Summary: A little glimpse into Charlotte’s head after everything with Nathan comes to light. This assumes that the MC has kissed and slept with Nathan.
Note: As someone who’s spent diamonds on Nathan scenes, I am really not happy about how this whole Nathan as an LI storyline is being handled, and it’s left me with a very gross feeling. This little piece popped into my head. Also featuring a cameo from Teddy.
Charlotte waits to cry until she’s alone in her room. She doesn’t cry in front of people, and she’s not going to start now, especially not over Nathan Sterling. Even just thinking his name makes her cringe. She wishes she could go back and tell herself not to fall for his pretty lies.
But she can’t, so she locks herself in her room and sobs noiselessly into her pillow after telling Zack she’s fine. She’s hurt, yes, but mostly she’s humiliated and angry. How had this happened? She’s never been this girl, never been one to fall for the guy who drips charm and money.
When she finally forces herself to sit up, Charlotte is exhausted. Sleeping for days sounds appealing. Screaming at Nathan also sounds appealing, but he’s not worth the energy. Not anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~
The only benefit to the Alphas being so overly cocky is that eventually they slip up, and when they do, Charlotte is ready. She brings the evidence against them to the Dean. As sick as she still feels whenever she catches a glimpse of Nathan or hears his name while she waits to see what will happen, there’s an undeniable satisfaction when she learns that the Alphas have been shut down and most of them have been expelled.
She doesn’t expect to hear from or ever see Nathan again, and she doesn’t want to. She has nothing to say, although she thinks a middle finger would probably do the trick.
So it takes her completely by surprise when she and Teddy are closing out their tab the night after she graduates, and Nathan comes walking into the bar. Charlotte freezes. She wants to tell Teddy they need to go, now, but then decides against it.
Nathan Sterling isn’t going to drive her out of anywhere. Teddy feels her tense and follows her gaze. He frowns. He’s heard enough about Nathan by now to recognize him.
“Is that…?” he asks.
“Yes,” Charlotte says.
She leans into the protective tightening of Teddy’s arm around her waist. Nathan’s expression is inscrutable when he sees her. He looks surprised for half a second, then…nothing. She’s only grateful that Beau and Kassidy aren’t with him.
Teddy laces her fingers with his as they walk out. Right as they get to the end of the block and are about to turn left to go to her apartment, Charlotte hears Nathan call her name from behind them.
She keeps going. Teddy squeezes her hand. Nathan calls her name again, and anger runs through her. It makes her livid, that she’s just trying to enjoy this night out with Teddy, and Nathan thinks he can intrude.
Charlotte whips around. “What the hell do you want?”
Nathan looks startled. She might not have said much to him back when everything happened, and she doesn’t have any real desire to talk to him now, but if he’s going to try and force himself in, then she will have something to say.
“I didn’t come back for you,” is the first thing Nathan says.
Charlotte snorts out a laugh. “I really don’t care why you came here. Goodbye.”
She turns back around, and Teddy’s arm comes back up around her waist.
“Wait! Just…damn it,” Nathan swears. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? For everything.”
Charlotte has never wanted to rip into someone as much as she does at this second, but she refuses to give him the satisfaction. She grits her teeth and softly says, “I just need a minute. Stay?” to Teddy.
“Of course,” he says.
The gentle press of his lips to her temple and his fingers squeezing her hip keep her grounded. Charlotte slowly, deliberately turns around again.
“No, you’re not,” she says calmly. “You’re sorry you got caught. I was just a pawn to you, a silly girl who fell for your bullshit.”
Nathan opens his mouth and starts to say, “That’s not-“
Charlotte cuts him off. “I’m not done,” she snaps. “Don’t stand there and tell me you’re sorry, or it got out of hand, or that you’d go back and change things.”
Nathan’s jaw clenches, but he stays silent.
“I won’t believe you, and honestly, I don’t care,” Charlotte continues. “You’re spoiled and selfish and used to doing whatever you want, and getting whatever you want. Well, that’s not happening now. You don’t get what you want this time.”
Nathan flinches, and she knows she’s struck a nerve. A year ago, it would have felt like sweet revenge, but now, Charlotte just feels oddly calm. She’s done, and it’s never felt better.