The heart of Cleopatra

I chose you!

Chapter fifty three

Cleo sighed and put the plaster back on her kitchen table. Being back on her feet felt considerably better than before. She tread lightly but quickly, being aware of her fresh stiches being delicate.

"Kai?" She asked immediately, hoping she would get a chance to explain, and equally shout at him for his unreasonable behaviour. However, the face she was met with was in fact, not Kai!

"Uh, no." Charlie said in confusion while holding his anger back.

"What are you doing here?" Cleo asked, keeping a firm grip on the door. She was in no mood to talk, in fact she just wanted the night to be forgotten.

"I came to see how you were. Why did you think I was Kai?" Charlie's voice was stern and clearly frustrated. Cleo was growing tired by the second.

"Can we please do this another time? I really can't deal with this right now." She asked, tempted to slam the door without his reply.

"This isn't something you can sweep under the carpet, claiming it to be a regular Arcane thing." He said raising his voice. He pushed past Cleo and stormed into her house, without an invitation. She sighed and closed her door. "Cleo, why is there medical supplies out? And why is a bloody tie?" Charlie asked, suddenly sounding more concerned than angry. Maybe being injured wasn't entirely inconvenient, at least it suppressed Charlie's anger momentarily.

Cleo groaned and turned around to walk back into her kitchen. "I suffered a minor cut to my leg, nothing dramatic." She said, wanting to keep the explanation as short as possible.

"Why didn't you say something sooner? I could have got you to the medical bay at the hotel."

Cleo shook her head. "There wasn't time. A knife wound really wasn't the main priority compared to the big finale." There was a tense moment of silence.

"He helped you, didn't he?" Charlie asked, as he looked back to the blood soaked tie that once belonged around Kai's neck. Cleo sighed and turned her head, not wanting to meet his eyes. "There something going on between you two, isn't there?" He questioned making Cleo stare back at him in shock.

"What kind of question is that?" She asked, feeling offended that he would even make such an assumption. Of course he wasn't entirely wrong, but her actions made it pretty clear who she cared about more.

"A very relevant one. You claim you hate each other, yet you spend an awful lot of time together. The training sessions, the races, the teaming up, and now he's your personal doctor."

Cleo scoffed at his ignorance. "Everything you just listed happens to be a part of our job. We're all in some serious trouble. Trouble that you are also mixed up. I'm doing my best to keep you safe and separate from the actual danger. I sacrificed a team member. I chose you! And look where it got me; my family aren't talking to me, you're being crazy and I have a million more problems that I can't even tell anyone. But if you want to stand and continue to make ridiculous accusations, you can leave my house and don't come back!" Cleo shouted, she fought against her tears and turned it into pure anger. Charlie was stunned by her passion, he was taking his rage out on her, when she didn't deserve it.

"I just hate that guy." Charlie groaned, lowering his tone.

Cleo rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure he's not keen on you either. And especially not me now." The sadness on Cleo's face made Charlie's heartbreak. She looked exhausted and not to mention injured.

"I'm sorry, Cleo. None of this is your fault." Charlie said, he stepped closer and cradled her head. Cleo caved and wrapped her arms around him, her eyes closed and for the first time that night she felt calm. Charlie soothed her, the way he did when they first met. The private school bad boy, in his jeans and smart mouth. Things got so complicated, so quickly. Kai was a complication, he was a hurdle stopping them from having a decent shot at making it. It wasn't a shock, Kai would do anything to mess up anything good for her, why didn't Cleo see it sooner? "Your family will come around." He whispered on her head.

Cleo inhaled his natural scent. "I've heard that too many times recently." She sighed, thinking of the last fall out she had with Zeus.

"It'll be fine." Charlie said, mustering up all the confidence he had left.

Cleo wanted to believe him, but she couldn't. "I hope so. But I just need to be on my own tonight." She said, taking a step away. Her small warm body left Charlie, to his disappointment.

"I get it." He replied sheepishly, realising that if he was going to fight it she would only resent him for it. Charlie was tempted to kiss her on her forehead, but he decided against it and turned to leave.

"Hey, Charlie. Where did you get that gun from?" Cleo questioned, breaking the silence. She had many questions she needed answered. She may not trust Kai, but she couldn't imagine him making his entire suspicion up.

"It doesn't matter." He told her with a small smile. He walked out the door, leaving Cleo with an new entire concern. Her night was about to consist of a whole load of dark thoughts and endless doubts about her decision.