Remember This✔

Chapter Thirty-Three

It's been over a week since Charlie last saw Molly or spoke to her. He had been keeping busy to distract himself, mainly between going to the gym, going for long runs and even studying for his mock exams. Her household came over for Jaz's birthday along with half of Jaz's grade and Charlie had to make an excuse to get out of there. He bought Jaz some books for her birthday and he's hardly seen her over the week because she's been that invested in them. Weeks usually go fast but this week has been the slowest he has ever experienced.

It's a Sunday afternoon and Charlie has just finished a short session at the boxing gym. As he walks towards his car he notices he has a voicemail from Aubrey. His first instinct is to delete it but he decides to listen.

"Hey, Charlie it's me. I know that I don't have any right to call you but I just really need to hear your voice. I've been in a dark place and nothing really makes sense anymore." Charlie hears her sniffle and she sounds as though she's been drinking and crying. "I know that I've got issues and I am so sorry for the way I treated you. Do you think we could talk? I'm in all day. I understand if you never want to see me again but I. . . need you. I've always needed you. Please, just come by and hear me out. Bye."

Charlie sits in his car for several minutes as he thinks about it. Part of him believes it to be manipulation which is what she used against him whenever he tried to get out before but then he also wonders; what if it's real? What if she's in trouble? The more likely answer is that her new plaything has dumped her and she's lonely but Charlie doesn't want to chance it.

He drives to her apartment and enters the building. He's giving her exactly what she wants and he's furious with himself for it. He knocks on her door and doesn't look at her when it opens.

"Hey," Aubrey says.

"You've got ten minutes," Charlie says, pushing by her.

He stands in the middle of what can only be described as a junk yard. The apartment stinks of rotten food and garbage. There are empty take out boxes everywhere, including the floor, and the kitchen counter is horded with empty glasses and beer bottles. Aubrey takes a seat on the couch in the lounge, her hair is greasy and tied back and she's wearing sweatpants that smell days old.

"Is this part of the plan?" Charlie says. "Are you trying to me make pity you by showing me a mess?"

"What plan?" Aubrey demands. "I didn't think you'd actually come but I'm glad you did."

"So you've actually been living like this?" Charlie says, twisting his head around.

Aubrey shrugs. "I've really missed you, Charlie. I've tried not to; I've tried to move on and forget you but it's been harder than I imagined."

Charlie reluctantly takes a seat in the smaller chair closest to the exit. "The last I saw you moved on just fine."

"That was nothing," Aubrey scoffs. "He was nothing. He doesn't compare to you, no one does, no one ever will."

Charlie laughs and rubs his chin. "I'm not playing games with you."

"This isn't a game! We were good together, weren't we? When we weren't fighting or hating each other we were really good."

"At the beginning," Charlie says. "But you changed, Aubrey. You started causing arguments just for the sake of it and neither of us could see how unhealthy it became."

"I'm sorry," she says, as tears stream down her face. "I didn't see how much it was hurting you, how much I was hurting you. I need you to believe me because I can't live without you."

"Yes you can," he says. "You'll find someone else, I'm sure of it."

"No. You're seventeen and you're more of a man than half of the men out there. I need you, Charlie and you need me." Charlie has heard enough and he starts to stand, prompting Aubrey to charge over to him. "Please, please don't leave me again!"