CHAPTER 2
5 YEARS PREVIOUS
The first time she ever saw Charlie Madisen she knew there was something different about him. She saw him standing in the crowd of people at the latest college dance that Saturday talking to her friend Mara. To be honest, in looking at him you wouldn't think him to be anything more than what he was. He was a few inches taller than her with short brown hair, attractive but not gorgeous, but he certainly caught her eye and she didn't understand why. When she saw Mara walking towards her with two boys in tow, including the one who had strangely caught her eye, she felt her heart flutter in her chest and she got a bit nervous which was surprising.
"Ellie!" Mara said loudly over the loud music, "This is Charlie and Ryan."
Then turning to the two boys she said, "Charlie, Ryan, this is my very best friend Ellie MacIntyre isn't she fantastic."
The two boys nodded in succession and Ellie couldn't help but notice that Charlie had a hard time taking his amazing blue eyes off of her. They then wandered off with promises that the 4 would meet up later that night.
"Ellie, oh my gosh isn't Ryan just so hot! I couldn't help but go up and talk to him, and now they want to hang out, isn't that great!" Mara exclaimed.
Ellie just laughed and shook her head, "Yeah Mara, that's great, haha! It is so typical of you to drag me into your search for a new man."
"Whatever," Mara retorted, "I saw Charlie practically drop his jaw when he saw you! He is pretty cute as well, you two would make a cute couple, hint hint!"
Ellie went quiet, "Charlie is pretty attractive, I'll admit that much but I'm not sure how ready I am for anything that."
Mara just laughed, "Ellie it's not like he proposed! We're just going to hang out with them, not a big deal, I promise! Please come with me." Then turning a bit serious she said, "I know that you are wary after everything that happened last semester but it's a new semester, a new start! Let's move past that and just enjoy this."
"Ok, ok! We'll hang out, but not tonight. I am super tired."
Ellie didn't see Charlie later that night, except for a few more glimpses of him on the dance floor. Mara went to hang out with Charlie and Ryan after the dance, but Ellie went home to get some rest. She couldn't seem to get Charlie out of her head. Even as she put her head on her pillow that night the memory of those deep blue eyes seemed to penetrate her mind as she drifted into dreamland. Mara couldn't stop gushing the next day about how much fun she'd had the night before with Ryan and Charlie. Of course her and Ryan had made-out while they watched a movie, she wouldn't have put that past Mara at all, she just felt bad for Charlie, the apparent third wheel in Ellie's absence.
Despite her excitement that morning Mara calmed down while they went to church and went about their usual Sunday activities, just relaxing and hanging out with friends and roommates. While Ellie was in class on Monday morning Mara text her saying that Ryan had finally called her and wanted to hang out with her that night, nothing was mentioned about Charlie so Ellie forgot about it. Monday's were Ellie's busy day, she had four classes and a lot of homework, so she decided that night she would treat herself and go with some different friends to a music show on campus that night, since Mara was with Ryan. Halfway through the music show Ellie's phone vibrated in her pocket, Mara was calling. She didn't pick up the first time, but when Mara called again a second time Ellie excused herself from the row of people she was sitting on and left the auditorium to answer the phone.
"Mara, is everything ok?" Ellie questioned.
"Yeah it's fine, I was just wondering where you are at." Replied Mara.
"I'm at that music show in the Kirkham building on the north part of campus with some people." Ellie said.
For the next few minutes Mara just small-talked with Ellie about random stuff, Ellie felt bad for just having walked out of the show so she told Mara that she needed to go so she could finish watching the show. All of the sudden someone grabbed her around the waist, shrieking Ellie realized that it was Ryan and Mara. They picked her up and took her through the building. Her pleas and questions of what they were doing and where they were going were completely ignored. Once they got Ellie outside they jumped into the back of a car parked next to the curb, allowing Mara to sit in the front seat next to the driver, Charlie.
Charlie laughed and said "Surprise."
Ellie laughed back at him. "I thought I was getting kidnapped!"
"You were, and you are. You didn't think I was gonna just sit around with Ryan and Mara for another night while they 'do their thing' did you?" Charlie questioned.
Ellie laughed again, "While they 'do their thing' huh? Well I suppose I shouldn't subject you to that again alone, but now I have to deal with it as well!"
Ryan and Mara protested in the back and the four of them burst into laughter. They drove to what was apparently Ryan's apartment, in the basement of this man's house. They wandered down the stairs and it was decided they would watch a movie. Ellie was a bit reluctant to sit next to Charlie on the couch hoping that he didn't expect her to just make out with him like Mara had with Ryan. Charlie could sense her reluctance and led her into the kitchen leaving the other two on the couch with a movie playing in the background. They sat down on two chairs facing each other, as Ellie looked up into Charlie's eyes she realized that she felt like she had known him for a long time.
But she still was shocked when the words tumbled out of her mouth,"Charlie, what is your biggest secret?" and she was even more shocked as her hand went to his face and touched his cheek with familiarity.
He looked deep into her eyes and said, "Well it's not much of a secret I suppose since I'm not the only one who knows it... I'll tell you, but do you really want to know?"
Ellie nodded.
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