Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Ch 2

*Just a couple of kids*

Jon had opted for Shattucks-St. Mary's in Minnesota. He was a teenager who knew his entire life was practically mapped out. He'd be financially set. All he had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride. He was what some would consider quiet with a face that seemed more serious than he actually was. He knew some of the kids playing hockey there and got to know those he didn't.

One of his teammates wanted to go out, just do something other than play hockey and Jon was completely on board. They were too young to get alcohol in a bar, but they knew how to get into the parties that served it. It was a break they desperately needed.

Jon was knocking back beer after beer when he tried to make his way upstairs in the new house he was in. Along his journey he literally ran into someone and he knew that by the way she fell backwards it was a girl. "Shit," he sighed out as he quickly spun around to help her up.

"That's all you have to say?" she said jokingly.

Jon smiled, really looking at her for the first time. "Let me help you up," he offered as he stuck out his hand.

"Well that's much better." She happily took it and pulled herself back up on her feet. "Where are you off to in such a hurry anyways? Upstairs, alone?" she gave him a side-eye.

"You could come with me if you wanted to," he raised his eyebrows clearly interested in her. He thought she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever met.

She let out a full on laugh. "No way Casanova. I'm not that girl."

"Oh you're not?" Jon said flirtatiously as he stepped closer and put his arm around her waist.

"Nope," she shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Well," he let his hand fall off her waist. "I bet if i get you liquored up I could have my way with you."

"We're kids!" she blurted out genuinely amused at his overconfidence. "I'm not even drunk! You have a long ways to go if you think that'll get you in my pants."

"Tell me your name at least," Jon breathed out.

She looked down at the ground to try and hide her smile before meeting his gaze again. "Charlotte."

"Jon," he said and took her hand in his. "Nice to meet you." He started heaving and slurring worse than he had been and Charlotte knew he was about to be really sick.

"You aren't feeling so hot are you?" she tilted her head and playfully grabbed his chin between her thumb and index finger.

"I'm fine." He tried to shake it off but he knew he was screwed. He was about to make a total ass out of himself.

"Come with me," she said with a smirk as she took him by the hand and led him up the stairs. It was quiet up there and immediately helped Jon's nausea. "Don't quit on me now," she said as she turned her head to check on him. She led him down the hallway until she got to an empty dark room and guided him to the bed. She helped take his shoes off and tucked him in under the covers and didn't leave until she had successfully placed a garbage can on the side of the bed he was going to be crashing on.

His eyes were squinty and he did whatever she guided him to do. As she tucked him in he looked at her as best he could, "Told you I'd get you upstairs."

She couldn't help smiling as she turned to leave. "Yeah Romeo, you got me," she said before closing the door. Jon fell asleep within two minutes.

When he woke up the next morning he was sick as a dog. The room was spinning, the lights were too bright and he could still taste the alcohol he'd consumed the night before. When he looked down he realized he'd been tucked in nice and well and flashed back to the girl he met on the stairs. He remembered her name was Charlotte. He remembered how beautiful he thought her eyes were. He realized he didn't know her number or where she lived or even her last name. When he looked at the floor he saw the garbage pail she'd left him and smiled before hurling over and using it. He was pissed he would probably never see her again.

Jon made his way to the door and cracked it open trying to figure out where his friends were, if anyone was even still there, where the hell he actually was. He walked to the stairs where he'd met Charlotte and started to make his way down. He looked around slowly and hesitantly made his way to the kitchen where he heard some commotion. When he looked around the corner he heard his name.

"Well, well, well, he's alive." Jon turned his head to see Charlotte sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen sipping on a cup of tea. He instantly smiled and for a second forgot he was hungover.

"This is your house?" He asked bewildered.

Charlotte let out a giggle, "No. I wish it were. It's my brothers. He has these wild parties and I get to babysit him. He says it's payback for when we were kids and our parents used to make him babysit me."

"You let people stay here often? He's okay with that?" Jon watched as she got up and made him a cup of tea and brought it over to him.

"Here drink this. I give it to my brother in the mornings when he's had too much to drink so I know what I'm doing," she said as she shoved the warm mug in his hands. "And to answer your question, no. I don't let anyone stay but you seemed harmless and in desperate need of sleep."

Jon nodded his head. "Yeah that's the understatement of the century. You're observant aren't you," he teased.

"Hey, it's my middle name."

"Well I was right about one thing. I did get you upstairs," he flirted.

"Oh yeah you sure got me," she laughed as she looked into his eyes. "You got me to take care of you so you didn't get stranded. That's about all you'll get. I'm not one of those girls who will crawl into bed with you for a night all because you play hockey."

He looked at her surprised. "You knew?"

"I know who my brother invites and who his friends are. It's not hard to figure out."

