"Charlie..." I hesitate. "Did he-"
"No." She cuts me off gently. "He didn't do anything wrong, you know, besides disappearing the next morning."
Silence stretches between us again. Not sharp. Just heavy.
"It made you feel used," I say softly. It isn't a question. I knew the feeling.
Her mouth tightens, just slightly.
"I'm not interested in being someone's tally mark."
The words land quietly, but they land.
I feel something hot and protective rise in my chest.
"I hate that it was him," I admit. "I hate that it's my brother who made you feel like that."
She shrugs, like it doesn't matter.
But it does.
She draws her knees up slightly under the covers, staring at the wall instead of me.
We sit in silence for a moment, neither one saying anything and then she say something so quietly, I have to strain to hear it. And then I think I misheard her.
"What?"
"I thought I was pregnant." Charlotte says again quietly.
I stop, turning to face her in the bed but she won't look at me.
"Turns out I can't have kids." She laughs sardonically. "It's like my body fails me at every turn."
"Does-" I pause, unsure what I'm trying to say. "Does he know?"
"No." She says quietly, so quietly I almost don't catch it. "He doesn't know." She looks at me then, pleading. "Don't tell him. I don't want anyone knowing."
"Charlotte."
"It was a one-time thing. A mistake." She shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. He doesn't need to know, it's not like I was pregnant anyway, not really. And now," she doesn't finish the sentence, dropping back to curl up and hug my pillow to her. "It doesn't matter. I've come to terms with it."
I move beside her, curling up and facing her in the bed.
"You know I love you, right? That I will always be here for you?" I say softly, not knowing how to make her feel better. Doubting I can. "And I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me."
She doesn't say anything, doesn't look at me but she reaches for me, fingers curling around my hand and she squeezes.
Then so softly. "I know."
We stay like that for a moment before she's stirring up, wiping at dry cheeks.
"Now, tell me everything. How did Asher get you to like him back?
"Wait, you knew he liked me?"
She blinks back at me. "You didn't? You never wondered why team meeting were always held at your place instead of ours? Even though Asher is the captain and mum would have loved to host?"
"I didn't pay that much attention. I didn't see him like that, he was just Asher, your brother."
