Burning Heart // CL16

Fifteen

"I'm sorry, I didn't think..." I hear Charles mutter next to me as we walk quickly through the hallways back to our room to change. We were second out on the runway because we both need to get changed to go again before they all do their walks together / apart with their partner. Charles is having to do two walks because it's his home Grand Prix and as his 'partner' for the night, here I am. Walking just in front of him as his hand hovers just above the small of my back, sensing that to actually put a hand on me would be a huge mistake.

"What's new for you? I don't care," I lie as I shake my head at his words taking a sharp left so that we're in the room. I'm already half out my dress within a second as someone holds up the diamanté covered nude mini dress, something I wouldn't normally wear but as part of a fashion charity show...sure. It helped that it was stunning as one of the girls helped me into the dress and before I could help it I was looking over towards Charles who was now topless and I realised that he was actually changing suits as well from a classic black tux to a bright red suit jacket and trousers matching combination, a white shirt designed to be unbuttoned to his mid chest was currently sat on a hanger next to him.

I have to blink to get myself to look away, the image of him in his boxers burnt painfully clearly into my mind.

As I'm sure me in my nude underwear was in his, given the way he was watching closely as I got into the dress. They do a fantastic job of turning it all around faster than I thought was possible as they help make sure that the dress is lying on my body in a way to disguise yet also accentuate the 'nude' effect and they do all this while changing the hairstyle into that of a slicked back low ponytail - very different to what came before.

I have to admit that even I'm aware of how hot I look in the dress which reminded me of the longer version that I think it was Kylie Jenner wore to the MET Gala a few years ago and instantly I know why I had been requested to walk this with Charles.

As I'm checking my full look out in the mirror I see Charles come up behind me adjusting his collar as he checks us out standing next to each other. If I thought I looked hot... then we looked...whatever the level above that was. I asked for someone to fetch my phone and the moment it was in my hand I lifted it in front of us taking a photo and Charles immediately went into pose mode as did I. I watched as he hovered his hand above my waist to make it look like he was holding as he was clearly too intimidated by the dress before letting out a determined sigh and placing it down gently but firmly. I keep my eyes on my phone, ignoring the urge to drop it, as I repositioned myself so that I was half in front of him before snapping several photos and taking a selfie. I don't even know why I took them but I guess it was reflex for stuff like this. I tried to step away and look down at my phone and the photos in privacy but he didn't drop his hand, keeping it like a vice on my waist and unfortunately, he'd worn me down too much for me to hit it away like I had before. Instead, I angled my phone so that he could see it and when I looked up at our reflection in the mirror, I saw his familiar puppy smile was back on his face and when his eyes met mine in the reflection that smile didn't fade.

I don't know what it was... I wanted to hate him - I still kind of did - but there was something about his energy and aura when he was around that made me happy. I didn't know what it was. I couldn't put my finger on it but when I looked back at him a smile crept its way onto my face also. It wasn't as happy as his, more wistful and sad than anything else but it was a smile nonetheless, one that I hated myself for because I could feel the hate fading and I just used it as a reminder to myself that I needed it to stay away.

"I am sorry..." he mutters, his voice sincere as we walk back to the prep room, careful to make it quiet enough for just me to hear and I nod as I try not to engage in conversation. I definitely didn't respond because now both his hands were on my waist as we walked and he had rendered me speechless...no, that wasn't it. But honestly and truly I was trying to hold onto whatever resolve I had left and when we get into the room I feel all eyes turn to us and several of the girls mouths open in shock. I try my best to ignore it though, giving an awkward smile as the organiser walks over to us, on a mission and completely blind to the way that we were walking together.