Changed Since Texas / Post Malone

0.1

July 4, 2000

Charlotte (Charlie) Roman was your typical five year old girl. She had long light brown hair that hung in natural ringlets over her shoulders and big green eyes and an olive complexion, thanks to her Italian ancestry. She loved playing with her baby dolls, dressing up like a princess, having tea parties and watching her favorite Disney Princess movies over and over again.

She lived with her Mom and Dad in Syracuse New York in an average size white house with blue shutters and a beautiful fenced in yard. Her best friend Austin lived down the road from her with his Mom. They did absolutely everything together from riding the same bus to school to Austin picking flowers and giving them to her on random days. They were pretty much inseparable.

Today they were going to Austin's 5th birthday party, and Charlotte wanted to look perfect. She was standing in the middle of her Beauty and the Beast themed bedroom with her tiny arms crossed across her chest as she pouted at the white flowered dress her Mom wanted to put on her for the party.

"No Mommy, I won't be able to play with Austin if I wear a dress" she pouted stamping her foot on the soft pink throw rug on the floor.

"Honey, of course you will" her Mom said with a smile.

"No Mommy" she said.

"Okay how about this, what if you wear a pair of shorts underneath? This way you can still run around and play but you can still look pretty for the party" her Mom bargained with her as she pulled out a pair of pink shorts.

"Okay fine" she said uncrossing her arms and letting them hang limply at her sides.

She let her Mom pull on her shorts and place the dress over her head as she twirled around in a circle with a smile on her face. Her Mom grabbed a brush from off the dresser and ran it through her hair before placing a flowered head band on her head.

"There, now look how pretty you look" her Mom said kneeling behind her with her hands on her shoulders as they looked in the mirror together.

"Do you think Austin will think I'm pretty?" she asked with a small smile.

"Hey now, your too young to worry about what Austin thinks about you Missy" she laughed tickling her sides as Charlie's laugh filled the house

"Okay, can we go now please" she said turning around to face me, her tiny hands folded in front of her as she pleaded with her cutely.

"Charlie, the party doesn't start for another hour" her Mom laughed as they walked down the stairs together.

"But I want to play with Austin before everyone else comes" she said sweetly.

"Okay, I'm sure Nicole won't mind if we came early" her Mom said as she grabbed Charlie's pink sandals and slipped them on her feet.

"Where's Austin's present Mommy?" she asked.

"It's already in the car honey, come on let's go. Tim we are leaving, are you coming?!" her Mom yelled through the house to her Dad.

"I'll be there later Carly" he yelled from somewhere in the house.

They both got into Carly's Subaru Forester, Charlie buckling herself up in her car seat as they backed out of the driveway to make the 10 minute drive to Austin's house for his birthday. They pulled into the driveway where Nicole had red, white and blue balloons hanging out on the mailbox. Austin's birthday parties were always joined with a Fourth of July celebration.

They parked the car and Charlie immediately ran out and into the backyard looking for Austin.

"Austin! Austin where are you?" she yelled in her soft voice.