“She’s cute, yeah. I’ve noticed her before. I haven’t thought of her that way though, if I’m being honest.”
“Well, you should check that out.”Kill me. Just kill me. I am so awkward.
He smirks slyly at my obvious awkwardness.
“Don’t laugh at me,” I giggle, pushing him playfully in the chest.
“I can laugh at you if I want, Charlie,” he says, teetering back and forth on his toes. He moves next to me again and leans on the car door. Ben walks right in front of us, distracting me from the conversation Jared tries to continue.
He doesn’t bother glancing in my direction. I barely catch sight of his eyes before he’s fitting his motorcycle helmet over his head and hopping on his bike. My chest tightens. I miss him so much.
“Why are you always staring at Ben?”
“Huh?” I say, caught off guard from the question.
“Why are you always staring at Ben?” he asks again rather sternly, bouncing a deep stare back and forth into each one of my eyes.
“I am notalwaysstaring at him. I may have beenglancingat him more recently but only because we haven’t been as close lately. We fought over something stupid and have barely talked since. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on. Fights like that aren’t worth losing friends over, in my opinion, so I’m trying to figure out how to navigate it is all.” I look down at my feet, now feeling uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Ah. I see.”
Studying him, I notice his gaze lingers anywhere but me, and his pained expression of tight lips and furrowed brows worries me.
“Are you okay?” I touch his arm to comfort him.
His shoulders loosen at my touch, and his face softens. He puts his arm around me again, allowing me to lean into him where I wrap myself up in his fresh woody and citrus scent. His cologne makes me want to lay on the beach by a campfire at night. It’s relaxing but also makes me want to be adventurous, to try new things and hang with friends around a fire on a cool summer evening.
“You’re a hard one to figure out, you know.”
I tilt my head up at him, furrowing my brow at the accusation. “What do you mean?”
I pull out of his embrace and put my bookbag in the backseat. When I turn around, I notice the parking lot’s almost empty. Everyone must’ve booked it out of here now that school’s officially over. “Wow, everyone’s gone already.”
“I didn’t notice.”
Now I’d almost rather him look away. His intense stare into my soul is staggering. I turn away, unable to bear it and shift on my feet, trying to think of how to escape his gaze.
“Well, hey. I’m gonna get going. You should definitely talk to Shirley though. If you want, I can write down her number for you?”
“That’s okay,” he says shortly. His face softens quickly at his next words. “My graduation party starts at five tomorrow. You’re coming for sure, right?”
“Yes. I wouldn’t be telling you I was coming all week and then not show up. Geez, I’m not that bad of a flake.”
He brightens from satisfaction at my answer. “Good.”
He opens my car door as I tuck my dress underneath me and slide into the driver’s seat. He folds his arms on the open window of my car door, resting his chin on them with a soft smile.
“I’m glad we’ve gotten closer this week. I’m only sad that we didn’t get closer sooner before school ended.” A twinge of regret resounds in his voice.
“We can still stay close friends and chat over the summer. Don’t worry about it. We won’t lose touch.”
He pauses, his expression unreadable. He leans his cheek onto one hand while raising the other and grazes my cheek with his knuckle. His skin’s surprisingly soft as silk, moving against my skin with little friction. My breath hitches, and a heat simmers between my legs at his gentle touch.
“I don’t want to be just friends with you, Charlie.” He slowly moves his hand under my chin and pinches it before removing it from my face. Then without so much as a change in expression, walks off to his car. Dumbfounded, I stay frozen in my car, my mouth gaping open in shock at his confession.
Well, I guess Shirley was right. He does indeed like me. Now what do I do?
Chapter Eight.
