Teenage Dream

2

           Charlie tried to push it out of her mind.  Logan is her friend, he’s sweet, and caring, and he never says anything mean about anyone.  Maybe it didn’t mean anything.  But she couldn’t help but doubt that, as she spun the combination on her locker.  She stuffed her chemistry notebook in, and picked up the book she’s reading for English, and her English notebook.  She was readjusting her book bag, when her locker slammed shut.  She turned around to see Jackson Kole, his arm over her shoulder, his hand against her locker, holding him up.  The quarterback of the football team, the ladies man.  The second dreamiest guy in school.  “Hey Charlie” He said, giving her a sweet smile. “Hey Jackson” she said.  Jackson never speaks to her, and she wasn’t sure what his sudden interest was, but his interest in her, had caught the attention of several people in the hallway, including a few jealous cheerleaders, a few trembling freshmen, and Mike and Logan who were walking down the hall.  “There is a party this weekend, I want you to come with me.” Jackson said.  “Me? Why?” she asked.  Jackson smiled.  “You’re one of a kind, and you’re exactly the kind of girl I want on my arm at this party.” He said.  Charlie resisted a gag.  She noticed Logan and Mike walking within ear shot.  Logan Blake is sweet, and popular, and friendly to everyone, but if there is one person he doesn’t like in this world, it’s Jackson Kole, and Charlie felt this overwhelming need to sting him, as a mini payback for the text message.  “Sure, I’d love to.” she said, giving him a smile.

            Logan felt like he’d been punched in the stomach, but he hid it well.  His Charlie was going out with Jackson, the biggest douche in history.  The guy who pisses him off more than anyone else.

            Charlie went to English class. As soon as she saw the smug smile that Jackson shot at Logan, she regretted her decision.  She wasn’t sure why Jackson asked her out.  If he really wanted to piss off Logan, he should have asked Kayla out right? That would be the typical mindset. Although to be perfectly honest, although Kayla and Logan get along, he’s not exactly protective big brother.  Charlie assumes that if it came down to it, he’d fight for his twin sister, but she’s never seen anyone give him a reason.  Charlie had read the chapter the night before, but decided to go ahead and skip read it again.  Mrs. Franks seems to KNOW when someone doesn’t know an answer and calls on them, so Charlie wanted to make sure she wasn’t one of the victims of in class discussion.

Charlie tried to focus on class, she really did.  But she found herself constantly shot back to either thinking about that text message, SFH, or imaging herself and Logan as the two main characters in this very steamy book that Mrs. Franks has them reading about a lower-class girl that’s abused by her father, and her high class best friend/love of her life.  The two are trying desperately to deny the attraction between them, her because she knows that they can never cross class lines and be together, and him because he’s afraid of what his parents will do to her if they catch them together.  But the 2 characters have many moments alone together that are so full of tension and desire that Charlie can’t help but think of her feelings for Logan.

            Charlie walked the two blocks to the bus stop, waiting 10 minutes for the bus, rode the 10 minutes to the stop closest to her apartment, and walked the three blocks.  She climbed the stairs to the third floor, and opened the door.  She could hear her mother and Brad having sex in her mother’s room.  She tossed her book bag on the floor in front of her dresser.  She grabbed an outfit for tomorrow, stuffing it in her small duffel bag, then she went to the bathroom to grab her shampoo, mousse, toothbrush/toothpaste, hairbrush and make up bag.  She tossed them all into the duffel bag, and zipped it up, and she tossed the bag and her purse on top of her pillow on the the couch, where she sleeps.  She picked up her laptop, and decided to stuff it in there too.  She went in the kitchen to grab an apple, pulling her scarf off as she took a bite.  She put the scarf in her drawer, and picked up her gray leather jacket pulling it on.  She decided to stuff her bag into the duffel, so she pulled out the dollar she’d need to ride the bus, and stuffed it in her pocket.  She zipped up the duffel bag, threw her apple core in the trash and turned around, finding Brad about 2 inches from her face.  She gasped.  All he had on was a towel around his waist; he reeked of alcohol and smoke, and she hates when he stands so close to her.  “You think you’re going somewhere?” he demanded.  “It’s Friday. I go to Kayla’s on Friday’s.” “You’re going to some party, when you know that you’re mother has to go to work?” “I go to Kayla’s every Friday.” She repeated.  “Why don’t you get a job, and help support this hole?” he asked, motioning around the room.  Charlie didn’t want to mention her job at the vintage store. She doesn’t want him to know she has any money.  “Why don’t you?” she asked, immediately regretting it.  Brad looked like he wanted to spit on her.  Instead, he pulled back his fist, and slammed it into her cheek.  Charlie bolted, grabbing her bag off the couch, forgetting her pillow, and sprinting out the front door, with him cursing at her at the top of his lungs.  She didn’t’ stop running until she got to the bus stop.  She hadn’t even realized that the tears had started rolling down her cheeks.  The bus driver barely glanced at her as she tossed her dollar in the bin, and sat down in the first seat.  She set her bag down beside her and curled up her legs, leaning against the window.  It took about 30 minutes, with all the stops, to get to the stop closest to Kayla’s house.  Charlie’s tears had stopped, but the throbbing in her cheek hadn’t.  She knew it was going to leave a bruise, and that Kayla was definitely going to notice, and flip out.  Charlie got off the bus.  She dug around in her duffel, in her purse, in search of a small mirror.  The bruise was already forming.  She wiped the mascara out from under her eyes, hoping that at least, she wouldn’t look like she’d been crying, and she started the long walk to Kayla’s house.  It’s about 4 blocks from the bus stop, through the community of mansions.

  It took Charlie a little less than 10 minutes to walk up to the huge, ritzy mansion.  She went to the back door, and opened it.  She turned to the intercom next to the door, and pressed the button for Kayla’s room, “Hey Munch, I’m here” she opened the freezer, looking for something cold to put on her face for a minute before she headed up the stairs.  “Bring some drinks up” Kayla answered.  She found an ice pack, and was holding it on her eye as she opened the fridge, when Logan came in from the living room.  He saw her backside sticking out of the fridge and smiled, “Hey Charles” he said.  Her eyes widened, but she managed to not gasp “Hey” she said.  She pulled out, 2 dr. peppers, and closed the fridge, having already moved the ice pack from her face.  She was wondering who she could nonchalantly toss it back in the freezer and exit the room without looking at him.  She knew it was impossible.  She opened the freezer, tossing the ice pack in, and hoped he wasn’t looking at her when she turned around, but he was.  His eyes widened, and the smile fell from his face.  He was closer than she had expected too, and there was no way around him.  “What the hell Charlie?” he asked, his stomach churning.  “What?” She asked, as if it wasn’t obvious.  “What happened to your face?” “I don’t’ know, I was born this way” she shrugged, but he didn’t’ smile, “Charlie” she sighed, “Nothing, It’s nothing, don’t’ worry about it.” She said, trying to pass him, but he stopped her, stepping in front of her.  They were very close now.  “This isn’t nothing”