Part 7 / Tattoo.

Stefan.

"You're doing it wrong."

"Yes Charlie,I was informed by the fifth time you said that."

She chuckles but moves aside so I can finish.

"Pour it in the pan,slowly." She instructs as I nod and obey.

"Don't let them burn. Keep stirring so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan."

"Okay."

"Be careful. Be careful." She repeats.

"Jesus Charlie,I'm making eggs,not disarming a bomb."

"Fine.I'll just sit down,and you can bring me my breakfast." She says sitting at the small kitchen table.

"Thank you." I say and sigh as I continue to try making these damn eggs.

After a couple of minutes,they look good enough,so I take them off the stove and pour them on a plate.

"Stove." She simply reminds me and I nod and turn it off before placing the plate in front of her.

"Thank you." She smiles and picks up her fork,lifting the food in her mouth.

She chews for a couple of seconds and then smiles.

"Good. A little more salt,and It'll be perfect."

I smile proudly,before I see her face.

"Charlie why-why is your mouth bleeding?" I ask in horror.

"That...would be the eggshells. I must have cut my lip on one." She gets up and gets a napkin,applying it to her lip.

I walk towards and grab her chin,tilting it upwards.

"Open your mouth." She raises her eyebrow at me as I roll my eyes and she smiles.

I dab the napkin on her bottom lip for a couple of seconds until the bleeding stops. I look up and see that sunlight is hitting her eyes slightly,making them a beautiful color,but then stop being a fucking crazy person,and look down.

She squeezes my wrist slightly and I let goo of her face immediately "Sorry." I mutter as she smiles.

"It's okay. My jaw was just hurting." She walks to a cabinet and takes out a bag.

"I'm really sorry Charlie. I swear I really tried." I lean against the counter.

"It's fine babe. You'll get the hang of it,trust me. By the second semester,you're gonna be my personal chef." She winks at me as I chuckle.

"But for now,here," she tosses me a bag,after looking inside I realize that It's a couple of croissants from the diner.

"Heat them up in the microwave. I have to get dressed." She says walking out but steps back in "You do know how to use a microwave,right?" She asks as I throw a rag at her.

***

"Hey." I smile and shake Uriah's hand when I see him sitting down next to me in Physics.

His major is mechanical engineering,so we have maybe two or three classes together.

"Hey. What's up?" I ask taking out a notebook and my laptop.

Yes,the movers came by after Charlie left and made a mess of her apartment with boxes.

She's gonna kill me.

Hopefully,I can get back before her and clean the place up.

Surprisingly,my clothes and other possessions were all there,one box including a laptop and check for textbooks from my oldest brother.

I'm sure my parents don't know he put it there.

"How was your first day?" He asks.

I shrug "Okay,I guess. Every time the professors would say my name,either someone would gasp,a girl would be terrified or they would whisper."

"I'm sorry dude." He says with clear sympathy on his face.

"It's fine. My calculus professor is pretty cool.And I start work today." I shrug.

"Yeah. I could pick you up around two,show you around?"

"That'd be great. Thanks a lot Uriah."

***

After asking someone I finally am able to find my way into English.

I enter the class and see a couple of people talking,some are seated down but only a few turn to stare.

I look around for a place to sit and then see Charlie.

She has her earbuds in,and is reading a book or something.

Her hair is in a bun on top of her head,and she's wearing the cream colored sweater that she did this morning,the light top contrasting her darker skin.

I walk over and tap her on the shoulder slightly. She looks at me annoyed but her face softens a little when she sees me.

"Hi." She says with a smile and takes out her earbuds.

"Hey. Guess we have a class together."

"I guess." She chuckles "How was your first day?"

"Better than I thought it would be."

"That's good. Did your stuff get here?" She asks leaning on her hand.

"Yes. My brother snuck in my laptop." I take it out and show her as she chuckles.

"Hi. I'm Kylie. You must be new here." She extends her hand and I look at the blond in front of me.

"Hi. I'm Stefan." I shake her hand politely.

"And I am disgusted. What the fuck kind of perfume is that?" Charlie says in a horrid expression.

"Oh,hey Charlie.How are you and your syphilis?" She says with a sweet smile as my eyes widen.

"I'm good. Also,remind your dad to take some penicillin since I might have infected him too." Charlie says with a huge fake smile.

"You're disgusting." Kylie remarks.

"So are you. Tell him to call me." Kylie shakes her head and walks away.

"Bye you stupid bitch."

I raise an eyebrow at her as she shrugs "We've had a couple of incidents freshman and sophomore year."

"I can tell. But you didn't have to be that mean."

She glares at me for a few seconds before she sighs "This is gonna be hard."

Before I can ask what she means,a man walks in and sits in front of the board,causing everyone to sit down.

"Welcome back guys. Let's hope this year will be better that the last. For those if you who are new,I'm professor Nickson. No relation to the former president." He says as we chuckle.

"And also, Logan,the head of the university's ecology club,has a few words to say." He says in a bored expression.

Then some guy goes on and on for ten minutes about how we need to take care of our planet and recycle.

"Dude, some of us didn't borrow money for the government to listen to you talk. Shut the hell up already. We get it."

