Plus One. How to Catch a Cloud - xiv

A few weeks passed by without incident.

Ara would sometimes catch herself imagining that Charlie would walk through the diner door, sit at the counter seats and just watch her. But that would never happen, she chided herself. She had finally arranged for the cake to be delivered to the venue. One of her closest friends Jolene owned a bakery, and it surprised Ara that it took her this long to realize that she could have gone to Jolene all along.

Ara had called up Georgia to give updates on her progress. In turn, she got updates on what they were doing on their side: how Georgia was doing with the pregnancy and how Phoenix was working around the clock on some huge projects. The latter didn't bug Georgia so much, just yet - considering he did a lot of drafting work at home.

They still found amusement and amazement at how efficiently and quick Charlie completed his tasks; and his was longer than Ara's.

A passing comment Ara made, didn't sit well with Georgia.

"Give him a break Ara. He is making an effort, don't you see?"
Ara sighed, "Yeah I do... But I guess it's easier to not have feelings for him if I keep in mind how awful he used to be."

Georgia gasped in mock astonishment.

"So you do have some deeper feelings for him?!"
Ara rolled her eyes and whined, "Georgiaaaa..."
"Ok... ok... I just want to ask you to give him a chance to be a friend. He really cares, Ara."
"It won't matter though. Once your wedding is over, we won't see each other. What's the point?"
"Scared you might fall for him?"

Silence.

"Ara?"
"Yeah..."
"Go with your gut instinct."
"I will," she responded quietly.
"What are you thinking?"
"That being in denial isn't always the best course..."
"Uh, I could have told you that, girl."
They laughed.

"Do you think Phoenix would be mad if I ever end up being with one of his closest friends?"
Georgia thought about it for a while. She remembered his reaction to the first time Phoenix had caught Chuck with Ara. But he wasn't the Chuck they used to know; he was Charlie. Charlie who knew he wanted more out of life than partying and moving from bed to bed.

Georgia sighed, "I don't know the answer Ara. Your brother can be very unpredictable. But when we come across that path, we'll deal with it, ok?"
"So, you're good with Charlie now?" Ara asked cautiously.
"Honestly? Yes," Georgia replied, "I can see the changes he's making to take care of himself more. But not just him, though. He actually cares about how you feel."

Ara was silent on the other line.

"Just think about that, ok?"
"I will..." She replied.
"Hey Georgie..."
"Yeah?"
"Is it weird that I could want to be around Charlie so much even though he frustrates the heck out of me?"
Georgia giggled, "Yes, it's definitely possible."
"It's so weird. I love being with him, but I hate it when something I do ruins the moment."
Georgia sighed and nodded on the other end.
"I know he's different around me, but I don't want to get my hopes up for anything more than friendship. He wanted to be friends, you know?"
Georgia replied, "Yes, he told me. But why did you shoot him down?"
"It was the best way to get him out of my life quicker. After your wedding-"
"You keep mentioning that, Ara. But give yourself a chance! You guys live in the same city. Even if you guys are just friends, he'll watch you when we can't."

"I don't need a babysitter."
"Ara, you know what I meant."
"Yeah."
"Just give him a chance to have you as a friend, ok?"
"But..."
"You don't want to get hurt?"
"Georgie, you know I've never had such a strong attraction to a guy. And Charlie's the only guy who's managed to kiss me.. heck neck with me. Even if he was so drunk that he still doesn't remember a single moment of it."

"I would have thought you hated him for it."
"I didn't," Ara admitted embarrassingly.
"I only wished he was in his right mind. I always wished for this, you know? That he'd do a 360 and we'd find each other, you know? But now that it's possible, I'm scared."
"Oh Ara, how will you get what you dreamed of if you don't grab the opportunity when it's in front of you? He cares, so just let him in."
"Isn't it better if I wait for someone else?"
"What do you feel? If you feel nothing, then you should. I'm just asking you to let him be a friend to you."
"I will. I'm scared of betraying him. Knowing how I feel and entering into a friendship with him."

Knowing how Charlie felt, Georgia's heart felt more determined to get them to try being friends.
"Oh Ara, it's not so complicated. Try, you'll see."
"I will, next time we see each other," she replied.
"Ok, well-"
Georgia paused and she looked up into Phoenix's face.
Oh no.
Displeasure?

"Georgie, what's wrong?" Ara asked.
"Oh nothing, Ara. I have to go now, your brother needs something."
"Ok, I'll call you again some other day."
"Alright. Think about what we talked about ok? Bye Ara."
"Ok bye-" before she could finish her sentence...
Click.

What was that about? she asked the darkness around her.

Unsettled and unable to sleep, Ara got up and ready to go into work. With a ready excuse in her head, she went back to work to check up on the deliveries that they were expecting. She felt she had to do something or she'd go mad just thinking of ifs, and buts.

Another week went by without incident. And by incident it meant that there were no Charlie sightings whatsoever. Not even phone calls. What for, she asked herself. There was nothing else for him to update her with. This is what she wanted from him when she told him they couldn't be friends, wasn't it?

But that was before she made the resolution to be friends with him next time they crossed paths.

For the tenth time since they last saw each other, Charlie picked up his phone to call Ara but threw it aside before he could hit the 'dial' button. Running a hand through his hair, he got up from where he sat exasperated. A night drive should do him good.