The Bad Boy Next Room (Charlie and Taylor) novel Chapter 19

“Yes, Luke was the reason,” Charlie admitted. She finished the last of her food and resumed, “And my best friends betrayed me.”

She explained to Taylor how Ashley and Sofia were more loyal to Luke, even when he was wrong. She shared how they willingly invited Regina to their apartment and the Nook & Brew Cafe incident.

“Wow.” Taylor made a face. He remarked, “The Wall Street Warriors must be some sort of a cult, and Luke is their leader.”

Taylor leaned closer to the table and pointed out, “Think about it, Charlie. They gave you a hard time when you decided not to support their basketball team.” He shrugged and added, “That’s the problem with cults; the exit interview can be really intense.”

Charlie raised a brow at Taylor, but quickly, she chuckled and replied, “I guess it’s like a cult, huh?”

“But I get how you feel. Friends don’t betray you like that,” Taylor added.

“Look, I know that nothing is permanent in life. Even married couples break up, but Luke worked hard to pursue me.” Charlie recounted, “He chased me for a year.”

“He was so caring, buying me lunch and snacks. He was the first one to call when I got sick. He made sure I returned to my dorm or apartment on a rainy day or when I had evening classes. A week into our first meeting, he sent me flowers daily. I rejected him twice, but he never gave up.” Charlie gulped and said, “A year into the courtship, I gave him a chance. Eventually, I fell for him. His gifts were extravagant, even setting up fireworks on my last birthday-”

“Your last birthday?” Taylor asked. He cleared his throat and inquired, “When was this?”

“Last year, March 1,” Charlie replied.

“I don’t know why he suddenly gave up on us. I admit that I was busy with class at the start of the semester because I had major subjects, and I wanted to remain the top student in our batch,” Charlie said. “Luke was also busy in the recent weeks, but I never minded his absence because he exerted so much in wooing me. I never thought he would betray me just like that.”

Then, Charlie told Taylor about Regina. She implied, “So, maybe Luke’s parents influenced his decision? I remember how he was often home early.”

“It caught me off guard, and I think that’s why it hurt me the most,” Charlie admitted, her expression woeful while taking a deep breath. “Because of such betrayal, including from Ashley and Sofia, I moved out from our shared apartment! Then, just a day after I left, they let Regina occupy my room.”

“Wow,” Taylor remarked. “Sounds like a conspiracy to me.”