by Kira Blakely
“That’s bullshit,” I said, and she looked at me in surprise. “You shouldn’t try to change yourself just so other people approve of you, especially if it’s family. Families stick together no matter what, even if you’re the worst human being on the planet. That’s just how it works!”
I look at her for a moment before focusing on the road again. She was looking at me like I was a whole other person, and for the life of me, I felt myself blushing. What the fuck am I, a little girl? I shook my head and continued my tirade.
“If they can’t love you for who you really are, then you shouldn’t stick around with them. It’s their loss if they can’t see how great you are,” I said. There were a few minutes of silence between us again, and then I heard her snort. I looked at her in disbelief, and her shoulders shook as she covered her mouth with her hands, trying to control herself from laughing out loud. I raised an eyebrow at her. “What the fuck is so funny?” I asked, annoyed.
I can’t believe the first time I ever dish out advice to a girl, she fucking laughs at me. What the hell? That was some grade-A shit I gave out, not a punch line!
“Jesus, see if I tell you anything again,” I grumbled.
“No, no. I’m sorry,” she said, but saying that while wiping a tear from your eyes as you continued to laugh doesn’t sound like a sincere apology. “It’s just that…” she said, trailing off.
“Just what?” I grunted.
“I just didn’t expect those words to come from you,” she admitted.
“Hey, I may be a jock, but I’ve got a well-oiled brain, you know,” I cried, and she smiled wider.
“I know, I’m sorry again for laughing,” her smile shrunk into a little grin as she stared off into nothing. “But thank you. What you said made a lot of sense,” she said, and I scoffed once more.
“Of course, I do,” I said confidently, and she shook her head at me.
“Arrogant, are we? Tsk-tsk,” she tutted. “No wonder your teammates hate you,” she said, and I winced.
“You…you saw that?” I whispered.
“Of course, I did. I’ve been following the Giants ever since Parker got drafted,” she revealed, and my heart sank. She’s watching because of Parker?
“You like Parker?” I asked. I trapped myself with that question, like I intentionally sliced myself in half. A part of me wanted to know if she liked him that way and if I have a chance or not. And then there was a part of me that didn’t want to know – the part that wanted to believe that I had a chance, regardless.
She nodded, and I closed my eyes as I felt my chest start to ache. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, so of course I like him. He’s the greatest friend I’ve ever had.”
My eyes snapped open at her answer, and the pain in my chest suddenly vanished, replaced with the lightest feeling I’ve ever experienced. I was so…relieved. Parker was in the friend zone. Thank you, God.
“But back to the topic, you should really work on taking your ego down a notch, Sean,” she said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked at her, completely baffled, and she sighed. “You’re never going to get along with your team if you don’t change how you treat them. Not everything is about you, Sean,” she said.
I chuckled as I considered the things she said, and she looked offended. I quickly explain myself.
“I just find it funny how we both ended up giving each other advice, and the advice we gave is the opposite of the other,” I said, and she tilted her head as she thought about it as well. “I’m telling you not to change, and you’re telling me I have to. Isn’t it hilarious?” I asked, and she giggled, the sound playing on repeat in my ears.
“Yeah. I guess it takes another person to act as your reflection to realize what you should’ve been doing all along, huh?” she said.
We smiled at each other before quickly looking away in embarrassment. The sun was starting to set, and I coughed to cover up the sound of my stomach grumbling.
“So, Charlie. Can you give me your address now so I can take you home? Because I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this is the third time we’ve passed this street, and I really don’t want to circle this block again,” I joked, and she laughed.
“Fine. I’ll show you where to go,” she said, and I smiled.
I realized this was the third time we’d spoken to each other, but the first where we had a normal conversation. Actually, it was the first time I’d ever talked to a girl just for the sake of talking to her.
Chapter Eleven
Charlie
Sean took me all the way to the mansion, and I never expected to feel so close to someone that quickly. The whole ride had zero awkwardness, and Sean was so carefree and so easy to talk to that it wasn’t hard at all to be myself.
I got the feeling that he was trying to distract me from my problem, and for that I was grateful, because I knew he was going through something as well, and yet here he was, trying to cheer me up.
It made me feel warm inside, and I hoped that my heart wasn’t beating as loud as I thought it was, lest he might hear it. I felt that my long-time crush for him was growing into something much deeper and more meaningful now that I was finally getting to know him personally.
I lied to him about only watching football because of Parker. Sure, it may have started that way, but ever since I saw him play, I’d been following both of their careers like a hawk.
Parker was the reason I started, but it was Sean that became my reason to stay.
We reached the gate, and I felt disappointed that this little bubble that we put ourselves into was nearing its end. He stopped the car but didn’t do anything else, and a bit of hope burst inside me that maybe he didn’t want this moment to end either. But alas…
I sighed and smiled sadly at him, and he stared at me.
“Thanks for this,” I said, waving my hand around. He nodded, unbuckled his seat belt, and got out of the car. I watched him jog to the other side and open the door for me. He held out his hand, and I smiled and took it, taking a step out his truck.
