Just Another Milk Carton Add

I awoke suddenly to the startling sound of a whistle and the violent rattling of the train pulling into the station. Luckily, I slept dreamlessly for the remainder of the train ride. The peaceful relaxation is exactly what I needed to refresh my system. I stood stretching my slightly stiff limbs and rubbing my eyes a little. I walked towards the compartment door attempting to exit the train when I felt a slight tug at the hem of my skirt. I looked down to be greeted by a small child's familiar face.

It was the small girl from earlier. What was her name? Camille? Carmella? Either way, it didn't matter.
"Aren't you forgetting your luggage, Charlotte?"
My teeth ground together at the sound of my full name. A little more bitter than intended, I retorted, "My name is Charlie, and I haven't any luggage." The child's parents didn't seem to keen to this unorthodox notion and they pulled their child hastily out the door muttering something about staying away from vagabonds like me.

I scowled as I stepped onto platform 9, looking around for my scheduled ride. Suddenly, I forgot my worries and the scowl on my pale face was replaced with a smile. Well a grin to be more precise.

There he was. Lanndyn Pesto. My crazy handsome old boyfriend was standing there. Waiting for me. My heart skipped a beat or two as I ran to hug him. I collided with him, taking him off guard an almost knocking him over. I hugged him around the neck as he hugged me lightly, almost awkwardly, around the waist.

After a little while we pulled apart and I was able to see his short, curly blonde hair, deep blue eyes and pure smile for the first time in two years. I leaned up to kiss him, something I've been waiting to do for a while now, but was rejected as he turned his head to the side so my lips made contact with just his cheek.

I pulled back, secretly dying on the inside, and looked up at him. "Can we leave now?"

I was slightly taken aback at the bluntness of his comment and his lack of greeting. I disregarded this as a case of nerves on his part and responded to his question with a nod of my head.

We left the station quietly and headed out to his car. We both got in and he began driving off. I proceeded to lighten the mood by talking about how excited I was to see him again and be living with him now. As I was in the middle of babbling about my dreams for our wedding, he turned a little to look at my face. He frowned slightly and started with a sigh.

"Look, Charlie. It's been two full years..."

He paused. It was then that everything clicked. The awkward hug, the rejected kiss, the lack of greeting, everything. I could feel the pressure in my nose and the tingling sensation behind my eyes. I tried to will my tears to go away as he continued.

"I thought you were dead. I wrote you once a week and never once did you respond. When I went home a year later to find you missing, everything made sense. I didn't know what else to do Charlotte. I was just so confused..."

He paused again. My tears took this opportunity to spill over and cascade down my cheeks. I put my head down to subtly hide my tears from him as he continued once more.
'
"I've moved on, Charlie. There's no way you can stay with me. I thought that was clear over the phone. I'm 21 now and I've got a fiancée and a wedding to plan..." I stopped him there.

"W-wedding? Fiancée?" I stuttered through tears. "What about me, Lanndyn? Where am I supposed to go?"

"I don't know. I thought you would have figured that out on your own."

"I thought I was staying with you!" I was yelling at this point, hot tears of anger steaming down my face. Nothing ever ended well when someone got angry.

"Well you're not so come off it!"

"I thought you loved me!"

"That was years ago!"

"How could you just abandon me like that? Did you even try to find me? Did you?!"

"NO!" he roared, making my huddle back into my seat. "AND YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?" he paused here taking a deep breath. "I don't love you anymore, Charlie."

"What?" I whispered, shocked.

"I said I don't love you anymore. Now, please get out of my car."

"But where do I go?"

"I don't know."

"But, Lanndyn.."

"Charlie. Get. Out." I unbuckled my seatbelt, heartbroken by his cold words. I stepped out onto the street and closed the car door. I backed onto the sidewalk and he sped away. Silently I walked backwards until I hit a wall. I slid down to the ground in a crumpled heap and cried.