Charlie & Her Beta

Eleven

Charli groans after her friend Marcus tripped her and she fell to the mat. He walks over laughing and holds out his hand to help her up, but as he comes closer Charli uses her leg to his out from under him making him fall down beside her.

“You little witch.” He growls, “human actually.” She corrects and he squints his eyes at her and they both share a laugh. “I don’t know what you are, but you are definitely not a human.” He tells her humorously. “Alright.” Charli says laying back down on the mat, “I think I need to call it a night, I have an Anatomy test tomorrow.”

“Fineeee.” Marcus grumbles. “Tomorrow same time?” he asks her jumping to his feet. He holds his hand out to help her up again and he can see she is considering knocking him down again and he arches his eyebrow. “I thought you said you were done?” he teases, Charli takes his hand, and he pulls her up effortlessly. “I am and yes, same time tomorrow.” She tells him feeling tired.

The icy wind penetrates her skin as soon as Charli walks outside the warm gym to get back to her dorm all the way on the other side of the campus. “I should have brought a jacket.” she complains out loud to herself as she takes off in a jog.

The sports bra and matching leggings that Gretchen picked out for her on their last shopping trip provide no insulation whatsoever, but she got out of class late and was in such a rush to get to the gym she forgot to grab her sweater off the couch when she left.

“Hey girl!” Gretchen calls from the kitchen as Charli turns to lock the door behind her. “Please tell me you didn’t walk home like that.” she scolds and Charli laughs, “I forgot my sweater on the couch.” she admits, and Gretchen rolls her eyes at her.

Gretchen is a year older than Charli and has become a bit of a mother hen so to speak but Charli doesn’t mind as she knows it’s Gretchen's way of showing that she cares.

“I was late getting out of class today soooo I made pizza rolls for dinner,” she tells Charli laughing “there in the microwave.” she finishes gesturing in that direction. “Thanks Gretchen you're the best!” She tells her roommate who she has become quite close with these last few months.

“I promise they’re not that good.” Gretchen teases as she takes a seat at the little bistro table with a plate of her own and she starts tidying the papers she has spread across the tabletop so that Charli can sit with her.

“So,” Gretchen starts in right away, “how was ‘training’ with Marcus today?” she teases, and Charli laughs nearly choking on the pizza roll she just popped into her mouth. She takes some extra time to chew before answering Gretchen back. “He’s good.” She gives her a boring answer knowing anything more Gretchen would use as ammo to tease her even more than she already does.

“Just good tonight huh not great? Or even mind blowing.” She says laughing. “For like the 100th time there is nothing going on between me and Marcus.” Charli tells her as she pushes another pizza roll in her mouth. “Uhhh these are so good!” Charli didn’t realize how hungry she really was until she took her first bite. “Just good huh,” Gretchen teases and Charli reaches over the table and steals one of her pizza rolls.

“Hey! Thats against the rules.” she playfully pouts making Charli laugh. “Not that its a bad thing but maybe Marcus is gay . . .” Gretchen says, and Charli nearly spits her food out not having expected her to say that. “What makes you think that?” Charli chokes out as attempts to swallow her half-chewed food.

“Hear me out,” Gretchen starts leaning in with a serious expression, “Almost every weeknight for the last two months, you’ve come home all sweaty in a sexy little get up.” she says waving her hand at Charlis clothes. “And nothing, he’s never made a move according to what you’ve told me.” she says leaning back in her chair nodding, pleased with her deduction. “These are gym clothes!” Charli retorts defensively laughing.

“We are sparring! I’ve invited you to come watch.” I tell her haughtily and she shakes her head “no thank you,” Gretchen says tossing her last pizza roll into the air and catching it in her mouth. “By the way Kenneth is coming over tonight.” Gretchen sings taking Charli’s empty plate and throwing them both in the sink.

“Speaking of Sparring.” Charli teases and Gretchen grins. “We’re just friends . . .” Gretchen says twirling her hair “yes . . . with very loud benefits.” Charlie says acting unamused, but it was true that there has been more than a few nights she’s been kept up by Gretchen’s late-night activities with her ‘friends.’

“Try not to be too loud, some of us have tests tomorrow,” she tells Gretchen with a smile. “How very vanilla.” Gretchen teases, coming to sit back down at the table. “Speaking of vanilla, how would you like to join me and a few friends in the cafetiera tomorrow night and grab some ice cream?” she asks with a wink,

“I have some very handsome friends that would love to meet you my very beautiful friend.” Gretchen tells her playfully. “I am meeting Marcus tomorrow.” Charli tells her blandly and Gretchen reaches over the table and grabs Charli’s hands. “Come on Arli pleaseeeee . . .” she pleads with puppy eyes, “you always say no, come just this once and I promise you will have so much fun!” she promises, and Charli lets out a deep sigh

“I really can’t tomorrow, I’m meeting Marcus’s wolf for the first time . . .” “Uhhhhhhhh” Gretchen groans making Charli laugh “but I promise I will go with you next week.” She says and Gretchen stops whining and looks over at Charli surprised.

“Really! You can’t take it back now it’s too late!” Gretchen says excitedly. “Really now please let go of my hand, I need to go get in the shower before your special friend arrives.” Charli says and Gretchen's lets go of her hands dramatically. “Of course, my best little ice cream buddy.” she teases as Charli closes the door to her room.