Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 . . . 𝘈𝘴𝘴-𝘒𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 ❝ I thought we were friends. ❞
"HEY, CHARLS, WHAT are you doing tonight?"
Charlie grimaced as Liam quickly approached her in the halls, in the absence of Jess she felt just a bit more vulnerable.
"Uh, you know," Charlie waved, continuing her walk to the main doors of Stars Hollow High, "Working, maybe. . ."
"Wanna hang out?"
"Oh, uh—"
"Hey," Liam furrowed his brows, gently grabbing Charlie's bicep to pull her to a stop. His expression only intensified once watching her eyes avoid his own, "Charls, avoidance isn't the answer— come on, I want us to be good."
"We're great."
"I thought we were done with lying, Charls."
"Look, Lee," The girl sighed heavily, "I've had a crush on you my whole life. You rejected me, then you slept with our mutual best friend. It hurt. Like, a lot. Both of you guys hurt me. And, I know you apologized and things have been patched up, but it's hard to just totally get past that in a couple of days— not to mention it feels like I'm losing Em totally—"
"Then let's go talk to her."
"You can't force people to be okay," Charlie let out a laugh of disbelief, "We can't just force people to be friends or to forgive and forget. I'm sure she's hurt, too. Things are just weird, but it takes time for all of us to get over that."
"So you just want to stop spending time with me?" He asked, attempting to bury his hurt like it was an object concealed beneath his letterman jacket, "You just want to let Em go?"
"Lee—"
"Jesus Christ, Charls, why can't you just see how much I care about you?"
Charlie's eyes blew wide for a moment.
"I don't want to hurt you, that's the last thing I ever want to do," Liam continued, "I like you, too, okay, I've liked you since you stole flowers for me on Valentine's day in fourth grade, but I know I'm not what you need and if we were ever a 'we' I'd break your heart."
"So break my heart!" Charlie let out before she could think. "Just be with me, Lee, you don't go into a relationship thinking about how it'll end— you make no sense! You say you like me— so much— but you sleep with Emma? And then you're worried about breaking my heart like you haven't already hurt me? We all need time, but if you want to be with me, tell me so I know what the hell is going on!"
