Light's Hoodie

The Talk

After a while Charli and Light make sure to have a helpful and meaningful conversation about their relationship.
"What happens if we no longer follow the guidelines we've set?" Light asks.
"That would be up to us." Charli answers.
"Okay. So most of what I need to work on is making sure I am spending enough time with you and picking up after myself?" Light confirms.
"Essentially, yes. I want to make sure that this is something we both actually want and I'm not pushing a relationship on you, like it may seem from an outsider's perspective." Charli elaborates.
"Do people actually think that I don't have feelings for you?!" Light jumps up a bit startled.
"I mean, I don't think so?" Charli shrugged, not realizing the effect her words had on him.
"I sure hope not. But what matters more is that you know I have feelings for you." Light said wholeheartedly.
"I'm happy to hear you say that." Charli says leaning in holding Light's face. "I love you."
"Me too." Light responds, hugging her.
Light hasn't yet said the word "love" when describing how he feels about Charli, but his actions show he does truly care about her in a romantic sense. Charli has never been bothered by it before since she figured it was possibly a touchy subject, but at that moment she was unsure how to feel. She stiffened for a moment and Light noticed.
"You alright?" Light asked.
"Yeah, um. I don't know if you've realized this or not, but you've never actually told me to my face that you love me." Charli says, sliding a bit away from Light. She latches on the hoodie tightly unaware of how he'd react to her saying that.
In that same moment Alex and Levi had decided they were tired of waiting outside, only to be shocked by that news.
"What do you mean he's never said he loves you?" Alex says in a low voice, with her hands at her fists.
Charli turned around and didn't know what to say or do. She was frozen. 'This is not what the plan was. Did she really take so long to talk that they felt it was necessary to just walk on in?'
"Alex, Levi? What are you two doing here?" Light says jumping off the couch and putting his hands in his pockets.
"We drove Charli here earlier and we're here for moral support." Levi answered. "Now answer Alex's question."
Light turns to see Charli holding her face with her mind racing a mile a minute. "I don't think that's any of your business." Light says, only making matters worse.
"None of my business? Charli is my best friend, and you're my brother. How is this none of my business?" Alex responds.
"Alex, really. It's not a big deal to the point of fighting." Charli says with her hands out in between Light and Alex.
"But you guys have been together for so long. And you mentioned it in a tone that sounded sad. How could that not be a big deal?" Alex says.
"You did sound a little upset. I didn't even realize that was happening." Light said.
"Yeah, okay. It never bothered me before but today felt different. Maybe because we had a heart to heart and you didn't say it back it hurt a little." Charli says with her head down and hands on the hoodie's drawstrings.
"I can't believe you! How could you treat her like that?" Alex said, pointing at Light angry. Levi was right behind Alex barely trying to hold her back since he was also getting a bit angry over what he's hearing.
"It's a strong word! I want to make sure that I mean it when I say it." Light said.
"Do you think that I don't mean it when I say it?" Charli says with tears in her eyes.
"That's not what-" Light gets cut off.
"I think I need some time to myself." Charli says with tears falling from her face onto the floor. Alex hugs her while they both walk away.
"Wait until she comes to see you. Do NOT come and see her first." Levi warns Light as he walks out with the girls.
Light's left there in his house alone standing still processing what just happened.
'Are Charli and I no longer together...?'

To be continued...