Work Text:
Maybe this was getting a bit out of hand, paranoia and doubt gnaw at her mind. But isn't that what got her here in the first place? Packing what little sentimental items she had into a beat-up cardboard box, propped up on the other boxes she'd finished packing. Mostly of clothes.
What am I doing? Am I really just gonna leave like this? She'd say goodbye, she had to. It would be cruel not to. She's not cruel... right?
Charlie paused from where she stood, tape in hand, lamenting the thought. No, no, what about this is cruel? If anything, it's a mercy, she's sparing herself from being hurt.
From being left behind.
This made sense. I think... She wanted to go to university, she needed to grow up, and Aunt Jen had been taking care of her for so long, a task she surely didn't ask to be given. Charlie will have overstayed her welcome soon enough.
It hurts less to leave than get kicked out, right?
One by one, she moved the boxes to the trunk of her car until there was nothing left in her room but her bed, and dresser. She sat on it one more time, smoothing out the white sheets as she took one last sweeping glance of the room. She hadn't had much to pack, but it still hurt to leave like this.
I should say goodbye...
Nervousness struck her, she hadn't even discussed moving out with her aunt, just assumed her relief when she'd be gone. But now that she had to tell her... The anxiety clawed its way from her gut and settled hollowly in her chest, weighing her down as she walked to the living room, and seated herself on the table.
She should be home soon, I think. Charlie spares a glance at the clock.
It took about ten minutes of Charlie fiddling her thumbs at the table, thinking and rethinking the conversation she planned to have, before Jen returned with groceries.
She listened to the door open and close before the clinking sound of keys and plastic bags flowed into the kitchen.
Jen raises an eyebrow when she spots her at the table, quickly noting the nervous demeanor of Charlie, placing the grocery bag on the table and furrowing her brow. Cutting straight to the point as typical of Aunt Jen.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Jen sat at the table across from Charlie, sensing a big conversation was incoming, her demeanor familiar to every other time Charlie's needed to talk about something seriously. Wringing her hands on the table and avoiding eye contact.
"I wanna move out." Was awkward and stuttered but she finally managed to get it out. Jen's eyebrows shot up in surprise
.
"Why? Where would you even go?" Charlie sunk into her chair, glancing about nervously.
"The city? I've gotta start college anyway... I've already packed."
"What?" Jen said, her words coming out clunky, mouth uncooperative "You've already packed ? When where you planning on telling me?"
Charlie looked down at her hands, unable to form a proper reply, what could she even say? Not the truth for sure, fear of being right freezing her in her place, the idea of receiving confirmation that Jen doesn't want her here, that her presence in the house she spent her teen years is unwanted, too frightening to confront.
"Charlie, honey, why?" Jen tried a little gentler, but it only struck Charlie harder, the affectionate term rocking a burn in her soul she'd forgotten about. Almost motherly, it prodded at a hole she'd forgotten was ever carved out in her heart. The pain left by her mother's absence in her life she desperately tried to ignore.
"You know... It's a lot easier if I'm closer to college and all..." She tries weakly, pushing the excuse. But Jen narrows her eyes, seeing right through it.
"You're lying. What is it really? Why are you leaving?" Her aunt's rubs her wrong, and Charlie finds herself getting angry without meaning to.
"Excuse me?" She's offended, unreasonably so considering Jen was right, she was lying. But she's too deep in her own head to think it through, the next words rush out of her irresponsibly. "Maybe I just want to get out of here for once, maybe I don't want to be isolated and hid from the world forever."
The sore spot she meant to prod at hit its mark, and Jen deflated in her seat, eyes still raging, but body betraying her shame. She looks sternly at Charlie, squaring her shoulders.
"Fine, leave if you want. I can't stop you" And suddenly any anger in Charlie's body fizzles out, giving away for dread. The very thing she was trying to avoid she pushed into happening. She was doing this so she wouldn't get kicked out, but wasn't this the same as abandonment? Indifference. Rejection. Jen couldn't give two shits if Charlie left. She doesn't care.
She doesn't want you here.
The thought rings in her head as she stomps to the front door, trying her best to appear angry as she wills the tears away from her eyes. She's not going to cry here, not when Jen can see her losing like this. You've shamed yourself enough.
