2001
Keir and Charlotte were bffs, that was a fact. Keir and Charlotte, would be together forever, that was another fact. Keir had often thought that the lord had chosen Charlotte for her, as her ‘savior’. She was one of the nicest girl Keir had ever met, and Keir was lucky to have befriended her all those years ago, because Charlotte was everything Keir was not.
Charlotte was more outspoken, that was how she often defended Keir from the bullying by the totally not cute sinner, and invited her to every single party (though sometimes Keir could not go, because large crowds terrified her, and she preferred to be in her room taking a nap or reading her bible.) But, apparently, today was not going to be one of those days.
“I don’t know Lottie, I don’t know”
Charlotte rolled her eyes, “Your parents would never say no to me, it’s fine, they would let it.” That was true, but Keir still couldn’t help but to feel hesitant because Charlotte would lie to her parents and of course they would believe her.
“Its a sin Charlotte, you could go to hell, I don’t want you to go to hell, besides I don’t know if i’m comfortable going to a high school party as an 8th grader, they lace their drinks, i’ve watched movies.”
Charlotte fake gasped, “What? Keir watches movies not about the bible?”
Keir’s cheeks flushed a deep pink, the kind that reached all the way up to her ears. “It was for research,” she mumbled, clutching her worn leather Bible closer to her chest as if it might shield her from Charlotte’s teasing.
Charlotte laughed, a bright, bell-like sound that always made Keir feel as though she were standing too close to sunlight. “Research for what? How to become fun?”
“Research for how not to end up kidnapped or poisoned at a party, thank you very much,” Keir shot back, which only made Charlotte laugh harder.
Charlotte reached out and tugged on one of Keir’s braids. “You worry too much. We’ll just stay for an hour. I promise—no drinking, no boys, no sinning, just music and snacks and maybe a little dancing.”
“Dancing?” Keir’s voice went tight, scandalized. “Charlotte!”
“Relax! Not that kind of dancing,” Charlotte said with a smirk that suggested it was exactly that kind of dancing.
Keir sighed and looked up toward the cloudy sky, as though waiting for divine guidance to descend in the form of a lightning bolt. “I just—what if my parents find out?”
“Then I’ll tell them you were with me,” Charlotte said simply, looping her arm through Keir’s. “Because you will be with me. And nothing bad ever happens when we’re together, right?”
That was the problem, Keir thought. Nothing bad ever happened with Charlotte—just things that made her heart race and her palms sweat and her prayers feel a little less certain afterward.
“Fine,” she whispered finally, her voice trembling somewhere between fear and curiosity. “But we only stay for an hour.”
Charlotte grinned, eyes gleaming with victory. “Deal.
As Charlotte predicted, Keir’s parents had let her go out, on the pretense that Charlotte and Keir were volunteering at a homeless shelter.
“See? What did I tell you?” Charlotte whispered, tossing her hair as they walked down the street, the late spring air buzzing with the faint hum of cicadas and someone’s distant car radio.
Keir tugged at the hem of the skirt Charlotte had lent her—a soft, lilac thing that brushed just above her knees. Too short, in her opinion. The cardigan helped, though. The cardigan made her feel… safe. Like she could still be herself, even if she was dressed like someone else for the night.
“It feels wrong to lie about charity,” she murmured, eyes flickering toward the pavement.
Charlotte only hummed, linking their arms again. “Relax, Saint Keir. God will forgive you. He knows you’re just trying to make me happy.”
Keir didn’t reply. She wasn’t sure if that was how forgiveness worked. Charlotte grabbed her hand, “Hey, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have too, we can always go back to my house and eat snacks. There’s this new barbie movie that came out, barbie and the nutcracker, we could go watch that.”
Keir considered it. It was the best option to yes turn around, to bless God for opening her best friend’s eyes to this sinful nature they were committing, to rush to Lottie’s house and wear one of her teddy bear onesies and see Sammy as well. But Keir never liked disappointing Lottie, so she had simply shook her head. “We came all this way, might as well, make it through.”
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to make me uncomfortable.”
. “As long as you’re with me, i’m fine, always. Together forever, isn’t that what we always say?”
“Together till the end.” Lottie continued their childhood promise.
The house appeared before them like a living thing—windows glowing, laughter spilling out into the dark street, music vibrating faintly beneath their feet. Every sound, every light, every piece of chatter felt like it was pulling Keir further from the world she knew, the one lined with pews and prayers and Sunday shoes.
Inside, the warmth hit her first. It smelled like sweat and cheap perfume, like soda and something smoky. Charlotte’s hand was still in hers, firm and steady, and Keir squeezed it tight as they made their way through the crowd.
“You’re doing great,” Charlotte said softly, leaning close enough that Keir could smell the vanilla of her shampoo. “Just breathe, okay?”
Keir nodded, but her heart thudded like a hymn sung too fast.
They found a corner near a couch where upperclassmen lounged, laughing about things Keir didn’t understand. The punch bowl sat nearby, pink and frothy, a halo of condensation forming beneath it. Charlotte ladled two cups, handed one to her.
“It’s… sticky,” Keir murmured, wrinkling her nose.
“You’re sticky,” Charlotte teased, and Keir’s eyes widened until Charlotte burst into laughter again. “Kidding, kidding! Just drink a little. It’ll calm your nerves.”
Keir hesitated, then brought the cup to her lips. It was sweet, syrupy, faintly bitter beneath the sugar. She wasn’t sure if she liked it—but it was easier to hold something in her hands than stand there empty, trembling.
The room spun around them in color and sound. Someone turned up the music; people began to dance. Charlotte was immediately pulled into it—bright, glowing, alive in a way Keir could never be. Her hair caught the light, her laugh cut through the noise.
Keir stood frozen for a moment, watching her. There was something holy in the way Charlotte moved, something free, something untouchable.
And then, just as Keir began to retreat back toward the safety of the wall, Charlotte turned and caught her hand.
“No running, Keir,” she said, smiling. “One dance. Please?”
Keir opened her mouth to refuse—to say something about temptation, about propriety—but then Charlotte’s fingers intertwined with hers, warm and certain.
“Just one?” she whispered.
“Just one.”
So they danced. Or rather, Charlotte danced and Keir tried to follow, awkwardly at first, tripping over her own shoes, clutching her cardigan as though modesty could keep her steady. But then Charlotte twirled her, and for a fleeting second, Keir forgot everything—forgot the hymns, the verses, the quiet warnings from her mother’s lips.
All she knew was the light in Charlotte’s eyes.
The way her laughter folded into the music.
The way time seemed to stop when they looked at each other.
“You’re my best friend Lottie?” Keir said out of nowhere. Charlotte cocked her head, “Duh!You’re not allowed to be anyone else’s best friend.” She flicked Keir’s head making Keir scowl. Lottie laughed at the scowl, “You’re mine too.”
“Duh” keir said in a mock imitation of the way Lottie spoke.
No one would ever think, that in a couple years, the great friendship between the two would have been over. Neither Lottie nor Keir at this moment would have expected it, but perhaps Keir should have, as after all…
Keir-Charlotte post because I wanted to write so bad
Samuel and Beck Meet 
