Aaliyah focused back on Charlotte but of course, she was already on another topic.

“...so the dress I was wearing broke,” her face flushed, “Moving on from that. Oh, have I mentioned the pastries I—”

“I’m sorry but could you please say that again?”

She frowned, “Were you not listening?”

A bit of guilt went through her. “No no of course I was,” she lied. “Something just caught my attention over your shoulder for a brief second, and I would hate to miss anything you have said.”

That caused Charlotte to smile at her. “Oh okay. As I was saying, my pastries are amazing—”

“Yes. I know.” She winced at her tone and softened it before continuing, “I agree with you, your desserts must be the best. Even though I haven't tried any, I just know how amazing they would taste.

She hated sweets.

But Charlotte was beaming at her, her grin so wide that Aaliyah felt another pang of guilt before she spoke again. “What was it you were saying just before that?”

“Oh...about how my dress broke?” her cheeks were red, “W-well about that, it doesn't matter how it happened.

"It was my favorite dress. My boyfriend was so mad that I tore it and I was scared that he would h—I mean, he spent a lot of money on that dress. And oh you must be wondering where I got it…”

Aaliyah was, in fact, not wondering where she got it but she didn’t have the heart to stop her. Charlotte seemed so happy to talk to her as if she hadn't talked to someone in years. 

“...so that’s where I got it.” 

She stopped speaking.

“Ahh, what was your question?” She laughed nervously, so sure she missed something Charlotte had asked her.

“What do you mean?" she stared at her in confusion. "I didn’t ask you one. I just ran out of things to say.” 

Aaliyah’s eyes widened.

Impossible.

I guess even Charlotte couldn’t talk forever.

She had to seize this rare opportunity before it went—her eyes zeroed in on Charlotte's opening mouth. 

“Stop!” Aaliyah panicked, her hand automatically going up in a stopping motion.

She flinched, her arms shot up to protect her head. Aaliyah’s brows bunched in concern and she dropped her raised hand. “Are you alright?” 

Charlotte's eyes were squeezed shut and her body trembled slightly. She opened her eyes and quickly dropped her arms, face as scarlet as her hair.

“Oh…um–I just thought that you were going to—” her voice broke off and she looked away from Aaliyah’s eyes. 

Was...someone hurting her?

No matter how tedious Charlotte was, she didn't deserve to be getting hurt. No one should be in the situation that Aaliyah thought she might be in.

She took the redhead's hand in hers. “Char,” she began softly, “is something going on?”

Charlotte gripped Aaliyah's hands tightly but still, she stayed silent.

She decided to push a little further. “You can tell me. I promise you, I will do whatever I can to get you out of it.”

She sighed before letting go of Aaliyah’s hands. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“But—”

“I’m fine.” 

Aaliyah didn’t believe it. “Are you sure because even if you are a little bit unsure—”

“Really, I’m fine,” her voice was firm but Charlotte's eyes seemed to be pained. 

She smiled at her, though Aaliyah could see right through it to the pain underlying it. She knew because, how many times had she given one of those smiles? How many times did Aaliyah smile when she felt like doing anything but that? 

At one point in her life, it was one of the most difficult things for her to do, but she learned how to get good at it.

After all, four years is a long time to practice something.

Yet at that moment, Aaliyah was somewhat appreciative that her suffering could be of some use. At least it allowed her to see the pain behind Char's forced smile. 

She wanted so badly to tell Charlotte to just allow her to help but...what good would that do but just push her away?

Aaliyah would help. Somehow she was going to get to the bottom of this.

“Seriously Aaliyah, you are so sweet. Seriously."

Though she kept saying those same words, it didn’t bother Aaliyah as much anymore.

“You have been so kind, listen to me blabber about and all. I know I can talk so much to the point that I’m annoying. Charlotte sighed, “I know I have a problem because he always tells me to sh—anyways,”

It was that he again.

“I just wanted to thank you and I hope we can become…” she hesitated before her voice got very quiet, “friends?” her eyes looked so vulnerable. 

Aaliyah looked away from her, she didn't think they could be friends. It wasn’t Charlotte's fault but, she wouldn’t be good for her.

Charlotte needs someone warm and soft and sweet. Someone...

Good.

Everything that Aaliyah was not.

She exhaled. “Look....I don’t know.” 

Her hopeful face fell.

She looked down at her hands before she took a deep breath and gave Aaliyah one of her fake smiles again. “I-I mean you, of course, don’t have to. I understand. I know I am bothersome, that I’m not interesting or fun, and that I talk a lot, and that—oh goodness, I’m doing that right now, aren't I? I’m sorry."

Guilt ate away at Aaliyah from hearing her rambling. 

"I-I'll just leave you alone now, I’m sorry for bothering you"

“Please stop speaking for a second,” she had to restrain herself from covering Charlotte's mouth. Yet, she didn’t have to because the girl's mouth snapped shut. 

Aaliyah chewed on her bottom lip, as she stared down at Charlotte who was only five-foot-one on a good day.

“I think you are interesting,” she said, her words genuine. “I mean...yeah you talk a lot but that doesn't mean I don’t like you or anything. That’s just a unique characteristic you have.”

Charlotte's wilted flower look was reviving at her words.

“To be honest...I’m just worried that I won’t be good for you as a friend," Aaliyah's chest tightened. "I want the best for you and I just have a lot of baggage right now that I don’t want to drag you into.”

“I understand,” she whispered before her voice got firmer, “but I still want to be your friend. Baggage and all.”

She hesitated.

Then, “Why not?” she smiled at her, “If it doesn’t bother you, let’s be friends.”

Charlotte squealed before throwing her arms around Aaliyah, “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. You are the best!” She stiffened at the contact before relaxing into her arms. “I promise you, I’ll try really hard to be a good friend.”

“So do I.”

Over her shoulder, Aaliyah's gaze went around the beautifully decorated banquet room. They went over the mingling multitudes of elegantly dressed women and men, who wore expensive suits.

A server passed through her vision carrying sparkling champagne in a wine—

The Wine.

Someone poked Aaliyah hard on the back. Quick as lighting, she spun around, taking a hold of the offending hand in a vice-like grip.

"Now who the h*** just did that?”

Her gaze met a chin before Aaliyah lifted her eye's up higher and met mischievous brown eyes that twinkle with amusement.

“You caught me darling.”