The bittersweet beneath my teeth

Only got smoke to keep me company

Charlie watched Sean join the rest of the student body into school as he smoked in the courtyard. Technically, you weren't allowed to smoke on the private school's property but he couldn't help it. Last night at Sean's rooftop pool party, he had tried making a move on Audrey, but like always he had failed miserably. After three years of pursuing her, he thought perhaps his heart would get the memo that she just wasn't interested in any aspect that he had to offer. But love made him a fool and he couldn't stop thinking about her. They always said that the mind was wiser than the heart but his love and admiration for her ran so deep that both his heart and mind would be forever entwined.

As he exhaled a cloud of smoke, he was joined by James Livingston who was seconds away from being late for class. James had aways prided himself on never being tardy but by the way he was having trouble zipping up his pants, Charlie knew for the moment that he had other things on his mind. He almost laughed.

"Sneaking a quickie before algebra, Jamie?" Charlie smirked.

"Stuff it van der Bilt," he huffed. His checks were getting remarkably redder as the conversation drew on.

Charlie raised his hands in innocence. "There's no judging here, man. Just tell me," he said. "Who was the unlucky lady?"

James threw him an unfriendly gaze. "You know I'm bi Charlie."

"Fine, then the unlucky gentleman."

"Wouldn't you like to know," James challenged but what he was challenging Charlie wasn't certain. All he knew was that this boy was getting on his nerves.

James was a mutual friend, meaning that they both shared a friendship with Sean. Sean was Charlie's only friend at school and it was guys like James that reminded him why. All the boys here weren't very bright, even if they did go to a knowledgable private school in Manhattan. They all had women, or in James' case men, on the mind. They were only interested with who they could get with and how many drugs could they smuggle underneath daddy's nose into the penthouse. Charlie was goal oriented but Sean said the reason he didn't have any other friends was because he was so snobby. Which e was sure was partly true. Regardless, he still had to spend time with Sean's other friends which unfortunately included James.

"Well, that was my intention when I asked you." Charlie said in between his teeth.

"Sure," James sighed, glancing at his watch for time. "And for the record, only my mother calls me Jamie."

"Noted," Charlie winked as the bell rang for class. James muttered an unintelligible word and ran inside. For the first time James was late and for some reason it made Charlie's day much brighter.

Until he found out who exactly James had been with.