Wild (Cherik Book One)

You're Driving Me Wild: Part Two

"guess its all workin' out, now

'Cause there's still too long to the weekend

Too long till I drown in your hands

Too long since I've been a fool,"

_______CHARLIE________

The rest of the drive went by faster than either boy would have liked. There was a shield of comfort around the two of them being alone. Yet, for Charlie there still was the stickiness of words left unsaid and for Erik there was the burning to hear them. Something had shifted in the car for a moment, it was fleeting but it had happened. The music, consequently, didn't help at all but both boys seemed to have given up resisting and just enjoyed as much of it as they could. It wasn't as though they were particularly bad songs but the constant theme had become apparent even more so now. Not that either boy would do something about it. No, that bit it seemed would be entirely up to the others to make happen. Marina's Hail Mary of romance as she so proudly called it.

Charlie pulled up the winding driveway of the dirt road the cabin was on. Not too far behind them was Alex's large truck housing Darwin, Hank and Sean as well. The first vision of the cabin came into view along with the small glow of wind chimes reflecting the afternoon sun. The sound was pleasant and brought a burst of yellow tinted memories to Charlie.

"It hasn't changed a bit," Erik sighed with a huge smile.

"I suppose not," Charlie was relieved to see the familiar place. Everything in his life was ever changing but the one constant place was the cabin. There had been a nagging fear his mother felt obliged to redecorate but Charlie was relieved to see it remained solid as ever. Right down to the dusty red mailbox.

"Hey," Erik stopped Charlie before he got out of the car. A soft touch on his shoulder. Charlie hitched a breath.

"Yeah?" Charlie inquired innocently.

"I'm glad I get to do this with you, the trip I mean. For awhile I didn't think...I didn't think it would be possible. Sorry, I know you don't like to talk about it..." Erik whispered and Charlie closed his eyes.

"No, you're okay. I'm proud of us Erik, I really am," Charlie replied and together both boys got out of the car.

"Woo!! Yes!! I missed this place!!" Alex's booming voice exclaimed as he dragged his duffel behind him in delight.

Indeed, thought Charlie. He had missed this place too but more in a way where he thought he'd never see it again. He'd never feel this sun or breathe this air again. It was another reminder of just how far he had made it. He felt a hand squeeze his and he looked over to Erik who held his backpack over his shoulder.

"Come back to Earth," Erik smiled gently knowing how easy it was for Charlie to drift off, and how dangerous it could be.

"Thank you, sorry," Charlie shook out his thoughts and followed everyone up the dirt driveway.

Charlie pulled out the old key and opened the front doors of the Xavier cabin easily. The hinges creaked slightly but the interior was all the same. Some illustrious, less decorated version of the Xavier estate. The place, Charlie realized more and more, couldn't even really be considered a cabin. Cabin insinuates a homey country feel and this place was anything but. With sleek décor, yellow and peach accents and a fresh smell of pine cones the cabin came off as more a retreat than anything. Charlie sighed with a smile and set his things down in the living room along with everyone else.

Charlie couldn't help but to let out a horribly long breath he had been holding. He felt life in him that both excited and surprised him. An urgency to make decisions not based on what may be rational but what feels right. Chasing a feeling of hope that came and went as fleetingly as gust of wind. And before he even really was aware of what he was doing he grabbed Erik's hand tightly.