Slamming her door shut as she enters the car, she scrambles to get the key in the ignition and get out of the driveway. The sooner Charlie can get away from here the sooner she can stop holding it in. She does her best to clear her mind as she drives away, and eventually, the thoughts fade away as she focuses on the road, putting her entire mind on where to go instead of the anxious thoughts racing through her mind, a temporary calm floating over her mind.
But 20 minutes passed, and the exhaustion gets to her, seeping through her bones and boring down her eyes. Charlie pulls over to the side of the road, after a long day of hefting boxes around the house, rearranging things into boxes, lifting them back and forth from her room to the car, and the emotional exhaustion from her argument with Jen, all weighing her down as she puts the car in park and slams her head on the steering wheel.
Well, at least nobody is passing by to see her like this, it's her one reprieve from the whole situation, and it takes everything in her not to cry at the memory of Jen's indifference.
She turns her head to lie on the steering wheel as she looks at the window, watching the rain droplets slowly make their way down the glass pane and out onto the rest of her car door. Her deep sigh creates a small layer of condensation on the glass, and she's almost tempted to draw a sad face on it.
I don't... Really have anywhere to go.
The realization isn't sudden or shocking. It's slow, cold, and fills her with a much more deep-rooted dread as it sinks in how she's effectively rendered herself homeless of her own accord. Just because my thoughts got the best of me.
Although I think Aunt Jen's words were clear enough.
Eventually, she tries to pull herself together, pulling out her wallet to take stock of what she has. Finding a couple 20s, her debit card, and the card Elizabeth had slipped her. And while her heart warms at the thought of her friend, she pales at the thought of telling her what had happened and instead chooses to pull out her phone to check her bank balance.
Unfortunately, life had other plans, and as soon as she pulls out her phone, Elizabeth finds that to be a perfect moment to text her.
Well, couldn't avoid her forever.
> Hey, how are you doing today?
It's a simple enough text, checking in on her. She had promised to stay in contact, and while they'd briefly messaged back and forth they'd both found they generally prefer calling one another when they wanted to chat.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth's concern, and taking the time to check on her makes her heart pang with a strange affection, similar to the way she felt back in the motel room, something she just can't quite put her finger on, a feeling she only ever gets with Elizabeth of all people. Lizzie…
Charlie really wants to talk to someone about this, get it off her chest. And Elizabeth is right there, literally asking to be told. So... Why not? She presses the call button and waits nervously. Elizabeth wastes no time picking up.
"Hello?" Charlie's stomach does little backflips at the sound of her voice and she does her best not to think about it too hard.
"Hi" She tries to give a hesitant smile, knowing Elizabeth can't see her, but hoping it'll put some confidence behind her voice anyways.
"Are you doing okay?" Elizabeth as always is straight to the point, and it catches Charlie off-guard. Like she just knew how Charlie was feeling, like shit , and Charlie feels her heartbeat pick up even faster. She knows me so well. God this is why I love her so much.
"I moved." Blunt and straight to the point, it's the only thing Charlie can get out with how overcome with emotion she is, Elizabeth knowing her so well brings a swell of emotion she didn't expect, a lot of nostalgia behind it. Even after all these years…
" Oof- That's always rough at first" She can almost hear the cringe in her voice "How are you holding up? Where'd you go?"
Charlie sweats nervously, predicting her friend's response.
"Well... Uhm- My car...?" Charlie cringes down into her shoulders, waiting for it.
"What." Elizabeth's voice is calm but blunt, it's not much of a question.
"I didn't really think it through..." She tilts her head, voice high in an attempt to defend herself. It's not working very well.
" Why? " Elizabeth sounds very exasperated, and Charlie feels a bit guilty at making her friend so concerned. "Who moves out on impulse? Do you have nowhere to stay?"
"Meee..." Charlie cheers unenthusiastically. "And uh, no..."
"What happened?" Stern but voice full of concern, it makes Charlie's heart warm.
"I don't knoowww. I got in my own head." Charlie whines, curling into her car seat and pulling up her legs. "Aunt Jen never asked to deal with me but she took me in after dad died anyway. She spend all these years taking care of me and I..." She gestures vaguely before remembering Elizabeth can't see her. "It's about time I left... I need to move closer to school anyways so..."
She groans into her knees.
