Charlie sat on the bench, chewing on his mouthguard and taping the bottom of his lacrosse stick. He was extremely nervous for this game... he wasn't sure why though... it was just a normal game.
Nate noticed his friends sad look and jogged over, sitting down beside him. "What's on your mind C?" He asked.
Charlie shook his head and handed Nate the tape.
"I'm not sure man... I'm just nervous as hell... I never get nervous!"
"Everyone has the occasional set of nerves dude, and yours are today. Just shake it off and get ready to smack some people with a stick." Nate smiled, adding a layer of tape to the handle of his stick.
Charlie smiled as Nate handed him the tape back and clapped him on the shoulder. Together they walked back onto the field, and began to warm up with the rest of the team. Charlie would occasionally glance at the stands, trying to find people he knew.
He saw Mae standing there, waving at Charlie with Luca all bundled up in her arms. he smiled and waved back. Chase and Haven were standing next to them... and so was Sage...
Charlie smiled and waved at him, and he waved back before pointing at his jersey. Charlie bursted our into laughter as he saw Sage's jersey with his number and 'favorite fan' written across it.
The coach blew the whistle and the boys brought it in as the refs got ready to start the game. Sage watched intently as the boy with the beautiful smile walked over to the ref as he put on his captains band. That's attractive.
"Sage I didn't know you knew Charlie so well." Haven smiled, looking at his shirt.
"Yeah... we became pretty good friends recently actually." He smiled, looking back on the field as the game begun.
Charlie played amazing, and Sage had never been into watching a sport so much... maybe it was just because he like watching Charlie play the sport... but no one needed to know that.
At the end of the game, Sage, Chase, Haven and Mae headed towards the field to wait for their friends. Charlie and Nate walked over, drenched in sweat and carrying nasty gym bags.
"Hey guys." Nate smiled, going right to Chase. Chase smiled and took the sweaty boy in his arms. Charlie smiled at Sage and walked over to him, completely ignoring his girlfriend. "You actually came?" Charlie laughed, giving him a hug.
"I said I would, didn't I?" Sage smiled, enjoying their small embrace.
"You did, and you actually wore the jersey." Charlie smiled.
"I did. You like it?"
"Love it." Charlie chuckled. "You should come more often. My team thought you were hilarious." He smiled, running his hands over the material of the jersey.
"Think so?" Sage smiled, blushing a little.
"Definitely. You're super funny when you yell at the refs because you don't know what your talking about."
Sage laughed quietly.
Before he could respond, Luca screamed, immediately grabbing Charlie's attention.
"Luca!" Charlie smiled, taking the baby from his girlfriends arms, attempting to kiss her on the cheek. Mae ducked out of the way, a little salty that her boyfriend had gone over to Sage before her AND started flirting with him. Charlie frowned and raised an eyebrow... sure they had been having some issues lately but she never rejected him like that.
"What's wrong?" Charlie frowned.
"Let's talk later." Mae mumbled. "I'm heading home guys, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Mae-"
"Bye Charlie."
And with that the girl walked off, leaving Charlie frowning.
"You alright man?" Sage asked, resting a hand on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie glanced up at Sage, meeting his bright green eyes.
"I'm... yeah I'm good." Charlie nodded, deciding not to let Mae drag him down.
Sage smiled and Charlie swore his heart skipped a beat.
"Hey we're leaving." Nate called, slinging his arm around Chase's shoulder and walking off.
"Same here. Momma bear and I are flying out to New York for that college tour at like 4. Gotta sleep and get some stuff done." Haven smiled "love you Charzard. Don't let Mae make you upset." Haven smiled kissing Charlie's cheek and waving good bye to Sage before running to catch up with Nate and Chase.
"Charzard?" Sage smiled, poking Charlie in the side.
"It's Havens nickname for me." Charlie smiled, seeing his mom walking over.
"Good game sweetie! I am so proud of you! You played so well as always." Marie smiled, taking the baby from him and kissing him on the cheek.
"Yeah Charzard... forgot to tell you that." Sage teased before receiving a playful elbow. "You wanna go get pizza to celebrate? You too Marie."
"Oh I'm good sweetie thank you though, you should go though Charlie. Enjoy your weekend." Marie smiled, kissing her son on the head. "I'll see you later sweetheart. Bye Sage." She waved, taking Luca towards the car.
"Mom! Wait!" Charlie called, running over and kissing Luca's head and whispering goodbye, the baby giggled and took his dad's finger before letting him walk back over to Sage.
"Pizza?" Sage smiled.
"Yeah, sure." Charlie nodded.
•••
"Shut up you did not." Charlie smiled, taking a bite of pizza.
