lost in the light {n.h ou}

l.a. girl, l.a. world

spring

Spring was the start. Stumbling through the dark of unfamiliar homes. Laughing in each other's mouths as Niall tried and failed to pull off Charlie's too tight bra. Text and calls at random hours. Learning the other's body.  His place. Her place. A secret for only them. No one else was allowed. Charlie often found herself caught smiling down at her phone. And it was fun. Between work and classes and planning tours and meetings -they found each other. Back when she had graduated college Charlie had gone on a trip with friends down to Puerto Rico -drunk off mojitos and running down to the ocean. Laughter loud even over the sound of waves crashing down. Wave after wave after wave hitting her body. And all Charlie could do was laugh. Spring felt like that.

In an effort to not fall into the trap every book, movie, poem, tv show, and song had laid out before them; Charlie and Niall had sat down and created their rules. Tucked away in the backyard of Niall's place. Orange blossoms and eucalyptus surrounding them. A black planner and matching pen in Charlie's hands. A beer in Niall's. Concise. To the point. An arrangement. Five easy to follow rules. Once they got to number five, Niall had plucked the planner from Charlie's hands. Pen falling, rolling on the ground. His hands had climbed higher, higher, higher along her legs. A simple, can I? Their deal had been sealed with Niall's face between Charlie's thighs.

The rules created were as followed:

-For as long as they were having sex with each other, there would be no one else. Charlie did not share and she did not play well with others.

-Weekly check ins. One text. A simple, hey i think of you from time to time i want to make sure you are okay. Responses were necessary. Life was busy, twenty four hours was acceptable.

-No one could know. Few exceptions were made for immediate family and close friends. No photos. No instagram likes. No comments.. First hand Charlie had seen a private life burned to nothing but ash when exposed to the public. Years, Niall had crafted his public life, a careful curation of genuineness while keeping a protective lock on his personal life.

-When one of them wanted to stop, they would stop. No questions. No arguments. This was not love. This was two busy people having a mutually beneficial physical relationship. Love was not, and would not be on the table.

They had two weeks before Niall flew off to Europe. Deadlines riddled their agreement. Dates had already been written down in a Charlie's planner all the way to October. One week here. Three weeks there.

For most it would be the breakdown of a relationship, but Charlie and Niall weren't a relationship. Not in the traditional sense. This contract of sorts they had placed on themselves would work perfectly. Allow them to go and live their lives and still have someone to hold when the chaos settled.

Two weeks. So, they made the most of it.

Hours were spent tangled together in bed, or the couch, or sometimes the floor. Neither one of them were picky and Niall's house was private. Charlie spent time connecting the freckles on Niall's shoulder blade, trying to see if they made an interesting shape. Niall practiced great care in roaming his hands over every line, curve, and plane that made up Charlie. And they had fun. They laughed in each other's mouths and broke a few buttons. Swam in the pool with nothing but the moon above them. Took turns paying for Sunday breakfast at the diner.

Sure, maybe Niall skipped out of a couple parties late and night and maybe Charlie closed her laptop before she was done.

But they were a whirlwind.

And they couldn't seem to deny each other.

//

The middle of the night, in early March, found them driving aimlessly around the city. Late night texts after Charlie had finished school work were common between them. Rarely either of them had time for the other while the sun was up. So, Niall had driven over to her place. Commented on the plant by the window. And then they'd had sex right there on her living room rug. The aftermath found them sprawled out on the floor, Niall's head rested on Charlie's stomach as her fingers combed through his hair.  Charlie was rambling on about classes and midterms coming up and this meeting she needed to type notes for. Reciprocating, Niall went on about final plans for the tour and how he had been so busy he hadn't even been able to make it to the dentist. At some point Niall had suggested they go for a drive. Clear my head, he had told her.