𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, charlie conway

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 | the choice

CHARLIE ATTEMPTS TO MENTALLY prepare himself to walk in the locker room Friday morning, but no amount of thought could ease his nerves about what was going down. He was far from a good liar, let alone a good actor, but he desperately needed to be believed about this. While most would think this was just to save his own reputation, in his eyes telling the truth had the potential to majorly hurt Crystal. And he would never do anything to hurt her — not anymore, not ever again.

It seems everyone is waiting for him once he goes in, his teammates all in various forms of dress in the process of getting prepared for practice. Charlie decides to let them bring it up as he starts to get ready himself.

"Today's the day, Charlie... made your choice?" Averman breaks the silence, looking over to Charlie though he wasn't greeted with a glance back.
"Yeah, I did."
"And?" Russ looks over as well.
"You were right Les, I've been talking with Carrie Nelson."

There seemed to be a collective celebration in the room, the boys forcing Charlie to face them so they could share their congratulations. To them, he had managed to do something no one else had — get a stake on Carrie, the most eligible bachelorette of the senior class. Charlie unwillingly accepts the high-fives, fist-bumps, and dap-ups, kind words from some and the expected nasty ones from the others.

"You're really just talking? Seriously? She doesn't strike me as the type to not wanna put out." Goldberg scoffs.
"And what would you know about that?" Charlie sneers. Everybody laughs in agreement — good deflection on his part. But it felt gross to him, even knowing it wasn't about Crystal.

"But man," Luis begins and Charlie knows verbal warfare is to be expected, "you're really just talking? Nothing else going on that's got you so smiley all the time?"
"Just talking. She's really sweet if you get to know her." Charlie sits again, lacing up his skates. "I know everybody thinks she's stuck up, but that's just 'cause she isn't about to settle for anything less than she deserves. And I'm not saying I deserve her, but if I'm what she wants..."
Playing it just right, Charlie thinks, real enough without going too far. Despite knowing this was the best option and the best he could do, nothing could stop the guilt he felt about not being honest. He was brave enough to tell the truth, he really was, but it would be too dangerous to risk on a group like his overly-horny teammates.

So when he makes his way over to the Nelson residence that evening, Charlie knows the only way to make it up to Crystal would be to do something nice with her. He was already bringing her chocolate, recalling that her period was still bugging her, but whatever she wanted to do or wherever she wanted to go, he would listen. Well, so long as Chris was willing to supervise.

Why, today of all days, did it have to be Chris supervising?

Crystal is waiting anxiously for Chris's arrival home after her rather boring day, again enjoying her Alf jeans and an old "Property of Eden Hall Academy Athletics" sweatshirt that Chris gave her — far too small for him now, as it was from his JV years. When she sees both Charlie and Chris come to the door, she leaps up to greet them. Her big brother and her best friend arriving at once to cheer her up? She was so lucky.

After a few minutes of catching up, Charlie asks the big question. "Let's go out and do something, Crystal. We can do pretty much anything you want."
"Anything?" She asks.
"Yeah, anything."
Crystal looks up at him where he stands in front of her for a few moments, searching his eyes intensely while he smiles down upon her. She gets a kick to her gut, an unusual feeling for her, that says "the brook." Going to find stones at the brook sounded fine to her, but what she didn't know was that it was something they had done together many times before. But her senses knew — her unconscious knew, though she could never realize otherwise.