Page 8

Charlie

I ’m in my art room, covered with paint when there’s a knock at my door. Only five people know where I live, and one of them has keys. When I don’t get up after the second round of knocks, Katy Perry takes over the Slipknot song that was playing on my phone.

Ugh, why doesn’t she just unlock the door and come in? She knows I’m here. Where else would I be on a Friday night?

Getting up, I ignore her call and walk to the door. She’s smiling like a psycho when I open it. Rolling my eyes, I attempt to close the door, but she sticks a red spiked Louboutin boot out before it closes. As she lets herself in, I notice she’s dressed up more than usual.

She’s in a red lace Dolce and Gabbana corset paired with skintight black skinny jeans. Her hair is in a slicked-back ponytail with her curls in a mountain on top of her head, and her makeup is perfectly done in a minimalist look. If I weren’t gay, I’m sure I’d be drooling right now at how gorgeous she is.

“You like?” She puts her hands on her hips while tilting her head to the right and kicking her left leg back in a cute pose.

“You know I do. You look beautiful. Hot date?” I smile, envious of her confidence to just be herself.

“Nope. Well, sort of. I’m going to that party the sororities and fraternities throw before the hockey and football seasons start. And I’m meeting up with a few girlfriends who are setting me up with a guy from one of the frats.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal to be around a bunch of people she doesn’t know.

“Well, have fun and be safe. Make sure he wraps it before he uses it.” I turn and head back to the painting I was working on.

“Not so fast, Jax.” She grabs my shoulder and spins me to face her. “Why don’t you come with me? And before you say no, Noah will be there, and he’s planning on staying in the backyard. They’re having a bonfire, plus the yard is huge. Please?” She begs with her bottom lip sticking out and her hands clasped together under her chin.

I don’t like being social. I don’t like people. And I definitely don’t like small talk.

I bite my lip trying to come up with an excuse.

“Come on. It’ll help take your mind off Sunday for a bit. They have all the good drinks, and that one guy that sells the good-smelling weed will be there.” She gives me a sly smile and pumps her eyebrows.

I am getting low on weed and liquor. And even though Sunday is my twenty-first birthday, I know I won’t be leaving my room anytime soon. Maybe I can smuggle a few bottles from the party to have here to help Sunday pass. But is it worth being near all those people?

Fuck it.

“Fine but I’ll need to pregame before we get there. Do you have your flask on you?” I point to her red clutch.

“Yay!” She jumps up and down clapping her hands like this is the most exciting thing ever. She opens her clutch and hands me her pink flax.

I open it, not caring what she has in here and drink. It’s Patrón, her go-to for making mixed drinks. It burns going down, but I don’t stop until her hand is on mine and lowers it.

“Easy party animal. I still need some of that for when they run out.” She winks at me as she stuffs it back in her bag.

I can feel it working its magic already thanks to not eating anything since yesterday. It feels good.

“Go get in the shower while I pick out your clothes so we can head out.” She blows me a kiss and disappears into my room.

“Long sleeves or a hoodie,” I yell before closing the bathroom door.

I make quick work of washing my hair while scrubbing the paint from my skin. There are still bits of black paint on my hands when I get out, but I don’t care enough to scrub them again.

Wrapping a towel around my waist, I step into my room to see Lily sitting at my desk chair swinging side to side, playing on her phone. She looks up as I walk in.

“Better?”

“Yeah.” I nod and walk to my bed, looking over at what she picked out. My favorite black Motionless in White hoodie, ripped black skinny jeans, and my black combat boots are laid out. And this is why she’s my best friend.

“Thanks, Lily. I’ll be out in a sec.” She nods and heads for my door, closing it behind her.

I let out a long exhale. Why do I always let her sucker me into leaving my house?

You’re such a fucking loser. Just go out and be a normal college student.

Maybe you’d have more friends if you ever left this place.

Fucking grow up already!

Yeah, I need something more than tequila to shut these fucking voices up.

Walking out of my room I spot Lily standing by the island in the kitchen looking…sad? Disappointed?

“What’s wrong?” I ask as I grab my keys, wallet, and phone off the island and shove them all in my hoodie pocket.

“When’s the last time you went grocery shopping or placed an order for food?”

“A few weeks ago, I think. I’ll be fine.”

Why does she care so much?

“Charlie, you can’t live off cereal, chips, and peanut butter. There’s nothing to drink in your fridge. Why didn’t you ask me or Noah to take you. You know we don’t mind.”

