AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Liv
“That’sAndromeda.It’sagalaxy,” Charlie says, pointing towards the stars. I close one eye and lean my head on his arm so I can find what he’s pointing at.
“Looks like a bunch of stars to me,” I say. He laughs and drops his arm and I resettle on the ground. He’s sprawled out next to me on the blanket by the lake.
“Remind me to bring my telescope next time and I’ll show you a whole new world,” he says.
“Ok Aladdin. Whatever you say.”
He chuckles and points to more stars to the right. “There’s Polaris, the North Star.”
“You mean the brighter star?”
“That’s the one.” He drops his arm again.
After my strange dream at the lake, I’ve felt more comfortable around Charlie. We’ve spent the past several weekends stargazing and working out together. I’ve never been more comfortable around someone so soon. Well, except for Luke. Garrett was grumpy about it at first, but when I’m with Charlie, he spends time with Tina. So, the complaints have diminished.
“So, you said your dad used to take you stargazing? That’s where you learned all this?”
“Yup. Right until I left for college.”
I lift my head to look at him and he turns to meet my gaze. “You went to college?”
He moves to his side and props his head up on his hand. “That surprises you?”
I copy his position, keeping a foot of space between us. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
He grins. “It’s cool. Most people think I’m just a dumb jock. I’m used to it.”
“What did you get your degree in?”
He plays with a frayed string between us on the blanket. “It would have been astronomy, but I had to drop out.”His gaze moves a million miles away.
“Why?”
He sighs and meets my eyes with a smile. “Long story. So, your parents are making up for lost time. I caught them going at it inside the work truck yesterday.”
I scrunch my nose. “Ack. I could have gone the rest of my life not knowing that.”
He laughs. “It’s cool to see your dad so happy. He’s changed since she’s been around.”
“I forget you lived with him.”
He shrugs. “We didn’t hang out or anything. But we ate most of our meals together and we talked. He’s a cool dude.”
“Wait till you meet my brother.”
“Your dad talked about him a lot. And you. It’s probably why I feel like I know you so well already.” I stare at him for a second. Is that why he seems so familiar?
We’re quiet for a moment and he rolls to his back. I do the same.
“So, Garrett mentioned you guys came out here because you had a bad break up?”
“He has a big mouth.”
Charlie chuckles. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
I gaze up at the brilliant stars. “Luke thought he was protecting me by breaking up with me.”
