When they had finished lunch, Landon took her on a walk along the avenue. There were shops that sold clothes, bags, and shoes. Even though they're not designer brands, those apparels were pretty pricey. Charlene went into a few of the stores and bought herself some dresses, and also something for her mom and sister. Landon waited outside most of the time, patiently, knowing that it was what he was supposed to do for her.
It was almost sundown when Charlene decided that she was done for the day, they have walked quite far to the other end of the avenue from where Landon had parked his car. They had to walk all the way back, Landon offered to carry all 8 of her shopping bags. "You know, we look like a typical couple with all this?" he lifted both his arms decorated with 8 shopping bags.
"No we don't," she refused to admit it.
"It's true, why don't you take a look around, all of the guys who carry shopping bags are carrying
"Sweetheart ... I heard you're going to the party at campus tonight?" her dad greeted her in the dining room. She managed to avoid real conversations with him for the past week, but it seemed like that wasn't the case that morning."What party?" her tone was flat.Landon was sitting across from her father, eating a pancake with a knife and fork, "I was just telling your dad about the pre-summer party on campus since everyone is going home for summer on Monday, it's a tradition we have at UOG ... it's gonna be fun," he explained.Charlene took a seat beside Landon and put a napkin on her lap."Since you're also leaving on Monday, I thought it'd be nice to enjoy a party before you leave ... get a taste of the campus life," he elbowed her lightly."Sounds like a party for 18 years and older," she commented coldly."Well, since this is a special occasion, I will
Landon was right, yet again, she had a massive hangover the next day, she could barely get out of bed. When she didn't come down for breakfast, he knocked on her door to check if she was alright. She let his knock went unanswered. She packed her suitcase instead. She couldn't wait to go home the next day. He came knocking again after a while, she finally opened the door, gave him the cold shoulder."Water?" he lifted a big jug of water which she immediately grabbed from his hand."Thanks," she chugged it in."Are you okay?" he was being nice."No ... my head is about to explode, but thanks for asking," she closed the door on him.He knew she remembered what he had tried to do the night before, thus her unfriendly gesture toward him. She avoided contact with everyone in the last two days she stayed there. She kept her goodbye short and cold, both to her dad and Landon.&nbs
The cabin door was unlocked, but there was nobody around. She decided to step in and called out for Tommy. She heard the shower was on, she closed the front door and walked towards the bathroom door. "Tommy?" she called out, the shower was turned off. The door opened from the inside, and those blue eyes greeted her. She bolted into the door and jumped on him, he was wet with only a towel wrapped around his waist.She wrapped her arms and legs around him, and kissed him. He was the most beautiful sight that she'd been yearning to see for the past two weeks. "I missed you too, Charlie," he told her under his breath. She took her clothes off, he carried her up the stairs to the bed under the ceiling. No other words were exchanged, their lips locked in a long passionate kiss. They made love to each other like the world was going to end if they don't. She was back to the reality that she had chosen for herself, back to Tommy, to whom her heart would always come home
The minute summer started in Blubridge, Charlie had pretty much left Gastonburry behind her. Her heart swelled in the warm summer breeze, she clings to that blue-eyed boy, skin to skin, mouth to mouth, hand in hand, falling head over heels with each other like nothing else mattered. His thick red lips were driving her crazy, she just couldn't resist not kissing him all the time.And he was dying of insecurities, knowing how deep he had fallen in love with her without a single thread of confidence that he was worthy of her love. He never knew love the way he knew it with Charlie, he never had anyone that could make him feel so happy just to be around them. He didn't have much to give her, but he would give her everything he's got.He took her out on a picnic in his old beat up pick up truck. Under the Bluebridge sky, waiting for the sun to set. Out in the field, far from anyone, and laid out picnic blankets on the back. They laid there and ta
He promised to tell her everything, but the one thing he wasn't ready for, was forCharlie to meet his father. The demon he kept hidden inside him, the source of his pain, the pathetic excuse of a man whom he feared all his life to be his mirror. His deepest fear was to end up like his father one day, he even believed that he might, until he met Charlie. He swore he would do whatever it takes to never be like him, not if he wants to keep Charlie in his life."I can't take you with me, Charlie, not today ... please ..." his hands trembled when she held them."It's okay, Tommy, you've told me how he is, I can handle it," she assured him.He shook his head, "No ... I can't, not today, baby, please ..." he sounded like a wounded boy, pleading for help."I don't care how terrible he is, I know you're not like him ... you're not him, Tommy, I'm coming with you," she insisted. He took a deep breath, fi
August was almost over, Tommy's birthday was on the 30th. A date that she had to dig through his friends because he wouldn't tell her. He doesn't really celebrate his birthday, Charlene decided to organize a surprise party at the cabin for his 20th birthday before he leaves for Goldstone in September.Tommy was meeting her near her house to go to the cabin together, while his friends were secretly gathering at the cabin. She was about to leave through the back door when her mom stopped her. "Where are you off to, young lady?" her voice stern and demanding. She turned around, knowing she had been gone almost every day since summer began. "You're seeing him again? Don't you think you've been seeing him too often? You've been gone every day, I almost never see you at home anymore?" her mom sighed."It's his birthday today, mom, we're having a surprise party for him," she told her. Her mom nodded softly and sat on the chair by the kitchen table.
She ran out the front door as soon as she finished breakfast, her mom had to run after her and shouted on the lawn, "Charlene! Be back before lunch! Your dad is coming home today!" She waved at her mom, acknowledging her request, she kept running. It was the day that Tommy was leaving for Goldstone, the last day of summer holiday. She ran without stopping when people who knew her called out her name along the way to the cabin. She had to see him before he goes away.She jumped on his back when she saw him loading up his truck with his stuff. She nibbled his ear and kissed the side of his face. "God ... you smell good," he said as she climbed down his back, and then he turned around to pick her up from the front."Can't you stay a bit longer?" she was hoping."I have to be there before 3 P.M., work starts at 4, I can't be late ... it's my first day."She pouted her lips, followed by a faint smile, "Ju
His gas was running low. Goldstone was still a couple of hours away when he stopped in the middle of nowhere to fill up his tank. He'd been driving through a dirt road for an hour, the same route he'd always taken whenever he had deliveries to Goldstone. He looked at his watch, it was a quarter after twelve noon, he was going to be early.All he could think of was how sweet she smelled that morning, her sweat on his skin as they pressed against each other, her soft lips touching his, the taste of her tongue. He was going out of his mind having to leave her for two months. He felt a bit at peace knowing she was going to be busy with school, an image he can live with while he's away. Having so many things going on in his head, he was oblivious when a piece of paper fell out of his pocket. He left the gas station not knowing that one small piece of paper held the fate of his relationship with Charlie for the next few months.When he arrived at