"I did I swear on my life!" Sage laughed, showing Charlie the picture of him and his younger sister jumping off the bridge. "My dad was so pissed but it was so worth it and Bristol has so much fun."
"you should take me with you next time you go." Charlie smiled.
"Actually Bristol and I are going on Friday... and she's bringing her friend..."
"I was kidding."
"But I'm not." Sage smirked
"You want me to go?"
"No I told you that because I didn't want you to go. Yes I want you to go!"
Charlie rolled his eyes. "I don't know I'll think about it."
"Good enough for me. When's your next game?"
"Today is Saturday so... Tuesday."
"I'll be there."
"Try not to get kicked out this time."
"No promises..."
Charlie laughed and shook his head, as he noticed his mom was calling. "Oh, it's my mom hold on."
Charlie smiled, answering the phone.
"Hey mama."
"Hey sweetie. I'm really sorry to interrupt-" as she said that you could hear Luca's cried in the background.
"Yes. I'm not on speaker am I?"
"No."
"Well guess who showed up and is holding your son."
"oh hell no." Charlie growled and Sage raised an eyebrow.
"I know, I need you to get here now she brought a police officer and I told them you went to the store to get some baby formula because we were out but you better get here quick."
"I'm on my way, and I'll pick up some baby formula."
"Ok, hurry Charlie."
"I will, love you mom."
And with that Charlie hung up. Of course she had to ruin his night... the day when he finally feels happy, she snatched it away from him. Just like everything else.
"Sage I'm really sorry but I have to go. Luca is staying with us tonight and we don't have any formula on hand and he's crying his eyes out."
"Oh that really sucks.."
"Yeah... do you wanna go to the store with me and then I can drop you off at your car?" Charlie asked, not wanting to say goodbye to Sage just yet.
"Yeah sure. We better hurry." Sage nodded. They boys paid for the pizza and left before getting in the car and heading for the store. They ran through the isles and Charlie got what they needed before checking out and heading back to the car.
Charlie could feel his heart beating out of his chest from the fear he was feeling.
"Hey... you ok?" Sage asked as Charlie pulled out his car keys, dropping them a couple times before unlocking his car.
"What? Yeah. Yeah I'm good I just need to get home." Charlie nodded, getting in the car, not even buckling his seatbelt as he headed for the school to drop Sage off to his car.
"I'm really sorry to bail on you." Charlie frowned as they pulled up next to Sages cars.
"No worries man. But let's hang out again I had fun."
"Yeah me too..." Charlie smiled as Sage got out of his car. "Hey wait... Nate, Chase, Haven, Mae and I are gonna do something and you should come with us."
"Oh. Yeah totally just text me." Sage smiled before waving goodbye for real this time.
Charlie couldn't stop smiling as he drove home, but when he saw the police car in the driveway everything came flooding back. He took a deep breath as he parked his car before heading inside.
"Charlie!" Marie smiled happily, she had a major headache from all of Lukas screaming.
"Hey mama... and guests." Charlie smiled, shutting the front door and shaking the police officers hand. "Hi, I'm Charlie nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you son. Im officer Wren and this young lady is claiming you aren't signing legal papers to hand over the rights of her child so we need to talk."
Charlie was about ready to scream at her.
"Oh. You see officer I am Luca's father and the reason I am not signing those papers yet if because our lawyers are talking and we are in a custody battle. You see officer, she had not told me she was pregnant and left Luca on my doorstep in the middle of winter with his birth certificate and my mother and I have been raising Luca ever since. Only because I am not legally 18 until a couple of months. But I'm sure she told you all this." Charlie smiled, looking over at the girl and her fake nails...
"No she didn't..."
"How surprising, now if you don't mind I need to see my son."
"Un no." Carly scoffed, Luca was still screaming his head off. "I haven't seen him in months and I want to hold him."
"Sorry Carly But you have no legal rights to Luka right now and I do. So honestly I could have you arrested right now. " Charlie smiled.
"Along with that, you forbidden, by the government, to be in my house without my permission and I never gave you permission. So give him the baby and see your way out Sweetheart." Marie waved.
Officer Wren glared at Carly, realizing he'd been played. "Alright ma'am I'm gonna need you to hand over the child and come with me."
Carly mumbled something g infer her breath before giving Luca to Charlie.
"This isn't over you asshole. He will be mine." Carly whispered to Charlie as she handed him their son.
"You're the one who got rid of him bitch." Charlie seethed.
"I love him."
"That sentence is as fake as your eyelashes."
"Go cuddle with your fake boyfriend... oh wait you can't."
And with that, she turned and walked off, leaving Charlie pissed off and wanting to snap her neck. Once they left, Charlie walked off, ignoring his mother's calls for him.
He walked into his bedroom and put Luca in his crib before sitting down on the floor. Trying not to cry.