"I don't know! Isn't this what you do when you're growing up? You don't live with your mom anymore, right?" Charlie seeks her friend's guidance from the other side of the line, seeming so far ahead of her in adulthood despite only being a year and some older. The girl having been quiet so far, letting Charlie say everything on her mind, finally speaks up.
"Yeah, I'm in my apartment." It's an answer, but she sounds muted now. Not that Charlie's picked that up.
"See?" Charlie pipes up excitedly, finally grasping to something in her defense. "Why'd you make that choice, isn't it like, the adult thing to do?"
"I didn't ," Elizabeth emphasizes, voice teetering on a sneer, and Charlie shrinks nervously, sensing she's stepped on a nerve she shouldn't have. Elizabeth is quick to regain her composure, however.
"And even then, yeah the freedom isn't terrible but I'd rather not have all these bills on my own." Charlie tilts her head.
"It's a two-bedroom right? Why not get a roommate?"
Elizabeth, embarrassed, stutters out.
"Why don't you!" And Charlie laughs at her weak defense, smiling for the first time today. "And anyways, did Jen tell you all this, or did you just assume you'd be lifting some sort of burden by leaving all of a sudden?"
Charlie's silence answers that for her enough and she sighs.
"Okay, listen." Peaking Charlie's attention. "It's too late now, yeah? I assume you wouldn't consider going back."
Charlie nods, cringing at the thought of returning in shame before realizing Elizabeth couldn't see her.
"Yeah, I did this, I have to commit to it." Elizabeth sighs, and Charlie's certain she's shaking her head on the other side.
"Well, can't say you're not determined..." She mutters, suddenly hesitating, Charlie tilts her head in concern.
"If you've not got a place to stay... I do have that extra room..." Charlie's eyebrows shoot up at the offer. "I mean I could even come pick you up right now if you'd like..."
Suddenly Charlie gets Elizabeth's apprehension, heart speeding up, what the hell is this tension?
But eventually, she has to respond, and decline she does. Elizabeth sounds pouty when she asks her why. And Charlie's already regretting her choices, but as nice as it would be to live with Elizabeth…
"I'm already burdening Jen, I'm not going to freeload off of you, too."
Elizabeth doesn't seem happy with her argument, arguing Charlie was "Never a burden to me."
But Charlie stands her ground, saying she doesn't feel right staying "When I'm not contributing anything, you just said you're stressed enough about your finances"
In the end, Charlie manages to convince Elizabeth (and herself) she'll be okay, promising to call Elizabeth every day. "Just so I know you haven't gotten murdered in your sleep or something."
"WHAT?" Charlie chokes out, the sentence coming out of left field for her, potential dangers of sleeping in her care having never crossed her mind. Does that happen???
Elizabeth's giggle calms her down, though, sensing the joke. And she huffs in faux-anger.
"I just wanna be sureee~" Elizabeth sing-songs at her, teasingly. Earning an eye-roll from Charlie. She still can't see you, though.
"Yeah, yeah laugh it up!"
In the end, Charlie sits back in her car seat, comfortable and much happier than she'd been earlier today, finding the strength to continue on her journey for a bit longer. At least until I can find a safer place to stop…
***
The following week Charlie tries, she really does, to make progress on her housing situation. Dragging herself down to a local library, both so she has something to do, and also so she can use the computers to look for job listings and apartments where she's going. Jeez, these prices…
A place in the city is not cheap, but she persists in her search, finding the ballpark of an average apartment price, and now looking for a job that could pay it before continuing her house hunt. That doesn't go as well, stumping her a bit. None of my skills translate well into work...
She also makes good on her promise to Elizabeth, calling her everyday and updating her on her progress, state of wellbeing, and generally chatting. The times she gets to sit back and talk with Elizabeth are her favorite part of every day, always cheering her up and letting her forget about the state of her life for a little bit.
After one such conversation with her best friend, Charlie excuses herself to go grab dinner, not having eaten that day, she drives off to a Chinese restaurant in a town nearby, having heard about it from the nice librarian when recommending places to eat. Charlie had an inkling the woman was specifically recommending cheaper places to eat at, somehow sensing Charlie's housing situation was less than ideal.
Parking her car and heading in, she picks out the best value meal she could find, a brief encounter later and she's leaning on the counter, only customer in there, waiting for her meal. It arrives before long and she's back on the road, heading to find a place she can eat that isn't her car. She learned early on the less chance she has to make a mess of her interior the better. She sleeps in here after all.
