CHARLOTTE'S POV

When I walked out the door, the rain had started. Rain always seemed to pour when I was ready to go outside. Footsteps echoed behind me but I was used to people always walking around. "Charlotte," a voice panted behind me. I knew who the rightful owner of the voice was, I just wish I didn't. "Wait!"

"What?" My tone was harsh but I kept walking. A single glimpse was all I needed to see that she was getting worse, "You're sick. You need help."

"If you think I came here for your help, I might as well turn around," it took her a while to catch up to my speed but she eventually maintained pace. "Listen, I need more money."

Her request sent my good mood and day to a rotted half way mark. "There's not money left to give! I'm sorry if that's not what you want to hear but there's none left! Why in the actual fuck do you think I'm leaving England to go all the way to fucking America?! Because I need to ask my brother - who has been through enough of your shit - for money because you fuck up everything!" By then, I'd dropped my things, including the coat I was about to put on to shield myself from the rain.

She paused and thought. Her brain seemed to want to kill her, it looked like it hurt to think so deeply, "But- I. There's the money in the sta-" I shook my head, "There's money from m-my paycheck. And yours!"

"Your paycheck is your own damn business but mine is nothing. Obviously not if the water and electricity is gone. I don't know what's happened to you but you need to fix it because I'm done trying to talk you into it," I picked my things back up and walked in the rain. No footsteps followed behind me.

She gave up.

The rain poured into my dissolving curls. When the brown hair learned to stick to my face, I realized what had learned to slip away. My love and adoration for my best friend.

---

Plane rides are never fun. Since I have a somewhat fear of the large flying contraptions, it didn't ease my nerves that I was--once again--flying over an ocean. A river, okay. A pond, okay. A lake, okay. Even a goddamn swimming pool is okay, but a whole ocean is a no no. Once the flight was over and the time zones had switched, I'd already felt withdrawal from London. Or maybe it was someone and not someplace.

Anyway, Florida smelled the same, just colder. Which is odd. I no longer check American weather but they seem to have it tough. I saw Frankie off in the distance already at baggage claim and ran up, "Frankie!" After pouncing on him, he engulfed me in a big hug.

"Squirm!" He kissed my cheek and picked my bags back up. "Nonna's in the car," he flinched as if I'd blow up.

"That's... good." She always told me that if I had nothing nice to say, not to say it. In this case, that advice was handy. When we got to the car, there she was. There was a smile planted on her lips that were the opposite of Ms. Hannigan's. Her's were plump and red from lipstick that was itching to leave its mark on my cheeks. Her skirt was cut halfway at her calf's and heels matched. She was as beautiful as I remember her.

"Charlotte!" Nonna got out of the car and pulled me into a weird bear hug, "Dear, I've missed you so much. Must not be all that nice in England for you to be coming early," she shaded. That's all she has ever done since my move, thrown immense and unnecessary shade.

"Oh, no. It's fine. America must not be any better since the weather is shit--" that earned a nudge from Frankie and his hand to be placed over my mouth.

"--She means, it's nice to see you too, Nonna." She returned to the car and Frankie pulled me to the trunk where he was loading my bags, "Listen, there's some things we need to talk about after I drop Nonna back home," he whispered. It didn't occur to me the whole ride that no one brought up my Grandfather. He wasn't here and no one breathed a word about it.

All the pressure left the vehicle when we dropped off Nonna but returned when we got to Frankie's. He led me to the door, leaving my bags in the car. "Okay, we need to talk," we both said. "You go first, no you go first," it was happening.

"I'll go!" I yelled. Inhale, exhale. "Liz is stealing all our money. My paycheck is basically nothing compared to what we need. The electricity and water is gone. All of our money is gone, all of it. Even the money I was saving for the car. She doesn't come home anymore and she looks sick."

Frankie didn't say a word but only collapsed in the chair behind him. That gave me time to notice my surroundings. Things are nice here. The walls were blue and white and orange, a bright orange. I'd learned blue and orange were also Harry's favorite colors. The person I told myself to not think about but am because I can't help thinking about his smart remarks and rude comments. I think I miss him.

The kitchen was nice, I could see it through the cut in the wall that posed as a bar. It was a smooth and professionally made cut but you could tell it wasn't there when he moved in. My thoughts wandered and splattered all over the rooms that were visible without me moving, "I knew it. I knew she was a lying bitch," he mumbled.

