Crimson Rivers

10) Aftermath

BEFORE

He sat up in bed, considering if he should just stay home and come another day when everything boiled over.

He was still in shock that it even happened, that he kissed Zach right in front of everyone. He'd always had some feelings for Zach, but they seemed to intensify yesterday, burning hotter than ever. Before, he couldn't place how he truly felt about Zach, and even after the kiss, things were still muddled in confusion. 

There were only vague feelings which slipped over him every once in a while, certain moments where the light would fall on him just right and make Charlie feel a thousand things at once.

He couldn't pick one specific instance the feelings first began, but it seemed to be an amalgamation of experience which led up to the kiss, of Charlie seeing Zach that way. Maybe it was the day of Dad's funeral, as Charlie wept over his dad's coffin. His mom had left, hiding in the car to grieve and smoke. Zach snuck up behind him, and wrapped his arms around him, telling him to cry as much as he needed. The rest of the guests left, leaving Charlie weeping into Zach's arms in the empty cemetery as the rain pelted down, the sun slowly setting in the distance. It seemed like the tears would never stop. He kept telling him things would be alright, that he would never be alone, and he believed him.

The memory brought a smile to Charlie's face, but the daunting day ahead quickly tore it into a sullen frown. He stared at his alarm clock, watching the number slowly go up as his time to think rapidly died. Checking his phone, he found a text from Amanda. He held his breath, reading, "Hey, uh, I think we should talk," He put the phone down, wishing he never read those words. She knew. She had to. Anything she had to say would just make the situation even worse than it already was. Just pour more salt into the wound.

Eventually, he slipped some clothes on and shuffled downstairs, trying to unravel the knot in his stomach.

Rich sat at the dining table, clad in a bathrobe, sipping coffee, and thumbing through the news on his tablet. "Good morning, Charlie," He looked up and smiled.

Charlie swallowed, "Morning,"

"Are you feeling better today?" Rich asked, reminding Charlie of how he cried in front of him yesterday.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, you had to see that," He blushed.

"Nothing to be sorry about, it's good to express what you're feeling,"

"I suppose so," Charlie said.

Rich's bare leg snuck out from his robe, churning Charlie's stomach. He couldn't shake the disgust he felt in Rich's presence. It was as if his sunken eyes poisoned him, sending him running to the toilet with one look. His words were always kind, but there was always an air of dishonesty to them as if he wasn't telling the whole truth.

Avoiding his eyes, Charlie looked through the cabinet, for something to eat, hoping to shove something down before the nausea became too much. Every second, he felt anxious, replaying the scene with Zach in his head continuously, and playing out every possible outcome. Every consequence was worse than the last.

Charlie threw a protein bar into his bag and ran into the bathroom before heading out. He zipped down his fly, but heard the closed door open next to him and found Rich walking in as Charlie peed. He turned away, but Rich came forward.

"Sorry, had to piss too" Rich laughed and threw open his robe, standing next to Charlie.

At a loss for words, he allowed it to happen, wondering why Rich didn't just use the upstairs bathroom. He worried he was being a prude, but the whole situation didn't help his nausea. Maybe Rich just felt comfortable with Charlie? They were family after all. He was probably just overthinking things like usual.