Eventually, she drives by a park and decides that's as good a place as any to eat her dinner, pulling herself up on the hood of her car and crossing her legs, Charlie admires the pretty view of the park as the sun goes down. A small pond sits at the center of it, where a duck and a goose currently fight for dominance or something. Quite noisily at that.
Entertainment at its finest.
It's in this moment it kind of dawns on Charlie, what events in her life lead her up to this moment? To the point where she's sitting here, in a small town, homeless, on the hood of her car eating take-out and watching a duck and a swan brawl. Her life has been quite eventful, but she never expected it to put her in a position like this. But she's never really expected any of the events that have come her way so far, all the changes in her life pushing her to limits she didn't know she had. And yet she's survived. I've survived. That's one thing to be proud of.
Her life has changed drastically, from a happy family of 4 to single father and daughter, to an orphan living out of her car. And yet in every stage, she's still managed one constant. One thing unchanging to keep her sane, and grounded.
Despite the 4 years of distance, Elizabeth really has been by her side since forever, the oldest memories she can think of, and she knows for certain the girl couldn't have been far. She was there when Sammy was around, she was there for her when her father died, and even though they've had their lapse she's here now. Checking on her every day, worried and doting, caring and fun. Offering her support and help whenever she thinks Charlie might need it.
I couldn't ask for anyone better... And yet the distant fear sits with Charlie. How long until she loses her too?
***
It's been a week, and Charlie has finally run out of some of her things, searching through an open box she finally gives up, hanging her head in shame before finally letting it drop onto the box. Embarrassed she'd run out of essentials, and feeling like grabbing a snack. I'm hungrryy. She decides her wallet could take the hit.
Venturing into the local supermarket with all the confidence of a freshly graduated homeless teen (Note: None.) She doesn't notice her phone ringing, focusing her attention on dodging human interaction, nodding vaguely as she speed-walks past the greeter at the door and beelining for the Toilet Paper and Tissues aisle, deciding to grab the essentials before she weighs whether or not she can afford a treat.
She eventually notices the call when checking her phone for the time, and texts back a simple "Call you later"
Distracted by her phone, she doesn't notice someone nearby until they bump into her. Dropping her phone, she hears a startled "Sorry!" but is too focused on reaching down to grab it. After she's sure her phone is okay, she notices the outstretched hand in front of her and follows it up to see Jessica's sheepish smile.
"Charlie! Oh my gosh sorry to bump into you like that." Charlie takes Jessica's hand and pulls herself up, as Jessica chuckles apologetically. Charlie peeks the basket in her hands, an assortment of random-looking items lying in it.
"Jess!" The nickname is unintentional, but Charlie is full of relief, finally a familiar face. She had no idea how much she was missing people until she saw her.
"What are you doing around here?" Her voice cracks awkwardly and she cringes. Jessica doesn't seem to mind, smiling kindly.
"I could ask you the same." She gestures vaguely to the basket in hand. "Just here for groceries.”
Right. What else would someone be doing in a grocery store, Charlie?
"Yeah! Same here... Just ran out of some things..." Shifting on her feet awkwardly, she tries her best to converse. "Do you live nearby?"
Jessica has moved to leaning on the shelf beside Charlie, relaxing her posture. Charlie attempts to mirror this but ends up pushing toilet paper off the shelf and scrambling to grab it. Jessica looks at her with a concerned smile but doesn't comment on her clumsiness.
"No, I live up in Salt Lake. I only come down to shop. Lower prices and all" She stage whispers as if she's bestowing forbidden knowledge upon Charlie. Charlie nods like she's honored to receive it, taking the information to heart.
"You moved there?" Curiosity fuels Charlie, and the idea of having a good friend nearby brings her a surprising excitement in her bones.
Jessica nods eagerly like she's waited forever for someone to ask.
"Yes! Recently, I'm going to school there so I figured I should live nearby!" Charlie grimaces at the mention of school. Right. That's starting soon. She hadn't expected to be on the street this long. At least I've got the car…
Jessica seemed to fidget nervously in the silence, playing with her hair and glancing downwards. Charlie felt comfortable enough, but elected to stay silent and give the space to say something. Wait until she's comfortable.