My clumsy personality decided to make its appearance by stepping on the ground wrongly, resulting in the stiletto of my shoe snapping off and losing my balance. I closed my eyes as I waited for my face to make its impact on the ground, but instead I felt two strong hands grab me by my arms and stop my descent. I placed my hands on his chest to support me as he held me upright, removing his hands from my arms and placing them on my hips.
I raised my head so I could thank him properly, and I was shocked that we were so close to each other. His hold on me tightened as we continued to stare into each other’s eyes, and slowly, he lowered his face, his lips getting closer and closer to mine. I closed my eyes, feeling my heart beat loudly, and I clung tighter to his shirt, rising on the tips of my toes.
I yelped as I was yanked backward and out of Sean’s arms. I spun around and hit someone’s chest, and my eyes widened as I stared at Parker’s grim face.
“Parker, what?” I stuttered.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked, his eyes glaring at Sean suspiciously. I turned to look at Sean, who had one eyebrow raised as he stared back at Parker.
“Parker, calm down. Sean just took me home,” I answered, pushing against him lightly. He tightened his arm around me for a moment before letting me go, not taking his eyes off Sean.
I looked back and forth between them, waiting for them to end this testosterone-filled, pseudo-staring contest to prove which one was the alpha male before sighing at the ridiculousness. I shook my head.
“Look, if you want to see who blinks first, be my guest, but I am going inside. My feet hurt like hell. Later, guys,” I said, turning away from them and giving them a wave of my hand without looking back.
***
Sean
I seriously did not get this guy and his need for ruining the best moments in my life. He’s butted in so many times, I was starting to think he’d turned it into either a hobby or an art form.
He was probably enjoying cutting me off, too. The bastard.
“I told you, didn’t I?” he snarled. “Stay away from her.”
“She’s not your property, Parker. She can hang out with whomever she wants. Your panties are only in a twist because she wants to hang out with me,” I said, and he took a step towards me. I did the same until a bright light shined in our direction, and I shielded my eyes to stop it from blinding me.
I strained my eyes to see where the light was coming from and could make out a car. It turned off its headlights and a man in a crisp business suit got out, his eyes the exact same shade of green as Charlie’s.
I didn’t need to be a genius to know who his guy was. It was Charlie’s dad. He looked at me first before turning his gaze to Parker, who straightened himself to his full height. Seriously? The guy saw me first before turning to you. Any attempt at making yourself look better is futile after that since he’s already seen the better-looking man.
“Parker, right?” Charlie’s dad asked, and he nodded.
“Yes, sir,” he replied. Charlie’s dad nodded and turned back to look at me, and I puffed my chest a little in response. “And who are you? A friend of Charlotte’s as well?” he asked, and I nodded.
“Yes, sir. My name is Sean. I just took her home,” I answered.
“From your date?” he asked once more, and I could detect a hint of edge in his voice when he said that. I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep myself from smiling. I didn’t mind him thinking that at all, but Charlie’s dad didn’t look like he’d be too pleased to know that when he didn’t even know who I was.
I shook my head. “No, sir. I saw her walking while I drove by, so I offered her a ride. I didn’t want her to get rained on,” I explained, and the tension in his face disappeared as he nodded.
“Well, since both of you are already here, would you like to come inside? You can stay for dinner,” he offered. I was about to accept when Parker intervened.
“No, sir. We wouldn’t want to intrude,” Parker said.
“It’s fine. I’d also like to get to know my daughter’s friends better. I insist,” Charlie’s dad said before walking towards the house. Parker and I looked at each other before following suit, and I whistled low as I looked at how fancy their home was.
We followed Charlie’s dad – who told us to call him Nicholas – to the dining room, and after the food was served, Nicholas immediately started interrogating us. He wanted to know everything – like how we first met Charlie (a fact that I had to work my brain into keeping as vague as possible, because I couldn’t exactly tell him I almost killed his daughter with my car), what we did for a living (professional football players), and funnily enough, what our intentions were towards his daughter. I felt like Parker and I were in a job interview, to be honest, and only one of us was going to pass through to the next stage of winning Charlie’s heart.
I made sure to let Nicholas know how good I was in my chosen career, how I had won the MVP award, and everything else I could think of to impress him. Parker didn’t say much, but when he did, he was all “I owe it all to the team’s efforts,” or something like that.
When we finished eating and it was time for us to go, Nicholas walked us out. I waited with bated breath for him to say anything else, like a clue if he approved of me going out with his daughter or something like that, when he suddenly stopped walking. Parker and I stopped and snuck a glance at each other before waiting for Nicholas to speak.
“I forgot to tell you two about the next party we will be having next week. We will be formally introducing Charlotte as part of the Jameson clan, and seeing as both of you are the closest friends my daughter has, I’d be very happy if you came,” he invited, and I smiled widely.
“Of course. I’d be happy to, sir,” I replied, and he nodded at me, smiling slightly. He turned to Parker next, who nodded.
“I wouldn’t miss it, sir. Thank you,” Parker said.
“That’s good, then. Since you will be going, Parker, might I ask you one more favor?” he said, and Parker nodded, looking confused.
“Would you be Charlotte’s escort?”
