Teenage Dream

17

     Charlie groaned.  Her body ached, and she felt exhausted, why was she waking up?  She rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.  Her new spot was warm.

That’s weird. 

     She sat up and glanced around Logan’s room.  She remembered last night; she knew why she was here.  The clock said 12:08, and she heard the water turn on in the shower. 

Logan. 

Had he come back last night? That would explain the warmth in the bed.  It would also explain why her nightmares had stopped, and she was able to sleep until 12 in the afternoon. 

     Kayla had tried so hard, over and over to calm her down.  She owed her an apology.  For keeping her awake, and for dragging her into this mess. 

          She ran her hand through her hair, it was tangled, from rain and sweat and her battle with the sheets.  Her clothes felt heavy too.  She crawled out of Logan’s bed, and went to Kayla’s room.  She was laying on her stomach on her bed, doing her homework. 

“Hey! How you feelin? Are you ok?” she asked. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay, I just, I need a shower” Charlie said, nodding, but she wasn’t okay.  Her body hurt so bad she wanted to crumble to the floor.  Kayla nodded,

“Okay, I’ll find you some clothes’ she got up off the bed, and started searching through her drawers.

       Charlie slowly undressed, trying not to cry out in pain.  Her arms and ribs were badly bruised.  She looked disgusting.  She got in the shower, but had to keep her back to the water, even just the spray of the water brought tears to her eyes.  She knew this wasn’t right. 

     Kayla came in and set the clothes she’d found down on the edge of the sink, with her hair brush and a hair tie and went back to her homework. 

     Charlie slowly and carefully dried off, pulling on her bra and underwear, a pair of Kayla’s black soffee shorts, and a long sleeve black tee shirt that obviously belonged to Logan.  It hurt to brush her hair.  She needed to go to the doctor.  She knew hospital bills would set her back financially.  The little bit of money she’d saved up was for college not for medical bills.  She breathed through the pain, and pulled her hair up in a pony-tail.

      When she opened the door, Kayla was standing there, her keys in one hand, her fists on her hips. 

“Come on, we’re going to the hospital” she said. 

“What? No, I can’t afford that!” 

“Charlie! It’s not about money, it’s about YOU! You’re in pain! I can see it in your eyes, and you can barely catch your breath! We’re going to the hospital, even if I have to make Logan miss practice to carry you there!”

“No! Don’t do that.. he’s, he’s done enough for me. I can’t ask him for more, and I don’t’ want you to give me anything either!”

“Charlie you are my best friend! You’re like my sister! Let me help you!”

     Finally Charlie agreed to let her drive her to the hospital.  Kayla tried to convince her to move in the guest room, to let her explain everything to her mom.  But Charlie wouldn’t let her. 

“You’re mom does too much for me already Kayla.  Taking care of me when I was little, taking me everywhere you went, paying for me to go to New York for Christmas.  No, it’s not fair.  She wanted two kids, not three.”

         They waited in the emergency room for about an hour and a half before the nurse called Charlie’s name.  She went back by herself.  She didn’t answer any questions about what happened, but she told him where it hurt and let him examine her and take x-rays. A nurse came to talk to Kayla, while they bandaged Charlie’s ribs and arms.

       “She has very serious bruising on her right arm, that should fade in about a week, Her left arm will take longer to heal, multiple defense wounds, but the biggest concern is her ribs.  She has three cracked ribs, the worst being on her left side.  She’d going to have to take it easy for 3 weeks at least, for the healing process to begin.  No sports, no rough activities, no heavy lifting.  She’ll have to be careful about the things she does for about 6 weeks.  She wouldn’t tell us what happened to her, but signs lead to abuse.  Is there anything you’d be willing to share with us? Do you know anything?” the nurse asked.  Kayla’s eyes bore into the woman’s shoes.  A tear slid down her cheek as she shook her head.

        She pulled herself together and drove Charlie back to the house.  They turned on the TV, and Kayla made up an excuse and disappeared up the stairs, dialing Logan’s number as she closed her door.  Practice should be over by now.

    There was laughter in his voice as he answered her call. 

“Hey” she said softly. 

“What’s up?” he asked, picking up her tone. 

“I made Charlie go to the ER” she said, letting out a shaky breath. 

“yeah? What happened?” all humor had left his voice.  He turned away from his friends and started walking towards the bleachers, where he could hear her better.  Kayla repeated the nurses words to her brother,

“I can’t let her go back Logan, what do I do?”

“I don’t’ know” he forced out, rubbing his eyes and then shoving his hand roughly through his curls.

            Kayla attempted several times to talk to Charlie about moving in with her, but Charlie didn’t want to hear it.  Finally Kayla got frustrated, and with tears in her eyes went upstairs to finish her homework.  Charlie sighed, got up and went in the kitchen for a snack.  Logan was there, leaning against the counter, eating a pear.  He had showered, his hair was still a little wet, and his bouncy coils looked perfect. 

     He looked up at her when she walked in.  He loved the way she looked in his shirt. 

“Hey” she said softly, almost as a question. 

“Hey” he answered before taking another bite.

“Are you mad at me too?” she knew he had overheard her conversation with Kayla.  It would have been impossible not to.  

“No”  they stood there in silence for a minute.  She knew he was mad.  At least a little.  If he wasn’t, he’d have her pinned against that counter top, his hips pressed into hers, playfully threatening to hold her there until she gave in.  

“You’re not going to try to convince me that it’s a terrible idea for me to go home?”

“You already know that.”

            He was right.  She did. And it wasn’t because Kayla had told her 26 times.  It was because she was scared out of her mind that Brad would finish what he started. But she can’t fight this irritating voice in her head that keeps telling her that it’s not fair for her to move in with the twins.  It’s not fair for her to change the lives of the four people she loves most in the world.

            “I’m sorry” she whispered, her eyes finding the tiled floor very interesting.  Logan watched the gorgeous girl in front of him.  Why was she apologizing?  He set down his pear, and reached out to her,

“Charlie” he said softly, he reached her hand, and gently pulled, she looked up, and took the step forward, into the much needed hug, sliding her arms tight around his waist, and burying her face in his shoulder.  She stayed still, except for the slight movement of her chest against his, as she took each breath.  He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt the moisture soak through his shirt onto his shoulder.  Tears.  She was crying.  What could he do? What could he say to comfort her?

A/N: It won't let me post this under the multimedia.  So here's the link to the ridiculously cute pic of Logan Blake (Harry Styles) 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BGFjoJ9CEAAIQFM.gif:large

*Niall girl all the way, but OMG how CUTE!?!!!