Eventually, she manages to blurt out "Hey... Do you have any idea how the hell to grocery shop?"
"Huh?" The question catches Charlie off guard, and she blinks trying to comprehend it.
"I've just kind of been grabbing things on a whim" Jessica admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck with a smile. "I have no idea how to do this!" She's dramatic, but Charlie's already used to it. The antics bring a warmth to her chest, familiarity and predictableness. Oh, how she's missed it.
"Help me out here, please?" Jessica continues to plead, despite Charlie having made up her mind "I mean, what the hell is the difference between all these toilet papers? Why are there so many?!"
Charlie giggles a little, tilting her head, and opts not to give a response to that. She probably didn't mean it literally.
"Alright, let me help." She moves away from the shelf she'd been leaning on.
"Life saver!" Jessica exclaims, Charlie rolls her eyes lightheartedly.
Discovering very quickly that shopping for Jessica was no easy task, Charlie did her best to gain her bearings, starting with basic needs, to kitchen essentials, to wants and favorites. By the time they're done with the frozen isle, the basket is full of vegetables, a small bag of rice, pasta, and other items from Charlie's advice.
Jessica feels confident in the splay, except for one teeny tiny problem…
Charlie looks back once she realizes Jessica isn't matching her strides anymore, and tilts her head in concern. But once again she stays quiet and waits for Jessica to say what's on her mind, walking over to stand beside her patiently.
"Uh... Char?" Jessica joins in on the nicknames, and Charlie feels like this is going to be a recurring thing, much to her dread. She smiles politely at Jessica, nodding to acknowledge her and prompt her further.
"Do you have any idea how to make any of this stuff?"
…
"You... Can't cook any of this?"
Jessica nods solemnly "Not a thing." Bowing her head sheepishly, she puts her hands together for one Final request I swear. "Can you help?"
Charlie sighs for show, but it's not like she had anything better to do. And honestly, she didn't want Jessica to leave just yet. They make their way to check out, with Jessica chattering about taking them back to her apartment. I guess this is how my day is going, now.
***
Jessica spends a concerning amount of time struggling to open her front door, but Charlie pays it no mind as she takes stock of the building's hallway, Jessica's doormat, and the flickering light at the end of the hall. Creepy... Eventually, she manages to open it (after much kicking and struggling) And Charlie follows her in.
Analyzing the apartment doesn't bring her much, it's scarcely decorated much to Charlie's surprise, but to be fair the boxes lying around do imply Jessica simply hasn't gotten to unpacking everything yet. She's only recently moved in any way. The place itself is small, the door leading them straight into a square room where a couch faces a TV to Charlie's left, a small circular kitchen table sits on Charlie's right. And the kitchenette is right across the table. Jessica places the bags she held on the table and Charlie just follows her lead.
"This is the living room," Jessica sing-songs, but then hesitates, deflating bluntly "Well, it's most of the place, honestly." Charlie lets out a genuine laugh at the honesty, smiling at Jessica sincerely. It may be a little small, but it's a lot less cramped than Charlie's current home of Car. Laily, as Elizabeth has taken to naming Charlie's car.
"I'm not gonna judge, I'm living in my car." She lets out honestly, walking around the table to start taking things out of the bags. Wondering to herself how Jessica might organize some of these items.
"Wait, seriously?" Jessica blinks as Charlie begins to sort items into piles of "refrigerate" and "don't" in her mind. She just shrugs in response.
After a minute she breaks her silence, gesturing to a pile she's shoved to Jessica's side of the table. "Put those in the fridge." And as if she's only now remembered Jessica speaking to her, back tracks "Yeah. I haven't managed to find a place yet, everywhere here is so expensive."
Jessica groans in agreement from her place on the floor, sorting things into the open fridge door. "I know right! And I'm coming from New York. That's like, the expensive rent capital of the world! " Charlie hummed her agreement, continuing to sort out the non-refrigerated groceries into different types. Spices, bases, canned foods, bread, olive oil, peanut butter... And remembers she has to cook too, so she creates a third, separate pile for the ingredients she's going to use right now.
After she's done, she looks around nervously at the kitchen cabinets, unsure of where to find what she needs. Jessica must have noticed her distress because she speaks up.
