Something Sweet to Get You By

Charlie walked into a Chinese restaurant, placing her car keys in her purse. She glanced around the place for a spot to sit. She placed her order up front before sitting at a table for two though no one would be joining her. It was sunny and dangerously hot out, but Charlie supposed that was to be expected for a Thursday afternoon in Pheonix. Chicago was probably a lot nicer but her home was in the past and thinking about it would not do any good.
An elderly Asian woman with a smile on her face approached Charlie, mango bubble tea in hand. She offered it, and Charlie warmly recieved the drink, thanking her. In silence, she began to sip on her beverage, remembering her favorite boba spot in downtown Chicago and how her friend Nikki had discovered it two summers before graduating from high school. This boba wasn't as good; it wasn't from home. Nothing was home anymore -- except for the two best friends she'd moved along with.
"Nice lips," Charlie heard a voice snap her out of her thoughts. She looked up and found that a tall figure was towering over her own. His hair was long and brown, covering most of his masculine face. It seemed familiar, but before she could put a name to it, she looked back at her drink.
"Uh, thanks?"
"Bet they look great wrapped around other things too," the guy said as he sat down across from Charlie. She rolled her eyes, glancing at the guy in disgust before looking at the door. It was only a few feet away. She could make a run for it if she wanted.
"You're disgusting."
"No, I'm not. Did you get a good look at my face?"
Charlie let out a scoff, smiling at how ridiculous this guy was being. She continued smiling as she grabbed her purse. Walking away as quickly as she could towards the door, Charlie found herself hoping the guy was still sitting at the table. Growing up in Chicago had taught Charlie how to get away from creepy men when needed and at that very moment, she was thankful.
When Charlie looked into her rearview mirror to reverse out of the parking space, she saw the man standing at the back of her car, smirking. She got out of her car, playing out different scenarios in her mind. Charlie wondered if she could get away with murder. As she got closer to the man, she could feel her body tensing and her shoulders squaring.
She laughed before speaking to the man, "Can I help you, sir?"
"Well, seeing as you ran out before I could ask you out on a date, yeah, it's a possibility."
"You really think that I'm gonna let you take me on a date?"
"I think you have to."
"Oh yeah? And why's that?"
The man smirked and leaned against Charlie's car while he looked at his hands, "Because I won't get out of you car's way unless you agree."
Charlie called out, "Bluff," as she got back into her car. She could see the man from her rearview mirror, still standing there patiently. She started her car and called out from the window for him to move. When he shook his head Charlie let go of the breaks gently and let the car begin to role back slowly. When the man showed no intention of moving, Charlie parked and got back out.
"Uh, you may not have noticed, sir, but I'm trying to leave and you standing behind my car is keeping me from doing that."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the man said, using the same amount of sarcasm that she had, "I suppose you'd like it if I moved?"
"I would appreciate that very much."
"No problem. Just agree to go out on a date with me, and I'll be on my merry way."
Charlie stared at the man for some time. She examined his face. His eyes were a fantastic shade of blue -- strong but gentle. The clefts in his face were pronounced, and his lips were thick even when pulled back into a rather charming smile.
"And if I don't like you after the date?"
"I won't bother you again."
"Fine."
"Okay, great. C-can I have your number or something?"
Charlie sighed, pulled out a pen and notepad. She wrote down her home phone number and handed the man the sheet of paper.
"Wait, I didn't catch your name," the man inquired as Charlie returned to her car.
"It's Charlie," she said before driving back to her condo.

"Nikki, stop messing with the cart!"
"Then lemme get in and push me around!"
Amanda shook her head, rolling her eyes at the fact that Nikki had yet to grow up or out of her childish tantrums. She turned to the shampoos on the shelves and began to search for the right type of Herbal Essences, one hand on the shopping cart. She looked down the aisle and saw Charlie scanning the hair dyes -- Amanda smiled, recalling how an enemy back home practically lived in that aisle. She felt the cart begin to shake and looked at it, only to see Nikki clumsily climbing into the cart.
"Nikki!"
Nikki looked up from the cart at her friend and smiled innocently. She looked back at the cart, concentrating on how to get in without tipping the cart over.
"Don't move your hand," she warned, "It's the only thing keeping this cart from tipping."
Amanda rolled her eyes and kept her hand on the cart as she pulled a shampoo and conditioner off the shelf.
"What's wrong, Charlie?"
Charlie looked at her two friends and smiled softly. She pointed at a black dye.
"I'm thinking about dying my hair."
"Why?"
She shrugged, looking back at the dye, "Just time for a change, maybe."

Amanda tossed her keys onto the kitchen table, placing the Target bags down next to them. Behind her, Charlie and Nikki were setting more bags down. They began to empty them, placing their purchases in the appropriate places, telling each other about their days. They laughed as Amanda made fun of a girl who'd nearly crashed into her car; they insulted the man they'd never met when Nikki told them about how rude he'd been to her while at orientation.
"Oh, that reminds me," Charlie said as she walked into the bathroom to put away their new hair products, "Don't pick up the house phone if it rings within the next two days. I'll answer it."
"Why, what's up?"
"While I was out getting boba, a guy asked me out and shit so I gave him our house number; I didn't want him to have my cell."
"Creepy type?" Amanda asked, scrunching up her nose.
"He said I had nice lips and then told me they must look nice wrapped around things other than my straw."
Nikki walked into the kitchen, her mouth open as she glanced around at her two friends in disbelief. Amanda had a similar expression.
"Yeah, I know, 'gag me', right?"
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind that, actually," Amanda laughed, "So how'd it go from creep to date?"
"He pulled an even bigger creep move and stood in my car's way until I agreed."
"Original," Nikki continued unpacking the bags. "Except for the fact that Noah did something similar in The Notebook."
"Yeah, but at least he looked damn hot doing it!" Charlie half-laughed, "So after I agree and am leaving, he asks me for my name. I gave it to him and drove off."
"You didn't ask for his?" Amanda asked.
Nikki scoffed, "Would you have asked? Uh, na!"
"I didn't have to. While trying to get him to move away, I recognized his face. I know his name."
"Oh yeah? So what's his name?"
Charlie smirked as she pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. She walked to her room, answering Nikki as she closed her door, "His name is Beau Bokan."