Fan Art by L_L_H. Want to hear a joke I made up? It's really lame. What kind of coat does a cold fruit wear? Burberry!
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Chapter 12: Post-Sex Food
"I'm running out to pick up dessert. The pizza should be here in about ten minutes. A fifty should cover it. Just answer the door and hand him the money. Make sure he gives you the correct change. You're a smart girl. Figure out the math quicker than him."
"I know how this pizza thing works, Dad. I'm almost eighteen."
"In, like, March."
"That's, like, five months away!"
"Which is almost half a year. You're still my little baby," he cooed, pulling me into a bear hug.
I pushed him away. "Go get the sweets."
"Don't throw any wild parties while I'm gone."
"I'll try not to. Twenty minutes is an awfully long time to be gone," I replied sarcastically.
"Bye."
I rolled my eyes and subconsciously smoothed out the wrinkles in the fifty dollar bill. Geez, what does he do, crinkle it up a thousand times? The doorbell rang and I got off my lazy butt to answer it. I was getting pizza, so it was okay.
"Oh, hey Alec," I greeted. "Is that for me?"
"Are you Ted Summers?"
I made my voice deeper and gruffer. "Yup, that's me."
He laughed and handed me the pizzas. "$34.50. Out of fifty? $15.50 is your change."
"Thanks."
"Before you shut the door in my face, I have a favor to ask you."
"Alright, let's hear it."
"Will you wear my jersey?" he asked, almost seeming nervous that I would reject his offer.
"You...you want me to wear your jersey?" I asked, shocked.
"I mean, you don't have to. I was just thinking..."
"No, I do. But you don't let anyone wear your jersey!" Never in Alec's high school career has a single girl-or male-worn his jersey. Him asking me was kind of a little miracle.
"There was no one really worthy for it." Will someone cue the 'aww' card? "I mean, it is jersey number one."
"Are you saying that I'm worthy?"
"Yeah, you're number one material." And this is where the audience 'awws' again.
"How can I say no to that?"
His grin was lopsided-so cute. "I guess you can't. Hold on, let me go get it." He ran out to the car and grabbed a new looking blue and white jersey. "No germs!"
I took the jersey and set it carefully on the edge of the couch. "I'll be sure to rock it."
"There's no doubt in my mind that you will. Can I ask another favor?"
I nodded. "Okay."
"Would you accompany me to homecoming? We can be couple number one," he asked, as if the last statement could bribe me.
The star player of the baseball team was asking me to go to homecoming with him. I wasn't going to say no. So I said yes. "Sure, I'd love to be part of the number one couple."
"We should seal the deal with a kiss."
"Oh?"
"Yup," he replied cockily. It was kind of a turn-on, the way he suggested it.
"That's up to you, now isn't it?"
Alec grinned, tilted his head, and learned toward my face. Second kiss of the year-let's hope this ends up well. I closed the distance and did what I did last time with Ian. It seemed alright then. It didn't seem completely horrible. Alec's was also sweet. I don't think anyone knew about my kiss with Ian, so he probably thought this was my first.
"I think that deal was sealed pretty well," Alec whispered, his forehead on mine.
"Then I guess we're good here."
"Bye Summers."
***
Tyler never texted me after that; it was probably a one time thing, to make fun of me, no doubt. Yeah, I was a little disappointed, but I'd get over it. He was just a guy. I have plenty of other guys after me. The only reason he intrigued me was because he wasn't making an effort, like he was playing hard to get. That was a smart strategy, I'd give him that.
"Hey kitten," Ian purred, slinging his arm over my shoulders. "What're you wearing on October 12th?"
"Why?"
"So my tie can match your dress, of course. We could go shopping together. Or we could have your dress custom made. Only the best for my Charlotte. I'll guarantee all the other girls will be dripping with jealousy."
"What makes you think that we're going together?"
He seemed stunned. "Who else would you be going with?"
"A certain baseball star named Alec Jennings."
"That's ridiculous. You're going with me."
"You don't own me, Ian."
"But we kissed!"
"I've kissed Alec, as well."
"You're cheating on me? I didn't know you had it in you."
I stopped and faced him. "I don't know if you know this, but we're not dating," I said, stressing the last two words.
"Of course we are."
"We're not going to homecoming together!"
"Fine, but you're meeting my parents then. That'll be your punishment."
My mouth was open to make a retort, but then shut. He wanted me to meet his parents? Was he joking? I don't think Ian's ever taken anyone home to meet his parents. That was a big deal. "Really?"
"Of course. They've been pestering me about you for weeks."
"Yeah," I agreed softly, "I'd love to meet your parents."
"Great, I'll set something up. I hope you like lasagna."
"I love lasagna."
"You know lasagna is great after-sex food," he mentioned casually.
"Too bad we're not having sex. And I certainly wouldn't do it before meeting your parents!"
"You feel bad about it? Well I wouldn't want you to feel bad. In fact, I can make you feel amazing."
"We're not going to sleep together, Ian."
"Oh, but technically we already slept together. The hot air balloon ride, remember?"
"You know what I mean!"
"Do I? Do I really?"
"Go away, Ian."
"Do you like cats?"
"What?"
"Do you like cats?"
"Um...I don't know, yes?"
"Oh good. When's your birthday?"
"You're not getting me a cat for my birthday."
"I never said I was. Stop putting words in my mouth," he scolded. "Now answer the question. When were you born?"
"March 3rd."