"Go crazy, I don't have much but what I do I'm sure you know how to use better than me." Charlie nods absentmindedly and focuses on her task of rifling through the cabinets to find the tools needed.
In the end, Charlie manages to locate a single pot and pan. But the utensils are severely lacking, nothing more than 3 sets of a fork, spoon, and knife. It ain't much, but it'll do. She resolves to make a pasta. Easy, filling, tastes good. And more importantly, they've got the ingredients for it.
Pasta doesn't take much time between the two of them, Charlie doing the brunt of the cooking, and Jessica doing her best to assist and clean as they go. And in 17 minutes they're sitting across from each other at the small table quietly eating their... Dinner? Charlie glances out the window. Yep, dinner. Purple hues fill the sky, but there's a clear lack of clocks in the room. Oh, Jess.
Jessica must have been hungry, or just really enjoyed Charlie's cooking, because she's inhaling her pasta dish. Before managing to remember any sort of decorum and glancing sheepishly at Charlie, who'd just now looked over to see the mess Jessica'd created as her friend reached over to grab a tissue. She let out a giggle, remembering a previous comment.
"You know, Lizzie said you guys eat like sloths, but now I'm thinking more like children." Jessica makes an offended gasp, dramatically putting her hand to her chest.
"Child? How dare you!" And Charlie laughs even harder, the first genuine laugh she's been able to laugh in a long time. It feels so much lighter, her chest, and the atmosphere of the room. So much more carefree. She's really needed this. She's leaning her head forward in laughter before she retorts.
"You couldn't even cook for yourself!" And Jessica deflates, flat in expression and posture, accepting the loss, for now.
After dinner Jessica shows her around, taking Charlie to her bedroom.
"It's not much, it's literally the only other room in this apartment." But Charlie waves it off, looking at her in admiration.
"It's your own place! That's impressive enough!" Jessica smiles at her thankfully, and they flow into the room. Jessica flopped on to the bed on her stomach, head next to Charlie's, who sat on the floor and leaned her back against the side of the bed.
"So," And the gossip begins. Jessica demanding they catch up on the past month of summer. Charlie obliged her happily, enjoying the time spent with a familiar friend. She's warmed up to Jessica very quickly, and is once again grateful for her friend's company.
Until the gossip shifts to her, and Jessica teases her about the previous mention of Elizabeth.
"You two seem... Close." She treads carefully. And Charlie raises an eyebrow, alarmed at the tone.
"Yeah? She's my best friend." Jessica hums and continues.
"How long have you known her?" Charlie thinks on this for a moment, when did she even meet Elizabeth? No clear answer comes to her.
"I don't really know, she's kind of always been there, my whole life I guess."
"Seriously?" Jessica seems surprised.
"Yep, can't think of a time in my life where I didn't know her, I met her before I'd even met you." Charlie nods with a finality, but Jessica doesn't seem done with the subject.
" Lizzie, huh?" Charlie is dreading this so much.
"You called me Char like, 3 times today! It's a just nickname!" Her shoulders come up defensively, and Jessica raises her eyebrow at her making her sink even further into the ground.
"I never said it wasn't. I'm just curious, you guys seemed really... Close in the motel room." Charlie feels confused. Uh, yeah? Didn't they cover this?
"I told you, she's my best friend." Jessica seems to watch her face for a minute, but coming to some sort of conclusion backs off and moves on to something else. But Charlie can't pay attention, all she can hear is the pounding of her heart. She has no idea what Jessica was getting at with all this prodding but it made her feel... Well, the same strange way she felt with Elizabeth that night, actually... Maybe... She refrains from asking Jessica, for now, having just gotten her to back off from this line of questioning.
Calming her breathing, and pushing the thought away for another time, Charlie zones back into the conversation just in time for Jessica to bring up an even worse subject. Housing. Oh no.
"So..." There's a comfortable silence before Jessica breaches it. But Charlie still feels tense, expecting judgment at the very least.
"Soo..?" Charlie prompts after Jessica doesn't continue, not having the patience to wait like before.
"You still haven't found a place, yeah?" Jessica asks with a mischievous smile, the way you'd ask a question you already know the answer to just to bring up the topic. Charlie always found these types of questions weird and impractical, but now she's more concerned about whatever Jessica is scheming. She nods anyway.
