Charlie Reyes

08/01/2022 02:03 PM  Connections. ATARAH - Arriving in Seattle, Atarah hired Charlie without question. And as much as Charlie looked up to Atarah when she was offered the bartending position at Beacon Hill Pub, she couldn't say no even with Atarah's warning of the owner's unethical ways. Charlie still looks up to Atarah and the image she portrays of a successful loving businesswoman. ELOISE - witnessing Eloise attempt to lure a female off one night, Charlie intervenes unable to mind her own business. After a brief altercation between the two, Charlie offers her silence in exchange for Eloise's assistance in gaining information on the whereabouts of the father of her daughter. HOLLY- meeting in AA, the pair hit it off leading to a friendship of Charlotte making mild attempts to push Holly in the right direction. LENNY - going out on a limb to give yoga a try at helping control her urges, Charlotte turns to Lenny at Muscle Magic as a way through attempting to navigate her addiction woes without getting professional help. AARON -A bond quickly formed over the one thing the two instantly had in common, their daughters. Playdates with giggles pouring from the other room while Aaron and Charlotte shared a blunt on the back porch made for the beginnings of a beautiful friendship. Unable to stop seeing glimpses of his own mother in Charlotte's very clear flaws, the relationship of the two keeps a toxic spin as they struggle to consistently motivate each other to be the best version of themselves, as opposed to enabling the others bad habits. ANTON- Meeting in a court-mandated parenting class for parents who were unable to keep custody of their children, a friendship (fueled by their love for finding their next high) lands the two in a hotel room to share needles and secrets. An enjoyable night ending with Anton leaving Charlotte fending for herself as she overdosed outside the motel room he dumped her outside of. LUCY - Just as down on their luck as everyone else on the dreaded trip to Kakslauttanen, the pair find themselves hiding from wildlife all while fighting from freezing to death. The desperation of the moment caused the pair to treat the time like a confessional, using the other as a soundboard to confess their many sins before what they thought we would be certain death. THEIA- the pair have become closer while being in the organization together, Theia also regularly watches Tatum for Charlotte. Lily- Bad news bears, a thrill-seeker like Lily never really had a love for Charlotte seeking the better things in life. She currently is one of the few, pushing Charlotte to give into her vices, regardless of the cost. Jakob- Meeting in rehab, the two have always been thick as thieves. One of the few people who appreciate Charlotte for the mess that she is, knowing just how difficult the struggle of addiction can be. Vincent- Friends during their teenage years, the two bonded over their similar up bringing and social status. Hooking up before Vincent was sent off to school abroad, his return to the states to Charlotte having a daughter came as a bit of a shock. In modern times the two remain friends not bringing up the "one-time thing" that happened between the two. Rhett- Sophia asked Rhett to watch over Scarlett in fear of her addiction and having a daughter. Rhett through this has formed a close relationship with Charlotte that he would describe as brotherly. Danny- Meeting years previous in New York a friendship turned one-night stand left Charlotte with ample regret. After reconnecting in an unlikely manner (neighbors) the two attempted dating to see if they could relight the flame they once had. The end of their relationship marked the start of a rocky friendship that the two are working on. Ava-Spilled secrets and startling similarities gives the girls plenty to find in common. In combination with Ava now residing with Bash, the pair upkeep a friendly relationship Jordyn- FINALIZING Wes-  Need to update.  Josie- Discussion Rowan- Discussion Eze- Discussion   0 Comments

