close your eyes and feel me

18

Hi! Very small chapter but we do know who saw Charlotte and Sidney kissing and i feel like even if it's only around 830 words, this chapter is still important to the rest of the story. I hope you are staying safe and that you take care of yourself. :)

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The two women were waiting in the hall for what seems to be an eternity. It definitely wasn't, but Charlotte had no exact grasp of reality at this moment. All she wanted was to finally wake up from this nightmare, back in her bed. Nothing happening right now could be true.

-"I cannot believe this... What have done?" She murmured to herself.

Esther, who was standing near her with a concerned face, snapped at Charlotte.

- "You have done nothing wrong. Do you hear me, Charlotte? Nothing."
- "I kissed a man who's engaged."
- "You were taken advantage of, that is what happened."

This comment took Charlotte by surprise . Taken advantage of? Her? By him?

- " I was the one who dragged him in that room...I...I was the one who kissed him first, and..."
- "And nothing. Whatever happened in that room, you have to erase it. For your own sake, this man took advantage of you. We're going to turn this situation in our favour."
- "Our favour? You want me to ruin a good's man reputation?His life?"
- "And what about your good reputation? A man can recover from anything in this world. Women are not as lucky."

Esther then took Charlotte's hand in hers. She was clearly concerned, which was a weird look to see on Esther's face.

- " When, if, this story goes out, we will tell people that Mr Sidney Parker is a drunk, who mistook you for his fiancée. There was nothing more than a kiss."
- "But someone saw."
- "Whoever saw will shut their mouth. And if they don't, we'll find something."
- "Why are you helping me?" Questioned Charlotte, curious.

Esther hesitated.

- "We all deserve a friend in situations like these."
- "Is that what we are, now? Friends?"
- "Yes."

It was a tender moment between the two women, but it didn't lasted long.

- "Charlotte!" Said Sidney out of breath. "Miss Babington." He quickly said, guilty.
- " Mr Parker, you are going to tell me exactly who saw what happened in that room." Demanded Esther.

Sidney was taken by surprise. He had very little interaction with Esther in the past, and he was more than happy for his friend, but he had never expected he would find himself in such a situation and that she would be a witness to it.

He gave a guilty look at Charlotte, who was sitting in silence.

- "Eliza." Revealed Sidney. "She's already left."

Sidney then proceed to try to walk past Esther to Charlotte, but she stopped him.

- " What are you doing?" Asked Esther while blocking him.

- " Let me talk to her." He begged.

- " Absolutely not." She said. "Enough damage has been done, don't you agree?"

- "Esther, i have great respect to you, but you do not know the story and do not need to put yourself in it."

- "I think someone here has to think about Charlotte's future, and it does not seems to be you." Esther snapped at him. She was done hearing any excuses. "Now, if this incident that happened between the two of you ever goes out, if your fiancée, Mr Parker, were to open her mouth about what she thinks she saw..."

- "Think she saw?" Interrupted Sidney.

- "Yes, think. If the word goes out, I will make sure that no one believes her. I will drag your reputation into the mud and tell everyone i have met that you took advantage of a poor, innocent, farm girl who were too scared to tell you off."

- "It's not what happened."

- "I know it's not. But it is what everybody else will know as the truth."

- "Charlotte and I..."

- "There is no Charlotte and I!" She exclaimed , " this whole situation you have put yourselves in is over. No more playing around, acting like children. Like there is no consequence for your actions."

As hard as it was for him to admit it, Sidney knew that Esther was right. Too many bad decisions had been made, too many mistakes.

The thing is, he couldn't think of any of his time with Charlotte as a mistake.

But it was wrong. How they did it, in their situation. It was wrong.

- "What are we supposed to do, then?"

- "I'm going back home" said Charlotte, getting up slowly. " I need to sleep."

- "And you, Mr Parker, are also going home." Added Esther. "Make sure to speak some sense into your woman and make sure that none of this gets out."

It hurts to know how right Esther was. Sidney let go of a loud sigh. When was the last time he had been this tired? He had no idea.

He gave one last look at Charlotte, who was looking at the wall in front of her. Sidney turned around, with every bit of strength that he had, and left.

Esther took charlotte by her hand for the 100th time tonight.

- « Charlotte? Look at me. » she gently said.

Charlotte's eyes finally met with her new friend.

- « You are going to go home, with Susan. » she said. « And then tomorrow, I'll come and we'll talk. Alright? »

Charlotte didn't answer, but nodded a weak « yes » with her head.

She wanted to sleep. She needed to be alone, completely alone and then she needed to cry.

If that was the adventure of her life...Oh, how she wished she was Alison, scarred of the world and not wanting anything from it.