𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

eleven.

─☼☼☼─

𝙄𝙏 𝙃𝘼𝘿𝙉'𝙏 𝘽𝙀𝙀𝙉 that long since Charlotte had been in Tannyhill ─ four months to be exact─ but somehow it felt like a lifetime.

It was as if the house knew she no longer belonged here. Everything felt strange...heavy.

The place that had once been essentially her second home, now felt like a foreign building that she had no right being in.

But despite Charlotte's feelings, nothing had really changed. Everything was the same. From the ridiculous decor that Rose had insisted on, to the various pictures of Rafe, Sarah and Wheezie as children that adorned the wall leading up to the stairs.

The house was quiet as Charlotte stepped through the front door, Rafe stumbling in after her. The rest of the Cameron family had yet to return from Midsummers, leaving the house vacant.

A year ago, this would have been Rafe and Charlotte's dream. A whole house to themselves? Amazing.

Now, Charlotte kind of wished someone else was here. Maybe if someone else was here, she could trust herself more not to someone how end up next to Rafe in bed.

Pushing the thoughts out of her head, Charlotte lightly shoved him toward the staircase. "Go upstairs. I'm going to get you some water."

Rafe turned to look at her, the same sloppy grin playing on his face as he nodded. "I don't think you can tell me what to do anymore, Lottie. Haven't we agreed on that?"

"Fine." She muttered, turning toward the kitchen. "Can you please go upstairs, Rafe."

He smirked, grabbing onto the banister as he began to drag himself up toward his room. "I love it when you ask me nicely."

Charlotte glared at him for a moment before moving toward the kitchen, her heels clicking across the floors as she went. The noise echoed throughout the empty house.

When she reached the large kitchen, she instantly moved around like no time had passed since she'd been here. She grab a water bottle before moving toward the fridge.

As she turned toward the fridge, her eyes snagged on a photo that had been hung with a magnet. It was a picture of the three Cameron children and Charlotte gathered around the dinner table.

She smiled softly, recalling the memory. It was two years ago, Christmas dinner. They had eaten, opened presents and played games. It was one of Charlotte's favourite memories.

The Cameron family was not your typical family, and Charlotte was vividly aware of that. But they were good at pretending most of the time. They had fooled most people. Seemingly the perfect family in the big house with all the money. But Charlotte saw past it. She saw the arguments, the resentment between siblings, the harboured hate between children and stepmother.

But that night the picture was taken, it didn't seem pretend. That night, all the kids got along with each other and with Rose.

Judging by the fact that the photo was still hung on the refrigerator door, Charlotte figured it was someone else's favourite memory, too.

With a shaky sigh tumbling from her lips, Charlotte turned with the freshly filled water bottle, the picture still hanging in her mind.