07/11/2022 01:33 PM  Happy Place A barrage of text messages demanding her presence is what landed her in her boyfriend’s living room. His hand on her cheek, a gun in his hand placed between them, and the wild look in his eyes that she fell in love with far before that moment. Directly behind them on the couch sat a brown headed little boy. Too afraid to speak, much less mention that his name wasn’t Milo, he sat in silence. "We have our family back, baby. It's perfect." She wasn’t able to pull away from his gaze long enough to look at the little boy he had obtained (abducted) from the grocery store. If logic ever had a way with her, logically and realistically she knew this wasn’t okay, but the hope in voice, the desperation in his tone, and her own unwillingness to break his heart only caused her head to nod in agreement, “We have our family back.” It was something she never had in the first place to get back. She spent a large portion of their relationship feeling selfishly robbed of the opportunity to get to know the little boy who stole Mick’s heart before she ever could. It was somewhere she visited often, the daydream of what could’ve been. A family of four. His little boy, her little girl, and the two of them doing the best that they could, and though there was a large part of her that wondered if Mick Baker could love her the way he did now, if she saw just how short she could fall as a parent when it came to his own child, the way his features dripped with warmth as she went to offer the kidnapped Milo a slice of comfort she would almost place money on the contrary. For a moment, he beamed with an excitement she had never seen before as he dug in the hall closet for an air mattress to blow up in the living room so they could all sleep together. Using the few moments she had while Mick was distracted, she placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder forcing a smile as she whispered everything was going to be okay. She didn’t know how, or when Mick would come to the realization that - that little boy wasn't Milo Baker, but every moment of doubt was replaced by one of sick comfort. She would worry about doing the right thing tomorrow, tonight she got to live in the moment she dreamed about for months.Leaning over to scoop the young boy into her arms, placing him on her hip (mostly because she wasn’t so confident he wouldn’t take off running the moment he got into the parking lot) she looked to Mick whose arms were overloaded with belongings to take from his place to hers, “Lets get Milo home, baby.” 0 Comments

06/26/2022 04:30 PM  [30] “10:45.. she drops Tatum off.. at 10:45.. Except for this morning she just left.. she just left Tatum with that straggly-haired fu-“ Fists slammed down on his desk, papers littering the motel room floor as he attempted to maintain any sort of composure to continue his thoughts. “Normally, at 10:45 she leaves to drop Tatum off.” Words slurred as he dashed messy penmanship across the fresh sheet of paper. “Then she goes to get coffee,.." Dropping the pen as an exhausted huff passed his lips, digging through his mind of each movement she made the days previous. "She gets coffee, and so goes to that f***ing church place or whatever..Then she goes to that God damn bar she works at.." He continued for an hour, each mistake made in pen resulting in the process starting over again leaving his final result to look something like this.. 8:00 AM - Wakes up, most the time, Tatum normally is up first. 10:45 AM- Leaves to take Tatum somewhere/get coffee. Tatum always get a pink lemonade. 12:00 PM- Church thing. It paired off how long she is normally here but always at least an hour. 3:00 PM - Goes to the bar, doesn't work. Normally sits in back office. Boyfriend also works here, but doesn't work. 5:00 PM- Picks Tatum up and goes home, stops at 2 stores on way home religiously. 8:00 PM- 10:00 PM- Boyfriend comes over at some point, most the time stays the night. Occasionally another man comes with boyfriend. Unsure of his relation. 12:00 AM-2:00 AM- She finally goes to bed. If she's home alone, she doesn't lock the door. Otherwise, dude locks it. Hanging the vague schedule above the motel room desk, he finally pulls himself from the cheap rolling chair beginning to kick around his failed attempts on the floor frustration seeping from his pores as he realized how many gaps there were in her day, how inconsistent her schedule was, and how little time she was ever alone. 0 Comments

05/26/2022 12:23 PM  AC 28 “I can’t breathe.. I can’t breathe please..” Inaudible gasps for air fought to be louder than the struggle that had ensued between the two. Fingertips desperately attempted to pry the death grip whoever had on her throat. Mascara filled tears blurring her vision making it impossible to make out the shadowing figure, and as she continued to maneuver her way out of the stranger's grasp. "Please.. I have a daughter.." as a familiar laugh filled the room the tightening of the grip on her throat only increased. Soft lips grazed her cheek, as her killer bent forward to whisper an explanation as to why she was doing this directly into her ear. "You don't love her. You don't love anyone more than yourself, and that’s why you are here because you are selfish. Because you are incapable of putting anyone before yourself..you're just.. why won't you f***ing die already.." Dropping her hands to her side as she allowed herself to process whom the voice belonged to any and all fight that was left in her vanished as she made every effort to clear her eyes enough to see. There would be a handful of people she could only have assumed wanted her dead, and each would've said these very things to her. As her vision cleared it only confirmed that it wasn't the father of her child who had decided to finally end her life, it wasn't her boyfriend keeping a promise that he loosely threatened from time to time, it wasn't any of the people she had wronged in the short twenty-five years she had roamed the Earth. Baby blues fixated on the person on top of her, forcing herself to make eye contact as she took her final breaths. Of all the people she had given a plethora of reasons to kill her, she looked in the eyes of herself before everything faded to black. 0 Comments

