[Story] Delta – S01 E07

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 7

PIC OF CHARLIE ———————————————————————>

♦ Charlie ♦

After I had finished talking, there was a silence in the room. Astrid was frowning slightly, staring off into space. Zoned out as usual, I assumed. She looked really cute with the frown on her face, like she was thinking hard about something. Her dark eyes were focused on something I couldn’t see and her dark braid drifted over her shoulder. Of course, the whole picture was ruined by Pierre’s arm still around her shoulder. He just had to rub it in like that, didn’t he? He knew perfectly well that Astrid would sooner look at him than me any day, a fact that made this day even crappier.

Josh was seated on his bed, arms behind his head and staring up at the ceiling. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had plugged himself into his iPod again, but then he said, “Okay… what now?”

It was obviously the question all of us were thinking. Pierre took his arm off of Astrid’s shoulders, which was good. For him. Because I was seriously thinking about shooting him. But it was just a thought. Astrid looked a little disappointed, making me grit my teeth. Josh glanced at me; I was pretty sure he was the only one who knew how I felt about Astrid… and about Pierre.

And she wondered why we didn’t get along?

Astrid stood up, stretching, and walked into the kitchen. I assumed she was setting her plate down on the counter, but at that moment there was a knock at the door. All three of us guys jumped visibly and Astrid stuck her head around the corner, eyes wide. I stood up cautiously, sliding one hand into my pocket to grip my gun, and opened the door a crack to see one of the maids of the hotel outside.

“Yes?” I said, slightly coolly, but I couldn’t help myself.

“Sorry,” she said quickly, “but I was told to deliver this to a certain Astrid von Shauff? She’s supposed to be in this room…”

I looked at her sharply. Astrid hadn’t come here under that name – so who here knew it? “Who gave it to you?” I snapped, snatching the envelope from her hand and scanning it briefly. There was nothing on the outside, just the name ASTRID in block letters that I didn’t recognize.

“A man,” the maid answered, looking carefully at me, like I was going to explode any moment. She wasn’t entirely wrong, either. “In the lobby…”