thank you for 22k reads💕 | also I might recast Charlotte & Olivia soon.

"Char, you have to talk to me," She pleaded.

"Don't call me that. I don't have to talk to you."

"He just gets under my skin!" She complained as she followed me back down the stairs.

"Olivia, why can't you just be happy for me?"

"He doesn't deserve you."

"Then who does?" I asked. She was quiet.

"Brett has been nothing but perfect to me, and I cheated on him. I cheated on him! With you! And he's right. It is cheating."

"Listen—"

"I don't wanna hear it."

I took off to the backyard, taking the conversation outside. I'm sure everyone inside was tired of our bickering.

"Please!" She grabbed my hand and turned me around to face her. I immediately yanked her grip off of me.

"Olivia, you ruin everything for me. For once, can you think about someone other than yourself? Why do you hate him so much? What's worth sabotaging our friendship?"

My voice was much louder now that we were outside. She stood in front of me, her eyes watering as I began to dissect our friendship.

She mumbled something under her breath, but I was unable to hear.

"What?"

"You."

She grabbed my cheeks into the palms of her hands, pulling me in for a kiss.

No way. This was exactly how everything was ruined in the first place— Olivia treating me like a sex toy she could play with whenever she wanted. I deserved better than that, and I wasn't gonna let this happen again, especially when Brett and I were just starting to make up again.

"Olivia, stop!" I shouted, immediately pushing her away.

"I-I'm sorry," She apologized.

"Why would you do that?" My voice cracked in pain.

"I-I just.. I thought.." She began but her voice trailed off.

"I have a boyfriend, Olivia. If you don't know what that means, it means I don't need your side company."

"I'm sorry."

"This.." I said pointing between her and me, "Will never happen. I'm not sure what's going on with you lately, but I will never be with you like that."

"Char, you can't tell me I'm the only one that feels something here."

"I told you not to call me that."

"No one else will understand you like I do!" She shouted. She was going completely insane.

"Olivia, you're my girl friend. I don't feel anything! We only slept together in the spur of the moment. Now please, stay the hell away from me."

I left her alone, stranded in the backyard of the cabin. We had gone deeper in the woods as the conversation went on, so when I turned around, she was just a speck.

I could feel the tingling sensation she'd left on my lips. Oh, and the butterflies. The butterflies. The butterflies in my stomach were practically having a dance party.

This didn't feel right, but it did. Her kiss was different this time. Almost like she'd meant it, but I knew she didn't. That was why it hurt so much. My best friend walked over my feelings like they were nothing once again.

I stormed back inside of the cabin, first being bombarded with questions by Henry and Jayden.

How'd it go with Brett? What happened out there? Are you and Olivia okay? Why are you crying?

I sucked up the tears, wiping them away as they approached me.

"I think it's time we cut this trip a bit short. I want to go home. Now."

And just like that, we hit the road on Thursday morning to go back home. I felt like a complete brat messing up everyone's fun because of my relationship issues. But surely they didn't actually believe we'd all last that long in a cabin together for a week.

The long car ride was silent for all nine hours. Only Jayden, Henry, and Brett took the driving shifts this time and I sat shotgun each time they drove.

I couldn't be back there with Olivia. And the more I thought about it, I got angrier.

Why would she kiss me? Wasn't her snarky comment enough to ruin my relationship? Why would she kiss me.

I sat next to Jayden as he drove the last two hours home. The only noise was the radio playing top hits, and I stared out the window following the road as I traced my fingers over my lips.

Why would she kiss me? The question still lingered in my head. As real as it felt, there's no way she felt that way about me. That'd be crazy. For one, I was a girl. And two, I wasn't even her type. She liked the bad boys like Chase, the ones who she knew weren't right for her. Like Henry. She knew that ship was destined to sink.

But maybe it was real? Maybe she did have some confusing feelings for me. Did my best friend like me? No way. I was just another one of her exciting experiments.

I completely forgot Brett was my ride back home. We finally reached Harmony's house.

"I'll see you guys after New Years!" Harmony shouted. She was the only one left who had the energy to talk after nine hours of being quiet.

When we got back it was nearly seven, but it was pitch dark. I hopped in Brett's Jeep as he got in on the other side.

Our fifteen minute car ride was over faster than it should've been. Neither of us talked the entire ride.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as I began to unbuckle my seatbelt. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Charlotte, wait," He began.

This was it. This was the big moment. Was Brett up and ready to forgive me that easily? Of course I didn't deserve his forgiveness, but he was too nice not to.

"Look, before you say anything, I just—"

"No. I'll talk," He interrupted me. We sat in silence for a few more minutes as he pieced his thoughts together.

"I love you, Charlotte," He said. I couldn't stop the grin from forming on my face.

"I do. I do love you Charlotte," He started again. My instincts could feel a 'but' coming along.

"But I just don't know if you could ever love me back."

There it was.

"What are you talking about? I already told you how I felt about you. About us. We can make this work. I know you're still hurt, but I promise I will never betray you again."

"You're in love with Olivia, and that's okay."

"W-What?"

First Olivia, now him? Was everyone on something that I didn't know about this entire trip?

"I know you don't want to admit it yet, but I see the way you look at her, and I see the way she looks at you. There's just not room for me in that equation."

"Brett, please. I—"

He took his hand, softly grasping my chin before planting a kiss on my cheek. Great, I've just been friend-zoned.

"Why do you always make everything about Olivia? It's not about her!" I shouted angrily.

"Charlotte. Even if you don't know it yet, it's always been Olivia. And I know somewhere deep down you know it's true. I just don't want to be in the way of you figuring that out."

Are you kidding me? He was breaking up with me because of some dumb rumor? Because Olivia and I stupidly fooled around?

"And believe me, I want us to work so bad. We could've been soulmates. But I think we just ran into a case of False Soulmate Syndrome."

False Soulmate Syndrome? How cliche was he?

"Brett, I think you just need more time to think," I reassured him.

"I've had plenty of time to think, and because I love you, I have to let you go."

This felt like bad romance movie. Where'd he steal that line from?

"Goodbye, Brett," I said as I exited his Jeep. He offered to walk me to the door, but I quickly denied.

"Charlotte!" He shouted after me as I reached my front door. I turned around to face him.

"Friends?"

Oh gosh, the friendzone hurt like hell.

"Friends," I said giving off a fake smile.

I didn't cry not one bit. I didn't cry for Brett, and I didn't cry for myself. Maybe this relationship was destined to be doomed. Maybe there was someone else better out there for me. Despite Brett's accusation, that person was not Olivia Atwood.

Friday night updates hehe💕

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