Teenage Dream

23

          Is this play ever going to end?

 Not that it isn’t good. 

Not that she would really know that because oh my god, has he always smelled this good? Do I always breathe this loudly? I could really go for some Chinese food right now.  Oh my god, I think his hand just got closer to mine! This dude is singing again.  I mean I know it’s a musical, but come on. Did the guy two rows up really have to wear a top hat? What is this, 1865? Kayla says this is one of the best musicals ever, what am I going to say when she asks me about it later? Okay, his hand definitely got closer that time.  This is nothing like the movie.  FOCUS Charlie!

She breathed in, and then puffed out her cheeks a bit.  Logan glanced over at her and smiled a little.  He reached over and took her hand, and pulled, standing up.  She followed him without question.  (at least not out loud), and let him lead her out into the lobby.  They pulled on their coats and scarves, and Logan took her hand again, leading her outside, and down the sidewalk. 

“Not a fan of musicals?” he asked, finally breaking the silence, he had a smile on his face, but Charlie still felt a little guilty.

“was it that obvious?”  his smile got brighter, and his blue eyes were sparkling. 

“you seemed to be doing a lot of thinking, and that’s never a good sign” he teased her. 

“I feel bad that you’re missing it though.”

“I’ve seen it 12 years in a row.  And I’m almost positive they haven’t changed it since last year.” He hadn’t let go of her hand, and Charlie was trying really hard to not over think it as they strolled down the sidewalk. 

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” He said, glancing over at her, “Musicals suck, and I’m grateful for the escape” Charlie smiled.    

Their conversation was light and easy, with a fair amount of teasing, and Charlie wasn’t paying any attention to where they were going, until he stopped.  He looked up at the Christmas tree, that was fully decorated, and about 15 stories high, and then sat on the low brick wall nearby.  Charlie stared up at the tree for a bit, before joining him.  It was beautiful. 

“I think I’m really going to like living here.” She said softly, a small smile on her lips, her eyes still looking up at the lights on the tree.  Logan’s eyes left the tree, to look at her. 

“Kayla took me to the apartment today.  Asked me to come to New York with you after graduation, helped me fill out half a dozen applications.”

          Charlie wished she could keep that soft smile on his lips.  Take it, and store it away.  Keep it forever.  She smiled back, “I don’t know what I’d do without the two of you.  I shouldn’t let you save me all the time”

“Why not?”

“How am I supposed to survive the real world?”

“You’ve had more than your fair share of the real world” she heard the teasing leave his voice, and her eyes locked on his.  She was almost positive he was leaning closer, and she refused to let herself over think it.  She felt the soft, cold drops melting on her cheeks.  She broke out into a big smile,

“snow!” she said, looking up, letting more frozen drops touch across her face.

“It’s snowing!” she jumped up.  She knew she sounded like a little kid, but she didn’t care.  Logan’s blue eyes were sparkling as he looked up at her and smiled.  Snow is rare in Texas, so he tried to not mind that he’d lost his chance to kiss her.  She stretched out her hands to him, and he took them, letting her pull him to his feet.  She hugged him, and kissed his cheek, before letting go to spin around in the thick, fast-falling snow.  It didn’t matter that there was quite a bit, already on the ground, piled in dirty mounds out of the way of the streets and sidewalk.  There’s something magical about falling snow.