It Doesn't Matter, Charlie

Part 3 - Trees and Hamburgers

A/N: Hey, sorry about the long wait...but does anyone actually read/like this?  I mean, I got one vote, and like 25 reads, but I'm new to the website and I'm not really sure how good that is.  So basically, if you like/read this story, it would be so awesome if you could leave me a comment :)  Thanks guys!

Alex and Charlie’s hotel was in an old apartment building, and was pretty much still used like one except people came and went more quickly, and they gave free breakfasts. So that explains the whole intercom thing. I stood in front of the intercom impatiently. I rung it again, and again, but no answer. Then I realized: they must be at breakfast. It was eleven thirty, I was early. I entered the building and the receptionist waved her hand, motioning me over. “Oh, I’m just looking for these guys. I’m pretty sure they are at breakfast. They asked me to meet them here,” I told her.

It didn’t look like she believed me. She then sighed and said, “Alright, wait here.” She walked out from behind the desk and then went into the other room, then came back and asked, “The two brown-haired men?”

“That’s them,” I nodded.

“Okay, go ahead.” I headed into the tiny breakfast room where Charlie and Alex were drinking tea. They both looked up at me, and Charlie grinned.

“You’re early,” he said. “Well, you’re leaving, and I’m probably never going to see you again, so I figured the sooner the better.”

“Fair enough,” Alex said. “What do we have planned for today?”

“We could go on a hike. I like hike’s,” I said.

Charlie and Alex looked at each other. “May as well,” Charlie said. “Otherwise we’d be sitting on the couch all day, so yeah, let’s go on a hike! Wait, it’s easy, right?”

I laughed. “Oh, yeah, you could ride a bike on it. No worries,” I winked. They had finished their tea so the tossed away their cups and we all headed out the door.

—————

“I feel like us three are the only people in the world in these woods,” I said softly as twigs crunched and snapped below our feet.

“It’s so quiet,” Charlie agreed. “This is fun, Aimee. I’m glad you made us come.”

“Okay, I can’t hold it in any longer!” Alex exclaimed.

“What?” Charlie and I both asked.

“I’m a go wee, be back in a sec’!” Then he turned and bounced off out of sight.

“Strange fellow,” I laughed.

“You gotta love him though,” Charlie smiled crookedly.

“So I looked you up last night,” I said, looking up at him.

“Oh, god,” he sighed.

“You are incredible! And adorable,” I said doing the thing where I poked him in the ribs.

“Hey,” he said grabbing my hand, “don’t do that!” I smiled at him sweetly. He stared at me, too. Then he looked at our hands and let go, but neither of our hands dropped to the side. Rather, they brushed each other slightly, and then slowly pulled away. I looked up at Charlie, who was staring at me with this small grin on his face. We stared at each other for a moment, until we were interrupted by a rustling. We both jumped and turned to see Alex caught on a bush.

“I’m stuck,” he said. I grinned and walked over to help him out.

————

“I see it!” I yelled. I dropped to the floor on my knees and raised my hands up into the air. “We’re free!” Charlie and Alex looked at each other and nodded, then each of them grabbed one of my arms and pulled me up, causing me to flail and stumble into Charlie’s arms, giggling. I steadied myself and pointed to the exit. “Look! The light!”

“We were never trapped, idiot,” Alex nudged me playfully.

I shrugged. “You just have no imagination.”

Alex scoffed. “Please, you’re not the one making YouTube videos and writing music for a living!”

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand at him. I checked my watch. “Holy shit!” I yelled at my wrist.

“What?” Alex and Charlie asked.

“It’s like, seven o’clock!” I gasped, looking up at the two startled guys.

“What? Dammit, we have to go to dinner!” Alex exclaimed. We all began to fast walk towards a hamburger stand that was coming into view.

“This place is good. Is it true that hamburgers in the UK are uncooked?” I asked.

“What are you talking about?” Charlie laughed.

“My friend went to London once. She said that the hamburgers were crap,” I explained.

“I…I never noticed, really,” Charlie shrugged.

“Normal, I suppose,” I nodded.

“You keep mentioning this ‘friend’, Aimee, does she live nearby? You mentioned she knew us from the internet,” Alex said.

“Oh, um…” I stuttered, then so I didn’t raise suspicions, I changed the subject, “what do you want? Like, on your hamburger?”

“Wait, you-“

“I like lettuce and tomato and cheese,” I interrupted.

Alex raised his eyebrow but then said, “I’ll have the same.”

“Me too,” Charlie nodded.

“Okay!” I said, pulling out my wallet.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Charlie stopped me.

“You no pay,” he said.

“Me no pay?” I giggled.

“I pay,” he winked.

“Okay. Hey, I rhymed! I should write a song,” I grinned.

“Learn from the masters,” Alex said.

I raised my eyebrows, but before I had the chance to ask he and Charlie broke out in song. “AND IT WILL BE FOREVER MINE! AND IT WOULD BE FOREVER YOURS!” they sang at the top of their lungs.

When they were finished, I applauded. “Bravo! Magnificent! Never heard anything more beautiful!” I said. They both bowed and I laughed and hugged them. “Thank you,” I whispered into their ears.

“What for?” Charlie asked, grinning.

“For making me laugh,” I smiled.

“That’s our job. Now I’m hungry, hamburgers?” Charlie asked.

“Hamburgers,” I agreed.