"Would you remind me on the first of March? I might forget."
He was a strange person sometimes. "Fine, whatever, yeah."
He stood there smiling at me. I didn't know what todo, other than smile back, which only made his grin larger and brighter. "What are you doing for Christmas?"
"Christmas?"
"Would you stop making me repeat and explain things? Yes, Christmas. December 25th. Jesus Christ's birthday. The day after Christmas Eve."
"Probably spending it with my dad, why?"
"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering. If sexy was a crime, you'd be executed."
"That's reassuring."
"What about Halloween? What are you doing then?"
"I don't know..."
"How about attending a costume party with me? Does that sound interesting?"
"We'll see."
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Don't get too ahead of yourself. I haven't agreed yet."
"Yet."
***
"Hey Beckett, I haven't seen you in awhile. What's up?"
His brown curls seemed curlier than usual and his face was hopeful. "Are you familiar with Pokémon?"
"Who isn't?"
"Okay, good. So I won't look like a complete when I ask you if you'll be the Nidoqueen to my Nidoking?" Okay, that was the sweetest gamer joke I've ever heard, not that I've heard any...but if I did, that would be the cutest.
I wasn't sure how to say this, so I just came out with it. Being straightforward was always good. "Um...Beckett? Aren't you gay?"
He sighed and looked up at me with sad eyes. "But it's not like I can go with Ethan. I'm not out yet, and I need a cover. It's going to look suspicious if I go alone."
"So go with someone else?"
"Then they'll expect sex afterwards and it's getting pretty tiresome pretending to be straight. Do you know how boring it gets to pretend and check out girls?"
"I don't check girls out, Beckett."
"Oh yeah, sorry. Forgot you weren't a guy."
"Gee thanks." Because that made it so much better.
"So will you?"
"I'm already going with Alec, but just go ask a lesbian girl or something."
"That's preposterous. That would make me seem desperate."
"Go with Emma."
"Who?"
"Emma, my best friend."
"Ah, her," he said, recognizing her, "but she doesn't know I'm gay."
I shrugged. "So tell her. I trust her. She's good at keeping secrets."
He seemed defeated. "You're sure she won't tell?"
"Pinky promise."
"I don't have time for pinky promises. Tell me where I can find her."
"I don't know where she is now, but I can give you her number."
"Yeah, okay."
I keyed the number into his phone and saved it as 'Emma, the Secret Keeper'. She'd appreciate it. I really hoped she wasn't talking about Beckett being her crush. That would just be awkward and end in disaster. "She likes petunias."
***
"Emma, I know who Ryan Boyer is."
She looked at me puzzedly. "Yeah, he's the guy who Hannah slept with. I thought we went over this."
"Yes, but he's also the guy from the party."
She leaned closer to me and hissed, "The guy that..."
"Yeah, him."
"We've got to do something! Tell the police!"
As appealing as that sounded, I couldn't do that. I really didn't have any proof. It was mine and Tyler's word against his. I wasn't even sure if Tyler had even seen what he looked like. And if he did, he probably had no idea who Ryan Boyer was. Ryan Boyer. The fact that I've heard that name before was nagging me. And I don't think it was from an intercom...Ryan Boyer...
"I can't."
She jumped up and placed her hands on her hips. Glaring at me, she demanded, "And why not? He almost raped you. He should go to jail! He can't get away with this."
"Too late. He already did. And besides, Tyler beat him up pretty well."
She winked and elbowed me suggestively. "Ooh, Tyler."
"Oh, shut up. We're just friends. We're not even friends."
"He gave you a ride on his motorcycle. I'd say that classifies as friendship."
"He wouldn't even talk to me the next day!"
"He just didn't want to come across as desperate."
I never told her about his goodnight text to me. That was going to stay between the two of us. It was kind of cute. I wonder if he knew he gave me his number; maybe he meant to do that.
"I have to go baby sit Polly. I'll text you?"
I nodded. "Sure."
I got up to walk her out. Just as I was about to close it, someone spoke. "Charlie, can we talk?"
Luke; how I missed his voice. I guess I should let him talk, but I still don't know if I could forgive him. "What do you want, Luke?" I asked, attempting to make my voice sound bored.
"I want you to talk to me again. I want us to be okay."
"I don't think we'll ever be okay."
"What can I do to make us go back to the way we were before?"
"You can't."
"Just forget about the whole confession thing."
"That's the thing, I can't forget about it! It's been floating around the back of my mind and I can't stop thinking about it!"
"I wasn't lying, you know."
"How can I be so sure? You were trying to get into Hannah's pants. It was like once she came along I was invisible. You didn't even try to talk to me until after she got laid."
"I just wanted it to be over. I thought that if it happened, you would finally believe me."
"In what universe does that make sense?"
He rocked side to side, playing with the zipper on his jacket. "I guess now that I think about it, it doesn't."
"It just didn't seem very convincing. That's all."
"Sorry Charlie, but you have to believe me. You're the only girl for me."
I sighed. That line made me melt. I wish I could believe him, but my brain wouldn't let me. My heart was all for it; in fact, it was screaming, 'LET HIM LOVE YOU'. I guess I just needed more time. It was one of those cases where only time could heal, or however that saying went.
"I think you need to leave, Luke."
"Go to homecoming with me."
"I'm already going with Alec."
His lips pulled into a tight, thin line. "Oh, I see. I hope you have fun with him," he added bitterly.
"Bye, Lucas."
I still love you.