‹ Prequel: Have You Ever Known
Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard
Complicated
Charlotte woke up face-to-face with Garrett. He was sleeping soundly, his eyes flickering slightly as he dreamed. After their talk, he had convinced her to sleep in bed with him, just like they did when they were just friends. She was skeptical at first, but when he tucked his hands under his pillow, she realized he really meant it. They continued to talk once tucked in but instead of the conversation being centered on them as a couple and their problems, Charlotte asked to hear about their album. She ended up falling asleep before he did, some hours into their new conversation. Before her eyes slid shut, she remembered looking out the window at the sunrise.
Garrett’s arms were no longer pulled close to his body; he had stretched out overnight and had wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t mind, however, because she did love him and she did miss him; she missed everything about him, how he could make her laugh, how they argued over music, the way he held her and the way he smelled so good all the time. She wanted to move past everything and fall in love with him all over again because she simply couldn’t imagine feeling this way for anyone else.
But then there was Wyatt. He made her feel unlike anything she’s been able to experience in Arizona. The boys there are so different, and even then, her eyes were set only on Garrett. Something about Wyatt screamed dangerous; he was the bad boy Charlotte had never experienced. With her mind focused on such a narrow path for so long, she had never taken the time to look around and be with anyone else. She wondered what it would be like to take a step outside of her normal boundaries. Instead of being the good-girl with the good-hearted boy, she wondered if it were possible to be with a bad-boy like Wyatt.
The more she turned the idea over in her head, the more she began yearning to test the waters. Maybe it would be okay. Garrett had things to deal with back home, and she had someone here to take care of. Maybe she could offer up a little break to settle old businesses before getting back together. She didn’t think Garrett would go along with it; she was thinking of being with Wyatt while Garrett wanted to tie up loose ends with Rachael and move on. Charlotte wanted to move on to another person in the meantime.
Charlotte sighed, erasing the thought from her mind. There was no way Garrett would go along with it, and even if he did agree to a break to mend things, he definitely would not agree to anything dealing with Wyatt being near her romantically. But why, whenever Wyatt came into her mind, was there a nagging and fluttering sensation in her stomach? That had to mean something.
But as Garrett breathed deeply and stirred slightly, consequently tugging her closer to him, she froze. Maybe being with Wyatt didn’t make sense; maybe Garrett really was all she needed to experience. He made her feel like she was perfect; he felt like home. Did she really want to chance giving that up forever just to test out a silly theory? Was it worth being with another guy just because she was second guessing something that Rachael had said?
“Sorry,” Garrett mumbled under his breath, let go of her and rolled over to face the wall.
“Right,” she whispered, more to herself than anything. He had no idea if she was awake or not, he hadn’t even opened his eyes. She waited until she was sure he had fallen asleep again before sliding out of his bed. She quietly wandered through the apartment, feeling a little out of place. No one was awake yet, and when she caught the time she understood why. It was only 7 in the morning. She decided against waking anyone up for a ride and quietly went back to Garrett’s room to gather her things. She would simply return his clothes later.
She called Bobbie when she was outside in the parking lot and although she had woken her up, Bobbie arrived a little over ten minutes later. Bobbie didn’t bother asking any questions, too tired to find out what had happened and why her sister was awake at such an ungodly hour in the morning. When they got home, Bobbie went back to her room and Charlotte changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to go for a run. Her mind and heart were still conflicted and she figured an early morning run would help clear things up.
She stood on her back porch stretching when she noticed someone approaching. She glanced in the direction the person was coming and sighed. It was Wyatt. He noticed her and sped up, not wanting to stop to talk about anything that had happened.
“Wyatt?” Charlotte questioned, confused, as he began running past her house. She stood there, waiting for him to slow to a stop, but his pace didn’t falter. She instead began jogging after him, calling his name yet again. He still didn’t acknowledge her, so she sped up to grab onto his arm. “Wyatt.”
“What?” he asked, annoyed that she had interrupted.
“I hadn’t seen you in a while,” she said softly, eyes cast down.
“Yeah,” he responded harshly. “You aren’t the only one who needs some space to do some thinking.”