05/12/2022 01:38 PM  Just A Box. "Slow down there, Billy Bob. I'm not done yet. What happened with him? Is he still around? If not, why do you keep a box of his things? Did he die? Is that why?" That was the first time Mick asked about the box, and though it was months and months ago at this point each time he shoved past it to dig through the hall closet, an annoyed gaze seemed to linger. It was just a box. Crammed full of old sweatshirts that reeked of Old Spice deodorant and Axe body spray. A dried-up flower, one of the only things he ever bought her, and it wasn’t purchased at all. It was plucked from the side of the road as he walked to her house higher than a kite, either way he thought of her. A blue baby blanket he picked out days after she showed him the test, he swore it would be a little boy. He told her to toss it after the ultrasound tech told them they’d be having a little girl, so she did right into his box. Finally, there was a photo, one of the only ones that she had of the father-daughter duo who were no more than strangers. A six-pound four-ounce little girl in a lanky young man’s arms. He looked terrified of her, as he should’ve been. She understood why he would glare at the box as if the harder he squinted the more likely it would combust into flames. Who wanted to see a box filled with your significant other’s ex-boyfriend’s things filled to the brim. She wasn’t keeping it because she refused to let go, she kept it to be reminded why she would never go back. A box full of reminders of all she had endured, and all she had left to show of it. He could light it on fire in the backyard tomorrow, it was just a box to her now. 0 Comments

05/01/2022 09:23 PM  26 He kept finding her. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how many weeks she was away, or the time she spend holed up in her home, he still would find her. There was only so many numbers she could block, so many Cash App notifications and emails she could ignore. “Come on Char..” the familiar voice had a twitch in it she hadn’t heard in years. “I’ve got them right here…. look.. it’s a social security card, passports, I.D’s, I spent every f***ing penny I have on this sh*t..” Baby blues floating over the assortment of documents, her picture smeared on the front of a California driver’s license, “Ashley?” she questioned with a snort pushing the stack away head shaking. “I didn’t ask you to spend all your money on this sh*t Daniel. I didn’t ask you to do anything other than to leave me alone..I don’t un-“ The plea in his tone was immediately gone as his hand flew across the countertop, sending the fake documentation flying around her. “YOU SAID YOU COULDN’T F***ING LEAVE CHARLOTTE, SO HERE IT IS A WAY TO F***ING LEAVE. WHAT DO YOU EVEN WANT TO STAY HERE FOR? YOU’RE A F***ING NUMBER TO THEM? A TAGGED F***ING CATTLE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT NORMAL FOLK SAY ABOUT YOU PEOPLE?” Forcing her eyes shut making an attempt to ignore the fact his breath was heating her cheeks, a sure sign he was only moving closer to her, one, two “AND TATUM? YOU LOST HER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY TOOK HER. WHAT YOU GET A NEW BOYFRIEND AND YOU THINK EVERYTHING IS NORMAL? YOU THINK ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GIVE A F*** ABOUT YOU? THEY DON’T KNOW YOU” three, four, a shaky exhale escaping her lips before she could ever reach five as her eyes flew open immediately landing on his wound-littered arms. The sores on his face, his inability to keep from itching at his flesh every six seconds, the mirror of who she was, because of him. Reaching down to grab the papers at her feet, she shoved them at the center of his chest, pulling back only to allow her hands to shove again, and again until her eyes met his. “Leave, now, take all of this with you, and stop trying to find me. I’m not leaving with you and that has nothing to do with me thinking a single person here gives a f*** about me.” Wincing as he pulled back pursing his lips as he sent a wad of spit flying against her cheek allowing the papers to fall to the ground as he created distance between the two. “You’ll wish you did Char. You’ll f***ing wish you did leave with me, actually you know what - I'm not leaving until you do.” 0 Comments

