Broken Truth

by Beth Ashworth

  Pulling back from their embrace, Xavier clasped hold of Charlie’s hand and pulled her off the shop floor and into the back room away from the prying customers. Placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, he looked into her puffy, reddened eyes with sympathy. “Go back to Amelia’s and let me cover your appointments for you,” he pleaded. “All you need to do is lock all of the doors and keep your mobile next to you. If anything happens or you feel afraid at all then call me.”

  Charlie swiped her fingers under her eyes and smiled.

  “Besides, I think this place will be his next point of call.”

  “I do too,” Charlie replied, remembering the conversation she had with her best friends a few days ago.

  “I may not be the strongest in the world, but I’ll be sure to knock his front teeth out if he comes in here asking for you,” Xavier smirked as he cracked his knuckles. “Ouch! Fuck! That hurt!” he laughed, shaking his hand. “Okay, so maybe I’ll just bitch at him and see how he takes that instead. Clearly, I am a lover and not a fighter.”

  Charlie tried to suppress her amusement at Xavier’s moment of manliness. “Let me see your hands,” she ordered. He lifted them in front of her eyes obediently, so that she could examine them properly. Casting a quick glance over them, she smiled. “I think you’ll live,” she said, rubbing her hands gently over his knuckles.

  “Thanks,” he chuckled, pushing his hands into the pockets of his tailored work trousers. “Are you going to go now?”

  “I guess so,” she shrugged.

  Xavier gently dipped his head to kiss Charlie’s forehead. She felt the instant brotherly protection radiating off of his entire body as his lips connected with her skin. She knew that he would do anything for her in a heartbeat, which was something she was extremely grateful for.

  “I think we should go out tonight,” Xavier suggested as he pulled away from her. “I think you need to completely clear your head and just let go. It will do you good.”

  Charlie shook her head. “I don’t know, Avi. I’m honestly not sure I’m ready to go out yet,” she replied. “I think it will just make things worse.”

  “I’m not taking no for an answer,” he warned, placing his hands on his hips. “You need to let loose so that you can try and forget for just a couple of hours.”

  “But-”

  “No buts, Charlie. You are coming out with me tonight and we are going to have an awesome time. Now go to Amelia’s and pull yourself together. Raid your wardrobe and pick something absolutely killer to wear. I’ll pick you up at eight,” he said, nodding his head in dismissal.

  “Okay,” she muttered, turning towards the office to go and collect her bag.

  Charlie stepped off of the bus and onto the pavement. Luckily, Amelia lived on a main road with the bus stop within easy walking distance. It wasn’t her favourite mode of transport around Manchester, but she didn’t have any other choice at the moment. Her little Audi roadster was still parked in the underground garage in Callum’s building and she didn’t have any plans to venture near there any time soon. For now, the public transport network was going to be her new friend.

  Putting her handbag securely on her shoulder, Charlie started the short walk up the street towards Amelia’s house. It was a nice part of the city that she lived in. While it wasn’t too far from the hustle and bustle of the centre, it was certainly quieter and calmer than the penthouse building she shared with Callum on Deansgate.

  Approaching Amelia’s small front garden, Charlie started digging around in her handbag for the spare key she had been given earlier that morning. It was always an impossible task to find anything in her bag because she always carried too much stuff. Half of the time it was stuff she didn’t even need for the day, but forgot to take out.

  “There you are!” she muttered.

  Pushing her bag back onto her shoulder, she opened the gate and stepped into the front garden. Her eyes connected instantly with the large rectangular box waiting on the doorstep. She approached carefully, looking at the box with wary eyes. It was very unusual to just leave a parcel on someone’s doorstep. Regardless of where you lived and how safe you thought it was, a parcel left in public view was more than likely to be stolen.

  Charlie walked up to the front door and put her key in the lock. Nudging the parcel to the side, she opened the front door and entered the house. Dropping her handbag next to the stairs, she crossed her arms and looked at the large parcel in the doorway.