"Fair enough. Look I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't think you were one of those girls. But if I put you off, I'm sorry. You've been more than nice to me."

"Hell yeah I have," she teased. "But yeah, it's okay. I'm not mad. At least you didn't grab at me like the other guys do."

Jon's eyes widened. "They do that?"

"When they've had too much to drink, but I can handle my own."

"Well I'll be here whenever I know about it to keep an eye on you. No one will touch you on my watch."

"Jon, you're going to take on the older guys my brother's friends with? Good luck with that! I appreciate the offer but I'm fine."

"Okay, okay. I do owe you for last night." He looked down and gave a serious puppy face. "Friends then?"

"Sure." She nodded her head and confirmed with a handshake. "Friends."

Who would have known that promise would hold even eight years later.

*Present Day*

Charlotte woke up in her bed with a wicked hangover. The lights were too bright, her stomach was queasy, the softest of noises sounded like a freight train. She pushed her covers off of her to see that she was in her pjs and looked over the bed to see a garbage can waiting for her in case she needed it. She smiled to herself before whipping her feet onto the ground and stabilizing herself.

She walked out of her room and let out a groan immediately putting her hand on her forehead.

"Good morning sunshine." She didn't need to look to know who that was.

"Morning Jon." The act of speaking physically hurt her.

"How are we feeling this morning?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm dying right?" She winced at him and he took her by the arm and led her to the chair in the living room before walking into the kitchen and grabbing her a mug. "Here," he said as he shoved it into her palms. "You know what to do."

"I'm never drinking again," she groaned out before gaining the courage to look up at him. "Thanks for staying here last night. I'm sorry if it interfered with your plans."

Jon paused a moment before shaking his head. "It's no worry. Someone had to take care of you last night."

"Yeah," Charlotte sighed. "About that. Where was Patrick?" She flickered her eyes down to her ring and then shot them up at Jon who she could tell did the same thing.

He shrugged. "He gave some sob story about being drunk and not wanting to puke all over your house. I don't know. You know how he is when he's had too much." Jon didn't think it was a good enough excuse but he wasn't about to cause any trouble. He could see the sadness in her eyes as she started at the ground and sipped her tea.

"I see his point I guess," she said after she'd swallowed. "It works out better for me. You know how to take care of me better," she said looking into his eyes before adding, "well in this situation anyway."

"Is that right?"

"Well, I've known you since I was sixteen. I moved here to be closer to you when it was time to go to college. You know that would never happen if I didn't trust you entirely. I'd say so. But you tell me."

"Char, I know you better than anyone. Which is why I'm going to tell you something you already know-- that he should have been here last night."

Charlotte nodded in agreement. "I know. I'll talk to him. It was a long crazy day though. I mean, he proposed. He's probably nervous about losing his freedom, it's fine he took a night to himself."

Jon rolled his eyes and gave a fake smile. "If you think so."

"I mean look at this ring," she said as she held up her hand. Jon hesitated before he finally laid his eyes on it. "He gave me this ring. He did a good job," she said approvingly.

Jon bit his tongue to keep her from knowing what he did. He'd picked out the thing. Pat came to him when he was thinking about proposing and asked him to go ring shopping with him. Jon didn't want to, but he agreed to go. The ring Patrick originally wanted to get Char was horrible. Okay, not horrible, but not Charlotte. If Jon was going to lose his best friend to another friend of his, he wanted her to at least like the jewelry.

"Jon what's wrong?" she looked up at him confused. He knew that look. She wanted answers and she was going to get them.

"Nothing," he shrugged.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the chair with her. "Talk to me."

He looked down at the ground as she nuzzled into him. "You really want to know?"

Charlotte nodded her head.

"And you won't laugh?"

"Never."

"I'm happy for you," he wasn't sure if that were entirely true. "But I feel like I'm losing my best friend."

Her eyes widened and she pulled him into a comforting hug. "You think you're losing me?"

"Well," he shrugged and nodded his head. "Yeah. You're getting married now. Things are different."

"Things will never change that much. I'll always be here for you. We've known each other too long, it'd be too hard now to find new friends."

"You're sure?" he asked again.

"Of course. Plus you have Rose. That's getting serious isn't it?"

"Uh, I guess. I don't know. I like her."

"You've been together a year, Jon. You've gotta feel more for her than that."

His gaze was still on the ground, his mind filled with uncertainties as he sat on the small chair with her. "I know and I do. But I'm nowhere near proposing."

"You don't need to be. But when you are I'll support you."

He puffed out air, "Yeah, because you're my best friend. Right?" His tone was more sarcastic than he intended it to be.

"Yup," Charlotte nodded before nuzzling into him for stability. "That's what friends are for."