Bad Girls Don't Cry

Chapter 3: trust issues

I woke with a start, running my hand along my face. I got back home late last night, and I was praying my Mother wasn't up. To my surprise, she wasn't waiting up for me, so I managed to slip back in unnoticed.

Things seemed so easy that I for a second questioned if it even really happened, sometimes I can let my imagination run wild. I had so many memories of him, so he had to be real.

"Good Morning, Charlotte," Salem beamed, coming in to open the drapes.

"Morning," I sighed, folding my arms together over my chest.

"Ready to start your day?" She asked.

"Not yet," I sighed. "Give me at least an hour." She nodded her approval and then left to make the arrangements.

Today wasn't a normal day either. Today I had to prepare for my parents' charity ball. This meant I had to get my hair, and makeup done, and pick between a range of gowns that my Mother picked out. But the only thing I could really think about is what happened last night.

Flashes of him touching me echoed in my head. I closed my eyes right and tried to remember every moment. "Do you trust me?" He asked.

"I just met you," I scolded, turning my head from his piercing gaze.

I sucked in a huge breath, finally getting myself out of bed. Making my way to the bathroom, I began to run the shower so I can prepare for the long hours ahead of me. I stripped my clothes off in front of the mirror, memories of him doing the same rushing through my head.

I don't know what came over me last night! I had never done anything like this before! Whenever guys come to me, I usually just roll my eyes and ignore them. They come with the same tired lines; "you're so beautiful" "you're so that". But something about him was just... different.

Was it his deep, green eyes that got to me? His scruffy brown hair? Or maybe the stubble on his chiseled jawline. Maybe it was the way he touched me, and was so gentle... my mind trailed off to ungodly places, a place where I was horny as hell.

In the shower, I started to run my hand over my own body, imagining it was him. My n*****s hardened just from the thought of him alone; my hand crept down toward my v****a.

I imagined him going inside of me slowly as my hands travel to my v****a, pleasuring me, although not as good as him. When I was done, I finally remembered where I was. Not at his place, but in my spacious, marble bathroom.

I gave him my number last night afterward, but once guys get what they want, there's no need to wait for the phone to ring.

After showering, I put on my cotton robe and headed to my bedroom. Salem was there, laying out the dresses on the bed. I couldn't believe an hour had passed by already. "Do you want me to let everyone in?" She asked, and I nodded, sitting down at my vanity.

"Hi Miss Charlotte," my hair stylist smiled.

"Hi, guys!" I beamed. I had a whole team assigned to me on days like this. I felt like a celebrity; a goddess. It was the only time I felt important, and not like plain Charlotte.

There was someone for my nails and feet, my hair, and someone for my makeup. The only thing about getting pampered is the time it takes. I hate sitting down for a long time.

Nearly two hours had gone by, and we were just getting done with everything. Once everyone left, I looked over all the dresses she picked out.

Terrible colors, cheap threads, and no taste. I sat down in my armed chair alone, trying not to loathe everything about my life. A girl can't even pick out her own dress! Why can't I at least pick the dress?

*~*

I sat down at the round table, sipping on champagne. I watched as my Mother and Father paraded around like the first family of Medicine. It took everything inside of me not to scoff. Why can't life just be spontaneous? Who said we had to play by these plans and rules? People think that people that are born into money are lucky, but they don't know how much of ourselves we really sell to get that money.

We're a slave to money, and then we die. That's our lives. It's worse for us, we don't choose, we're born into all this. I just know there's an alternate universe somewhere with a version of me that's not even remotely rich.

Deciding that I no longer wanted to be in attendance, I stole two glasses of champagne and snuck out onto the rooftop.

From the first glass of champagne, I was already tipsy, I set the other glass on the ledge and went to town on the other one in my hand. Champagne isn't strong liquor, but it does take you where you need to go after a few glasses.

I stared over the ledge as I sipped my champagne, New York City blaring in the far distance. I never went into the city, I only was allowed on the outskirts. My Mother always said it was vital to our image if we didn't associate with the streets of New York.

