Stella and the Boxer

Chapter 8

I gather half of the plates and begin to walk towards the kitchen and I can feel his eyes on me. I look back to find him still smirking as he collects the rest of the dishes and follows.

I face forward again as I pass through the bedroom door, into the hallway. "If you keep that smirk on your face long enough, it will stick, you know."

I hear him laugh lightly behind me.

***

After possibly the most amazing shower I've ever taken, I opt to finish readying for work in Charlie's bathroom, leaving only a change of clothes to take place when I make it back to my dorm. Despite Charlie offering one of his t-shirts, I wear yesterday's outfit for the ride back to campus.

Cooper notices us leaving, and I bend on one knee to say good-bye, scratching under his chin.

"It was nice to meet you, Cooper. I hope I see you again soon." And I sincerely hope that I do. When I stand, Charlie is smiling at me, and he asks if I'm ready.

I've already grown very fond of Charlie's car; it is so much more pleasant to ride in, and it looks cooler, too.

"Do you have a lunch break today?" Charlie asks.

"No, unfortunately. I only work from nine until two and I usually just grab something from the café on my way out."

Charlie nods and runs his fingers over his bottom lip, thinking. He is wearing sunglasses, and his hair is messy, but a good messy. He isn't in workout clothes yet. Instead, he wears a black t-shirt, leaving his tattoos visible, which I love, and jeans. He's also wearing his rings. I suppose I've caused him tardiness on his morning run.

"I want to see you again today, though - if you have time, of course."

He huffs a laugh, "Just call me when your classes are over, all right?"

"Okay," I say. We are nearing the front of my dorm now.

"Thanks again," I say. "I had a lot of fun, and like I said, it was good to be in an actual home again."

He leans over and he kisses me - really kisses me, and when he pulls away, he does so slowly, pausing when our faces are still close.

"My pleasure, Stella," he says, "I'll see you soon."

On the way up to my room, I think of how thankful I am that I spent Saturday getting ahead in all of my classes, I hardly have to worry about my busy week of due-dates, since I've mostly finished everything. I can think of only a few things that I need to do tonight - none of which will take long - so I'll have plenty of time, if Charlie should want to hang out again.

I change my clothes quickly and I gather my things so that I can go straight to class after work. On my drive to the café, I wonder if Charlie will be in at all. Maybe he only ever came in so that we might start talking. I do hope that I see him, though. I already miss his company.

Allie is smiling and waving from behind the counter when I enter Lighthouse, her mouth full of the strawberry smoothie that she's made herself. There aren't any customers in at the moment. I say hello to Jimmy and ask if Mr. Miller is in the kitchen with him.

Allie answers for Jimmy, "Doug had to run errands. I told him we could handle it."

Allie immediately begins telling me how stressed she is about the upcoming weeks of school. She is already a senior, and graduating in December, a semester early. We discuss one of her professors, who is determined to find something chronically wrong with every draft of her most important paper. When I ask her what her paper is over, she tells me that she'd chosen to write about the subject of shame, and how it affects the individual and society.