Chapter 5 5

2003

The morning after the kiss, Ollie woke up for the first time in a month without the thought of his mother leaving, but because Charlie. He remembered the way her tongue felt in his mouth, and how she fidgeted on him while he got so hard, and Ollie felt the urge again.

For a long time, Oliver's morning shower was accompanied by jerking off. He tried to think of Rebecca Romijn or Nikki Taylor, but Charlie invariably popped in his head in her orange bikini.

This bikini was a torture for him this summer. Ollie resented to himself that she had bought it, because swimming in a public pool had become a problem for him. It was better when she wore one-piece swimsuits and her breasts didn't stand out so much.

Thinking about Charlie's chest made Ollie groan in pain, jump out of bed and rush to the bathroom.

The shower will be cold today.

***

Ollie and Charlie had two classes together today, and chemistry was one of them. Ollie loved chemistry, but Charlie didn't like it. If Ollie hadn't been her lab partner, Charlie would have flunked out a long time ago.

"What are you doing?" Oliver squinted at Charlie, his voice a shrunken whisper. Ollie tried very hard to listen to Mr. Hitch's explanation for today's lab, but it was difficult because Charlie's knee was distracting him. It was slightly sliding against Ollie's leg. He could feel every bit of Charlie's bare knee because she was wearing a skirt.

Since when does Charlie wear skirts?

"I'm not doing anything, Ollie," Charlie smiled innocently at him, biting the tip of her pencil. She saw Ollie suffer, and it was very amusing tol her.

"You're distracting me."

He glanced down as her knee touched his thigh again.

"Should I stop?" Charlie leaned over to him, looking into his eyes. Ollie caught the scent of her mint gum and felt the warmth of her body.

Will there ever be a moment when he will stop thinking about Charlie's body for at least five minutes?

He wanted to tell her to stop, but couldn't do it, so Ollie remained silent, returning his attention to the teacher. At least tried to.

"Ollie," Charlie leaned even lower towards him, "I'm bored."

Oliver rolled his eyes. Here it comes. As always. When it comes to laboratory work, she complains about boredom and, instead of helping or at least not interfering, she distracts him in every possible way.

"Be patient, Charlie, the bell will ring in thirty minutes," Ollie showed no sympathy.

Charlie pouted.

"Olly, did you think about me after I left last night?"

Combustion of methane in atmospheric oxygen. Think Ollie, think...

"Yes."

It was very hard not to look at the knee that touched him, but he managed to control himself.

"Of course, you did," Charlie smiled. "I thought about it too, Ollie.

He was about to ask what exactly she was thinking about, but Mr. Hitch interrupted them.

"Miss Pierce, Mr. Scott, would you like to continue your conversation after class?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hitch," Charlie feigned remorse, and stopped torturing Ollie.

***

After the chemistry class there was a recess, at which everyone rushed to the cafeteria. Everyone except Ollie and Charlie. As soon as they left the classroom, Charlie grabbed Ollie's arm and led her against the stream of hungry students straight into the pantry where the janitors kept their inventory.

"So what were you thinking about, Charlie?" Oliver asked when they were behind the door. Now that they didn't have a teacher and twenty other students to witness, Ollie wanted to do whatever he dreamed of while Charlie was rubbing him with her goddamn knee.

"I was thinking that we wasted a lot of time, Ollie," Charlie laughed as she pushed him against the wall. "Let's start with kisses, we have a lot to catch up on."

In a short time, they mastered it.

Oliver

"I already thought you weren't coming," Charlie said with a weak smile when I found her in the kitchen.

Most of the guests had already left, but I didn't want to share Charlie's attention with anyone.

Okay, who am I kidding - this visit was a bad idea, because being around Charlie for more than a minute threatens me with a number of wrong decisions.

"But I promised."

Charlie lingered on me, then nodded and took a beer from the fridge and suggested that we go out into the backyard.

"Do you mind if I leave for a moment to change quickly? I dreamed of taking off this dress all day today."

I said no, even though I liked the way she looked in a black, short-sleeved, knee-length dress.

But I liked Charlie in everything. So I couldn't be relied upon for that.

She came back very soon, wearing jeans and a purple knitted sweater, and sat down next to me on the step.

I opened the bottle and handed it to her. We sat in silence for a few seconds, but it didn't bother us too much.

"I still can't believe he's gone," Charlie said softly, running a hand through her hair. I noticed that she loosened them, although they were previously collected in a bun. Her hair has gotten shorter since I last saw her.

"Not only you. Mitch went to the store last week. We talked, and then I found out that he was gone. Still doesn't fit in the head."

We always had a good relationship with Charlie's father, even when I was no longer together with his daughter.

"Didn't he seem unwell to you?"

I looked at her carefully. Charlie really seemed unhappy.

I had to swallow a Texas-sized lump in my throat before answering.

"No, he looked the same as always."

"I envy you," She suddenly grinned joylessly.

I raised my eyebrows with a silent question.

"You only saw him a few days ago, and the last time I've him was over a year ago. He asked me to come home, Ollie. And I..." She lowered her head, poking at the label on the bottle. "I was a coward."

I guess I know why. Great, I unwittingly became the reason Charlie didn't come home.

Sighing, I stretched my legs forward and dared to ask:

"Because of me?"

She nodded, looking at me shyly.

"Hmmmm." I ran a trembling hand through my hair. "Charlie, I never wanted this to happen. You and me..." I looked at her and the words got stuck in my throat. "I didn't want you to end up in this situation."

"It's not your fault, Ollie," She shook her head quickly. "It's just me and my stupidity. Liz was right - everything has changed, and we both have a pretty good life, don't we?"

I thought I saw pleading in her eyes. Did she need me to confirm her words?

I wanted to tell her how bad my life was without her all this time, but now that would be cruel. Even after everything, I didn't want to hurt Charlie.

"Of course." I nodded and lifted the bottle to my lips, suppressing the urge to grimace.

God, just sitting next to her and not being able to touch her hurt me.

"How is Mr Scott?"

Charlie cheered up a little. Was she worried that my life would be unsettled? Did she feel guilty about it? I didn't think it was Charlie's fault for the way I was living now, but somewhere deep inside I felt the satisfaction that she could think that way.

I cleared my throat before answering.

"Not bad, but almost retired. Last year I convinced him to retire."

"Who runs the store?"

I pointed my thumb at myself. Charlie seemed surprised.

"You? But you never wanted it."

"I know." I shrugged, taking a sip from the bottle. "I didn't want a lot of things, but life doesn't always ask for your wants."

She was embarrassed by my answer, and an awkward silence hung between us. I regretted bringing this up, so I decided to choose a safe topic.

"When are you coming back to California?"

"Do not know yet." She placed the bottle beside her and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I think I'll be at home for a while."

I don't know what I felt more: joy or annoyance because of her answer. Being in the same city as Charlie... How safe is that?

"How is Jane?"

"Mom is heart-broken."

I nodded in understanding.

"Although she held up well and still does. I admire her," Charlie smiled sadly.

I looked at her. Some things just happen, you can't control them. I looked at her lips, which curved into a vulnerable smile, and although she had changed over the years that we had not been together, she was still the same Charlie with whom I had fallen in love when she entered Miss Thomas's class.

I have always admired Charlie. Her courage, restlessness, passion, fervor. She was never afraid to live. She was life itself.