Getting Over Charlie Miller

Remember Cuddles in the Kitchen

‘How could he? I mean really, how could he?’ I asked myself, weeping softly into my lap.

It was freezing cold up there at night. In the treehouse. I had forgotten to bring up a blanket, making do with my old blue hoodie wrapped around my legs as I attempted to make sense of what I’d just seen. Charlie. And Eleanor. Together.

Not that I hadn’t seen them together before, they’d dated for a year before Charlie and I got together. Eleanor was pretty, all porcelain white skin and natural red hair. That was probably what made me so worried about her. I didn’t even know they still spoke.

A loud sob escaped from my mouth as I thought about Eleanor’s pale white arms covered up by Charlie’s jacket. Why didn’t he offer it to me first? I was his girlfriend now.

We’d been to a bonfire party that night. Charlie had looked handsome in his grey blazer and smart blue jeans. Everyone had commented on what a good couple we made. I’d only disappeared for a few minutes, socialising with Adam, trying to help him to make an impression on Sarah. When I’d come back to the bonfire, Charlie had been sat with his arm around Eleanor, laughing.

My phone rang loudly, buzzing against my leg. I ignored it, unable to make out the caller with my blurry vision. Tears dripped down onto the screen.

They were probably still there, at the party. Laughing and toasting marshmallows on the bonfire. Just like old times. Charlie had brushed over the details of their breakup, he told me that she dumped him because she had to move away. But now she was back. And she’d stolen Charlie back.

This last thought was too much for me. I screamed out in despair, crying tears that wouldn’t come. My throat throbbed and I sniffed heavily, snot covering the area around my nose. I was disgusting.

I felt an arm sneaking around my waist. Turning in astonishment to my left, I saw Charlie looking at me with a concerned face. I hadn’t even heard him climbing up. With a violent movement I shrugged his arm off and shuffled away from him, breathing heavily and trying to wipe my nose. Charlie moved closer again.

‘Leave me alone!’ I screeched, lashing out at him. ‘Can’t you see I want to be alone?’

He recoiled for a moment before reaching out and wiping away a tear on my cheek. Charlie stared into my eyes and gently stroked my cheek. ‘Are you going to tell me what I’ve done?’

I slapped his hand away furiously. ‘You know what you’ve done.’ I spat.

We sat in silence. Me in the far corner of the treehouse and him hovering dangerously close to the entrance hole. He watched me as I sobbed into my hoodie, my hands covering my face. In the distance an owl hooted. Charlie softly moved my hands away from my face and kissed my right cheek slowly.

‘Why would I want her?’ He whispered, kissing my other cheek. ‘When I have you?’

He leant down and kissed my neck, holding my arms by my sides. I wasn’t convinced, shrugging my shoulders in an attempt to shake him off. On my face I wore an unimpressed frown.

Charlie laughed and began to sing lightly. ‘Now then mardy bum, I’ve seen your frown and it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun…’

I pushed him away without any real force, trying not to smile. Another of Charlie’s charms was his beautiful singing voice – not that he wanted any of the guys to find out about it. Damn him, he knew that was my favourite song.

I fought to stay angry. ‘You gave her your jacket!’

He looked puzzled, and stopped singing for a second. ‘So?’

‘So, I was cold, too!’

It even sounded ridiculous to me, now. Charlie pushed my damp hair out of my face and pulled me towards him slowly until our lips were touching. We exchanged a million tiny kisses, him having persuaded me to give in. He held me close in the cold air of the night.

‘I promise I’ll never give another girl my jacket.’ He held out his pinky. ‘Pinky swear.’

Laughing as I leant against his shoulder, I entwined our little fingers and kissed him.