04/17/2022 11:04 PM  AC 25 “Are you talking about Richard’s Island?” she questioned after hearing about how some of her closest friends were being described by two strangers in a Seattle mall.” Have you heard about them? They all live on that island like a bunch of wild animals..” She had zoned out several moments previous to the question directed at her, eavesdropping landing in a conversation she had no desire to be a part of. She wanted to be anywhere else, and the branding on the back of her neck ignited with heat much like the moment the scalding metal first touched her skin. Teeth gnawing at the inside of her cheek, desperate to be anywhere other than where she stood currently. It was always startling for her to learn how the outside world veiwed the place she called home, and those she considered family. She was blessed with the ability of not being surrounded by those who didn’t seem to understand the moment the keys to her Richard Island home hit her hand, but also with the creation of Richard Island only came an uptick in the dissatisfaction of those not involved. They didn’t see the unity that showed it’s head more often than not between the other members. The beatufy of the leadership that selflessly took interest in each of their member’s lives, and dedicated their own time to do all they could to assist. They didn’t see the progress that had been made in each of her peer’s lives, the very moment they pledged their way in, the effort that was given at every workshop, every trip, every misfortune. “Wild animals?” she repeated with a perked brow words of defense lingering at the tip of her tongue. “No, I haven’t heard anything about them.” 0 Comments

04/03/2022 11:42 PM  0024. “Just a few more weeks Miss. Reyes, the trauma you just went through was …” the woman pushed the bridge of her glasses further up her nose as she searched for a word that didn’t exist. “Well, it was a lot, and we just want to ensure Tatum has a smooth transition in coming back home.” A smooth transition, in coming back home. They weren’t worried about a smooth transition, when they ripped her from her home, however, one thing the entirety of this experience (aside from heroin addiction and motherhood clearly couldn’t mix for long) is some things were better left unsaid. The disappointment painted across her features was more than words could do anyhow, and as she dropped her hands to her side in defeat, she muttered a quick ‘Thanks’ before turning on her heels to head back to the car. She missed her daughter, more than words could explain, and though she found some sort of comfort in the fact she wasn’t present when they were locked in the catacombs for an extended weekend, or when their boat sunk like the Titanic leaving them to hardly survive on a desolate island. She was able to twist her thoughts around enough to think that maybe this was some higher power’s way of saving her daughter. The moment she pushed through The Center’s front door she was able to already make out the disappointed face of her driver. The moment she slid into the passenger seat it was as if she shouldn’t have bothered giving the vague explanation she was given, and the more she attempted to explain their reasoning the redder Mick’s cheeks appeared. “Did you f***ing fail a drug test Charlotte?” Those 8 words were all she heard, though he continued to push on, not waiting for her answer as his accusation seemed to stick with him, insults leaving his lips at an obnoxious rate. A moment of disbelief struck her that was instantly replaced with rage as she remembered how she had spent nearly every other second with him for well over two months at that point, both by choice and his insistence on being present to not allow her to f*** up. Since the moment they got home from being rescued from the desolate island, she had poured every second of her time into trying to distract him from the fact that the people who meant most to him were gone, and here he was - accusing her of doing the one thing she promised she wouldn’t. “LET ME OUT!” she screamed before ripping the seat belt that she had just buckled moments before from her chest. “LET ME OUT F***ING NOW” she demanded not bothering to watch his initial look of shock twist into the crooked smirk he was sporting, enjoying every second of getting under her skin. Reaching over to fumble with the door handle until his passenger door opened regardless of the fact his vehicle was still in motion proved to be enough to force his foot on the brakes. Grabbing her purse before getting out of the vehicle slamming the passenger door behind her, hoping the distance between the two would allow the rate of her heart to calm. Within seconds she regretted her decision to get out of the vehicle, finally ripping her gaze away from the ground spotting his sh*tty Honda Civic pulled to the side of the road less than a few hundred feet in front of her. Silently falling back into the passenger seat, refusing to make eye contact with him even as his hand fell onto her knee giving a gentle squeeze. “Just take me home..” she mumbled, allowing her head to rest against the window. 0 Comments

