Cheek To Cheek

Chapter 6

Charlie waved to her last student as she walked out of her class on the Monday afternoon as the door closed. Once the studio was empty, she walked over and tossed on her oversized sweatshirt on top of her leotard before pulling her feet up on the chair to unlace her tap shoes and toss them on the floor.

She just was letting her thick dark curls free from the pony tail she had them wrangled in when the door opened yet again. Not expecting anyone, she lifted her head and her eyes grew wide when she saw the person walking inside.

"Hi dear," Her mother smiled as her heels clacked against the floor.

"Um, hi Mom... what are you doing here?" Charlie was surprised to see her.

The blonde came over and sat down by Charlie, telling her, "I wanted to talk to you."

Charlie tucked her curls behind her ears, standing up to collect her shoes and go hang them on wall while asking, "About what?"

"Well, ever since I came to Grandma's party last week, I've been thinking..." Julie trailed off as she picked some lint off of her pencil skirt. "I didn't know that you and Grandma knew a movie star."

Charlie just shrugged, knowing her mother would be obsessed with that fact, "It doesn't matter. Chris is just a good guy and we're friends."

"I thought at that party that he was more Catherine's level looks-wise, but I saw the way he was looking at you and I was wondering if anything was going on between you two?" Julie was interested.

Hearing this made Charlie turn around and start picking up a few leftover water bottles while she explained, "We're just friends is all."

"That's what I thought..." Julie pursed her lips before waving her daughter over so Charlie trugged over to sit by her before her mother told her, "I think you need to take the opportunity."

Charlie's eyebrows furrowed as she asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well honey, he's very handsome... and has a lot of money which would be good for you to have some stability since I know you don't make hardly anything here... I've seen your car and apartment and know. He could provide a lot of benefits and opportunities for you," She explained.

Hearing this made Charlie's blood boiling and caused her to stand to her feet. She took a few steps, trying to take deep breaths as she ran her hands through her curls and turned around, telling her mom, "I cannot believe you'd say that to me! Chris is a wonderful man and a good friend to me and I resent the fact that you would insinuate that I would use him that way!"

Julie indignantly stuck her nose up while saying, "All I'm trying to do is help you, Charlotte."

"Well don't," Was her plain response. "And if your only reason for coming here was to tell me to lie to Chris and abuse him then you can leave."

A huff came out of her mother while she stood to her feet, grabbing her purse while telling her, "You're so ungrateful... you always have been."

And with that, her mother stormed out of the dance studio which left Charlie by herself. She sat down on one of the chairs pushed up against the wall, letting out a sigh as she leaned her head back. Over the years, she had become used to her mother's selfish behavior but this took the cake. The fact that she even thought of, let alone push her to take advantage of Chris made her feel so much anger.

If Charlie was being honest with herself, she knew some of her intense feelings were because she knew she was falling for him and just the thought that someone may view her as using him disgusted her. She sat there for a long time, staring at the ceiling as she internalized her feelings.