Chapter 16
Misunderstood Messages
The morning after their first date, Charlotte scrolled through her phone with a smile still lingering from yesterday’s walk. A message notification popped up—it was from Alexander: “Can’t wait to see you later :)”
Charlotte’s heart fluttered, but then another message appeared: “Sorry, something came up. Rain check?”
Confused, she reread it. Did he mean later today or later this week? She felt a flicker of disappointment and hesitation.
At practice that afternoon, Alexander was cheerful and teasing as usual, but Charlotte found herself distracted. Every glance, every joke, seemed tinged with uncertainty.
“Hey, are you even paying attention?” Alexander asked, tossing her a ball.
“I… yeah, of course,” she replied, though her mind raced.
Finally, after practice, Charlotte decided to confront the uncertainty. “Alex… about your messages this morning—what did you mean?”
Alexander’s face lit up in confusion, then realization. “Oh! Charlotte, I didn’t mean to confuse you. My second message was for Emily—we had to adjust our plans for the team. I didn’t mean you. I’m sorry if it worried you.”
Charlotte exhaled, relief washing over her. “Ah… that makes more sense.”
He took her hand gently. “I would never… you know, leave you guessing like that on purpose. I like you too much for that.”
Charlotte felt her heart swell. “I know… I guess I just… overthought it.”
Alexander smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “We all do sometimes. But the important thing? We talk about it. Always.”
Charlotte smiled back, her worries melting away. “Always.”
As they walked off the field together, side by side, Charlotte realized that relationships weren’t just about laughter and happy moments—they were also about communication, trust, and small misunderstandings that could be easily cleared with honesty.
And she knew that with Alexander by her side, they could handle whatever little bumps came their way.