We both cut ourselves off.
A beat.
Her mouth twitches but it fall quickly. "Well. That was efficient."
Relief hits so fast it almost makes me dizzy.
"I was coming to talk to you," I say quickly.
"I needed to see you," she replies. "Speak to you."
From the kitchen, Leon's voice carries. "Ivy? You forget something?"
Charlotte's eyes shift past me. She takes a small step back.
"I'm fine." I yell back, then open the door wider for her. "Let's go upstairs."
She steps in, walking straight for the stairs and bypassing the kitchen altogether.
I follow quickly behind, waving both Leon and Justin away when they poke their heads out to see what's happening.
I shut my bedroom door and then turn to her.
And suddenly it's too quiet.
Charlotte stands a few feet away from me like we're strangers who've accidentally walked into the same room.
We've never done this before.
Fought.
Stood on opposite sides of something.
I don't know where to put my hands.
"I'm sorry for lying to you. For not telling you the truth." I rush out, scared I might not get the chance to say it. "I'm sorry."
"I know," Charlotte twists her hands in her lap. "I'm sorry too."
A laugh almost escapes me. "Why are you sorry, I'm the only one that needs to apologise."
"No, you aren't. I should've spoken to you instead of waiting. And I should've spoken to you yesterday instead of reacting like I did. There's a lot I've been keeping from you."
"Seems we're both in the same boat hey?" I say quietly. "I should've told you, I didn't mean for you to find out like that. I just- I didn't know how to say it without it feeling like I was choosing him over you."
"You don't have to choose." She says quietly, sitting on the end of my bed.
I move towards, taking a seat beside her.
"I hate that it's been weird," she says finally. "Between us."
"Me too."
"I didn't know what to say. Even when I needed you, I still didn't know how to ask you to be."
There's working in her voice that has me turning to face her fully.
"You know you can tell me anything?" I urge her. "Anything, Charlie. I'm not going to think less of you, no matter what."