Chapter Twelve
Charlie
I was holding on to my dog’s leash as he hurried down the stairs, excited for his walk when I spotted my father talking to Sean and Parker outside. He clapped Parker’s shoulder and smiled at Sean before making his way back to the house.
I opened the door for him, and he looked surprised for a second before giving me a kind smile.
“Yes, Charlotte, what is it?” he asked. I still wasn’t used to him calling me by my real name.
“Uh, what were you doing talking with Parker and Sean?” I asked.
“Is it wrong for a father to want to get to know his daughter’s suitors?” he asked innocently, and I couldn’t help but laugh at him.
“Oh, yeah? I’m surprised you didn’t bring a shotgun to your conversation,” I humored him.
“Sadly, I don’t have any firearms in the house. Do you think I should invest in one?” he asked me, his face totally serious.
“Okay, joke’s over, Dad,” I said, and my eyes widened as I realized what I just called him. He was equally surprised, too, and then he smiled brightly. I scratched the back of my head, feeling embarrassed.
“I asked your friend Parker to be your escort for next week,” he said, and I looked at him weirdly.
“Do I need to have an escort?” I asked.
“Not really, but I like him for you. He’s a lot humbler than your other friend,” he said, and I slapped my hand to my forehead. Sean probably put his foot in his mouth and started bragging about himself again.
I opened the door and saw Sean still standing outside, Parker nowhere to be found. I said goodbye to my father and ran out with my dog, chasing after Sean.
“Hey, Sean!” I called, and he turned his head towards me, his eyes widening in surprise. “What are you doing?” I asked, and he shrugged.
“Nothing. I was just about to leave. What about you?” I raised the leash in answer, and he looked down and smiled at the dog who happily rubbed its face in Sean’s legs. “Remember him?”
“How could I forget?” Sean replied, crouching down and giving my dog some love. I laughed at how silly they looked and sat down on the ground beside them.
“I heard my dad talked to you and Parker earlier. How did that go?” I asked him. Sean faltered a little, but quickly resumed rubbing my dog’s ears as he answered.
“It was alright,” he said softly. I raised my eyebrows at him, and he sighed. “I mean, I thought it went well earlier until your dad asked Parker to be your date to the party instead of me,” he admitted.
“Dad said he only chose Parker because he was humbler than you,” I told him, and Sean closed his eyes, like he was expecting that answer. “Maybe this is the time for you to consider dialing down that eager meter? I mean, I know that underneath all that bravado you’re a really great guy. And that person does not need you to brag about himself,” I told him.
“I guess I’ll try,” he mumbled. “What’s his name?” he asked, scratching my dog’s belly now. I wrinkled my nose in response.
“Nothing yet. I’m having a hard time thinking of a name for him,” I admitted. “Got any ideas? I’m open to suggestions.”
“Hmm,” he said, getting back on his feet as he pondered over my question. “What about Dash? After all, he’s a big, speedy monster who escaped becoming a decoration for my fender bender,” Sean joked, and I giggled and nodded.
“Dash, huh? Do you like that name, sweetie?” I asked, looking down at the Labrador, and he wagged his tail happily, making Sean and I both smile in delight. “Well, he seems to like that,” I said, and Sean nodded. He looked at his watch and sighed.
“I gotta go, Charlie. I’m sorry,” he said, and I shook my head.
“Nothing to be sorry for. Just go before I change my mind,” I said, getting back up as well. He bent his head down and kissed my cheek before w
hispering goodnight. I watched him walk back to his car and drive off before pulling on my newly-christened dog, Dash, for a walk.
I touched my cheek where Sean kissed me, and I felt myself blush because of it. I was acting like a giddy little school girl, with my heart beating fast and loud and my face red as a tomato, but I couldn’t help myself. Sean was going to give me a heart attack, I just knew it.
***
A week had passed and it was finally the night where I was to be formally introduced as Charlotte Jameson, the eldest daughter of Nicholas Jameson and heiress of the Jameson Company alongside Ariana.
I had done the best I could the past few weeks, training and learning all the ins and outs of running the business, and despite still having that nagging feeling that I was nowhere near ready for this, I comforted myself in the fact that I had given it my all.
Ariana and I had not spoken with each other since I left her and her friends at the shop after I heard her say all those things about me, but I didn’t care anymore. Keeping what Sean told me in mind, I wasn’t going to make her like me anymore. If she wants to be petty and rude to me, then fine, but I will not stoop to her level.
I looked at my reflection once more, amazed at how my maids could turn me into a princess yet again. My hair was in a braided up-do tucked into a bun. I was wearing a red A-line gown that kept my shoulders bare and white lace gloves that reached my elbows. As a final touch, I picked up the golden locket Dad had given me to wear, telling me that he had it made especially for me. To be honest, I was equal parts happy and surprised he was making an effort to reach out to me, or even get to know me at least. It made me realize that maybe I shouldn't be so hard on him, and give him a chance to get to know me.
I pushed the secret button on the locket and I felt my eyes start to tear up as it opened, and I saw a picture of him and my late mother on either side of it. It warmed my heart to know that even after all this time, and even when he was married to someone else, my father still had a special place in his heart reserved for my mom.