CHARLIE'S P.O.V
For the first time in a long time I was having...fun. The word seemed strange, almost alien to me. Ever since my mom died all I had felt was grief. I don't even think my brother knew what laughter was anymore. I climbed out of the icy water walking until I was far into the sand of the beach before collapsing onto the sand looking up at the now cloudy sky. Jack sank down next to me and I resisted the urge to be closer to him. Ever since we had met I felt the tugging pull. I was like a planet and he was my own personal sun. He was different and I wanted him to be mine. The thought of being close to him sent shivers down my spine, but also scared the hell out of me.
"It's going to rain." Jack said before the sky opened up and raindrops started to fall from the heavens. I didn't want to move but the lightning forking across the sky had me scrambling up. I kicked on my shoes and pulled my hoodie on throwing up my hood. Jackson grabbed my hand and we ran to the bike. I threw on the helmet again and climbed on throwing my arms around his defined torso. I could feel the muscles quivering there. I was suddenly brought back to when he hugged me earlier. Every inch of his body pressed against mine felt so right. Like nothing I had ever experienced before. I shouted directions to my house at Jack and in what felt like hours we were pulling up my long sloping drive.
"Come inside. You can wait until the storms over." I offered tugging off the helmet. "Okay." Jack agreed almost wearily. I tugged him through the front door and into the hallway. I kicked off my shoes and went to the kitchen. "Sky? Are you home?" I called. No answer. I sighed and rummaged in the fridge pulling out my carton of apple juice. "Want some?" I asked Jack who was looking around curiously. "Mm. My favorite." He said taking the carton away from me and putting it to his lips before chugging half the carton. "That is so gross! Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to drink straight from the carton?" I said shrilly ripping the apple juice from his grasp. He laughed lightly and ruffled my hair. "Sorry." He apologized not looking sorry at all. "No your not." I grumbled turning and reaching for the glass in the cupboard.
I turned back around to see Jack disappear into the living room. "Hey were are you going?" I asked dropping the cup and hurrying to catch up with him. He didn't answer just examined the pictures on the fire place. He chuckled taking down a picture of when I was about five. I had a wide beaming smile, my hair was windswept and I had my arm slung over my brothers shoulder. He looked sullenly at the camera his dark eyes bored and unreadable. "He was always such a happy child." I joked. He put the picture back and reached for another one. The smile was wiped from my face as the familiar aching started in my chest. "These are you parents." It wasn't a question but I felt like it deserved an answer. I nodded and touched the dusty glass lightly. "You look like them. Your mother was beautiful." Somehow he knew the perfect thing to say to make me feel better.
"Thank you. For everything. You don't know how much this means to me." I said earnestly looking up at his eyes, which were smoldering. My breath caught in my throat as he stepped forward his fingers reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from my face. He leaned down slowly watching my reaction to see if he was excepted. He didn't have the faintest idea how much I accepted him. Suddenly the front door crashed open. I sprang away from Jackson as my brothers voice called from the kitchen. "Hey Charlotte we're here." His voice rang and I felt my blood run cold. That means my father was with him. I felt my breathing coming in short gasps but wasn't able to stop it. Jackson's fingers intertwined with my own, calming me slightly. I looked up to see him looking at me encouragingly.
"Go ahead." He said giving me a slight push in the direction of the kitchen. He started for the door, with quick silent steps. I took a deep breath and walked on weak legs to the kitchen. There he was, sitting at the table and looking like he had never left. I felt a surge of anger break through my sadness. "Hello baby. My you've grown up so much. You look so much like your mother." He said in his deep calming voice I remembered from my childhood. "Don't you dare. Don't you just sit there and act like everything is okay. And don't you ever, ever talk about my mother." I said in an icy voice venom laced in. Skylar stepped forward a warning clear in his eyes. "Charlotte." He started. "Don't call me that!" I shrieked completely losing my temper.
Sky stepped back, hurt in his eyes. "It's always the same! You ruin everything! Why did you come back anyway? Run out of money to pay your hookers?" I screamed at the man I used to call my father. He sat there with his arms crossed, his face impassive. "Charlotte Maria Johnson that is quite enough." Skylar said sternly. I turned to glare at my brother then took one last look at my father before stomping up to my room. I fell on my bed as useless sobs wracked my body.
I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and dialed Melanie's number she had given me in Spanish. She answered after two rings. "Hello?" Her cheerful voice rang through the phone. "Hey Melanie? It's Charlie." I said. "Charlie. What's wrong?" Melanie asked knowing that I was upset. "Is...is Jack home yet?" I asked hesitantly. "Yeah he's in his room. Hold on." She answered. There was a pause then I heard the phone being picked up. "Charlie. How did it go?" He asked. "Horrible. I hate him." I whispered my voice breaking as more tears leaked down my cheeks.
"I have an idea. Why don't you come spend the night with Mel and get away from your house?" He suggested. I heard Melanie squealing from the other end of the line and couldn't help but smile. "That's perfect. Thank you so much." I said to Jack. "No problem. I'll be there in ten to fifteen minutes." He said before the line went dead. I got up and packed a bag of clothes, along with my Ipod and phone. I threw on dry clothes and pulled on a new hoodie. I stomped back downstairs where the men were still sitting at the table. "Where are you going?" Skylar asked eyeing my bag. "Out." I said abruptly stalking to the hallway where my shoes were.
I pulled them on as the doorbell rang. I skipped over and threw it open. Jack was standing there looking concerned and gorgeous. He pulled me into a quick hug. "Who are you?" I heard my father ask as I pulled away from Jack. "I don't think that's any of your concern." I said taking Jack's hand into my own. "Char...I mean Charlie. I don't think this behavior is very appropriate." My father said sternly. I let out a loud laugh.
"You should be the one to talk." I snapped walking out the front door. Jackson's bike was parked by the front steps. I grabbed the helmet and stuffed it onto my head. "Charlotte. I'm still your father and I'm telling you to get off that bike this instant." My father barked. "Don't tell me what to do, old man." I retorted grabbing Jack as the engine roared to life. We peeled away from the steps and I looked back to see my brother and father standing there similar looks of outrage on both their faces.