"Yeah, why, you know anyone looking for a roommate?" This could be good actually, barring Jessica potentially trying to set her up with someone (a nightmare.) Charlie could use help finding a place to stay, she hadn't predicted where the conversation would go, though. Foolish.
"Meee?" Jessica draws out playfully, smiling at her sheepishly. And Charlie just shakes her head in exasperation.
"C'mon, Jess." She doesn't take it very seriously, but Jessica sits up on the bed.
"No, really! I'd love to have you!" Jessica is earnest, but Charlie already has her reservations, pretty much the same reason she shut down Elizabeth, despite her heart aching for closeness with the other girl.
"Jessica, you don't have to offer this, I mean you've barely got room for yourself. I appreciate it, but I don't wanna freeload off of you, I'll be fine."
Jessica groans "It's not freeloading, Charlie! Look, I can barely take care of myself. I don't know how to cook, or grocery shop, I only just learned how to do my own laundry!" Charlie bit her lip, and Jessica went on "You'd be helping me out, not freeloading! It's totally fair."
When she still seemed unconvinced, Jessica kept going "Honestly you'd be doing me a huge favor, I'll probably need a roommate anyways, I'd much rather it be you than some stranger."
Charlie seemed to genuinely contemplate, so Jessica took the chance to try and go for the kill. "We can split the room down the middle, and you can help around with the cleaning and shopping. Deal?"
"I pay a third of rent." Charlie seemed unsure but pushed anyway.
"A quarter." Jessica tried to compromise, steely-eyed and determined. Their gazes meet in contest for a minute before Charlie's resolve crumbles.
"I guess I can stay a while..."
Jessica jumps up and down in celebration, pulling Charlie up with her.
"Oh trust me this is going to be so much fun!" This'll be interesting, for sure.
"Do you want me to go grab your things?" Charlie seems somewhat taken aback.
"Wh- Now?" She scoots away from the impromptu hug to see Jessica bouncing in place, excitement radiating off of her.
"Yeah!" She cheers, "Why go back to your car, you're already here! We can just bring your boxes up!" She was on her feet before Charlie could argue, already racing down the apartment to put her shoes back on, leaving Charlie to stumble after her in exasperation.
"Jess! Slow down!" She did not slow down.
By the time they were done hauling all of Charlie's boxes up to the apartment it was deep into the evening, the purple hues faded into the dark night sky, and Charlie's eventful day was catching up to her.
They agree Charlie will take the couch until they get her a bed, much to Jessica's displeasure. But she lets Charlie have this win, she did give in last time. So that's where Charlie lays before bed, collecting her thoughts on how the heck she got here. From living in her car clueless to what the next day will bring, to back into some semblance of stability, and some potential for routine again. The lack of it was driving her crazy, it's not like she wasn't spontaneous at all, but the loss of a steady and secure routine and daily assurance was getting to her, Elizabeth's calls being the only consistent thing she had to ground her.
Speaking of Liz…
She glances at her phone, re-reading her last texts with Elizabeth, who she'd just been updating on the drastic events of today. She pauses on the last few messages.
> i should head to bed
yeah me too honestly <
>see you tomorrow?
I'll call you, as always <
> good. goodnight charlie
night liz<
> love you
Last message sent a mere 30 seconds ago, and she moves her fingers to respond but hesitates as she's re-reading it. Her heart thumps suspiciously hard in her chest, that feeling again... This giddy joy she feels at simple words on a text, the twist in her stomach when she thinks about Elizabeth. For a while, Charlie had wondered if these were just the feelings she was getting from having a close friend again, she wasn't exactly an expert so it had made sense but…
No, she doesn't feel this way about Jessica, doesn't get this flutter in her heart rate when she thinks about any other friends either.
And despite that, weird and new feeling, she can't bring herself to hate it. Infact, she likes this feeling, as scary as it may be. She likes Liz, likes talking to her, and being her friend, having her company, getting to know her again, hearing her voice every day... She's happy to have her.
love you too <
Setting her phone on silent, Charlie plops it unceremoniously on the floor next to her before turning around on the couch, and trying to get some restful sleep.
The feeling doesn't leave her as she's falling asleep, closing her eyes and picturing Elizabeth's face... The way she had looked in the lighting of the dark motel room... She falls asleep thinking about her.