𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎 𝚋𝚎? {𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚗}

'ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ,

Charlie's POV:

The silence that followed the harsh sound was resounding. I was impressed by her hostility. When I planned to bring these two, I expected Della to be upset but I didn't imagine her getting physically violent.

My girl was getting vicious by the day.

In the heat of the moment, she looked proud of herself. I could tell she felt her flame burn her innards when she slapped me, but with every silent second that passed, her confidence was slipping. She was battling herself now, considering whether she should hide or run away.

"You see, ladies?" I wiped my cheek with a dark chuckle, "This is how we treat women in the dead poets society. You had a bad day? Come on out and beat us around, we're more than happy to serve."

"What the fuck are you playing at, Dalton?"

God, her voice. It was low and resonant, so full of hatred. It made me hard.

I just shrugged at her, Neil pulled her back before she launched another punch aimed right at my nose.

I'd happily bleed for her.

"We're gonna have a meeting or what?" I clapped my hands together, provoking a reaction out of Neil as the unspoken head of our meetings.

Gloria perked up, "Yeah. If you guys don't have a meeting, how do we know if we wanna join?" I held back my smile. God, the woman had acting skills. Only a smart woman could play a dumb girl so well.

"Join?" Neil failed to keep the incredulity out of his tone. His arms were trying to comfort an enraged Della, who was still staring daggers at me.

Ignoring her, I leaned forward to Tina. With my most charming smile, I dragged out, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more  temperate."

"That's so sweet," She said with stars in her eyes.

I winked, "I made that up just for you." I had memorised a few verses for Della. It was corny, but the girl deserved every bit of it. If I could bring the stars to Earth, I would.

For her, nothing could ever be enough.

"You did?"

I heard a few reluctant laughs from the boys at her naïveté. To play it further, I slid next to Gloria next. Getting a little too close when I saw Della was now out of Neil's arms, watching the display with a burning vision.

"I'll write one for you too, Gloria," I booped her nose to add a falsity of intimacy. I recited the poem that often played in my head when I first saw my girl. "She walks in beauty like the night. She walks in beauty like the night. Of cloudless climes and starry skies. All that's best, dark and bright, Meet in her aspect and her eyes."

"That's beautiful."

She swooned into my arms, "There's plenty more where that came from." I smirk at the guys, who — despite their sympathy toward my girl — were achingly jealous.

"They are not long, the weeping and the laughter," Her voice rang out, as melodious as her words. "Love and desire and hate: I think they have no portion in us after we pass the gate."

"I wouldn't forget you even after we pass the pearly gates," I winked at Gloria, ignoring the flutter of my heart at Della's words.

"That's assuming you go to heaven," Della retorted, "The gates welcoming you would be much more... warm."

I licked my lips, sending me to hell. That was nothing new. I bit back my response, it would reveal too much of her sensual self to these people. If I was going to hell, she sure would be the one to drag me there.