Friend or Foe?

Charlie had just finished talking with Belladona. She had been stressed out and asked for help since well earlier in the day she bumped into Alexander. What a gremlin of a man, an absolute jerk. She was nervous about walking home alone but with what Belladona did she would probably be alright for now? Biscuit seemed to have calmed down as well.. She was keeping alert though to be safe.

Matty was enjoying taking walks when he was stressed, and when he saw Charlie looking a bit rough. "Hey!" He called out, crossing the street to come a bit closer to her. "Charlie!"

Charlie saw a gem and it was a brown circle. Matty's gem!! She was nervous though still and glanced around before walking towards him with Biscuit. "Hey... how are you doing?" She asked still looking around a bit nervous. She would be taking less solo walks if she could help it.

"I'm..." he thought about Alex, about how the other boy had a lot more time for spending together, about the kisses they'd been sharing and how different everything was. "Not sure. You?"

Charlie listened and then thought... she wasn't feeling the best still herself. "... Today hasn't been fun for me to be honest..." She rubbed her head a little, it hurt still.

"What's wrong?" He frowned. She wasn't likely to join rose corp, but... she was a nice person.

Charlie thought for a few seconds. "Do you know Alexander rose?" She asked a bit more nervously.

"I..." Matty shifted. "A little." Was he a good enough liar for this?

Charlie looked down at her hands. "The turf war isn't fun... He tried to kill me earlier today... " She mumbled as she looked over to Biscuit. " Please be careful if you know him..." She requested

"May... may I offer you a hug?" He asked. "That's... horrifying." He wasn't surprised, just upset.

Charlie was unsure... her arm was still sore and she was anxious.. what if another rosecorp magi came up and tried to hurt them... "I normally would say yes.. but what if another of them wants to hurt me while we are hugging and you get dragged in?" She mumbled anxiously

"Darling," Matty smiled sadly, "I promise that's not something I'm worried about."

Charlie looked down and was nervous still... "Alright... if your sure... then we can have a hug... just warn me if you see anyone so I can see if they are magi or not..." She asked still anxious

Matty wasn't going to do that. He took a long, comfortable hug with her, resting his cheek against her hair. "Feel a little better?" He asked after a minute.

Charlie thought for a few seconds. But the hug did help out. "Yeah. I feel a little less anxious... but I also can't continue my journey to map out the town anymore..." She said feeling a bit sad about it.

"Just bring someone you trust with you." He backed up a step, brushing her hair out of the way. "And... I want to apologize."

Charlie paused to think. "I don't want to always rely on people because its bad to do. Someone can get hurt cause of me." She mumbled feeling bad. "Hey...why are you apologizing?" She asked concerned.

"I was trying to keep you from getting hurt or joining something unsafe, but that's... not really fair of me, to put strain on you like this. By lying. By pretending I'm safe. I won't hurt you, and I won't ever intentionally put you in a position where you do get hurt, but... I'm apologizing because I'm not safe." He took a deep breath.

Charlie looked confused as she tried to work it out in her head before she backed up a bit. "Your not really a neutral party are you? Your a part of the rose corp magi?" She asked as she moved further away. Someone she looked up to seems to be someone she shouldn't... "Are you happy about all of this?" She asked quietly... She bit the inside of her mouth as anxiety spiked and she kept a close eye on his soul gem and if he got closer

"Of course I'm not." He replied honestly. "I didn't want that to happen to you. I didn't want you to ever have to meet any of my coworkers."

Charlie watched carefully as she rubbed her arm more. "I didn't try to meet them... I bumped into Alexander and... And.." she felt herself getting worked up again. She spat out alexander's name like it was a curse words "he wanted to fight I didn't then he decided to try to kill me. "She mumbled under her breath ready to run honestly back towards Belladonna's house.

"I'm sorry." He shifted. "I don't have an excuse. I lied because you were nice and I just- i just wanted someone to talk to. I didn't tell anyone about it. I can try to steer him away from you, and try to keep you from getting hurt." He blew out another breath. He'd never been willing to stick his neck out for someone else before, what was he doing?

Charlie felt bad sorta... She shouldn't be taking her anger out on Matty... But she was scared... How did she know he wasn't lying now...  "I... Can't trust you now... I'm sorry.    Plus...after what happened I don't think.... You can. Your probably going to hear it right from his mouth later. But the only reason I'm alive now is because a friend helped me. Friends he wants to kill. " She mumbled

"I wasn't expecting you to trust me, I was trying to stop lying and give you a chance to... be safer with Seaford." Matty moved back another step, rubbing his arm. "And I have some... say. He... he... he was the one I was in love with. The one I wasn't happy with."

Charlie continued to look at Matty's soulgems "... Thank you then. I ... Appreciate it. I have been trying to stay as safe as possible... But haha. I don't even know why he tried to kill me ... At least now there will be a reason.." she mumbled as she tried to not get too upset. She then heard what Matty said and was concerned. She also saw he took a step away from her. Good. "... I am sorry... I don't know what else to say about that. It... A relationship with him... Sounds awful to be honest" bleh dating in general was gross but that just... Ugh bad feeling for many here

"It's..." Matty's stomach twisted. "I should go to him. You should go home." He checked his phone, sending a cursory message to the chat. "I can try to do some damage control, atleast."

Charlie wanted to go home but... To be honest didn't want to risk her home being seen by any members at all from rose corp... Who knows what could happen then. "I will after you leave first. "She stated keeping an eye on him she watched him pause for a second. "sure... Maybe you could even find out why ... He wanted to kill me if well you don't later too." She mumbled as she gripped the leash waiting for him to walk first so she could keep an eye on him and be safe.

"Do you think I'd follow you?" He felt worse. "I'm- I'm sorry. I... don't." He closed his eyes. "I don't want to kill you, or hurt you. I'm sorry." He turned and started walking, unsure which direction he was even going.

Charlie was quiet for a second. "After what happened today... I can't take the risk... I'm scared. " She said quietly as she looked at Matty's soul gem feeling bad. He didn't do anything to her. "I just...you might later... I don't know but... I can't risk it.." she said quietly  as she saw his soul gem move the opposite way from her house. She was careful to wait until he was out of view before returning to her own... She felt aweful

Matty tried not to cry as he walked, feeling more and more lonely with every step. What was he doing?