03/20/2022 08:56 PM  The Importance of Emotional Control The Importance of Emotional Control Are You Able To Control Your Emotions? A Quiz Overwhelmed by negative emotions, you tend to make decisions you regret later? Yes All The Time Do you know calm breathing exercises that help you relax? These Exercises Can’t Help Me Holding onto negative emotions is not healthy. We need to vent our bad emotions. Depends on the situation You got distracted and dropped your new expensive smartphone. How will you react? I’ll be mad at myself. Are you trying to understand the person you don't like? I’m doing my best to understand people. I try to stay calm when the other person is lashing out at me. No. You're at the cinema. During the film, a person sitting behind you is talking loudly. How will you react? I’ll yell at them. At a parking lot, you detected a scratch on your car. How will you react? It sucks, but there is nothing I can do about it. You run into the person you don't like. What will you do? Greet them dryly and keep walking Results You can't control your emotions Features instantly dropping at the results of the quick quiz, convinced in part that such a short series of questions could not actually refelt on her ability to control her emotions she allowed herself briefly allowed a variety of instances to play in her mind in which were a product of this test’s very verdict. Each question played a memory in her mind that would make her answer true. From small tantrums that were a result of not getting her way, or even frustration with herself to the more turmoiltous arguments she had with her closest of friends from lacking the ability to filter her thoughts into ones that would be more well-received by the opposing party. Pencil now tucked back between her fingers, flipping it to utilize her eraser she went back over each answer. Overwhelmed by negative emotions, you tend to make decisions you regret later. No, or rarely. Do you know calm breathing exercises that help you relax? Yes, I do them often. Holding onto negative emotions is not healthy. We need to vent our bad emotions. Yes, always. You got distracted and dropped your new expensive smartphone. How will you react? It’s just a smartphone, no big deal. Are you trying to understand the person you don't like? I’m doing my best to understand people. I try to stay calm when the other person is lashing out at me. Yes, and come up with a solution that fits us both. You're at the cinema. During the film, a person sitting behind you is talking loudly. How will you react? Politely ask them to tone it down. At a parking lot, you detected a scratch on your car. How will you react? It sucks, but there is nothing I can do about it. You run into the person you don't like. What will you do? Make small talk to be polite. Results You Can Control Your Emotions. Glancing down at her now false results, she pushed dropped the pencil down on the center of the journal, fingertips pushing the shreds of eraser from the page shifting uncomfortably in the plastic chair. Knowing that she was out of control in many aspects of her life, but refusing to believe her emotion and the expression of them were one of them.  0 Comments

03/06/2022 02:06 PM  22 Coping   6 Years Previous: "It's going to ruin your life Ms.Reyes, people who use illicit drugs as a coping mechanism more often than not find out they are doing a substantial amount of harm more so than good." Exhausted features clearly displaying the amount of annoyance coursing through her, she fought back an eye-roll as she cleared her throat to speak, "I know." Two simple words to signify that she wasn't a complete idiot and that despite her actions, she knew that heroin wouldn't fix all of her problems. "Then why do you continue to use it? This isn't your first go at this program, this isn't the first time you've sat in this office. If you know that you are doing more harm than good, why do you continue to do so?" Lower lip now caught between her teeth, she found a speck on the carpet to hyperfocus on, answers flooding to her mind, but never crossing her lips. Finally bringing her gaze to meet that of the middle-aged woman across from her, she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I don't use thinking it will fix any of my issues, I use to provide myself the luxury of ignoring my issues. I use because it is the only thing that allows me the ability to forget all the issues that I    can't seem to fix. I   continue to end up in your office because ironically the one thing I've found that helps me with any of my issues, is also the one thing that caused them all to start with." Returning From Paris: "Why are you so f***ing heavy?!" Words groaned to the bottom half of her couch as it all but refused to fit through her front door. Obsessively, she thought about redoing every square inch of the house. Scrolling through Pinterest looking at the abundance of decor ideas she could in no way afford as she sipped on her sixth cup of coffee that morning. The much-loved couch that had been in every home she had since arriving to Seattle years ago, now bothering her more than it ever had. Everything was bothering her more than it ever had. Each night spent drunkenly passed out on its arm, each stumble from her bathroom that landed her in its worn cushions, each night snuggled up with her daughter as she attempted to focus on whichever show Tatum deemed worth watching, the memories making the sight of much sectional, unbearable. It was seven-thirty A.M, not a single illicit substance in her system as she finished her sixth cup of coffee pushing her couch through the front door, avoiding dealing with the very issues that surrounded her.  0 Comments

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