Forgetting The Love of Your Life

Chapter Twelve: With Me, Hmm?

y/n's PoV:

You stare down at him, before you hesitantly place your hand on the back of his head. It's as if your finger tips are on fire the second you touch him. Charles pulls you in tighter in response to your touch, and his voice starts cracking.

Charles shakily: You don't know how much you saying that means to me.

He starts sniffing, while he turns his head to the side. Muscle memory seems to take over, as you gently glide your nails along his scalp. You stay like that for a while, him just resting his head, and your combing through his hair.

y/n: I heard you talking to my Dad in the hallway earlier–

Charles quietly: Oh yeah?

y/n: Uh-huh... About going home and stuff.

Charles exhales: He wants you to go home with them.

y/n surprised: Ahh... And what do you want?

Charles quietly: For you to come home with me.

A quiet moment hangs between the two of you. His arms are still wrapped around your waist and you feel a surge of anxiety wash over you.

y/n hastily: I– I uhm, need to pee–

He lets go of you, allowing you to free yourself. You shuffle out of bed, and rush towards the bathroom, before he can even offer to help you.

The door practically falls shut on its own, and you lean against the cold sink, the same way you did earlier today. He wants you to go home with him.

Wow.

You stare at your reflection, as you start breathing a little heavier. He's a stranger, isn't he? Well kind of, but also kind of not. Having his head in your lap felt more right, than half the other things that happened today – You have no clue what's going on, but you're freaking out nonetheless.

He wants you to go home with him–

The purple under your eyes has darkened over the course of the day, and your panicked state isn't helping your overall well-being.

---

You must have been in there for a while, because eventually he knocks, and asks if everything is okay. You just open the door.

Charles: It's been fifteen minutes... 

Your chest heaves up and down, and he takes your hand into his, softly guiding you back to the bed.

Charles quietly: You're freaking out y/n. What's wrong?

y/n confused: I know that– I– Uhm– I–

Charles nods: It's alright, don't worry. C'mon.

Charles' PoV:

Her eyes are dark, her heart is working on overdrive, and her breath is uneven. Did you trigger this? Fuck man. She crawls back into the bed, tightly holding onto the sheets. It breaks your heart seeing her in this state; More so than when she was asleep – At least she wasn't confused, panicked, anxious or all over the place – Instead she was at peace... Recovering.

Charles quietly: Did the idea of going home make you feel like this?

She nods swiftly, before sinking into her bed.

Charles whispers: Y/n, if you want to come home with me, you will, and if you don't, you'll go home with Andrés and Marbella. If you feel safer with your parents then...

She lifts one side of her sheets up, and helplessly gazes at you.

Charles startled: Do you want me to join you?

Her nod is barely detectable, but you see the need in her eyes. You swipe off your shoes, get into bed, and tuck in the sheets again. As if none of this ever happened, she melts into your side, placing her hurt knee over your thigh, leaning her head against your chest and resting her hand on your collar bone. Like she always does – But she doesn't know that.

y/n whispers: The psychiatrist said it would be good to go back to my normal life–

Charles sighs: With me, hmm?

y/n: I guess so. He said it might help me remember and settle into my routine again.

Charles softly: I think you should come home, and if you... Change your mind... Or anything, I can always drive you to Gulia's or... Your parent's.

y/n quietly: Okay–

Charles: Okay?

y/n quietly: Mhhmhh, okay. I want to remember, but...

Charles: You're scared of what's waiting for you?

y/n quietly: Yeah, how'd you know?

Charles: I was about to marry you y/n. I know how you feel, I know how you think, I know how you react and respond. Plus...

You sigh, as she glances up at you. Fuck, holding her in your arms makes it feel like your universe is whole again, but at the same time, it makes everything a lot more breakable than before. One wrong move and she shies away again.

Charles: I'm scared too.

y/n quietly: You are?

Charles nods: Of course.

You hold back your tears.

Charles: This is hard for me too y/n. My favourite person on this planet doesn't remember me, or Us anymore. How wouldn't I be scared–

What if she never remembers you? What if she just moves on? What if she doesn't like you anymore? A million questions have piled up in your brain. What if this is it, and you're just the guy who can kind of comfort her, cause you're the only one around to do so? Christ, your own thoughts are scaring you.

y/n quietly: I'm sorry–

Charles sighs: You didn't do it on purpose, so don't apologise y/n.

Out of nowhere she pulls up your sleeve a little, revealing your watch. She tugs at the band, removing it from your wrist.