“What?” she asked, now staring into his eyes.
“Do you really not remember anything?” he challenged. When she hesitated, he grunted and shook his head. “You kissed me, Charlotte. We were this close to going farther, and then you passed out. That’s a lot for me to process.”
Charlotte didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t remember anything after getting the drink from Rocky, how was she supposed to know that’s why he hadn’t come around? She bit her lip nervously, suddenly unable to speak.
“What’s wrong?” Wyatt asked gently.
“Rachael told Garrett she still loves him,” Charlotte blurted. “I told him we should take a break to work things out, because even if he doesn’t want to be with Rachael she’s still harboring feelings for him. And then I have you; you’re in the picture now, too, so I can’t just-”
“What do you mean, you have me?” he asked and raised an eyebrow.
“You make me feel different,” she explained slowly. She cleared her throat. “I can’t deny that I may have feelings for you, so while Garrett is sorting things out with Rachael, I was thinking you and I could sort things out, too.”
Wyatt smiled softly. “Go home and get changed, okay? I’ll take you to breakfast.”
Charlotte nodded dumbly, turning around and heading back to her house. She quickly fixed her hair, applied some green eyeshadow and red lipstick. She dug around for perfume and found a little tube of some hidden in the bottom of her spare makeup bag. She rolled it over her wrists before walking into her closet. She picked out a black and white striped tank top and a lace vest, matching it with a pair of black skinny jeans and ballet flats. She grabbed her purse from last night and started for the stairs when the doorbell rang.
She happily skipped down the stairs and pulled the door open without looking first. Her smile fell when she saw who was standing there.
“Garrett?”
His lips attached to hers and he pushed her into the house, forcing the door shut behind them. Her heart was racing faster than she had ever felt it beat before as he led them upstairs. His hands were greedily tearing her clothes off and she allowed him to. The shock had worn off when they crossed into her bedroom and she pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. He was pushing her jeans down her legs as they tumbled onto her bed.
“I’m such an idiot for hurting you,” he muttered between heated kisses. “God, I love you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte fumbled with the button to his jeans. “Garrett,” she managed to get out as she pushed his jeans down slightly. Their noses brushed as he looked into her eyes. He softly kissed her while he waited for her to continue. Her head was spinning now, his gestures intoxicating her. “I love you, too.”
Garrett’s arms were no longer pulled close to his body; he had stretched out overnight and had wrapped his arms around her. She didn’t mind, however, because she did love him and she did miss him; she missed everything about him, how he could make her laugh, how they argued over music, the way he held her and the way he smelled so good all the time. She wanted to move past everything and fall in love with him all over again because she simply couldn’t imagine feeling this way for anyone else.
But then there was Wyatt. He made her feel unlike anything she’s been able to experience in Arizona. The boys there are so different, and even then, her eyes were set only on Garrett. Something about Wyatt screamed dangerous; he was the bad boy Charlotte had never experienced. With her mind focused on such a narrow path for so long, she had never taken the time to look around and be with anyone else. She wondered what it would be like to take a step outside of her normal boundaries. Instead of being the good-girl with the good-hearted boy, she wondered if it were possible to be with a bad-boy like Wyatt.
The more she turned the idea over in her head, the more she began yearning to test the waters. Maybe it would be okay. Garrett had things to deal with back home, and she had someone here to take care of. Maybe she could offer up a little break to settle old businesses before getting back together. She didn’t think Garrett would go along with it; she was thinking of being with Wyatt while Garrett wanted to tie up loose ends with Rachael and move on. Charlotte wanted to move on to another person in the meantime.
Charlotte sighed, erasing the thought from her mind. There was no way Garrett would go along with it, and even if he did agree to a break to mend things, he definitely would not agree to anything dealing with Wyatt being near her romantically. But why, whenever Wyatt came into her mind, was there a nagging and fluttering sensation in her stomach? That had to mean something.
But as Garrett breathed deeply and stirred slightly, consequently tugging her closer to him, she froze. Maybe being with Wyatt didn’t make sense; maybe Garrett really was all she needed to experience. He made her feel like she was perfect; he felt like home. Did she really want to chance giving that up forever just to test out a silly theory? Was it worth being with another guy just because she was second guessing something that Rachael had said?