“I was going to go out tomorrow.” I lie. “I-I just have to find a grocery store that’s not super busy…on a Saturday.” Damn, I suck at lying.

She doesn’t believe me with the look she’s giving me. “Fine, you better. Call if you want one of us to go with. I know we’ll be hungover as shit, but I’ll be good once I eat.”

Nodding, I tilt my head towards the door.

She side hugs me as we head for the elevator. “Want the rest?” She asks holding out her flask. She doesn’t have to ask me twice.

I grab the bottle and drink down the rest. I hand it back to her as the elevator doors open. I lean on the side wall and close my eyes, letting the liquor settle on my empty stomach.

“And just as the wave breaks, I see it, a huge gray fin! It was coming right for me…”

Noah is telling one of his surfing adventure stories about how he almost became shark bait. He’s high out of his mind but these people seem to believe every word that’s coming out of his mouth. I would too, if I hadn’t already heard five versions of this story.

I take a sip of my drink Lily made. It’s sweet, but I can taste the whiskey. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve had, and I don’t care. The weed man came by a bit ago and hooked me up with some strawberry shit that was fucking delicious. I ate a whole baggie full of gummy bears a few hours ago, and now my damn head weighs a million pounds, and my eyes won’t stay open.

I lean back in my chair and look up at the dark sky. There are only a few stars, but they keep moving around like they’re dancing to the awful music that’s blasting through the open windows of the crowded house. My phone buzzes with what I think are texts, but as I pull it out of my pocket FWYTYK by I Prevail gets louder and louder as I hold it over my face.

“What?” I answer, closing my eyes.

“Charlie, where are you?” Comes a nasally voice I hate.

“What’s it matter to you, Josh?” I hiccup. “Ouch.”

I worked with this guy last year on a project. Exchanging numbers was my first mistake with this one. He calls at random and acts like we dated. Dumbass.

“Are you drunk? Let me take you home and take care of you.” His words go in and out as I try to concentrate on what he’s saying.

“Huh? No, I’m fine. Don’t both-ther me,” I slur and hiccup again. “Go away. I don’t like you.”

“But baby...” I try to hit the end call button so I don’t have to listen to his annoying voice anymore, but I miss. Fucking thing. I end up using my pointer and middle finger together to hang up. It lights up again, so I hold down the side button to turn the damn thing off.

“Well, that was entertaining.”

I try to pick my head up to see who’s talking to me, but it won’t cooperate.

“Over here beautiful,” comes from my right. I turn my head without raising it from the back of the chair. That hot hockey player with a backwards hat is sitting in the chair next to me with an amused smirk on his sexy face.

How long has he been there?

“Long enough to watch you struggle trying to hang up when you actually hit the button on the second try.”

Shit. Guess I said that out loud.

He laughs and takes a sip from his red solo cup. “It seems you’re speaking your thoughts.”

This time I don’t think anything and just stare at him. He has such a cute smile and fuck me, that backwards hat is hot as hell. If I was able to get hard, my pants would be even tighter than they already are. Thankfully I’ve consumed way too much whiskey for my dick to so much as flinch.

“You look relaxed. Much better than the first three times we’ve met,” he chuckles softly. “I was hoping to get your number so we could maybe hang out sometime.”

I make a ‘mmm’ sound as my eyes drift shut.

“I would like to get to know you, if you’re ok with that?”

I nod, I think. Because yes, I would very much like to get to know him. Hang out with him. Kiss him. Cuddle with him. Sleep with him.

“Charlie?” His warm fingers move my hair off my forehead.

I’m slowly falling asleep and there’s nothing I can do. This is usually the best part, but I don’t want this guy to stop talking. His voice is so smooth, it makes me happy and relaxed and like I can become one with the chair.

“Do you know where his friends are? Lily and Noah? I thought I saw Lily when I first got here but I haven’t seen her in hours.” I have no idea who he’s talking to, but Lily is probably getting fucked upstairs and if Noah isn’t next to me then he’s either on the dance floor or passed out somewhere.

“Charlie? Can you hear me?” He shakes my shoulder gently. I grumble at him, unable to form words. “Shit, you’re wasted. I’m going to call Lily.” He grabs something from my lap but then it sounds like he’s talking underwater.

I try to open my eyes but I’m too tired.

Fuck it. I’ll sleep it off right here then walk home in the morning.