Loverboy

Charlie

“You’re going to have to pick who you want to share with though, me or Blaine?”

I explained to Scarlet as I turned my key in the door lock to the apartment, pushing against the door slightly with my shoulder I managed to jar the stiff door open to the clutter held inside. Scarlet smiled before slipping into the apartment, glancing around quickly before turning to look at me with a smirk on her rosy pink lips.

“You! No offence but Blaine will just fuck anything with a pulse. He’s so inconsiderate”

She scoffed before running over to the sofa and jumping onto it kicking her legs over the side of the arm, making my way over to the fridge I opened it and pulled out two cans of Relentless before chucking one over to Scarlet who caught it in her hand, her baby blue eyes never leaving the television.

“You call it inconsiderate, I think it’s arrogance…but whatever floats your boat”

Jumping onto the sofa next to Scarlet I lifted her legs up and placed them on my lap as she spread out across the black leather sofa. Turning the TV channels over and over she eventually left it on some random soap opera before turning her attention towards me, her blue eyes tinged with happiness.

“Let me see these photos then”

She grabbed my camera strap and carefully pulled it over my neck as I bent my head down to allow her, pressing the power button she scrolled through the last few photos I had taken. The majority being all of her, the ones from tonight and some from a few days ago; the shots comprised of fish eye shots of her skating, some with slow shutter speeds and the rest were black and white candids.

“These are really good Charlie! And I’m not just saying that because they’re all of me”

She winked before squinting her eyes and pursing her lips to study some of the photos in a greater depth. Shortly I noticed I was staring at her a bit too intently, Scarlet has been my best friend for way over 17 years now and she had yet to find out that my feelings towards her had surpassed the friendship stage.

She always came to me when she had trouble with her parents because I was the only one that knew, Scarlet hated delving into her personal life unless it was to me, Katelyn or Millie. Majority of the time it was me she came to because I’d been a family friend for a very long time, however sometimes I’d like to think to myself that it was because she trusted me more than the others – selfish as that may seem.

“Mhhhm I don’t know I just can’t seem to get the right shots to show in my portfolio. I really need to get a job soon because Blaine is doing absolutely ape shit to pay for this rent”

Feeling Scarlet shift uncomfortably beside me I noticed the worry etched onto her placid complexion, realizing I had spoken before thinking I grasped onto my camera and took it back, resting my hands on her thigh before reassuring her.

“Scarlet don’t worry I’m not going to expect you to chip in for rent. You’re my best friend I’m not going to do that to you, Blaine however…”

Scarlet let an exasperated and exhausted sigh pass through her lips before she smiled at me in gratitude. Giggling at my comment about Blaine she shifted her weight closer towards me before resting her head on my shoulder, playing with my dog tags that she had made me as a present one birthday, in her fingers.

“Why is everything so fucked up?”

“Because nothing is ever perfect, everything is fucked up”

I reasoned with her rubbing my hand along her arm in a comforting manner before our attention was gained by the slamming of the apartment door. Leaning my head back on the sofa I saw Blaine stumble in drunk from another night on the town, he gained his composure ever so slightly when he noticed the female presence belonging to Scarlet beside me.

“Dude…Word”

When Blaine was drunk he tended to communicate in only a very few words as possible. Recently he had been going out way more than he should have, mainly with West and only came back to the apartment for food, sleep or a shower – I was beginning to get worried.

Blaine was the one out of all of us that simply doesn’t give a fuck; responsibility is a word that doesn’t exist in his vocabulary. He doesn’t have a secure job and only relies on the money the band make from performing small shows, which in all honestly is hardly enough to buy a six pack of coca cola – most of the shows they do for free.

“What Blaine?”

“What’s Scar doing here, you told her you like her yet?”

He winked suggestively, nudging me in the side as I placed my hand over his mouth to silence him in case Scarlet overheard.

“She staying for a couple of weeks don’t ask why. No I haven’t and you’re not going to tell her are you?”

I stated to Blaine trying to sound as threatening as possible, but failing drastically in the process. Blaine drunkenly pushed my arm of his shoulder which at this point was the only aid he had at standing still and upright.

“Whatever dude! But if you don’t tell her soon…I’m going to have to have a go with her myself”

“Blaine go to bed….you owe me rent to!”

I shouted to the retreating, swaying figure as he waved me off and made his way over to his room. Stopping halfway Blaine bent down and pressed a sloppy kiss to Scarlet’s cheek, immediately she began wiping his germs off her cheek with my hoodie sleeve as he muttered a goodnight to us both.
“Ew Blaine that’s gross, you’re gross”

“Whatever night Scar”

Once he had shut his door I returned to my spot on the sofa next to Scarlet, who by this time was exhausted and showed it by trying to stifle the yawn spreading on her entire face. Laughing I got up off the sofa and extended my hand out for her take; she took it graciously and stood up to meet me.

“Come on let’s find you something to sleep in”

Following me into my bedroom she accepted the t-shirt and boxer shorts I had handed to her. She didn’t even make me turn around and stripped down to her bra and knickers in front of me, slipping on the boxers and t-shirt before jumping under the covers of the bed with me.

“Thanks for letting me stay Charlie”

She whispered softly as she cuddled up to me for warmth – oh if only she knew how I felt about her. Wrapping my arms around her body tightly I took in the scent of her strawberry perfume before responding.

“You’re welcome Scarlett, but one thing…when did you get that tattoo on your leg?”

Burying her head into my neck I noticed the rouge tint that had rushed into her cheeks.

“Oh shit, you saw that?”