FNIA: Soul

Everyone Deserves Their Special Day

Charlie wordlessly stared at the screen of her phone. There were three missed phone calls and two voicemails from the same person. The young manager brushed her brown hair aside and stuffed her phone into her pocket.

"Ugh... What am I going to say to him...?" Charlie groaned. "He wants to know about Mike but I tell him about Mike or if Mike talks to him then we'll be out of a night guard."

She scratched the back of her head as she sighed. "But at the same time, I can't keep avoiding him. I just got to suck it up and talk to him."

As if on cue, her phone rang again.

I did this to myself. Shaking her head in disbelief, Charlie pulled her phone back out of her pocket and answered it. "Hey, Dad."

"Charlie. You're a tough employee to get a hold of," her father's bored, unemotional voice response greatly clashed with her casual, slightly dreadful response.

"Yeah, well, nepotism and all that... Anyway, what's up?"

"I heard that there's a new night guard and you weren't just paying yourself again."

"Hey, I was a good night guard. I deserved extra pay."

"So, what's our new night guard like? All I heard was that he's cute and may have lost an arm."

"No, he still he still has both arms and everyone likes him. I'd let you talk to him, but he's not the type to talk about himself."

"Hm... Fine. I got to let you go now and get back to work."

"Alright, talk to you later, dad."

With those parting words, the call ended. A tired sigh flew through her pursed lips and she begun aimlessly wandering the building. She was relieved that the conversation was short but at the same time that also saddened her.

Charlie sighed once more until suddenly running into a something that felt strong, but not soft like the girls. Forced out of her trance, she looked up to discover she had run into Mike. "Mike?! What are you doing here?"

"It is time for my shift," Mike replied, trying his best not to come off as sarcastic. "Oh, and evening Charlie."

"Hey, Mike."

"Is there something wrong? You seem a little unbalanced tonight."

"Yeah, well talking to fathers can be like that sometimes."

"I get it..."

A brief silence spliced their way into the conversation. As both tried to find a way to continue the conversation, Charlie suddenly remembered a shocking fact she heard earlier. "By the way, I heard Mangle hugged you last night?"

"Yes."

"Mangle hugged you?"

"Yes."

"Hugged you, hugged you?"

"Yes."

"And it wasn't anyone else. I mean everyone here is pretty hug happy."

"No, it was Mangle."

"Wow..."

Any negative feelings Charlie had were swept aside by that confirmation. "How'd you do that?"

"I guess I tried my hardest to help her. She also had helped from the others."

Still, if he got Mangle to hug him then maybe... The young manager brushed her hair away from her eyes, the strands lightly brushing against Mike's face. "Huh?"