  At a glance, she couldn’t see a name or address stuck anywhere on the cardboard box, just the words fragile in big letters. She thought back to her conversation with Amelia in the kitchen this morning and tried to remember whether she had mentioned anything about a delivery.

  Coming up empty, Charlie decided to bring the parcel inside the house. Bending down to pick up the box, she was quite surprised by its heaviness.

  As she carried it inside, she kicked the front door closed with her foot, hearing the sound of the latch lock automatically.

  Putting the box on the coffee table in Amelia’s living room, Charlie sat down on the sofa and studied the parcel from a distance. She realised her curiosity was getting the better of her when she started rotating the mysterious package with her foot.

  She wanted to open it, but she couldn’t.

  “Stupid parcel,” she muttered, getting up from her seat on the sofa.

  She walked into the hallway and picked her bag up off the floor. Heading back into the living room, she placed it on the cushion next to her and retook her seat. Delving into the abyss, she started to search for her mobile phone. Finally locating the device, she sat back into the cushions with it clutched in her hand.

  She bit her lip as she looked between the parcel and her phone. She hadn’t actually switched the device on since Lucy returned it to her last night. She was too afraid of what she was going to find when she did.

  Holding down the start button, Charlie took a deep breath and powered up her phone. She wanted to call Amelia so that she could enquire about the parcel further. The suspense and curiosity was slowly eating away at her.

  She waited patiently for her home screen to light up so that she could call Amelia. Eventually, the device loaded and connected up to the nearest wifi hotspot. As Charlie flicked across to her contacts list, the phone started vibrating in the palm of her hand. Startled, Charlie lost control and let her phone slip through her fingers. She cursed loudly as it hit the wooden floor with a clatter.

  “Hello? Hello? Charlie!”

  She froze instantly, her eyes darting to the screen where Callum’s name was clearly displayed. She guessed that the call had answered as the phone made impact with the floor.

  “Baby... Let me just talk to you!”

  Her throat started to constrict as panic flared throughout her entire body. She couldn’t speak to him. She needed to end the call before he started with his lies. She picked up her phone with shaky hands as she heard Callum’s voice filter through the speaker once more.

  “Please will you talk to me? Did you get the flowers I left at the house?”

  Her stomach turned as she looked at the parcel sitting on the coffee table.

  Without uttering a word, she pressed the end button on the call and dropped her phone back into her bag. Getting to her feet she crossed the room to stand in front of the box. With trembling hands, Charlie pulled the lid to break the seal of the parcel. Opening the flaps, she reached inside to pull out a large vase of yellow and pink roses.

  Noticing a small card inserted in the top of the flowers, she balanced the vase on her hip so that she could read the note.

  Sixteen roses for the sixteen months that I have loved you so far.

  There are eight roses in yellow and eight roses in pink.

  They are all from my heart showing you my love,

  and requesting your forgiveness.

  All my love

  Callum

  Charlie looked at the card with her mouth open as she allowed the words to
settle in her brain. In any other circumstance, she would have found the flowers to be beautiful and greatly received, but in this instance the sight and smell repulsed her.

  Putting the card back into the flowers, Charlie turned towards the wall and launched the vase as hard as she could. She watched as it flew through the air before hitting the living room wall and shattering into thousands of pieces across the wooden floorboards.

  Turning away from the catastrophic mess she had just created, Charlie headed out of the living room and up the stairs towards the guest bedroom she was staying in. She figured she would deal with the mess once she had calmed down a little.

  Twenty Two

  “I knew you were going to bring those bitches with you,” Xavier laughed as Charlie got into the waiting taxi along with Amelia and Lucy later that night. “You never go anywhere without those two. You are like a triple threat when you are all together.”

  “What can I say?” Charlie smiled as she buckled up her seatbelt. “These girls are closer to me than my own blood relatives. We look out for each other, so they decided that I needed looking out for tonight and that I needed to have a good time.”

