Meryl was suddenly reminded of him, an hour into the drive, when she spotted an advertisement on the side of the road with a golden retriever on it. She had always classified Charlie as a golden retriever, or labradoodle. It was just her puppy obsession getting the best of her.

"Merlie!" Kassie laughed. Brooklyn looked up from her phone to elbow Kassandra playfully.

"Shut up, we're not together." Meryl responded, half amused as she dialed Charlie's number.

"Hi Meryl!" Charlie said cheerfully as he picked up the phone.

"Hi, I'm on my way to the airport. What are you doing?" Meryl turned down the radio that Jessica turned up.

"I'm on my way to the airport." Charlie responded with a chuckle. It was true, he was in the passenger seat right then, in the car with half of his study group.

"Charlie, stop mimicking me." Meryl laughed.

""No seriously, Mer, I'm in the car with my study group right now." Charlie said honestly.

"Prove it. Skype me right now." Meryl raised an eyebrow.

"Fine." Charlie huffed and ended the call to ring her on skype.

Meryl accepted the call, and Charlie's face popped up on the screen. "Hi! I'm on my way to the airport!" He said enthusiastically.

"So am I." Meryl showed Jessica, Kassie, and Brooke on the screen, who all waved back.

Charlie waved at them, and then turned the camera to his own friends in the car. "Meryl, meet Joe, Derek, David and Josh."

"Hey! This must be his ice dance partner he's always talking about." Josh said, looking into the camera.

Meryl blushed and waved back to him. "Oh? What does he say about me?"

Charlie mentally prayed for his friends not to say anything stupid in front of Meryl.

"All good things, all good things. By the way, are you single?" Derek said as he peered into the camera.