All's fair in love and war

Chapter 17

Today is the day. Charlie and Noah have been given their orders and are leaving to go off and do god knows what, who knows where. They weren’t allowed to tell us much, but what they could say, didn’t sound good. We sit at the train station waiting for what feels like forever. I haven’t actually seen Charlie or Noah in their uniforms before, it seems strange to see them like this. I feel Charlie take hold of my hand and lace his fingers with mine I look at him looking at me and I smile. “You’re going to be ok, remember.” I say not only trying to comfort him but to comfort myself.

 “We’re going to be ok, Sophia.” He says holding my hand tighter than he was before and I nod.

“I know.” I take a deep breath as I see a few couples saying their goodbyes, am I wrong in not wanting to say goodbye? I’ve asked myself the same question over the past couple of days, but it’s still something I don’t want to do, he’s going to come home.

“So, Frederick seems to really like you, huh.” He says as he nudges my arm and winks. How could he be joking about when he is about to go off to fight in a war I ask myself, but I laugh anyway.

“We’re just friends, Charlie.” I smile and he smiles back.

“Well I know that, and you know that, and even he knows that, but I don’t think he feels that way, Soph.”

“Nothing will happen between us, he knows I love you.”

“Yeah, I know.” He smiles and kisses my forehead.

We stand up as we see the train approaching the station. I look at Charlie and I stare at him for a few moments, I look around at all the different families and couples and it finally sinks in that I’m not in this situation alone. Charlie pulls me in closer and wraps his arms around my waist, and I wrap mine around his neck and place my head against his chest. We stay this way for a few moments and we both slowly pull away and I watch as he picks up his bag.

*****

Evelynn

I look over to where Charlie and Sophia are now stood and give them a sad smile. I've never seen Sophia as happy as she is with Charlie, and now it's all being ripped away. I look up at Noah who is holding my hand firmly in his, I don't know who is holding on tighter but neither of us seems to be letting go anytime soon.

“Everything is going to be fine, don't worry about me.” Noah says bringing my hand up to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on my knuckles.

“You just worry about getting yourself back to me in one piece.” I give him a reassuring smile and place my free hand against his cheek. Noah tilts his head into my hand and closes his eyes for a second and then lets out a small sigh.

I look up and watch as couples and families say their final farewells and people begin to board the train.

“Time to go.” He says placing both of his on each side of my face. Tears begin to fall down my cheeks and I can see the beginning of tears brimming in Noah's eyes too, which causes the lump in my throat to thicken.

"Here take this." I manage to say, taking off the heart shape locket that is wrapped around my neck and place it in his breast pocket.

"Now you have my heart." My voice comes out as a whisper through the horns of the train.

"I'll see you soon, okay? I love you Evelynn." He says as he bends down to give me one last kiss, but it ends too soon as he kisses my hand before boarding the train, taking my heart with him.

*****

Sophia

I let go of Charlie’s hand and watch him walk into the crowd of soldiers boarding the train. “Charlie, wait!” I watch him turn around as the other soldiers continue to board the train.

“Promise me you’ll come back.”

“I promise, I love you Sophia.”

I have to clear my throat before I am able to talk. “I love you too, Charlie.”

I watch as he boards the train and I go stand with Evelynn, as the train pulls away from the station we both sigh and watch as families begin to leave.

“They’ll come back.” Evelynn says and I nod.

“I know.”