Drop Dead.

“Charlotte!” Melanie sang as she and Oliver strode into the apartment one Saturday afternoon. I was sitting at the kitchen table sorting out bills when Melanie skipped in, Oliver trailing behind. “I found yeh a lad!”

My head snapped up and I furrowed my eyebrows. “Come again?” Rolling her eyes, Mel repeated herself.

“’is name’s Andrew. ‘e’s a photographer, works for some magazine,” she explained, waving her hand. I sighed and set the cable bill down.

“And how did yeh meet him?” I asked her tentatively, not liking this idea whatsoever. She grinned and I feared for the worst.

“e’s a friend of Olleh’s.” I looked at Oliver who was smirking slightly at Melanie. Then he looked at me and the events of last week played back in my head. I ducked it as I felt my cheeks burn.

“e’s a good guy, Char. Wouldn’t let Mel hook yeh up wiff ‘im if ‘e weren’t,” he reassured me, nodding once. I twisted my mouth to the side as I continued to look at the tabletop.

“I dunno,” I drawled, glancing back up at Melanie. She was pleading me with her eyes again and I resisted the urge to roll my own. “I’m not a big fan of blind dates.”

“Please, Char? Yeh never go out unless it’s wiff Olleh and me or Tom. Yeh ‘aven’t been on a date in who knows ‘ow long,” she listed off on her fingers.

“Yeh know why that is!” I snapped, my gaze turning fierce. Melanie ignored it.

“Would it kill yeh to go on one date wiff Andrew?” she begged. This time, I let myself roll my eyes. “If yeh don’t like ‘im, yeh never ‘ave to see ‘im again.”

“That won’t be necessary because I’m not going to see him at all,” I told her, scooting back in the chair so I could stand up.

“Can yeh not be so bloodeh difficult?!” Melanie cried, throwing her hands in the air as I walked by her. I spun around and glared at her.

“Can yeh stop trying to help me with shit I don’t need help with?!” I snapped back.

“I jus’ wanna see yeh happeh, Char!” she protested, stepping closer to me so she could wrap her hands around my upper arms. I ripped them out of her grip and took two steps backwards.

“I am happy, Melanie! I don’t need a boyfriend to make me happy, unlike yeh!” Without a second thought, I spun on my heel and stormed away from Melanie and Oliver. I made a point to slam my bedroom door.

I threw myself face-down on my bed and crawled up to my pillows, burying my head in them. I knew Melanie’s intentions were for my own good, but I didn’t need help in finding a boyfriend. Well, maybe I did, but that was only if I wanted one, which I didn’t unless it was a certain tattooed lead singer. I hadn’t meant for that last bit about Melanie to come out, but I was angry and I couldn’t control the word vomit. I knew I’d probably hurt her feelings, for which I felt guilty, but my statement had been true. Melanie was never truly happy unless she had a guy on her arm. She thought that with the perks of having a boyfriend, complete happiness came hand-in-hand.

That is, until they cheated on her or broke it off too soon for her liking.

I didn’t move when a knock sounded at my door. I was expecting Melanie to come apologize for trying to set me up with someone against my will, but when I muttered a ‘come in’ and Oliver appeared in the doorway, all expectations flew out the window.

“’ey,” Oliver greeted softly. I smiled a little back and waved him in. He shut the door behind him and shuffled over, seating himself on the edge of my bed.

“I’m sorry yeh had to witness that,” I muttered, feeling like I owed him an apology for Melanie’s and my behaviors.

“It’s fine. Best friends fight. It ‘appens.” He shrugged. “But can I ask why yeh won’t give ‘im a chance?”

I sighed and sat up. “It’s not that I don’t want to give him a chance. I just…don’t want help with this kind of stuff. Just because Melanie’s happy with someone, with yeh, doesn’t mean I have to be. Yeh know? I’m tired of her thinkin’ I need a guy in my life. I have Tom, and the rest of the band, and yeh. I don’t need a boyfriend.”

“She’s jus’ tryin’ to ‘elp,” he reasoned.

“I don’t need help,” I said harshly, regretting it instantly. But Oliver didn’t seem fazed and he kept his eyes on me. “Sorry for snapping. I’m just sick of people helping me with stuff I don’t need help with.”

“Well, judgin’ by what Mel said, yeh ‘aven’t been on a date in a while,” he said carefully, fearing he was treading on soft ground. I tried to keep my composure; the topic about which he was asking was a soft spot for me and every time it was brought up, I was overly emotional.

“I haven’t. But that’s not something yeh need to worry about,” I told him, looking away. I felt his hand on my back. My stomach lurched and a blush crept up my neck. “I just…don’t have good luck with guys. They either decide I’m not good enough and break up with me or they cheat on me and break up with me.”

“Don’t ever believe yeh not good enough, Char. Yeh more than good enough for everyone. I know we ‘aven’t realleh spent one-on-one time wiff each other, but yeh a good person and yeh get along with everyone. Usualleh, people ‘ave a tough time gettin’ along wiff me because I’m such a proper prick.” He chuckled lightly and I cracked a smile.

“Yeh not a prick, Oliver. Yeh good to Mel and yeh a good friend to me. She’s lucky to have yeh.” I managed to keep the jealousy out of my voice; I was now able to admit to myself that I was, indeed, very jealous of Melanie – not just of what she had with Oliver, but who she had.

“Yeh know,” he said idly, leaning back on his elbows on my mattress, “yeh the onleh one who calls me Oliver besides me mum.”

I shrugged. “I just think it suits yeh. I’ve never been one to use nicknames, unless it was for Mel.”

“I think Olleh wouldn’t sound right comin’ from yeh anyways,” he mused, sending me a lopsided grin. I chuckled as I looked back at him. He sat up and suddenly became very serious.

“Do me a favor. Jus’ think about seein’ Andrew. I’m not askin’ yeh to marreh ‘im. Jus’ give ‘im a chance. ‘e realleh is a good guy.” He put his hand on my shoulder before he stood up and walked out of my room. I sighed as I watched him leave and close the door behind him.

I wasn’t so sure about this.