“Sorry,” Garrett mumbled under his breath, let go of her and rolled over to face the wall.
“Right,” she whispered, more to herself than anything. He had no idea if she was awake or not, he hadn’t even opened his eyes. She waited until she was sure he had fallen asleep again before sliding out of his bed. She quietly wandered through the apartment, feeling a little out of place. No one was awake yet, and when she caught the time she understood why. It was only 7 in the morning. She decided against waking anyone up for a ride and quietly went back to Garrett’s room to gather her things. She would simply return his clothes later.
She called Bobbie when she was outside in the parking lot and although she had woken her up, Bobbie arrived a little over ten minutes later. Bobbie didn’t bother asking any questions, too tired to find out what had happened and why her sister was awake at such an ungodly hour in the morning. When they got home, Bobbie went back to her room and Charlotte changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to go for a run. Her mind and heart were still conflicted and she figured an early morning run would help clear things up.
She stood on her back porch stretching when she noticed someone approaching. She glanced in the direction the person was coming and sighed. It was Wyatt. He noticed her and sped up, not wanting to stop to talk about anything that had happened.
“Wyatt?” Charlotte questioned, confused, as he began running past her house. She stood there, waiting for him to slow to a stop, but his pace didn’t falter. She instead began jogging after him, calling his name yet again. He still didn’t acknowledge her, so she sped up to grab onto his arm. “Wyatt.”
“What?” he asked, annoyed that she had interrupted.
“I hadn’t seen you in a while,” she said softly, eyes cast down.
“Yeah,” he responded harshly. “You aren’t the only one who needs some space to do some thinking.”
“What?” she asked, now staring into his eyes.
“Do you really not remember anything?” he challenged. When she hesitated, he grunted and shook his head. “You kissed me, Charlotte. We were this close to going farther, and then you passed out. That’s a lot for me to process.”
Charlotte didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t remember anything after getting the drink from Rocky, how was she supposed to know that’s why he hadn’t come around? She bit her lip nervously, suddenly unable to speak.
“What’s wrong?” Wyatt asked gently.
“Rachael told Garrett she still loves him,” Charlotte blurted. “I told him we should take a break to work things out, because even if he doesn’t want to be with Rachael she’s still harboring feelings for him. And then I have you; you’re in the picture now, too, so I can’t just-”
“What do you mean, you have me?” he asked and raised an eyebrow.
“You make me feel different,” she explained slowly. She cleared her throat. “I can’t deny that I may have feelings for you, so while Garrett is sorting things out with Rachael, I was thinking you and I could sort things out, too.”
Wyatt smiled softly. “Go home and get changed, okay? I’ll take you to breakfast.”
Charlotte nodded dumbly, turning around and heading back to her house. She quickly fixed her hair, applied some green eyeshadow and red lipstick. She dug around for perfume and found a little tube of some hidden in the bottom of her spare makeup bag. She rolled it over her wrists before walking into her closet. She picked out a black and white striped tank top and a lace vest, matching it with a pair of black skinny jeans and ballet flats. She grabbed her purse from last night and started for the stairs when the doorbell rang.
She happily skipped down the stairs and pulled the door open without looking first. Her smile fell when she saw who was standing there.
“Garrett?”
His lips attached to hers and he pushed her into the house, forcing the door shut behind them. Her heart was racing faster than she had ever felt it beat before as he led them upstairs. His hands were greedily tearing her clothes off and she allowed him to. The shock had worn off when they crossed into her bedroom and she pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. He was pushing her jeans down her legs as they tumbled onto her bed.
“I’m such an idiot for hurting you,” he muttered between heated kisses. “God, I love you, Charlotte.”
Charlotte fumbled with the button to his jeans. “Garrett,” she managed to get out as she pushed his jeans down slightly. Their noses brushed as he looked into her eyes. He softly kissed her while he waited for her to continue. Her head was spinning now, his gestures intoxicating her. “I love you, too.”