Crooked Halos Ch. 13
by LilAngelGirl
 

Brayden grabbed the phone, still fuming from his fight with Charity. "What?" He blurted into the phone.
"Is Chad there?" A tiny voice whimpered.
"Yeah, who’s this?" He questioned.
"Tell him it's Theresa." She answered back.
"Oh, the girlfriend?" He asked.
"I really need to talk to him." She said again.
"Fine. Hang on."
Bray shook his head. "These people live complicated lives." He grumbled walking up the stairs the phone in his hand.
~*~*~*~*~

Chad suddenly pulled away from Charity and stood up. "What did I just do?" He said looking down at her.
Tears trickled down her face. "We messed up again." She told him.
"I shouldn’t have done that." He said looking at her.
"I kissed back." She reasoned.
"I’m so sorry Charity, I’m such a jerk. Here I am trying to figure out why my life is so horrible, and I make it worse. You just realized your father is dead and I go and kiss you."
"Chad, we were both upset. It just happened." She sighed. "We needed someone."
"No! It shouldn’t have happened. I love Resa, and I kissed you!"
"Chad don’t do this." Charity said standing up.
His eyes widened. "I am a Crane." He frowned. "I did just what Julian would have done."
Charity grabbed him by the arms. "No your not! Chad Harris you are a good man. I kissed you back, don’t forget that! It was just something that happened. It doesn’t mean you are like Julian Crane! It only means we’re human."
"So I’m not like him?" He asked his voice softening. He needed someone to tell him he was a good guy, that no matter what happened he’d never be like Julian. Looking at Charity he knew she would be honest.
"No. But you are a good kisser." She teased finally making him smile.
"You think so?" He laughed blushing.
Charity laughed. "Well I can only remember kissing three guys in my life, and I kissed two of them tonight." She sighed. "But yeah Chad, it was a sweet kiss."
"And it will never happen again." He said looking at her.
"No, never again." She agreed.
"Wait two guys tonight? You mean Brayden?" He asked.
She rolled her eyes. "It was a front for his parents."
"Oh." Chad answered back, Bray and Charity confused him, he saw chemistry between them, but they couldn’t stay in the same room for more than a second without fighting.
"Yeah, but I still can’t stand him." She said tossing her hair to the side.
"Hey are you okay?" Chad asked wiping a tear from her face. This girl had become his best friend and he felt the need to protect her. As strange as it was, they needed each other.
Charity looked at Chad and frowned. "You mean about my father?"
He nodded. "He’s dead. The funny thing is I can’t remember him and it still hurts."
Chad took her in for a hug. He felt like a jerk, but for some reason Charity understood him. "You will remember him!"
"I hope so. I just can’t believe he died. I have no parents Chad. They are both dead." She said moving from him.
Brayden suddenly stormed in the room and looked at Chad. "Phone. It's Theresa." He said handing it to him.
Chad and Charity looked at each other and Charity smiled. "I’ll leave you alone."
Chad nodded. "Yeah." He said taking the phone. Why was Theresa calling? She made him leave so why call?
Putting the phone to his ear he spoke, guilt filling every bone in his body. "Resa?"
"Chad, can I come over? Can we talk?" She asked slowly.
"You really wanta talk?" He asked sitting down on the bed.
"Yes, I hate the way we left things Chad. I was out of my head. Please let me come over."
"Of course Resa."
Relief filled Theresa. "Thanks Chad. I’ll be there soon."
~*~*~*~*~

Charity stood in the hall with Bray and frowned. "Look, I’m sorry about yelling at you downstairs." She began.
"You? You’re sorry?" He asked.
"I was just upset." She admitted. "I stay upset lately."
"Well, you don’t have to leave right now." He choked out. "I was just mad at you."
"I’ll leave Brayden, I know you want me to." Charity said walking past him, but he grabbed her arm.
"Actually I wish you’d stay." He said looking down at her. "You hit all the wrong nerves Standish, but sometimes its nice having you around."
"You mean it?" She questioned forcing a smile.
"Yeah, hey you feeling okay? You look flushed."
Charity dropped her head and looked down at the floor. "I had another memory. My mother was telling me my dad had just died." She whispered. "I’m really alone in the world, and that scares me." She said honestly.
Bray frowned. "Charity will you take me up on my offer to see a doctor? It might help you figure out how to get all of your memory back."
Charity smiled. "Yeah, I’ll see the doctor." She agreed. "Thanks for helping me Brayden.
"Like I said you’re not that bad." He grinned.
"I guess you’re not a total jerk either."
"Is that a compliment coming from you mouth?" He laughed.
"Maybe. Just don’t do anything dumb or I’ll take it back."
"You can’t take it back. You said it and you can’t take it back ever." He teased.
Charity lifted her arms in the air. "Fine! I won’t take it back."
"Hey do you want to go downstairs and watch a movie with me? I hate watching them alone."
Charity smiled. "Sure, but I get to pick out the movie."
"No chick movie." Bray warned.
"Do not say Chick." Charity said giving him a warning look.
"Only if you promise you won’t pick out a girlie movie."
Charity stuck out her hand. "Deal." She laughed as Bray shook it, looking down at her. Still holding her hand in his stared at her, just as she was staring at him. Both wondering what was suddenly going on.