A Lunch Date

"I'm Charlie, and I gather that you are Aurora." Charlie flatly answered. Aurora looked similar to Talia in some respects... and somewhat familiar to him although he couldn't quite remember from where. He heard what Talia told him earlier about her past, and her openness mattered more to him than the accusations and insults of a stranger he didn't know. "Before you showed up we were going to enjoy a nice lunch together. Suddenly, you show up and just start shouting at Talia about the past, beating it like a dead horse. Last time I checked we all made mistakes am I right?" Charlie said to Aurora.

Charlie saw Talia put her head into her arm and it was as though he could feel her pain. He reached over and gave her free hand a gentle squeeze. "Talia at least has moved on, and you seem.. anchored in the past, her past. So what if she lost matches? We all do. So what if she wasn't perfect, no one is! Also, from the sound of it Talia was dealing with things all by herself when she could have used a friend. What does that say about you, hm?"

Aurora shot a look back at Charlie. Maybe he didn't get the sarcasm with her question. But then a couple of his words made her calm down a little bit. She saw him reach over and squeeze Talia's hand. And she suddenly felt really bad about what she had done. She was convinced she was right, there was no doubt in her mind about that. And Talia should've called and talked to her about what was going on instead of meeting with some random guy. But Charlie didn't seem like some random guy now. He may not know what he was talking about, but even to Aurora stomping over her sister in front of her boyfriend was a low blow.

Aurora bit the inside of her lip and didn't say anything. She was still bitter with her sister, but she couldn't argue with either of them now. She just shook her head and walked off without another word.

Talia sighed heavily, her eyes still watery but managing not to cry. She was glad Aurora finally left, and that something Charlie said had made her leave. Then she noticed the man's hand holding her own. She wasn't sure why she didn't notice it at first, but now she couldn't stop staring at it. Her face blushed up and she squeezed back with a sudden small smile. "Thank you," she whispered across the table to Charlie.

"You don't need to thank me just for sticking up for ya, its what just about anyone else would have done if they were in my position." Charlie answered as he smiled at Talia. "Are you ok Talia? Here... you look like ya need this." Charlie said as he handed Talia a napkin to wipe her very watery looking eyes.

Charlie hated to see anyone cry, but for whatever reason this really hit him. There was just something about Talia hurting like this that made him feel needed... and it had looked like Talia never had anyone who was willing to step up for her in her life. "I don't know who that was, but she had no right to talk to you like that."

Talia smiled and accepted the napkin. "Yea...I'm okay..." She wiped her eyes slightly embarrassed. "Thanks though...she was my sister, Aurora." She wasn't sure how to explain her into the story of her problems. "She tried helping me awhile back...but she did it on her own and made things worse..." It was just a great big mess. But at least now it seemed like things could be different.

Charlie nodded and did his best to let Talia speak as they sat at the table. Talia told him about some of her matches and he was impressed. She could pack a speedy punch for a small woman, and could possibly keep up with Charlie speed-wise, and they both sounded fair but not great with submissions. He also gathered that her technical skill surpassed his as well. He nodded intently as he listened, and began to constantly think of her in her old ring attire.... he'd put money on her looking phenomenal in a pink bikini, or a red one-piece bathing suit. Charlie mentioned how one time in a match he dove at an opponent outside the ring through the ropes and missed... ramming himself into the flimsy barricade. He didn't bounce off, he didn't knock it over, he actually managed to poke a hole through it and get stuck like something out of a Looney Toon cartoon.

As they finished eating, Charlie decided to walk her back to her office. "I bet you were a way better wrestler than you give yourself credit for Talia." Charlie said as they began walking. He was feeling a bit sad knowing that their date was about to end soon. "I.. I really hope you had a good time, because I know I did. Would you want to do this again sometime, or maybe even plan something for a weekend afternoon?"

Talia walked along with Charlie happily after lunch. It felt good to tell her story for once to someone that wasn't directly related to all of it. He seemed accepting of it, and it made the girl more comfortable with herself. "Maybe I was. But I dunno, I didn't really make much of it." She smiled to the question that followed. "Yea...I did have a good time. I'm not sure when I'll have time...but I'll text you when I do, okay?"

Talia then leaned forward and kissed Charlie on the cheek. "Thanks...I...I needed this."

Charlie blushed a bit as Talia kissed him. Charlie gave her a hug and leaned in to her ear, speaking queitly, but not quite whispering. "I'm glad I could help. No one should ever feel like they are alone."

Charlie loosened his hug but kept a hold of Talia's hands as he politely kissed her on the cheek. He smiled as he looked into her eyes, he swore he could get lost staring into them. "I'm also glad I got to see you smile today..." Charlie said. He wanted to add a corny line about how it brightened his day but deep down he was still in shock that things were going so smoothly with Talia. She was eye-catchingly beautiful, but that wasn't what had Charlie drawn to her.

She seemed to need someone, and was tired....no, tormented by not having someone there for her. Charlie wasn't sure why but she seemed to see something in him when most women ignored his existence. Right now more than anything, even more than getting back in the ring, Charlie wanted to be the guy who would be there for Talia. Once again, he got lost in her eyes and didn't realize that they were almost at her building.

As they came up on her building, Talia gave Charlie a pat on the arm and whispered, "I'll talk to you later, okay?" In that moment, she had completely forgotten about all the problems she had faced in the last two years. She forgot about all the bad things that haunted her and felt genuinely happy. She gave Charlie a big smile and slipped back into the office building.

As she waited for the elevator, she couldn't hide the smile on her face.

Then she remembered John Mitchel. "Oh..." She had forgotten about her promise to make plans with him. Even though she didnt think she let on anything to him, there was certainly something there in her mind. She had discussed all that with Cassie. But that'd eventually pass. She pulled out her phone as the elevator door opened and texted, "Hey, do you want to run sometime?" to John.

"Great! See ya later Talia." Charlie softly answered as he grinned ear to ear. He watched Talia go back into her building... Everything about her seemed beautiful to Charlie.

It wasn't until Charlie walked away that he felt that annoying kneebrace. He forgot about about his brace and injury completely around Talia. Hell, he forgot he traveled via walking, not gliding on air when he was with her. He happily began to make his way home, humming the old Foreigner song "I've Been Waiting For A Girl Like You" as he went.