#int: charlotte halloway.

[gracland]

♡ — closed starter for @freedcm

charlotte checked her reflection in the floor-length mirror for the dozenth time, making sure her makeup was perfectly applied and not overdone, that her hair in soft curls didn't have any loose frizz, and her dress was smooth and wrinkle-free. she was as type-a as it came, and though it lent a hand in her occupation as a florist, executing the details of bouquet bringing her a certain happiness that nothing else could, it was a double-edged sword. her boyfriend benjamin was arriving to the venue straight from work due to his high-powered job as a corporate lawyer, and she had reluctantly said yes to going with theo since he lived around the block. "alright, don't fret... you know a girl's gotta take her time. i'm ready now and we won't be late." she reassured even though the clock was ticking and she had made him wait for a good twenty minutes despite her text before he even came in telling him that she was 'ready'. all lies. "please help me tie my dress, i can't reach." she turned around, giving him access to her exposed back to help tie the silk straps of her dress into a knot so it would hold up.

[gracland]

she eases her gaze from his, unsteady from the revelation that there was nothing about them that was real in the end. a summer full of sneaking around, entwined in each other's arms, and he could care less. "...right." charlotte mumbles out, feeling foolish and wishing she never came over. "guess i was just a convenient stand-in for your girlfriend for the last three months."

open to females. plot: our muses spent all summer in their hometown, secretely hooking up while cameron's girlfriend was away, and now summer is over and it's time to face reality.

"it was just a summer thing, remember? " dark hues shift away from the windshield, focusing instead on the empty street ahead. "you knew that going into it."

[gracland]

closed starter for @czrsed / plot linked in source muse: charlotte halloway ( sydney sweeney. twenty five. florist. )

it was the way charlotte lost her cool around them, any shred of dignity stripped away from her in their presence. that was how deep this infatuation ran. strange how so much and so little can change in the span of a decade. she grew into her own over the years, but reverted back to a school girl with a silly crush whenever she came to stay at her best friend's vacation home over the summer. all for one person. "oh, i didn't have much planned... maybe a dip in the pool and dinner out tonight." she replied with careful nonchalance when they directed a question to her about what her day looked like. "what about you? are you staying in or going out?"

[gracland]

a mock gasp sounds from charlotte's lips as she retorts, "me? i don't take anything personally. you're the one who's a sore loser. why don't you stop acting like a drama queen?"

closed starter for @gracland

"i'm a sore loser about everything, don't take it so personally."

[gracland]

one of the traits charlotte enjoyed most about romeo was how flexible he was, never one to make a fuss whether it was about something as trivial as dinner or something else on a larger scale. "sushi it is! ordering in sounds perfect to me." she beamed, heart fluttering at the idea of them being in this vast summer house alone for the first time since she arrived. "do you have a movie in mind? the remote control's all yours." leading him into the living room, she plopped down onto the cozy sofa before taking her phone out and scrolling through potential sushi restaurants.

"sushi sounds great," romeo said, his smile as warm as the summer sun. "but if you're not in the mood to go out, we could always order in and hang out here. maybe watch a movie or just enjoy the quiet before the chaos returns." he chuckled softly. "your call, charls. i’m good with whatever makes you comfortable." his tone was easygoing, but there was a genuine warmth in his eyes as he looked at her, as if her happiness in that moment was all that mattered.

[gracland]

she blushes in spite of herself at the whistling sound he makes, shaking her head as if he's silly even though she's quietly flattered that he appreciates the effort she put into getting dolled up for the wedding. "see, i told you. good things come to those who wait. you'll be rewarded in the afterlife, mark my words." charlotte jokes, a lighthearted grin playing on her lips before her eyes fully register the get-up he's in. "damn, you clean up pretty well yourself, theo." he had always been a good dresser, which was a quality she appreciated in him and in general, being that she loved fashion. if she hadn't been so passionate about flowers, she likely would've done something in the fashion industry. "we're experienced in the department of showing up fashionably late, you're so right." god, has she missed their easy exchanges, his humor matching hers so seamlessly that they never missed a beat in their interactions. "what's taking you so long back there?" she hummed, waiting for him to complete the task of tying her dress up, a light shiver tickling her nerves when she feels his fingers breeze across her spine. it must be unintentional, she thinks, unsure of what would prompt him to want to initiate this sort of contact now when they're already running late.

any annoyance theo might've held fades as his gaze skirts over her, a low whistle of appreciation leaving his lips. although he'd never admit it, charlotte is a sight to behold on her worst days, in baggy sweats and with messy hair, but like this? he's half-worried she'll draw attention away from the bride and make all the other bridesmaids green with envy. "you know, i take back any complaining i was doing. clearly it was worth the wait." when was the last time he'd seen charlotte as dressed up as this? maybe prom, or graduation. it feels like an eternity and it stings that she'll be on the arm of some stranger for most of the night instead of with him. where she belongs. he tempers down the traitorous thought, knowing that he has no claim on anything besides her friendship. but it still pisses him off just a little that he's been relegated to arrival companion when the other guy couldn't be bothered to take a little time off work. "i mean, i'm sure ruth wouldn't mind if we were a little late. being on time is overrated." his fingers skim along the uncovered skin of her back, tempted to do the exact opposite of what she's asking him to do.

[gracland]

the thought of spending time alone with romeo sent a slight chill down her spine, the prospect an exciting one, albeit nerve-racking at the same time. "yeah, i'd love the company." charlotte replied, making an effort to keep her tone light and airy. "how does sushi sound to you?" she originally planned on asking his sister to go with her if they came back in time from their outing, but he was frankly the preferred choice of date between the two. not that this was a date, she reminded herself. he was supposed to be off-limits, and she found it highly improbable that he saw or would ever see her as anything but renée's best friend.

romeo liked summer because it meant spending time with family he didn’t get to see during the school year due to their hectic schedules. but for the past few years, summer also meant a chance to see charlotte — who had become a woman worth admiring. "i have the same plans," he replied casually. "looks like my parents are taking renée shopping later, so it’ll be just the two of us." his tone shifted to something a bit more upbeat, happy at the idea of some time alone with her. "we could grab a bite together, if you’d like. if you have nothing better to do. or someone to do it with."