  “Which we are going to make sure she gets,” Amelia said, securing herself comfortably into her seat. “Don’t you think she scrubs up well, Avi?”

  “I think we did a very good job tonight,” Lucy said as she admired Charlie’s outfit. “You look as hot as hell.”

  Charlie beamed at her friends and ran her hands over her freshly tanned bare legs. She had decided to give herself the works after the incident earlier this afternoon with the delivery of Callum’s flowers. She wanted to transform herself and give her mind that little boost of confidence she was lacking.

  Having shaved and buffed her body beyond perfection, Charlie had then endured the task of curling her hair so that it could be loosely pinned up in a stylish yet comfortable updo. It had taken her a while to be fully satisfied, but she eventually felt happy enough with her efforts.

  Once she had finally finished doing her hair, Amelia had then returned from work to find her staring at a number of outfits spread across the guest bed. They were all safe choices, which Charlie had thought to be a good thing in her eyes. Amelia on the other hand decided that she needed to go big or go home.

  “It looks short and it looks tight,” Xavier commented, running his eyes over her body from head to toe. “A bodycon dress was certainly the right choice for you. It is seriously hugging and working every single curve of your body to the max. And those shoes...” Xavier gasped. “Those shoes are fucking beautiful.”

  Charlie grinned and twisted her ankle to the side so that he could get a proper view of the killer platform heels she had on her feet. They were by far her favourite and most expensive pair of shoes that she owned. Covered completely in eye catching crystals, the shoes glittered and gleamed from any source of light that came within a short distance.

  “I told you,” Amelia said, nudging her with her leg. “You look absolutely gorgeous, Charlie.”

  “Thanks,” she gushed. “You’re right, I do look good tonight. I suppose it is about time I recognised that isn’t it?”

  “Here she comes,” Xavier cried as he clapped his hands together excitedly. “We are getting our old Charlie back. I am so fucking excited!”

  “It feels weird not going to Zachary’s,” Charlie said as they passed the bouncer guarding the door into the nightclub. “What is this place called?”

  “Vision,” Xavier replied with a grin. “And you’ll see why in a minute.”

  Charlie’s interest immediately piqued upon hearing Xavier’s comments. She couldn’t remember the last time she had set foot into a nightclub. She knew it had to have been well over a year and half. Usually when she went out with Callum they only visited upmarket bars and lounges. She knew that he would be extremely pissed if he knew where she was because it was one of the main things he had drummed into her head from the early stages of their relationship. He continuously told her that nightclubs were dangerous and that they weren’t the right place for a girl like her.

  “I love this place!” Charlie heard Lucy squeal beside her as they entered the main room of the club.

  Taking a quick glance around the room, she smiled to herself. “So that’s why they call it Vision?” she asked as she nodded towards the mirror covered floor and walls.

  He grinned wickedly before he answered. “The only place where there are mirrors on the ground is on the dance floor. If you look though, they don’t have any lights on over there.”

  Charlie looked over to where Xavier was pointing and realised that the dance floor was in near darkness. She could make out the drunken bodies grinding enthusiastically against each other, but their faces were almost concealed.

  The prospect of having such a scandalous and secretive encounter sent a thrilling tremor throughout her body. It appeared the sort of venue for secret lovers and affairs. The dimly lit dance floor seemingly provided people with the utmost of privacy.

  “Just watch,” Xavier tried to shout over the music.

  She kept her eyes focused on the darkened dancing bodies until a sudden flash of light alarmed her. Within a matter of seconds, the bodies on the dance floor parted to reveal a couple locked in a tight embrace, a spotlight shining directly over them. Cat calls and whistles surrounded the couple as they obliviously continued to devour each other.

  “Every fifteen minutes they randomly pick a couple from the crowd and shine them under the spotlight for twenty seconds. It is supposed to be a moment for the couple to share. A moment for them to be in the spotlight of others and be a spectacle for show,” he explained.

