feel like with him I have to be on all the time. Everything about him is so perfect, and I have to be the perfect girlfriend. With you, I can be me. All of it. It's just easier, Steven." She looked up at me with her big, lavender eyes, and they were streaked with red.
If anyone knew how to put on a front, it was me. I couldn't blame her.
****
I walked in the door, kicked off my boots, and shuffled to my room to toss my messenger bag down. When I came back out of my room, Charlie was blocking my way.
“Hey there, handsome.” She was about five foot two to my six foot, and she had the bones of a twelve-year-old. Her long hair was pulled up into a loose, messy bun with a few wisps escaping to frame her face. She habitually tucked them behind her ears, and a bright smile always adorned her lips, even when she was crying.
I tried to step around her, but she dragged me to the couch and forced me to sit.
"Sam’s at practice, and it's movie night."
I groaned inwardly. "I'm sorry. I forgot what day it was. I didn't get the movies. I'll go get them now." I tried to get to my feet, but she blocked my way again.
She shook her head with a grin. "With as elusive as you've been the last few days I kinda figured that, so I grabbed up a couple on my way home." She turned around and closed her fingers around a few cases from the coffee table.
Charlie was the type that if you told her some obscure fact about yourself, she would remember it forever. Picking up on the littlest cues, she catered to the needs of those she loved. I didn't even think she knew she was doing it most of the time. It was so much a part of who she was.
“So, funny zombie flick or serious action movie with 'I want to Channing on your Tatum’?"
"I've had nightmares about him since you made me watch that male stripper movie. Let's go with the zombies." I ran my hands up her sides giving her a hug from where I sat on the couch.
"That movie was hot. I don't care what you or Sam say!" She turned away to put the disk in and then flitted back to plop down in my lap.
I loved it when she took up her place with me. Winding my arms around her, I laid my head against hers, and she purred in delight.
"Going to hold me tonight if this scares me?" she teased.
"Isn't that what your big, strong swimmer is for?"
She huffed. "He mocks me and makes me sleep alone after scary movies. Ass."
My chest rumbled into hers as I laughed. "Sounds about like Sam. He used to pop out and scare me after them at sleepovers. Nothing scares that kid."
"That's because he was raised on that stuff. His dad is such a sci-fi geek." Her lovable laugh joined mine.
She laid her head on my shoulder, and my fingers found their way into her hair relaxing me as much as it did her.
Chapter Five
Two days later, I walked into the apartment to find Charlie sitting on the couch and Sam pacing the length of the small living room. I froze only a few steps inside the doorway. They both looked stiff, tension dripping from their posture. My heart began to pound, and I sucked on my lip ring, looking between them. I didn't want to know what they had in store for me.
Shit.
Had Sam told Charlie about what I’d said? I started to back towards the door, feeling for the handle.
"Steven," Charlie said first. She got to her feet and started closing in on me.
My back hit the door, and I fumbled to get it open.
“We're glad you’re here. We want to talk to you." She grabbed me by the hand and dragged me toward the couch.
Sam had stopped where he was when I had tried to escape and now mouthed “Sorry” when I looked over at him.
Panic set in.
"What's going on?" I stammered as she pulled me.
She forced me to sit and took a seat next to me. I looked to Sam for some rational answer or to fucking save me.
“Sam, you want to come join us?” She patted the seat next to her.
"Not really. You look like you've scared him half to death already." He scrubbed a hand over his face.
"Yeah, you have. Can I
If anyone knew how to put on a front, it was me. I couldn't blame her.
****
I walked in the door, kicked off my boots, and shuffled to my room to toss my messenger bag down. When I came back out of my room, Charlie was blocking my way.
“Hey there, handsome.” She was about five foot two to my six foot, and she had the bones of a twelve-year-old. Her long hair was pulled up into a loose, messy bun with a few wisps escaping to frame her face. She habitually tucked them behind her ears, and a bright smile always adorned her lips, even when she was crying.
I tried to step around her, but she dragged me to the couch and forced me to sit.
"Sam’s at practice, and it's movie night."
I groaned inwardly. "I'm sorry. I forgot what day it was. I didn't get the movies. I'll go get them now." I tried to get to my feet, but she blocked my way again.
She shook her head with a grin. "With as elusive as you've been the last few days I kinda figured that, so I grabbed up a couple on my way home." She turned around and closed her fingers around a few cases from the coffee table.
Charlie was the type that if you told her some obscure fact about yourself, she would remember it forever. Picking up on the littlest cues, she catered to the needs of those she loved. I didn't even think she knew she was doing it most of the time. It was so much a part of who she was.
“So, funny zombie flick or serious action movie with 'I want to Channing on your Tatum’?"
"I've had nightmares about him since you made me watch that male stripper movie. Let's go with the zombies." I ran my hands up her sides giving her a hug from where I sat on the couch.
"That movie was hot. I don't care what you or Sam say!" She turned away to put the disk in and then flitted back to plop down in my lap.
I loved it when she took up her place with me. Winding my arms around her, I laid my head against hers, and she purred in delight.
"Going to hold me tonight if this scares me?" she teased.
"Isn't that what your big, strong swimmer is for?"
She huffed. "He mocks me and makes me sleep alone after scary movies. Ass."
My chest rumbled into hers as I laughed. "Sounds about like Sam. He used to pop out and scare me after them at sleepovers. Nothing scares that kid."
"That's because he was raised on that stuff. His dad is such a sci-fi geek." Her lovable laugh joined mine.
She laid her head on my shoulder, and my fingers found their way into her hair relaxing me as much as it did her.
Chapter Five
Two days later, I walked into the apartment to find Charlie sitting on the couch and Sam pacing the length of the small living room. I froze only a few steps inside the doorway. They both looked stiff, tension dripping from their posture. My heart began to pound, and I sucked on my lip ring, looking between them. I didn't want to know what they had in store for me.
Shit.
Had Sam told Charlie about what I’d said? I started to back towards the door, feeling for the handle.
"Steven," Charlie said first. She got to her feet and started closing in on me.
My back hit the door, and I fumbled to get it open.
“We're glad you’re here. We want to talk to you." She grabbed me by the hand and dragged me toward the couch.
Sam had stopped where he was when I had tried to escape and now mouthed “Sorry” when I looked over at him.
Panic set in.
"What's going on?" I stammered as she pulled me.
She forced me to sit and took a seat next to me. I looked to Sam for some rational answer or to fucking save me.
“Sam, you want to come join us?” She patted the seat next to her.
"Not really. You look like you've scared him half to death already." He scrubbed a hand over his face.
"Yeah, you have. Can I
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