Dottie

Dottie was my best friend since our senior year of high school. She always used to smell the inside of the binding of books before reading them. That was my favorite thing about her. We're 25 now, a year out of college, a year into the real world. It always crushed me that I never even knew who she was until my senior year in high school. I met her when I saw her in the school musical. She was amazing, a born actress and singer. I'd never seen someone so young bear so much talent. We did the production of The Sound of Music and she was Liesel, the oldest daughter. She wore a beautiful pink dress which brought out her eyes and her brown hair with curls in a ponytail which showed every angle of her face. I walked up to her after the show, not knowing what I was doing, but my body made me do it. I said to her, "you were amazing." She blushed through all of her thick, stage makeup and replied, "thank you, do I know you?" I blushed too, "no, my name's Charlie, I don't even know your name, but you were great," I said in a hollow voice. Even when people were all around her, begging for her attention to tell her how great she was, she wouldn't take her eyes from mine. "Thank you, Charlie," she said, "can we talk later? Meet up at The Cup? I'd like to talk." I was completely numb, and didn't know why, I had never seen this girl before today, yet I couldn't take my eyes off her if my life depended on it. I happily agreed, "yes, yes of course. I'll see you there when you're done being swarmed." I shot her a friendly smile and she blushed again, returning the smile. "I'll see you around nine, Charlie," she turned and, before leaving added, "oh, by the way, my name's Dottie." She continued to walk through the crowd and I lost sight of her.
At nine o'clock, I entered The Cup, our town's hot spot to meet. I sat down at the counter and a large tattooed man came up to take my order. You could tell this man just had this job for the money, probably to pay for his studio apartment, because he was wearing a collared polo shirt when it was clear he'd rather be wearing a t-shirt or something. "Can I help you, sir?" I scanned the greasy menu which showed pictures of cheese burgers, fries, and coffees--basically the entirety of The Cup's selection. "I'll just have a coffee, decaf please." He turned to get my coffee when I heard the door of the cafe open, I looked in hopes of it being Dottie and I was pleased to see that I was right.
"Hello, Charlie. Thanks for meeting me," she said as she took a seat on the stool next to me. "It's my pleasure," I replied with a smile. We spent the night at The Cup talking about everything imaginable. We stayed until they had to kick us out. We continued our friendship for the rest of senior year, going to prom together, walking at graduation, all as best friends. We were basically inseparable. She was everything to me. I loved her. We even ended up going to college together. Going through the great experience of college life with my best friend always with me was everything I could've asked for. Our first semester was all about learning about our new life, becoming comfortable, and studying; but when we came back for the second, Dottie was more focused on having fun. She began partying more, making new friends, and experimenting. She began to fool around with boys, even when I'd tell her to be careful, she'd tell me, "shut up, Charlie, you don't know what you're talking about. You're not my dad." So we began to drift apart.
I went home one weekend just to see my family and my mom was thrilled with my surprise. She told me to go put my stuff in my room and we'd go visit my brother at his apartment and go out to dinner. My brother's name is Dean, he lives in his own apartment about twenty minutes from here. We were never super close, just brothers I guess. We always got along though. I went into my room to put down my stuff, and heard movement in my brother's old bedroom. I decided to investigate and when I opened the door, I think my heart fell out of my butt. There in Dean's old bedroom, empty with nothing but a mattress on the floor, and an empty computer desk, was Dottie sitting on top of my brother on his mattress, both of them naked, sweating and flustered. I slammed the door closed and stormed over to my mom, now sweating myself. "Did you know that Dean was here?" I cried. "What are you talking about, hunny? Dean hasn't been here in weeks." "Yes he has mom, he's been sneaking back into his old bedroom to fuck my best friend!" The look on my mom's face was one of complete ignorance. She had no idea what was going on, and didn't plan to believe it. Before she could say another word, Dean comes running out into the kitchen wrapped in a bed sheet. "Charlie, what the hell are you doing here?!" I began to get very angry at this point, screaming at him, "I came to visit my mother who missed me since I have no one to be with at college anymore anyway! Why are you here!" "My roommate Frank was home with his girlfriend and they--" I cut him off, "oh, you're so considerate! Frank was home with his girlfriend so you didn't want to disturb him while you were fucking Dottie!" Mom had fled the room by this point, not wanting to be involved. Dean began to get worked up at this point, too, and got in my face, "why does it matter to you, Charlie! She's not your girlfriend!" I raised my arm to punch him in his face, when someone grabbed my arm. I looked behind me and saw Dottie, hair a mess and clothes thrown on. "Stop, Charlie! Stop!" I put my arm down and began to breathe heavy. "What the hell is wrong with you, Dottie? What are you doing with my brother!?" Dean still being pissed about me ruining his game chimes in, "She's riding me all night long, Charlie, what does it look like? Don't be jealous because she never wanted you and she came to a real man instead." This time, I swung without stopping, no matter what. Dean stumbled back into the fridge grabbing his now bleeding nose. I storm out of the house slamming the front door and the screen door behind it. I tread towards my car ready to leave and never see either of them again when I hear Dottie running behind me. "Charlie, wait! Please!" I stop and turn around, yelling at her, "Why, Dottie! Why! Why should I wait for you ever again? I've waited long enough! I thought by the time we got to college you'd at least have given me a friendly kiss by now. But boy was I wrong. Why kiss your old loser friend Charlie when you can fuck everybody at college? And why stop there? Why not FUCK CHARLIE'S BROTHER TOO!?" My face must have been bright red at this point, veins popping out of my neck because Dottie's expression has changed from sympathetic to complete fear. "Charlie... I..." "Save it, Dot. I'm done with your shit. Have fun with Dean." I turned and got into my car, turned the key in the ignition, and sped off.
I pulled over somewhere down the road, turned the car off, and just cried. Thinking of the day I met Dottie, how great my life had became, and how shitty it was now.

I'm visiting my mom to pick her up to come show her our new house. "Hunny, are you okay?" I snap out of the gaze I've been in for at least 30 seconds, responding, "yes, sorry, Jen, I'm fine." I met Jen my senior year of college, we hit it off right away. She's my fiance now, and we just bought our first house together. I pull down the street to pick up my mom who greets Jen with nothing but love, and then myself. We drive away down the street while mom and Jenny chitchat the whole way. I turn down the road named Bunny Trail Lane, the road where Dottie lived. I haven't spoken to her in five years, but it's still habit to look at her house as I drive past.