Allure || Charlie Barber

1. Glory

TW: Mentions of alcohol use

You yawned as you rolled over, your arm colliding with the man that was still passed out next to you. You pushed yourself up, glancing down at him as you tried to remember his name. Your brows furrowed, several names ran through your mind, but you still couldn't place which one was his. After a moment, you gave up, hoping that you wouldn't have to say it when you were shoving him out of your apartment.

You rolled over, sliding out of the bed as you grabbed a t-shirt that had been so gracefully abandoned on the floor next to you. You grimaced as you glance down, noticing the discarded condom still on the floor.

Your face contorted as you picked it up, making sure to hold it as far away from yourself as possible as you step into the bathroom, discarding of it in the trash.

You vigorously washed your hands before flipping the light on, observing yourself in the mirror. You looked terrible, like absolute shit. Your mascara had run, bags beginning to form under your eyes.

You needed sleep. And you needed to stop fucking any and every guy that came your way.

Ever since you had gotten to New York you had lived this life. Going to work during the day, going to the bar at night, on nights you weren't working, picking up a guy who you thought was cute after three or four drinks, and fucking him only to have to wake up exhausted and start the whole routine over again. And usually with major regret.

But there were the occasional breaks.

You had found a love for Broadway, and theater in general. You had made yourself a promise to go to at least one a month, usually ending up going to two. It was your time alone, time to relax, detox from people and the demanding life you lead.

You had gone to school for six years in California, moving to Colorado once you graduated. You worked as an Athletic Trainer, working with all different kinds of athletes. But you decided that you wanted a change of scenery, a change of pace from the slow life you led working at a high school in the country.

You were ready for the big leagues. Literally. You had managed to get a job with a professional football team, and you scored your dream apartment.

It felt like life was finally working out for you.

Well, despite the love life chaos that you seemed to get yourself into not even a week after moving.

But that wasn't your priority. You didn't need someone to fulfill that side of yourself. All you cared about was your career and your own personal goals. A man would only get in the way. You were never interested in a long-term relationship, never the kind of person to desire that, nor dream about it.

That was with the exception of one person.

Charlie Barber.

You two had grown up together in the same small town. You were the same age, having somewhat similar interests. That's how you got along so well. You both were able to talk endlessly about the most random of subjects, never getting bored.

You had grown an attachment to him, a crush. He was your only friend through high school, not being a people person yourself, you opted to just focused your attention on him, not having any desire to even attempt to gain other friends.

He was all you needed.

All you wanted.

But then came graduation.

You didn't have the strongest family life, your parents both being highly successful in their trades. They were focused on their work, it consuming their lives, not giving them much time to focus on you. And then there were the high of expectations they placed on you.