I don’t even look around to see if other people are dancing or not. I don’t care. I’m having fun. Charlie’s having fun. And that is honestly all that seems to matter in this moment.
But eventually the song ends, switching to KC & The Sunshine Band’sOops Upside Your Head.
“Fucking hell, the DJ must be popping pills,” I step closer to Charlie to say.
He shakes his head. “No DJ. It’s my mum’s old iPod on shuffle.”
“That makes more sense.”
“Right, to the bar with you.” He finds my hand with his and starts leading us in that direction. “You need to rehydrate after all that exercise and the oldies need their moment to shine.”
I glance back and sure enough there is now a line of people sitting down inside each other’s legs and they’re banging the floor with their hands in sync to the music.
Charlie makes quick work of ordering us both a drink and it’s upon seeing the glass that I realise I am indeed very thirsty. While we both take long sips, Diane approaches us.
“I must say, that was quite the show!”
“Thanks, mother,” Charlie says audibly a little insincere.
“You’re ever such a good friend to come here and put on this pretence with Charlie.” She leans into me. “It’s almost a shame I’ll never see you again. I could grow to quite like you.”
“Mum, it’s not a—” Charlie begins but his mother cuts him off.
“You must think I was born yesterday.”
“No, I think you were born seventy years ago, to the day,” he says smugly and even though it’s not even that funny, I have to purse my lips to keep from laughing.
“Charlie, just stop the charade and come clean that this is not a real date,” Diane insists and the wobble in her voice leads me to think this is annoying her more than she’s letting on.
But why? Why is it so wrong for her son to be here with a woman? Why is it so wrong for her son to be bisexual?
These unanswered questions prompt me to put down my glass and reach for Charlie’s hand. This time, I move my palm so our fingers interlock. I give his hand a quick squeeze.
“Charlie,” I say to him.
“Yeah?” He’s looking down at our hands, possibly puzzled by my fierce grip. But I need him to feel it, to feel me.
“Kiss me,” I tell him.
“What?” His eyes widen with surprise.
I smile at him as I step closer. “Kiss me.”
And much to my surprise, probably his surprise too, and very much to his mother’s jaw-dropping shock next to us, he brings his free hand to the back of my neck before he leans close and gently places his lips on mine.
Chapter Eight
Sugar
Charlie
Sweetest. Kiss. Of. My. Life.
Like, seriously. It’s like her lips are candy floss, they’re so syrupy-sweet and soft, and my own sink into them. I’d tasted a hint of it earlier but it’s nothing like the sweetness I’m now tasting and hungry for more of. And yet, it’s still a restrained kiss – there are no tongues and our lips are barely open – but regardless, there’s something about the give and take in the pressure of her mouth on mine. Our first kiss wasn’t like this. I think it would be wrong to even call it a kiss, in fact. It was just two sets of lips pressed together. But this, this is real. It’s like she’s not forcing anything, not pressing down with all her weight or strength, but there’s still something behind the kiss. Even if it’s not passion or lust or desire, it’s something real. Something alive. Something true.
Except it’s not, is it, Charlie?A voice not dissimilar to my mother’s barks inside my head. This is all fake. There is nothing real about this kiss at all. Mina is only doing this to prove a point to my mother and while this is appreciated it does somewhat dampen the warm tingly feelings that were settling in my stomach, and in lower parts of my body.
Those feelings are almost completely washed away when Mina pulls her lips away from mine and her head turns towards my mother.
