Sweet Charlotte

「 nineteen: implied tenderness 」

Mara insisted she would plan the entirety of the date, and Seth hadn't debated. Apparently, he wasn't big on fancy couple outings, but Willow would be lying if she said she hadn't already got that impression.

"How are we supposed to dress?" Willow asked, tucking the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she rifled through her dwindling closet. The stress she felt over what she was going to wear on their staged 'double date' felt like far too much, but really she only wanted to come off as believable. If she dressed down or treated it as a joke, there's no way Mara would comply with their poking and prodding.

"No idea," Seth sighed. "I don't even know where we're going."

Classic Seth; not even bothering to ask.

"What should I wear, Seth?" Willow asked, cutting straight to the chase, closing her eyes and letting her roaming hands go limp.

Seth shrugged, and Willow could practically hear it. "Something."

"Thanks for that." Hearing his chuckle on the other end was her cue to hang up. As much as she tried she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. Even though she was alone, and even though it didn't matter, she couldn't shake how embarrassed she was at how happy Seth made her.

She finally had a friend again, and she never wanted the feeling to go away. Not after Charlotte had slipped through her fingers.

The thought caused her to falter as she pried shoes from her closet. It wasn't her fault Charlotte vanished, but it was on her what she did about it. That's what tonight was for: another step toward getting her back. Another step toward rescuing her from wherever she had run to. Or whatever she had run from.

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket and, sliding it out again, she spotted a text from Seth: 'Better pick something to wear soon. Coming to grab you in 10'

Willow groaned, snagging the black summer dress in front of her — the first one she saw after another tired sweep of the closet. It was the lost dress she'd bought before her last reentry into the hospital — a black dress that had a white collar and three buttons down the chest. She stuffed her legs into black tights, tossed on her jean jacket, and slipped on a pair of black boots. As far as she was concerned, that made her 'date' attire complete. In the midst of brushing out her hair, she felt her phone buzz on the bathroom counter. She snagged it without reading and started outside.

Sure enough, there sat Seth waiting at the end of the driveway. "You found something," he called through an open window as she locked her front door.

Willow rolled her eyes before turning around. "Yeah, I figured I'd take your advice. You offered some great insight."

"I try." He said, watching as she smacked the car door shut after her and buckled up. "I don't know what you'd do without me."

Willow smirked and looked out the window, watching as they peeled away. She couldn't stand for him to see how telling her smile was. Truthfully, she didn't know what she'd do without him either.

"Did Mara tell you where we're going?"

"For dinner, I guess."

Willow cringed. That meant she'd need to empty her bank account. It also meant she wouldn't be able to get a meal that was more than 14 dollars. "Where?"

Seth could hear the discomfort in her voice and cast a hesitant glance over, but then turned his attention back to the road. "The place seems pretty casual. It's a bar and restaurant."

If only she was legal to drink. That might make dinner easier, but then her entire budget would be spent on alcohol. "So, what's the plan?" She asked, hoping to stomach her anxiety for the time being. She could panic about prices later.