Worst Impressions

Bonus Chapter - Switzerland

The party had been a breaking point for us all.

Well, for those of us who weren't utterly blinded by a girl.

The way those girls had behaved had been abhorrent. They'd upset Chantelle on her birthday, made spectacles of themselves, made it very clear that they would rather be anywhere else, and had brought along that absolute pillock of a man who'd tried to force himself into my society.

I couldn't take any more of it.

It was easy to convince Charlie to leave for Switzerland when he'd thought that it would only be for a couple of weeks. Knowing that he would soon be back to spend time with Jenny, he'd packed his bags happily and bundled into the car between Chantelle and me, oblivious to the larger plan at play.

We'd been there for three days when I broke the news; we had no intention of returning anytime soon.

'But... but why?' he asked. 'I thought you liked it there?'

'When did I ever give that impression?' I asked.

Silence hung between us. The fire crackled in the hearth, warming the lodge in which we'd set up residence. It wasn't far from my sister's university, but she'd not yet dropped by to see us. I understood. After everything that she'd been through recently, she wanted some time to herself. As long as she was comfortable and happy, I couldn't ask for much else. Besides, she also found Chantelle to be a little... much. I had no doubt that she'd join us for dinner at some point. She might even see fit to introduce us to some of her new friends. I could only hope that they were more honest and reliable than the last group of people she'd surrounded herself with.

People who'd all encouraged her doomed relationship with that bastard.

Snow piled up on the exterior window sills and dusted the wooden terrace outside. If I'd been the sort to enjoy skiing, it would have been my idea of heaven. I didn't particularly care for Switzerland over any other country. Mostly, I was just glad that it was far away from Beth Bennett and her friends. That it was quiet.

Distance and peace were exactly what I needed to forget about her, and it was what Charlie needed to forget about Jenny.

'Look,' I said, 'when you're around people all the time it's easy to see things that aren't really there. I mean... Jenny, she was the first person that you really connected with as a friend at the school, right?'

'I suppose,' he conceded.

'And you'd just come from a school surrounded by guys.'

'Yes.'

'So, think about it. You're completely overwhelmed by these crazy girls, and you just lock onto the one girl who isn't a total psycho and then you develop a crush on her. Because that's all it is, Chaz. It's a crush. You just like her because she's normal. That's it.'

'She's not normal,' Charlie argued. It was a feeble argument tinged with sadness, but an argument nonetheless. 'She's more than that. She's just -'

'What? Pretty? Kind? Quiet? Sane?' I reeled off. 'Chaz, I know. These are all incredible traits for anyone in that nuthouse. But did she ever tell you that she wanted to go out with you? Or even that she liked you as more than a friend?'

Charlie paused. 'She... she implied -'

'Exactly,' I said.

I knew that I was manipulating him, but if I didn't then how was I meant to save him from this stupid infatuation of his? Besides, if his feelings for Jenny were as strong as he thought they were, then he would have been more vocal about it. He'd have stood up and yelled at me that I was wrong, that he was passionately in love with her.

He'd have felt that same beast deep inside awaken whenever he was in her presence, just as I had whenever I was close to Beth.

I shook my head. 'I'm sorry, but it's not love. Not for either of you. The sooner you both realise that the sooner you can both focus on studying, university, and finding the right people.'

'What if she is the right person?' Charlie asked.

God help me, I almost broke at that one.

He looked like a lost puppy and I felt like I was kicking him when he was just looking for comfort and understanding. I didn't like hurting my friend. I hated seeing him like that. But if I didn't do it, then Jenny's friends might take advantage of him. Worse, he might throw away everything that he had for her sake, and then where would he be if it really was just a fleeting crush?

I couldn't allow it.

I had to protect him.

'Chaz,' I implored, 'you need to let her go. For both your sakes. It's time to move on.'

He hunched over and cradled his head in his hands. I knew that he was crying, but I respected him too much to say anything about it. Instead, I stood from my chair and approached him. I dropped a hand onto his shoulder and squeezed firmly, reassuringly, just so that he'd know I was with him.

No matter what happened, no matter who we met, no matter what anyone said, I would always be by his side as his friend and brother to guide him and keep him safe.

I would protect his fragile heart from the dangers of falling in love with the wrong person.

And I would protect my own from that same desperate fate.

I would protect it from Beth Bennett, and I would never see her again.