"Where have you been? I have texts from Farris, Alexander—I'm guessing you are the reason he has my digits so thank you for that—and Maddison even dropped by." I say as soon as Reed unlocks the door and steps into our room, closing the door behind her with her foot.

"Library." She says, dropping her bag not at all gently on the floor and slinking into her room, collapsing onto her bed facefirst. Subtlety and space aren't really my forte, so I follow her and climb on top of her, draping myself over her like a blanket and turning my head so that I can see her face.

Her dark green eyes are open and our noses are close to touching. "Alright?" I infuse just enough concern into my tone to let her know that I'm worried but not enough to push her.

"It's nothing." She grumbles, closing her eyes but not turning away. I count that as a point for me.

I make a buzzer sound with my mouth. "Would you like to try again? I know that you've been avoiding the boys. Specifically, Farris." She opens her eyes and glares at me.

"It's not a big deal. Nothing even happened." She tries but I won't budge, and she rolls her eyes.

"Maybe nothing happened out loud. Nothing obvious. That doesn't make it nothing. Tell Charlie."

Reeds sighs. "The other day, when I was with Farris, Xander was at the library, with you."

"Not with me...buggering off now, please carry on."

"He just said something that made me feel..."

"Bad?" I try, and she shrugs the best that she can with my full weight on top of her.

"Exposed." She says and proceeds to explain everything. The cuddling, the video she threatened to take, and his comment. I nod and snuggle my head into her neck.

"I really don't think he meant it that way, and honestly, I don't think he suspects a thing," I tell her but I know that it won't help. She feels like she's on rocky ground with one of her closest friends. One mistake and everything crashes down around her.

"I think it's time to call it. Time of death..." She trails off, her arms trapped beneath her so I hold my wrist up for her to read my watch. "Twenty-fifty-three." She sighs and I pout.

"What does this mean for you two?" I ask, knowing that the two of them breaking up as friends would ruin her.

"It means I'm going to keep my distance from him physically, until I can do it emotionally. He's a guy, he'll hardly notice."

"Um..."

"Not tonight. I don't want to think about it. We'll be fine." She says, sounding like she's attempting to convince herself more than me. "Oh! And I'll date." She says like it something she's both excited and disgusted by. "I haven't been with anyone since Garrett." She adds quietly.

"Like Tinder?" I ask warily.

"Maybe, but I'd rather meet someone in person. Maybe at a party? If I don't have any bodyguards, do you think anyone would..." She trails off, suddenly sounding vulnerable.

"One hundred percent." I cut in confidently. "The two of us will go to a party that we know they won't be at and you won't have any problem pulling whoever you're looking for. Just make sure you know what you want. I'll support you in finding someone to talk to for an hour, or someone you just want to snog until your lips fall off," I smile and Reed attempts to buck me off with no luck.

"Thanks, Charlie. Love you." She murmurs.

"Love you, Reed."