“Bringing this back for them,” she said, holding up her tote bag as evidence.
“Oh. So I didn’t hear someone on your team drunkenly proclaiming that the great Lucky Lajoie is out there getting lucky last night?”
Charlie sighed. “I’m going to kill Plaker.”
Blake laughed and clapped her on the shoulder, leading her towards the exit with them.
“I’m happy for you, Char. Can I call you Char?”
“Please don’t.” They tried it every now and again, and every time, they were unceremoniously shut down.
“Damn, I thought today was the day. Anyway, I’m so happy to see this new, sexual side to you.”
“Ew. You are not seeing anything. I would never show that to you.” Charlie curled her lips in disgust—not because Blake was unattractive, but because they were moved to the corner of Charlie’s brain where she categorized them like a sibling.
Not that she could ever tell them that. They’d probably buy her a cake for such a declaration of strong, heartfelt emotion.
“How rude. You know you can join my roster at any time,” they said without any hint of embarrassment, or seriousness. They knew as well as she did that joining theirrosterwas not something that would happen in this lifetime.
Charlie shook their hand off her, but slowed down their walk as they approached the lodging set aside for female competitors. It was bullshit that they had to adhere to these arbitrary rules, and Blake was a far better human than Charlie for putting up with it.
“Thank you for your support. It’s… complicated right now,” Charlie said.
Blake stopped, surprise plainly on their face. Perhaps they were shocked at Charlie’s rare bit of sincerity.
“Complicated how?”
“I am already way too into her, and she clearly does not like me in that same way.”
Blake winced while Charlie struggled not to frown. Clearly it must have been bad if Blake, of all people, was sympathizing with her. God, just how pathetic did she look?
“Well, do you know why?” they asked after a moment of silence.
“She said she’s just here on vacation and she was dumped right before coming here, which is why she’s here on a solo trip. I guess if I was her, I wouldn’t want to rush into anything either.”
“Then what’s the rush? Can’t you both just be having a fun time, and that’s that?”
“Yes but… I like her. Really like her.”
Blake clapped their hands. “Oh my God. Charlie ‘Lucky’ Lajoie has a crush. That is so adorable.Adorable!”Blake screamed the last word out, earning us confused looks from all the other athletes streaming by.
“This is why I can’t tell you anything.” Charlie huffed.
“Your secret is safe with me, but that is so cute. Seriously. I know it’s hard, but just… go with the flow. You know you don’t have to control everything in your life, right?”
“I know that. In fact, it’s what I like most about being with her.” The words came out before Charlie could examine what they meant, and Blake screamed again, slapping her on the arm.
“You dirty dog, I had no clue that’s what you were into.”
Charlie shook her head and started walking backwards towards the building, eager to escape the questions that would be inevitable with this accidental slip.
“And youdon’tknow, because I will never tell you.”
Charlie stuck her tongue out and ran away, beating Blake to the elevator and closing it behind her. She didn’t bother paying any attention to the team in the elevator, though she could feel their incredulous looks. Charlie blushed but didn’t bother toexplain, and when the elevator arrived to her floor, she walked out as if she was acting perfectly rationally.
When she reentered her room, Charlie was delighted to find Olive already dressed in the clothes she had laid out for her, scrolling through her phone as she rested against the headboard.
“I texted you, but you left your phone here. I heard it buzz,” Olive said as she glanced up and spotted Charlie. She smiled, and despite the confusion Charlie was still battling, she easily returned it.
