☁️Little Charlie☁️

CH 29// Confessions

"Hey, Charlie?" Alex spoke. They were laying down side by side in the fort. Charlie was lying on his stomach and looking through pictures in a book while Alex, who layed down on his back, stared up at the 'ceiling' of their fort. Charlie looked up from his book and over to Alex. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to but..." Alex continued, "I've notice that sometime you act like a kid".
Charlie's heart skipped a beat.

"Oh no" Charlie thought to himself. "He saw me regress. Now he must think I'm weird. Does he not wanna be friends anymore?"
Alex noticed Charlies worried expression and sat up. "Not that it's a bad thing!" He added quickly to reassure his friend. "I was just wondering...Is there a reason behind it?" Charlie looked back down at his book and bit his lip. Should he tell Alex what was up? He was his best friend afterall...

"He won't like me anymore" He thought to himself. "He'll defitantly think I'm weird". He tried to ignore the negative thoughts. He knew that Anxiety lied. But more and more thoughts rushed through his mind. Suddenly the floor seemed to push up against his chest, making it hard to breath. He quickly sat up, but the feeling still remained. His hands tightened into fists as they started to shake.
"Charlie, are you-" Before Alex could finish his sentance, Charlie quickly fled out of the fort. By the time Alex had crawled out of the fort in an attempt to follow Charlie, he had already fled from the room. The only indication of where he was came from the hallway when the bathroom door slammed closed.

A few seconds later Charlie heard a light knock on the door.
"Charlie?" Alex spoke in a concerned tone. "Are you okay?" Charlie put a hand up to his mouth to muffle his sobs. "I'm so sorry Charlie" Alex said. "I didn't mean to upset you...really". He put a hand on the door knob but found it to be locked to his dismay. "Can you open the door Charlie? Please?"
It was silent. "Charlie-"

"I'm a little" He heard Charlie say. He was taken aback for a few seconds. One, he didn't expect Charlie to answer, not by speaking anyway. Two, he didn't know what he meant.

"A little what?" He asked, assuming Charlie hadn't finished.

"A little" Charlie repeated in a shaky voice. "I...I regress to a younger age sometimes. M-meaning I act like a baby. It's stupid, I know. I can't c-control it at times and I e-end up crying over stupid things and..." He was about to admit how he wet the bed once but quickly backed out. "It's just stupid. It was a mistake to ever get into it in the first place bec-cause now I can't control it". He let out a sigh when he had finished talking.
Alex blinked. This was a first for him. He still didn't get a grasp on what it all meant, so he pulled out his phone and quickly looked it up, reading the first definition he found.

"Age regression..." Alex read outloud, "...occurs when someone reverts to a younger state of mind. This retreat may be only a few years younger than the person's physical age. It could also be much younger, into early childhood or even infancy" He read. "Charlie, that's not stupid. If anything, it seems to have been used as a coping mechanism for you". Charlie didn't respond. He didn't know how to. He had convienced himself that his Age regression was wrong, so he expected Alex to think so as well. He may have found it to be releiving at first, but he couldn't help but feel guilty afterwards. Especially after the accident he had. "Charlie?" Alex spoke again. "Can you open the door, please?". Charlie hesitated, but eventually Alex heard a 'click' from the lock. He slowly turned the knob and opened it, finding Charlie sitting by the bathtub. He sighed and sat down beside him. He reached an arm across and wrapped it around Charlie's shoulders, pullling him close. "Hey, It's okay alright?" He spoke in a soft tone. "You have nothing to be ashamed about". Charlie only sniffled in response. "Look, by what I can understand from this, It looks like this could really help you".

Charlie whiped some tears away from the corners of his eyes and sighed. "How?" He asked in almost a whisper.

"Well..." Alex started, "How do you usually feel whe you regress?"

Charlie gave it some thought. At first he thought about how upset he would get over the smallest of things, but then he remembered how light hearted and happy he would feel otherwise. "Good" he said giving a shrug. "I feel...happier..." He added.

"What's so wrong with that?" Alex asked. "If it makes you happy, then there's no harm in it. It's not stupid Charlie, I can promise you that".

Charlie looked up at him with tears in his eyes. They were happy tears this time though. A small smile came to him. He hugged Alex, burrying his face in his chest. "Thank you Alex" He said almost crying again.

Alex smiled softly and hugged him back. "Of course Charlie".

The two boys stayed like that for a few moments, until they heard the front door open from downstairs. Mia must have been home.
Charlie whiped the remaining tears off his face. Alex stood, helping Charlie up and they both headed down the stairs.

"Hey boys" Mia greeted with a smile. "Sorry it took me so long-Alex, this is for you" She said handing him a plastic bag. Alex took it and looked inside. "Your mom grabbed some clothes for you".

"Oh, thanks!" Alex replied.

"No prob" Mia said. "Anywho, you boys doing alright? Need anything?" The boys looked at eachother. They couldn't think of anything so they shrugged. "Well heres this anyway" Mia said. She reached into another bag and tossed something to Alex. A box of cookies! They boy's gasped and their eyes lit up like stars.

"Thanks Mia!" Alex practically squeeled. They were chocolate chips. He had a weakness for anything chocolate. Charlie bounced on his toes and signed 'Thank you' to Mia about a dozen times.

Mia chuckled with delight. "Your welcome boys, now off you go. Have fun" She giggled while shooing them away.
The boys giggled and rushed up the stairs.