DANCING ON MY OWN (Charlie Puth)

T W E N T Y F O U R

Charlie's p.o.v

Tampons. Tampons. Tampons.

Why are there so many different types, so many different brands, sizes? Isn't there supposed to be one universal tampon that works for everyone? I mean, they're all going the same place after all.

I tried to call Mia to ask her if she had a preference on the cotton stick that goes where the sun doesn't shine but she won't answer. I sigh audibly and do something I never wanted to have to do, I call my sister.

The phone rings just once before she answers.

"BABY BROTHER?" Mikaela squeals.

"I'm older than you..." I groan.

"But you're still a baby. Why are you calling me? You only call when you want something." She interrogates.

"I uh, I actually need your help with something." I regret making this call, I should have called Camila. Why didn't I call Camila?

"Well it better be something I can do through a phone because I'm NOT driving to Boston at this time of day." She laughs but I'm too worried about tampons and being in love with a girl who probably doesn't feel the same to enjoy her sense of humor.

"What do you need?" She asks, sensing that I didn't feel like joking at the moment.

"I'm buying tampons?" It comes out as a question, and Mikaela chuckles on the other end.

"For yourself? Because I know you don't have a girlfriend, especially since you're not over Meg-"

"MIKAELA!" I shout into the reciever before realizing I'm in public and I can't do that because it's frowned upon.

"Sorry, sorry. Gah, you must be in deep then." I roll my eyes, wanting to tell her that she doesn't even know the half of it, but I don't. That's a conversation I'm not willing to have right now. Especially after I stupidly blurted out my feelings last night. I ruined everything we had, everything we could have had. I should have kept my stupid mouth shut.

I let my sister talk me through buying the perfect tampons for Mia, and then take her advice on pairing them with a tub of ice cream before leaving the store.

As soon as I walk back in the apartment, I notice Mia with her legs propped up on the arm of the couch and her arms crossed tightly over her eyes.

She's snoring.

I laugh quietly and snap a cute picture of her before putting the ice cream in the freezer, and the tampons... well I can't put those in the freezer.

Doesn't she need those? She said she just got her period and didn't have any. So she needed them as soon as possible, right? She shouldn't be sleeping, what about her period? Oh my God I don't know what to do. I decide that she wouldn't have went to sleep unless she was protected... from her period.

It's kind of late, so I decide that she probably won't be waking up anytime soon and pick her up off the couch. I carry her to my bedroom, where she's been sleeping for the past two months.

Sometimes I wish that I was sleeping in my bed with her, but not in a weird way. Partly because that couch is slowly deteriorating my spine, and partly because I just wanna be close to her. I remember the last time we slept in the same bed together, at the hospital. I've never slept better in my life.

As gently as possible, I lay her in my bed. Her eyes slowly open, but quickly shut again at the sudden amount of light streaming in from the hall.

"Charlie?" She croaks out with a sleepy voice.