The Victimless Crime

Chapter 25: The Plan

Sleep didn't come to Oli when she decided to lay down and rest in her room. After that weirdly exhausting date, it was agreed upon that Lino will finally work on what he needs to do. Though, it is the idea that they are finally taking their first step together that is making her just look up at the ceiling. And so, she ends up pulling herself away from her bed and heads to the living room.

Though, it seems she's not alone in this can't-sleep scenario. Charles is sitting on the couch letting the dimly lighted room blanket him. It did not take long before Charles notices Oli and she sits beside him.

"Hello fellow late-sleeper," Oli chuckles.

"Hello to you too," Charles softly laughs this time.

Oli glances at Charle's small smile. It's like a smile that hides wandering thoughts.

"You should be sleeping, you know. You're still injured as we all know," she turns her gaze straight ahead.

Charles hums as a response. "I'm sorry," he blurts out.

Oli turns to him and smiles as she looks away. "For what? For leaving me or coming back again?"

"Both," Charles said with a hint of guilt in his voice.

"Yes. I may have hated it at first when you showed up, but it's not like ripping your head off," she laughed.

It's true. She hated having him or anyone that has the same business as Charles get involved with her life anymore. However, there's no denying that she did have some good time with Charles. Charles was the one who saved her from actually meeting the devil himself.

"Well, still I'm sorry. When I asked you that favour back in the ice cream shop...it's not really because I was in a bind and I need your help," he shifts a bit from his seat.

"Then why did you decide to show yourself after you know...after eight years ago?"

"I was just hoping to see you," Charles hides from embarrassment with a soft laugh.

"Then, I didn't know Locke would ask for my help. It was supposed to be just that one time...until then...this happened," he added.

"It's alright. I should be thankful for saving our ass, then attempting to save our ass a few days ago...and saving me back then,"

Saving her back then. Charles knew what she's talking about. It's really never a pleasant memory to remember. Though, if anything, both of them are thankful for meeting each other.

"I'm also thankful for keeping me company then. It really made it easier getting through those devils," Charles turns to him and shows the most sincere smile.

Oli looks at him as well. For a split second, she remembers those quirky things she's done when she stood beside Charles.

She laughs. "You were thankful for those weird things I did?"

"They weren't weird. You just have your way of telling them to screw themselves," Charles smiled and looked away.

"Right. Those were the fun days. Do you remember the time I ended up drunk and puked on a client of yours?" Oli lightly bumps her shoulder to his.

"Right. That," Charles grins at the memory. He and Oli in some disguised charity event. Oli clinging tight on Charles as he talks to a client. Though, little did he know that his girlfriend was a little bit drunk. Then, the disaster arrived. In a proper projectile motion, Oli puked on a client standing across them. Though, all Oli did was giggle afterwards.