Of course everyone laughs after Charlie says that,making the dude angry.

"Well you should pay attention more Charlie. Since you entered this class today,you have thrown away three pages of paper. You need to respect trees more. And really be apart and understand them."

"How about I snap your neck,plant you

In my garden and you can understand how trees feel." She says with a smile.

"Okay. Sit down Logan. Miss Reynolds,as always,a pleasure to have you in my class." The teacher says with a smile as Charlie chuckles.

I think it's gonna be a pleasure to have Charlie in my life too professor.

***

"Stefan? You done?" Uriah asks from the other side of the garage.

I've been here a couple of hours,and already feel better about actually doing something instead if just laying around Charlie's place all day.

"Give me a minute." I shout back as I pick up the screwdriver and lean over the Opel's hood.

"What's up?" He asks wiping his forehead. He has some grease on his face and hands as he leans against the car's hood.

"Battery change. And needs a new distributor. But I think I can fix the radiator?" I ask also wiping my forehead.

"Can you do it later man,I'm starving. Let's go eat." He says as I nod.

"I'll help you later and see what we can do." He says as I smile and wash my hands.

"You wanna go to Joan's?" I ask.

"Nah,maybe tomorrow.Besides,one of the waitresses there is an asshole." He says as I laugh.

"Hey,what happened to Charlie's mom?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

"She told you about that?" He asks,also washing his hands.

"Briefly. Just mentioned she was dead."

He sighs "Heart attack. She was at work."

"I wasn't around that time,although I wish I was. But Lilly told me everything. She said Charlie was miserable. Wouldn't eat,wouldn't talk. But like after a week,she bounced back and acted like nothing happened."

"What do you mean?" I frown.

"I don't know. She never mentions her,never cries. After what happened,she's just...cold."

***

"Honey,I'm home." I follow the smell that is coming from the kitchen.

"Darling! Welcome." Charlie says like a 50's movie star.

I see her stirring a pot,as her hair is wet and is wearing a white tank top and cotton shorts that reveal...just enough.

I take my eyes off the back of her shorts immediately when she turns towards me.

"How was your first day?"

"Good. Fixed an Opel Corsa today." I say proudly.

"That's great. What did Jack say?"

"He says I'm good. And officially start there." She smiles and wraps her arms around my neck in a brief hug.

"Thanks Charlie." I say slowly wrapping my arm around her waist.

"Okay. Go shower,you smell like metal. Then we're gonna make mac and cheese. Then we're gonna put your things in place."

I groan "Do I have to.Besides,don't you have to go to Phoenix?"

"Nope. I only work Fridays and weekends." She says walking back to the kitchen.

After a shower I put on my pants,but decide to look through the boxes and find my shirts,since the one I have right now doesn't fit.

"Hey,you done with...oh." Charlie says in confusion as i skim through my things.

"What?"

"I didn't know you had a tattoo." She says crossing her arms.

"Yeah. I got it in high school as a big "fuck you" to my parents." I say as she chuckles.

I feel her finger tips against the middle of my shoulder blades,and my body tenses immediately.

"Does it have a meaning?" She asks her fingers still tracing the ink.

"N-not really. Just thought it looked cool."

Jesus I haven't gotten laid in such a long fucking time.

And Charlie looking like that and touching me,makes nothing about this situation better.

I put in a shirt and follow her to the kitchen. And after an hour of her basically screaming at me we finally finish this God forsaken meal.

"Let's eat in my room.I'll help you put your clothes in place. I cleared up space for you."

"Seriously? I'm putting my things in your room?" I ask confused and shocked.

"Yeah. You didn't think you would be living out of boxes,did you?" As I shrug.

***

"What do you mean you don't like kids?"

Her room looks like any girls would.

Bed,closet,desk,mirror,books,posters and some flower pots here and there. And I noticed there were a lot of them on the balcony.

"I just don't." She shrugs as I put my clothes next to hers in the closet.

"They're cute and funny and say words adorably."

"Maybe..." She takes bites off her plate

" They're also annoying,brats,messy and a responsibility."

"So you're not gonna ever have kids?"

She shrugs "Never say never. But I don't think I'm ever gonna meet someone who'd I wanna mix my DNA with." She says as i chuckle.

"Why is that by the way? You're a pretty girl. You're smart. How come no guy has caught your attention?"

"Guys are assholes." She says laying down on her bed.

"Well,I can't disagree."

***

After a few weeks,collage and work had gotten a little easier.

A little.

The fact that I was sleeping and an uncomfortable fucking couch,had absolutely no money and people thought that I'm a rapist, were still around to remind me that my life was still shitty.

I gave up on my family completely,seeing that they won't even pick up my calls,and just decided to focus on these two lats years of collage.

I closed the garage tonight,deciding that I would work a little more late,and get some extra money.

I walk in the dark from work,seeing a few people going to parties,and others just walking.

When I'm just at the peak of campus I see a couple of people a few miles ahead,and just dismissed them as a frat or something.

They were a total of four guys,and when they blocked my path,I knew something was wrong.

"Hey Stefan." One of them says as I frown.

"Do I know you?"

"No. But you're about to."