𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿

I pulled my car into the gas station parking lot and then rummaged through my wallet for a ten dollar bill. I pulled my hood up since it was raining and then made a run for it into the gas station. I walked around, grabbing a bunch of junk food and soda. I made my way to the counter and paid for my food and then dashed back to my car to feast.
As I shoved doritos in my mouth, I stared blankly at the raindrops that were rolling down my windshield.
It's been two years since Daniel and I officially said goodbye to our love. Two years since the worst weekend of my life. Two years since I went home to Zach, even though I should have gone home with Daniel.
I should have done what my heart told me to do.
But I didn't. I let Daniel go.
Which brings me to where I am today.
Alone, cold, and broken hearted.
Daniel's wedding is today. His stupid fucking wife-to-be begged me to be a bridesmaid and I gave in so she would shut up, but I knew I wasn't going to be there. As soon as Daniel told me he was getting married, I knew I wouldn't be there. I knew I was going to have to get out of town the day he got married.
I've been driving for quite some time, without a destination. I just let my hands steer, which brought me close to where Daniel and I grew up.
Since I was so close to home, I decided to torture myself and go to the old treehouse. I shouldn't go there, but I want to.
I put my car in reverse and began my journey to the forest I know all too well.

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀

Daniel stood in the church, waiting for his bride. His friends and family and his fiance's friends and family were seated and waiting for the ceremony to start.
Daniel was excited, but he had a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was making him doubt everything, but he ignored it because today is supposed to be perfect.
The music began playing and the bridesmaids and groomsmen began walking down the aisle. Charlie was supposed to be walking down with her boyfriend, Zach, but apparently she had different plans. When Zach started walking down the aisle, he was alone. He looked confused, he clearly didn't know where his girlfriend was either.
The bad feeling in Daniel's stomach only grew along with a lump in his throat. He needed Charlie, she's his best friend. You can't get married without your best friend being there to support you.
Besides, Daniel was looking forward to seeing her all dolled up in a pretty dress.
Suddenly, Marley, Daniel's wife to be rounded the corner and walked up to Daniel. Daniel couldn't lie, he thought Marley looked really pretty, but all he could think of was Charlie. He knew she should be the one in the white dress.
Daniel held Marley's hands as the priest began talking, but he zoned out.
Suddenly, he heard "Do you, Daniel Seavey, take Marley Reynolds as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish until death do you apart?"
His head snapped up, but he couldn't think straight. His mouth moved, but no words came out. Marley, along with everyone else in the church, looked very confused.
Daniel looked around, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach. He turned to Zach and asked "Where's Charlie?"
Zach shrugged, concern written all over his face.
"Marley..I'm sorry..I need to go. Charlie's in trouble," Daniel fretted.
He looked around before darting out of the church to go find his beloved Charlie.

❀

I walked around the treehouse, staring at all the different things Daniel and I had left behind here. There were the things we carved into the floor, like our names with a heart around it. There were polaroid pictures of us hanging everywhere and notes to each other hanging up as well. Our prom tickets, our graduation caps, and a bunch of other memories were hanging everywhere.
I dropped to the ground and started sobbing and gasping for air.
I hate myself for letting him go. Daniel is the love of my life, I've always known that.
So why the fuck did I ever let him go? Why didn't I chase after him? It wasn't like he didn't love me back.
I became tired from crying, so I laid down and fell asleep on a blanket that we left in the treehouse.

❀

When my eyes opened, I felt a warm pair of arms wrapped around my body.
I jumped up and screamed, which caused the other person to wake up.
I was more than shocked to see Daniel laying on the ground next to where my body once was.
He stood up and walked towards me before devouring me in one of his bear hugs. I started crying again, holding onto him impossibly tight.
"D-Daniel...I'm s-sorry," I sobbed.
"Hey, Hey, no, shhh. Shh, baby, don't apologize. I'm right here, you're okay," he comforted, his hand placed on the back of my head.
We dropped to the ground in a hug, our bodies pressed together as we hugged the living shit out of each other. I don't know how or why he is here, but I'm glad he's here.
"Why did you run away? Today is my wedding day, Char, I need my best friend at my wedding," he said, sitting in front of me and holding my hands.
As soon as those words left his mouth, I started bawling my eyes out again. Even just the word wedding set me off.
"Woah, hey, chill, Charlie, what's going on?" he asked.
He was quick to wipe the tears from my cheeks and stare at me until I gave him a truthful answer.
"I'm sorry Daniel, but I can't go watch you marry someone who isn't me! I get it, I understand that we can't be together, but it's ridiculous that we never tried! If we didn't have feelings for each other, we wouldn't have cheated on our significant others! I cheated on Zach and you cheated on Marley and you know damn straight that neither of us are that type of person. We aren't cheaters, Daniel, but we cheated anyways. We cheated because we fucking loved each other, I've loved you for my whole entire life! I know you are marrying Marley and sometimes I wonder if you even give two shits about me anymore, but you can't say that there isn't still a part of you that has feelings for me. Because I know I have feelings for you," I ranted.
"Charlie Lily Copeland, I would never deny that I have feelings for you. I've been in love with you since that day in the third grade when you gave me your lollipop on Valentines day because I dropped mine and then kissed my cheek. I declared you the most beautiful girl in the world on the day I met you. I was the happiest I have ever been when I kissed you that day when you were crying in the treehouse. I will never forget the night of our junior prom. God, you looked so beautiful that night. I remember the way you pulled me on the dance floor and made me dance to all those girly songs and how you left those little kisses on my neck while we slow danced. I will always remember what happened when we got home that night. I was already in love with you before we took each other's virginity that night, but I felt even more connected to you after that. Charlie, I wouldn't have left in the middle of my wedding ceremony if I didn't love you. Of course I fucking love you!" he explained, his eyes suddenly glossing over with tears.
"Shit, Daniel, don't you cry. Come here," I said.
We wrapped ourselves up in a hug and laid down, our lips connecting as soon as we were comfortable in each other's grasp. Our kisses were rough, we've been deprived of each other for two years. His hands roamed underneath my sweater as I pulled at the bottom of his t-shirt. He sat up briefly and pulled his shirt off. He helped me remove my sweater and then pulled me into his lap. I straddled him as we continued kissing, our hands wildy roaming each other's bodies. He moved his head down and began kissing my neck and down my chest while he unclasped my bra. He left marks on my chest, causing my breathing to pick up. We rolled over and he hovered over me, our tongues fighting for dominance once again, him winning, of course. He began tugging at the waistband of my sweatpants, me doing the same to his. He kicked his pants off before helping me pull mine off. We flipped again and our hips ground together as we both let out soft moans between our kisses.
The night continued on as anyone would have guessed it would and we were eventually cuddled into each other, our breathing heavy as we calmed down.
Any normal human would think we are disgusting cheaters, which we are, but in my eyes, we're just two soulmates making love.
"Hey, get some sleep. We'll go home tomorrow and set everything straight. I know it's gonna be awkward, but I don't think I can live another day without calling you mine," he whispered.
"I love you so much. Promise you'll be next to me when I wake up?" I asked.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving you by yourself. Now get some rest, you look exhausted," he said.
I pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over my hands and then cuddled my head into his neck. He left a kiss on my nose before he cuddled into me and we fell asleep next to each other.