Teenage Dream

4

It was about 1:30 when Charlie saw Ben jolt awake.  He lifted his head, looking around, as if trying to figure out where he was, and then he groaned a little, lifting his sore, tired muscles off the ground, trying to sit up. 

“What time is it?” he asked, no one in particular.  

“About 1:30.” Kayla said, not looking away from the TV.

“Geez” he mumbled.  He sat up, and glanced over his shoulder, seeing his best friend asleep on the couch, with Charlie sitting on his lap. 

“Dude, wake up, we’ve got to go to practice” he told him.  Logan didn’t move.  ‘LOGAN!” he said louder.  Logan’s eyes popped open.  “We have to be at practice in 30 minutes” he said.  Logan groaned, but he moved, in an attempt to get up.  Charlie stood up, so that he could get up.  As soon as he got up, she took his place, sinking into the warm cushions.

The boys had been gone for about 2 hours, when Jessica asked Charlie what she was going to wear tonight.  Charlie had completely forgotten about her date, not that Jackson had called her for an address.  Charlie shrugged.  “I brought a black tee shirt, and jeans.” “Charlie!” Jessica whined, but she didn’t say anything else. 

            Around 5, Jackson texted her for her address.  She gave him Kayla’s and decided to go take her shower before Logan and Ben came back and used up all the hot water.  While she was in there, the other girls had gotten dressed, and Jessica had pulled together an outfit from what she had brought, what Kayla had that would fit, and what Charlie had.

  She got to wear her black tee shirt, but she had to wear Jessica’s gray pleated mini skirt with Kayla’s black leggings and her own converses, since she and Kayla don’t’ wear the same size shoe, and Jess didn’t’ have any shoes that would work, in her bag.  She had on her star shaped charm necklace and her black leather bracelet.  Jessica did her make up, giving her dark smoky eyes, and her hair fell curly, and perfect over her shoulders.  She looked stunning. 

Ben and Logan came in the house, laughing, and talking.  They were both sweaty, and starving.  Ben went straight to the fridge, and Logan grabbed an apple, lifting himself up on the island, but as soon as he took a bite, the doorbell rang,.  “Who is that?” Ben asked.  “I don’t’ know” Logan said, getting up, taking another bite as he went to the front door.  Logan’s eyes flashed, and his stomach sunk,  remembering Charlie’s date for tonight, as he saw Jackson Kole on the other side of the door.  He didn’t greet him.  He couldn’t’ think of anything nice enough to say.  “Blake? What are you doing here? You look like hell” Jackson said.  “I live here.” Logan said, using every ounce of control he had to keep himself calm.  The boys have disliked each other for so long, they can’t even say what really kick started their feud.  They just know they can’t stand to be around each other.   “Oh, hey Jackson” Kayla said, as she appeared at the bottom of the stairs.  “Charlie will be down in a second.”

Logan turned away, and went to the stairs, to take a shower.  “Stop it! No more hairspray!” he heard Charlie’s voice.  She game running out of Kayla’s room, just as he got to the top of the stairs.  They both stopped, staring at each other.  She looked incredible.  Her outfit was adorable, her hair and make up were sexy, she was just all around gorgeous, and Logan couldn’t find his voice.

  Charlie bit her lip, he was looking at her, and she’d never felt so nervous.  Plus he looked ridiculously hot.  His dark chocolate curls were wild, his beautiful blue eyes were dark, and unreadable, He was still a little sweaty from practice, and he looked amazing in his blue soccer uniform.  Charlie nervously pulled at the bottom of her skirt.  “How do I look?” she asked softly.  She’s so insecure, Logan can’t stand it! How can someone so ridiculously hot, be so insecure?! “you look great Charlie” he told her.  “Thanks…I guess I should go” She said, and she walked past him.  He went to his room, shutting the door, and leaned against it, squeezing his eyes shut.

            “Did you see that?” Jess asked, “See what?” Avalon asked.  They were both standing in the doorway of Kayla’s room.  “The way he was looking at her.” “That’s the way he always looks at her.” Avalon said, walking away from the door.  “No, but I mean, the hunger in his eyes.” “That’s the way all the guys look at Charlie, Jess” Jessica shook her head.

            Jackson smiled when he saw Charlie at the bottom of the stairs, coming towards him.  She picked up her jacket off the back of the sofa, grabbed her cell phone, and let him lead her out the door.

Logan had washed up, and was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, but he couldn’t’ stop thinking about Charlie.  Finally he just gave up, leaning against the wall, he sighed and sunk to the ground, letting the water pound into his chest.  When did this get so complicated? 

            He heard his phone vibrate against the sink where he’d set it.  He sighed, reaching forward, to turn off the water, and getting up. He dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, before picking up his phone.

“WTF did you go? Going home to shower. BRB”

Ben.

  Logan didn’t respond, he just set the phone back down, picked up another towel, rubbing it over his curls.  He picked up his comb, raking it through the tangled mess, and then shaking his head violently for it to fall back in place.  He went in his room, pulling on his black boxers, and opening his drawer, in search of his favorite tee shirt.  But then he remembered, Charlie had it.  He bit his lip a little, then settled for a white tee shirt, opening another drawer to pull out black jogging pants. 

After he got dressed he went down the stairs, heading towards the kitchen, but the mess in the living room caught his attention.  He sighed, and went over, starting to pick up the items, stuffing empty potato chip bags into one of the larger empty bags.  He picked up all the stuff off the floor, then carried the pizza box and the chip bags to the garbage, picking up the recycle bin from under the sink to take with him.  He threw over a dozen empty soda cans into the bucket before taking it back.  The room wasn’t “clean” but all the trash was out.  He opened the fridge, grabbing a soda, and opened the freezer in search of potential dinner. 

He knew Ben would be back, he practically lives here.  His house is right next door, but his mom hovers, and his dad is super strict, ex-military, and he loves the relaxed, basically parent-free environment that the Blake house has.  He wondered if his friend would be up for ordering something, as he looked in the empty freezer.

“Was in the shower. Gonna order food. In?” he texted.

“yeah. Be there in 20.”

Logan opened the drawer where they keep all the take out menus.  He quickly sorted through them, tossing all the Pizza/Italian ones back in the drawer, they’d had pizza last night.  Finally he decided on a Chinese place.