Just that stupid friendship code
Charlotte’s POV
“I think this dress was made for you,” Gavin said, spinning me gently by the hand in front of a long mirror. “It hugs all the right places.”
I looked at my reflection and smoothed my hands over my stomach. “Thanks. But for a wedding, I should probably go with something brighter.”
“You do not need colour to get attention. Your face and that body? People will look either way.” His eyes met mine through the glass, and I gave a small smile that I did not really mean.
“You always know what to say, don’t you?” I replied as I reached back to unzip the black dress. His compliment felt heavy in the air.
“You deserve to hear it, Charlotte. You are stunning,” he said, stepping closer. That nickname. Charlotte. It used to make my heart race, but now it just reminded me of someone else. Someone I was trying very hard not to think about.
“Let me help.” He gently moved my hands away and slid the zipper down. His eyes never left mine in the mirror. Something about the way he was watching me made my skin crawl. Not in fear, just... discomfort. Like I was being studied, not admired. And in that moment, I could not stop myself from remembering how different it felt when Luther looked at me. The warmth, the rush, the way it always seemed to settle deep inside me. I blinked hard and forced myself back into the present. “Thanks,” I said shortly, turning around to let him know I needed a moment alone.
“I still have one more to try,” I added, pointing to the last dress.
“Right,” Gavin chuckled, then stepped out of the changing room.
I did not change right away. Instead, I sank onto the small seat in the corner and pressed my hands to my face. There was no point pretending anymore. Luther was still on my mind. Even now. Kate had told me to bring Gavin along, said it would annoy Luther if he found out. She was supposed to come with Loveth to help me pick a dress for Mum’s wedding. But she insisted Gavin’s presence would sting more.
“I hate this,” I whispered into my palms. The ache in my chest had not left since I returned home. Mum never asked why I came back, or why I had been wearing something else that night. I had not even told her I thought her brother-in-law staged the break-in just to get to me.
“Everything alright in there?” Gavin’s voice came from the other side of the door, pulling me back.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, just a moment.”
This time, I changed quickly. My eyes were red, and my lips dry. I looked tired. I was tired.
I stepped out and looked at myself. The sky-blue dress had a deep neckline, soft fabric that clung too well. I had barely taken a step when I heard Gavin behind me.
“Oh... wow,” he breathed.
His eyes dropped to my chest, and I instantly knew why. The dress barely covered anything, and the material was so light it left nothing to the imagination. I crossed my arms, feeling exposed. Then Gavin licked his lips.
That did it. Regret hit me hard. I should never have listened to Kate. I should not have brought him here. This was a mistake from the start.
“This is perfect,” Gavin said, gripping my upper arms as if he had just discovered gold.
I stiffened. His touch made my skin crawl, like something unwanted brushing against me. I stepped back, trying to keep calm.
“No. This will only bring the wrong kind of attention,” I said, shaking my head.
He laughed softly. “I will be your plus one, remember? With me there, the press will show up either way. And in that dress? You will look like you just stepped off a runway. They will eat it up.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from snapping. Every word out of his mouth made me want to scream, but I had no one to blame but myself. I had asked him to come, thinking it would make Luther jealous. I had let my feelings push me into this mess.
The wedding was only a week away. There was no backing out now. I would have to find a way to get through it with Gavin hovering beside me.
“I cannot wear this,” I said plainly, pulling the dress away from my chest.
His smile faded for a second. “Fine. We will keep looking until you find something you like.” His voice dipped, cold beneath the surface.
For a brief moment, his expression changed. His eyes hardened, almost dark. But just as quickly, he forced a smile, one that did not reach his eyes.
It sent a chill through me.
***********************************
“So, how did it go?” Kate asked later that evening as we sat in my bedroom.
“How did what go?” I raised an eyebrow, watching Loveth quietly switch on my laptop from across the room. The two of them had stopped pretending to hate each other, for the sake of the wedding and our friendship.
“Your little shopping date with Mr. CEO,” she teased, stretching the title with a smirk. “You have not even shown me what he got you.”
“I did not buy anything,” I said at once. Loveth gave me a thumbs-up behind her back while Kate gasped like I had just broken some sacred rule.
“Oh, come on! Why now?”
“I didn’t find anything I liked. Besides, there are still a few days left.”
“Charlotte, we are talking about your mum’s wedding,” she said, her voice sharpening with concern. “Your dress needs to be perfect. You cannot wait until the last second.”
“I know, Kate..,” I murmured, avoiding her gaze.
“It did not work, did it?” she said quietly, finally naming what we were both thinking. She shifted on the bed and placed a pillow on my lap.
“I told you it wouldn’t,” Loveth muttered from the corner, now playing Waterfall by Sia on my laptop.
“Shut up and let her speak,” Kate snapped without looking at him.
As the soft music filled the room, a heavy weight settled in my chest. Sia’s voice only made the ache worse. Everything I had done to get over Luther felt pointless. Spending time with Gavin did not make me forget Luther, it only made me miss him more. Gavin reminded me of how deep Luther had embedded himself in me. Mind, body, soul… all of it.
“I tried, Rae. I really did. But Gavin… he’s a dead end. Nothing about him pulled me in. In fact, the more I was around him, the more I wanted to run.” I sighed, rubbing my temples as the dull pressure in my head grew stronger.
“I know how you feel,” Kate said softly. Her eyes flicked over to Loveth. His shoulders stiffened. She had tried to move on from him before, especially after seeing him with other girls at school. But she never truly did.
“I think I love him, Kate,” I blurted, my voice cracking as my eyes welled up with tears. There was a sting behind my eyes, and my throat burned as I swallowed the emotion clawing its way up. All I wanted was to rewind time to a world where Luther had never entered my life.
“I know, babe. I know,” she whispered, pulling me into a hug. Her own tears shimmered in her eyes.
I pitied her. She had to smile through the pain of watching the person she loved treat her like just a friend. And still, she stayed close.
“You two don’t have anything real keeping you apart,” I said when we pulled away. “Just that stupid friendship code.”
“Charlotte…” Loveth began, but I cut him off.
“No. I don’t want to hear another excuse, Loveth. Set things straight. We cannot all be sitting here heartbroken.” I got up before either of them could speak again, grabbed my bedroom keys, and locked them inside despite their protests.
I walked straight to the backyard, needing space and air. One thought pulsed in my mind. How was I going to face Luther at the wedding? I could not avoid him, and he could not avoid me, not when it was his brother getting married. No matter what, we would see each other again. And for some strange reason, that thought… brought a little warmth to my chest.
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