"Franki-"

"No! I knew she was going to do this to you, to us. She was just waiting until everything was okay so she could fuck it all up!" His rampage didn't stop there, it continued in his room where he slammed the door. I decided I shouldn't go in but remembered he hadn't told me what it was he wanted to tell me. I shrugged and used his phone to call one of my friends that's too stupid to leave Boca.

"Frankie? What is it now?" Celia answered.

"It's me," I smiled through my awkward greeting.

A pause was on the phone and a deep inhale, "Charlotte!!" She screamed, causing ringing in my right ear. After switching phone, I yelled her name back, "Oh Char, I've missed you so much. How dare you leave me?" She never liked the idea of me moving to London, probably because she couldn't come with me. "It doesn't matter. I've been waiting for you to get here because I have exciting news! Meet me at our old spot." And then the line went dead. I wrote a small note to Frankie whenever he was done with his anger.

After sorting everything out, I found myself stuffing a few dollars into my pocket along with Frankie's phone since mine was--once again--ruined and threw my coat over my new change of clothes. I had to change since my encounter with Liz in the rain and I didn't think airport security would like a woman looking like a drenched, lost puppy to turn in a plane ticket.

---

"Celia," I called, "Celia!" Hugs and kisses rushed over me before I could finally discover Celia's face. She'd changed. She'd become more... girly? Her makeup changed to barely any which made her look even more beautiful. A skirt hung on her hips and it seemed the weather had changed in the last half hour.

"Charlotte! I've missed you so much!" Celia always seemed to be a smart and sophisticated twenty-two year old stuck in a sixteen year old's body but now, she'd gotten smarter. The faint British accent wasn't frowned upon, in fact, it was worshiped. Everyone loved Celia and I (not everyone but enough people), that is, until Frankie moved away. "You've missed so much, darling," she said as she linked arms with me and pulled my aching legs with her, "while you were gone, all the fuss was fixed. Plus, these college boys that moved in might as well be edible. I've dated one or two of them, they're not very smart blokes but they'll do," she recalled.

"That's great, Cece," and now I remembered why I didn't call her much.

She stopped and took a deep breath, closing her eyes, "Okay, enough about me, let's talk about you. How's that... insane asylum?"

"Yes, it's good." She noted that that was I was willing to say about my now awkward profession.
We continued walking and found ourselves on the other side of the woods and at the backdoor of the cupcake shop we used to always come to before I moved away.

A tear left her eye and she quickly wiped it away, pulling me forward, "While you were gone, some other things happened." The walls were black and burnt to crisps. The counter I would always sit on to flirt with Matt Bellings was black and lifeless. No longer holding the secrets and whispers us teenagers would hide in the walls.

The walls. They were decayed and I found it hard to believe a small rodent hadn't burrowed in there. It broke my heart. More than it broke my heart when Frankie left and the bullying started or when Liz decided to lose her mind. My childhood, it was gone. All gone and unreachable. "This was your exciting news?" I asked, remembering our phone call.

Another tear was wiped from her eyes, "Oh heavens no, I haven't changed that much. My good news is," she pulled a paper from her purse. My eyes skimmed over it at least four times.

"No fucking way," I whispered.

"Yes fucking way! I'm moving to London! I've bought my flat and all and I want you to move in with me." I'd told her before I'd gotten on the plane what had happened between Liz and I and she seemed happier than I expected her to be. Her and Frankie both hated Liz. Celia's always been loaded and with this, I wouldn't have to worry about listening to sex sounds while using the neighbor's shower or awkward porn while brushing my teeth.

"I-yes! A million times yes!" We jumped a few times together like little children but found ourselves stopping after hearing a large crack and the left wall falling a bit. "Maybe we should go," I suggested and neither of us hesitated.

Notes

Sorry, kinda short but I was talking with XOXOH and she reminded me that it's been a while. Remember, my Tumblr is all about Hariana and whatever and you can find it HERE... it's currently under renovation as I type because I got a new theme and adding pages for you and I so yeah. For when you get to the fitness part, the body description obviously isn't mine. Just so you know. Love you all, you're cute, and I'll talk soon.

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