Worst Impressions

Bonus Chapter - Confessing to Charlie

The morning we left Italy, we did so knowing that it would be some time before we could see our friends again. Charlie and Chantelle came with us, as had always been the plan when the school break was over, and we returned to the lonely normality we had created for ourselves.

While my mother and Mandy worked together in Switzerland to construct testimonies that would see Gideon incarcerated, we were forced to study for upcoming exams. Charlie's parents joined us and kept a wary eye on their offspring, no doubt fearful that they might have enjoyed their taste of rebellion and were at risk of running off again.

It was safe to say that we'd all had more than enough adventure to satisfy us for the rest of our lives. Although, it frightened me just how easily we slipped into a routine as though Italy hadn't happened at all. We didn't discuss it at length and instead focused on our school work.

As we did, I knew that there was another inevitable conversation drawing near.

Charlie and Jenny had been thrown together that night in Rome. There'd been more pressing matters to attend to than their relationship, but that didn't mean that neither had considered the other. Hadn't realised that their old feelings were very much alive, or that they wanted to be together.

'I need to tell you something,' I said as I intruded into his room before dinner one night. 'And it was shitty of me, Chaz. I need you to know before I say anything that I'm sorry.'

He closed the textbook he'd been hunched over on his bed and gave me his full attention. 'Okay? Should I be angry about whatever this is?'

'Completely.'

'Is it something you did recently?'

'A few months ago.'

Charlie's expression darkened. 'Is this about something at Netherfield?'

I didn't want to tell him. I was already parted from Beth, I couldn't stand to lose someone I considered a brother, too. But Charlie deserved to have the truth, to make his own decisions about the affairs of the heart. Not once had he told me that I shouldn't feel the way that I did about Beth. He'd teased me about her, of course, but only in that gentle, playful way of his. Charlie knew better than to interfere or to presume that he knew my heart better than I did.

I never should have arrogantly made choices for him.

'It's my fault that you and Jenny aren't together,' I admitted. 'I thought that if we could convince you to get away to Switzerland then we could convince you that she wasn't interested.'

'She wasn't,' Charlie said. 'You and Chantelle said that –'

'Chantelle was in on it,' I said. I wasn't above throwing her under the bus. If I was going down, I would take her with me. 'Jenny's shy and quiet. We knew that it wouldn't be difficult to convince you that she was just being nice to you and that was it. Chaz, she's nuts about you. I'm pretty sure she has been since that party. She's just not the sort of girl who shouts it from the rooftops, that's all.'

Charlie was on his feet. 'If you knew that, then why did you drag me out here?!'

'Because I thought that she wasn't good enough! I thought that her friends would drag down her reputation and that yours would go with it. I thought that you deserved someone better than that.'

'There isn't anyone better!' he exploded. 'You had no right, Will! None! How dare you act like you know better than me!'

'I know!' I shouted back. 'Chaz, I'm sorry, I mean it! I know that she's the girl for you, I can see that now. I was being an arrogant dick and, honestly, I knew it at the time and I couldn't stop myself. If I could go back and undo it all, I would.'