Charlie and Me

Chapter Seven

'Don't you ever answer your phone?' Charlie said.   

Not only does he assume I'm ignoring him, he'd had front row seats to my turn as a prize fighter. Now dripping wet and hanging my head in shame on the hot tiles I waited for the excuse, the polite 'see you round' speech but he was just staring; with a smile no less.

'Gee Amber, I didn't know you had it in you.'

'Oh, that? We were just messing around.'

'Yeah, looked like it.'

What was he even doing here? Still distracted by Hailey and the stupid fight I hadn't yet rationalised the fact that he was standing right there in front of me.

'I called to see if you wanted to do something this afternoon, like stay here by the pool or visit the beach for a few cocktails? I guess the pool's ruled out now, huh.'

'She started it,' I protested. 'She was giving me grief because I hadn't slept with half of Kavos like the rest of them.'

'I'm glad you haven't! Come on, I'll get you a headbanger or whatever else you crazy kids drink nowadays. I brought George's moped. See you at the entrance?'

As Charlie sauntered off the rest of the girls' gazes followed his behind.

'Who the hell is that and where in this hole did you find him?' Sarah announced.

'Why do you think I'm bottom of the leader board? I could have any guy here, I just choose not to put it about like a slag.' With my parting shot I flicked my hair behind me. Payback; there was nothing like it.

As I skipped back to the room to change, and there was definite skippage, I guessed this was how happy people felt; in a permanent state of euphoria. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at once. He'd not waited for me to turn up at Rambo's dolled up to the eyeballs. Rambo's? No, that still wasn't right.

The beach bar played chill-out tunes over the soft lapping of the waves. It was slow, enticing; romantic. Even with the sun high above the horizon, through my sunglasses dusk was descending.

'Tell me something about your life back home.'

My toes wriggled in the sand. Why couldn't he have asked any other question? All I wanted to do was sit by the table and stare into his eyes for the rest of the afternoon. He had little patches of freckles dotted beside his nose. I wanted to kiss every one in turn, lie on the beach for hours and play with his short bristly hair. That's all I wanted. Not too much to ask.

I toyed with the straw of my mojito for a while before staring out to the sea.

'Really, you don't say; that's quite fascinating,' Charlie said.

'Could we talk about something else perhaps, get a few more drinks in? This one's already half-gone,' I said, rattling the ice around the bottom.

'I just want to get to know you a little better. You may find it hard to believe but I like you, Amber. Why do you think I came to your hotel? George begged me to play it cool but I couldn't leave you at the mercy of the idiot guys around there; that hotel hasn't got the best reputation. Boy, was I relieved when you were fighting with a girl instead.'

'I was not fighting!' 

This guy was more than different. He had money to pay for drinks, and not just at happy hour, he could string a sentence together, had a degree (in Business Management no less) and, most of all, was straight with me. No games, no playing around; though it felt like there wasn't time for all that. The week was already half over and myself and the girls would soon be heading home. This guy was still a stranger but I was ready to give it all up for him; my degree, my home; I could happily get a bar job for the summer and we could rent a little apartment by the beach. I'd been sold since the first moment we met and now that he'd turned up at my hotel only hours later, it looked like he didn't have eyes for anyone else.