Sighing, I leaned back against the ledge, closing my eyes tight. I remember sneaking up here as a teenager. My friend Harry who's long gone now showed me how to get here. We'd sneak away from the Gala's and parties when we got bored, then stay here all night.

"Is this where the pretty girls go?" A familiar voice rang.

Startled, I jumped seemingly out of my skin. "Jay," I said breathlessly. "What're you doing here?" I blinked in shock, afraid that he was so close to home. If my Mother saw me out here with him, forget what happened last night, she'll blow a fuse.

"When I met you last night, I didn't know we ran in the same circles," he smirked, grabbing the extra glass that I had.

"I don't run in any circles," I replied softly, still shocked that he was here.

At that he laughed, looking out at the city. "No, I don't suspect you do." He sipped on the glass, so I resumed drinking mine as well. "You're so timid," he smiled softly. "But you always speak your mind anyways. I like that in a woman."

I shied away from his penetrating gaze, embarrassed about the places that I allowed him to take me last night. "This is my parents' event," I responded.

"Wooow..." he trailed off, shock apparent on his face. "Well, I have a company here that donated. Someone has to show up. I have to admit though, you don't strike me as the pageant, trust-fund type."

I shrugged. "Maybe I'm not, but does that matter to them?" I asked him.

"No, I guess it wouldn't." He finished his glass, then leaned on the ledge in front of us. "It matters to me though," he said suggestively. "I can't be with someone like that..." he trailed off.

I leaned my back on the ledge next to him, then smiled softly. "Well, who can you be with?" I teased.

"Someone I can trust," he replied simply. "And I already know you trust me," he smirked, his eyes dancing over my body. "Now I just need to know if I can trust you." I blinked in response, remembering how I let him ravage my body like a Sunday meal. Did that really mean I trust him? Or was I just tired of my body being an island?

"If I tell you to jump off of this building, would you do it?" He asked, his eyes staring at the 10 floors below us.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, thrown by his question.

"Would you jump?" He asked again. I turned around, peering down at the pavement below.

"Well?" He asked, studying me closely.

"Depends," I answered.

"On what?" He laughed, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Would you catch me?" I asked, and a slow smile etched his face.

"Do you want to find out?" He asked.

We faced each other, staring the other down, calling the other's bluff. I wasn't going to back down, and it didn't seem like he was either. I slowly starts to take off my heels, and his smile turned into a grin.

"Really, now?" He asked, shocked. Despite wearing a long gown, I managed to jump up on the ledge of the building. "You're really doing this?" He asked, his expression seemingly impressed.

He removed his suit jacket, then climbed up on the ledge with me until we were face to face. I turned around to stare down at the pavement, my stomach doing a hundred dances.

After looking down, I turned back around to face him. "Having second thoughts?" He asked.

"No," I said breathlessly. I had always been afraid of heights, but this time it was different. I knew I was scared, but I didn't care. I wanted to do anything - be anything. For him. For me? I couldn't tell the difference anymore.

Finally deciding, I closed my eyes tight, then let go.

Before I knew it, my feet had left the ground, and I knew that it was either death or love at that point. I only felt myself falling for a split second, and then I came to a hard stop as Jay grabbed my arm tight.

I opened my eyes finally, looking up at him holding onto me tight. I blinked in shock, looking down as I dangled from the tall building. He began to laugh, and I looked up at him lovingly. I can't believe I did this! I can't believe he actually caught me!

"You..." he trailed off, my body still dangling like a flag with my dress on. "You are the girl of my dreams." He exclaimed, lifting me back up.

His words made me smile proudly at myself, and I threw my arms around him. "That was..." I trailed off, not able to form words.

"You are." He smiled, kissing me hard on the mouth.

I imagined how we looked, two people standing on a ledge; making out like death didn't scare the hell out of us. But I gladly accepted all of his challenges, and he gladly gave them.