After Hours

neurotic

"Do you feel that I'm a neurotic person?"

        CHARLIE was the kind of reliable friend that wouldn't beat around the bush with someone. He was straightforward, but never deliberately cruel and it was something that Althea always appreciated. So, when he looked up at her behind his gold rimmed glasses and gave her a small smile, Althea felt assured that her friend would not lie to her.

"Sometimes," he answered with a hint of amusement. Althea's brows furrowed.

"Oh." It seemed that Charlie had already anticipated her follow-up, as he'd sat with his head perched upon his hand and waiting patiently. "Charlie?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it in an endearing way?"

"All of the time, yes."

She smiled at him and he returned the gesture. It was a moment later when the waiter at Joe's approached their table, and after waiting thirty minutes for Dana to arrive Althea decided it was best to just order without her.

It was only a moment after their food arrived that Dana finally arrived to their favourite booth, dressed in an outfit that Althea knew she had spent probably no time picking out. While Althea had spent that afternoon tirelessly searching through her closet until she finally decided on her favourite pair of black jeans and a crop top of her dad's favourite band t-shirt. Althea wanted to look perfectly cool and laid back in an effort to impress Malcolm at the party that she and her friends were going to head out to after catching dinner at Joe's, but even she could admit that she could never pull off effortlessness the same way Dana had always naturally been able to.

"Hi guys! Sorry I'm late."

"That's a first," Charlie replied, completely bypassing any greeting and going straight for sarcasm. Althea glared at him and gave the blonde a warm hug.

"I really am sorry. I met this cute guy at my building's mail room and got his number."

"That's exciting!" Althea exclaimed. She moved her plate of fries towards Dana and watched as she immediately began to scarf it down.

"It is! He's very cute and just my type."

"Rich, rich, and rich?" Charlie asked. Dana threw a fry at him which he miraculously caught with his mouth.

"I am not that vain. I'm perfectly happy with being a sugar mother."

Althea snorted. "I think you mean sugar momma, sweetie."

She shrugged. "I don't think wealth is the most important thing in a person. I'm not that shallow," she defended herself.

"She's not!" Althea agreed.

Charlie nodded at them, a small smile tugging his lips. "Of course not. She does her charity by being friends with us poor people."

"Charlie!" Althea admonished. "You're being a dick."

"Yeah, you are. Why?" Althea blinked at the genuine note of concern in Dana's voice and watched as Charlie seemed to crumble beneath her unrelenting gaze.

Sighing, he rubbed and pinched the bridge of his nose before he finally replied. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm just nervous. Althea wants me to seduce Beth."

Dana's leaned forward for a moment in interest, her perfect and meticulously plucked brows arching in visible interest as she did. Beside her, Althea grew visibly uncomfortable with having her admittedly juvenile plan outed.

"Charlie, that was supposed to be a secret plan!"

Laughing, Dana took a sip of the nearest drink beside her which happened to be Charlie's malt chocolate milkshake.