  “It’s weird,” Charlie shrugged. “But it’s a cool idea I guess.”

  “Charlie!”

  She turned around abruptly just as Amelia thrust a shot of some sort into one of her hands and a mixer into the other.

  “Sambuca and a Jägerbomb,” she answered to Charlie’s unasked question. “Get them down you quick and let’s go back and get another one from the bar.”

  Doing as she was told, Charlie knocked back both drinks and cringed as the alcohol hit her system. “Fuck,” she cursed, feeling her body instantly come alive. “That was good,” she smiled.

  “Another?” Amelia grinned as she grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bar.

  Signalling a bartender, they waited patiently for service. Charlie laid her arms on the sticky counter surface and flicked a casual glance around at the other waiting patrons.

  “Check your three o’ clock. He is fucking fine,” Amelia said as her jaw dropped wide.

  Charlie continued her sweep until her eyes landed on the man that she assumed Amelia must have been talking about. Leaning against the end of the bar with a drink in his hand, Charlie flushed as his eyes caught and locked with hers. A sly smirk teetered on the edge of his mouth as he raised his glass to his lips. Draining the entire contents, he placed the empty glass back onto the bar and pushed away from where he was standing.

  “Shit! He’s coming over,” Amelia shrieked, slapping Charlie on the shoulder. “He must have caught us staring. Act normal alright?”

  “Shush,” Charlie hissed.

  She turned around and started staring at the bartenders busying themselves behind the bar. She hoped that by turning her back she was avoiding any unnecessary attention.

  “Hey!” she heard a deep and gravelly voice murmur from behind. “Can I buy you a drink?”

  Charlie heard Amelia scoff beside her. “Is that the best line you’ve got?” She turned towards the stranger and gave him her usual attitude. “If you want to buy me a drink then you need to come up with something better than that.”

  Charlie turned around as the man cleared his throat. “I actually wanted to buy your friend here a drink,” he said, gesturing towards her with amusement. “I’m afraid I’m not a smooth talker with my chat up lines, but I can certainly put my hand in my pocket and get you a drink?”

  Wi
th reluctance, she nodded her head in agreement. “Thank you.”

  “I’m Jay,” he said, holding out his hand.

  “Charlie.”

  He released her hand and leant over the bar towards a nearby bartender. She watched him carefully as he signalled for two drinks.

  Unable to stop her wandering eyes, Charlie examined his appearance from behind. She took in the short and spiky raven hair covering his head along with the blue check shirt that sat tightly across what she could tell were broad and muscular shoulders. Venturing further down, she studied the way his medium wash jeans were fitted perfectly around a lean and well sculpted waist. There was not a hint of body fat visible on his frame.

  “He’s hot,” Amelia said as she examined him also.

  “We think so too,” Xavier called into her other ear as he appeared with Lucy.

  “It’s alright to have some fun,” Amelia informed her. “Think of it as a rebound,” she shrugged.

  “Woah! Woah! Woah!” Charlie held up her hands in a timeout gesture. “It hasn’t even been a week since I broke up with Callum. I’m still hurting here,” she fumed. “What makes you think I’m just going to go and sleep with some random guy?”

  “Honey,” Lucy soothed. “We aren’t suggesting anything. We just want to let you know that it is okay to be angry about what happened and that if you wanted to try and forget then we wouldn’t pass any judgement. We are here to support you.”

  “Right, here is that drink then,” Jay said, interrupting them to push a glass into Charlie’s hand. “Did you want to go and chat?” He cocked a wide smile that revealed a set of perfectly aligned and bright teeth.

  Charlie bit her lip with worry as she looked between Jay and her friends. She couldn’t help but think that it was too soon for her to be talking to other guys. Her heart was still damaged and in shock following the events that had happened not even a week ago.

  “Don’t mind us,” Xavier winked as he grabbed Amelia and Lucy and pulled them over to the other side of the bar.