Part 12 / High.

Stefan.

"You want some lunch before you leave?" She says from the kitchen.

"That'd be great." I crack my neck and put my textbooks down for a while.

"I'm sure she was talking to me."

I roll my eyes as he walks in the kitchen in front of me,and starts making out with Charlie.

In my kitchen.

Where I eat.

Confused?

Let me enlighten you; my life is a fucking shit-show.

Let's go back to January first,shall we?

First day of the year,and It already was a reflection of how my year was apparently going to go.

Yes,Charlie kissed me.

Yes,I liked it. A lot. More than I should have.

I have looked at her,and maybe had an inappropriate thought or two,but never did I imagine that something would happen between us.

But in that moment,while she was kissing me. Her fingertips touching me.

My hands caressing her soft skin,while she was moaning? I wanted to do nothing more than sleep with her.

And I probably would have,but,she said stop.

And in a second the fog cleared up,and I was thinking with my head instead of my smaller one.

I got off her. Slept on the hotel's couch,and we never mentioned it.

When we came back home,I went back to sleeping on the pull out sofa,and we went back to where we were.

Not really.

We would just say hi and bye when we saw each other,and unwillingly hang out when Uriah and Lilly were with us.

But even they sensed tension.

And right now,more than I wanna stab this grandpa,I wanna erase that night completely,and get my friend back.

"Chad. Always a pleasure." I sigh walking past them.

"I made you a sandwich too,Stefan." Charlie says pulling away from him.

"Thanks swe- Charlie." I pray to God that she didn't catch on to that.

"I'm really sorry babe. But I have to take this on the go. I have a phycology class to get to. Thank you babe." He kisses her and they both walk to the door before she walks back with a smile on her face.

"Do you think he calls you babe as a form of endearment,or it's to remind himself that you are an actual baby compared to him."

She chuckles "He's only eight years older than me. And I respect him because after all those years,he finally decided to get a collage education."

"When you were fourteen,he was twenty-two . So technically,he's a pedophile."

"O my God...Stop it! Stop getting in my head!" She hits my arm ad I smile victoriously.

"Besides,we haven't done anything yet."

"That's...wired. How come?" I ask.

"You really wanna talk about my sex life?" She raises an eyebrow at me as I shrug.

"I don't have anything better to do."

Considering I was almost a part of it.

"I don't know. Every time I wanna...do anything,he rejects me. He says he wants to take it slow. Is something wrong with me?"

"Where do I start? Hypothermic heart or daddy issues?" She frowns.

I clear my throat "I'm sorry Charlie. I was kidding."

"It's okay blue balls- rich boy. I know you're mad about certain things. I don't take it personally." She winks before she starts walking away.

"Nothing is wrong with you Charlie. And If grandpa is stupid enough to see that,then he doesn't deserve you."

She smiles before walking to her bedroom.

***

"Dude,wear goggles when you're breaking glass." Uri hands me a pair as I smile.

"It's cool. If I go blind,at least I don't have to see my towel wrapped around grandpa's crotch when I wake up in the morning and calls me "bro"."

Uriah throws his head back in laughter as I continue slamming the hammer against the windows.

"I honestly don't know what Charlie sees in him. She used to be so picky,and now?" He shivers in disgust.

"He's not horrible. And she says that she wants someone who's mature." I shrug.

"Hey." We turn and smile at Lilly,who's holding ip Uri's phone.

"I love you. Thank you." He kisses her as she laughs and kisses him back.

"Aren't you guys cold? Put on a shirt. I feel like I'm watching "Magic Mike"."

"How dare you look at another male's body. Shut your eyes this instant." He places his hands over her eyes as she laughs and pushes him away.

"Hi Stefan." She walks towards me.

"Careful,I'm dirty." She nods before hugging me slightly.

"How did you do on your English assignment?" I ask,remembering that she was freaking out about it a week ago.

"She got an A. Best in her class." Uriah says proudly.

"I'm proud of you." I say as she smiles.

"Thank you. A little birdie told me you did great in all your classes,too."

"That's not s little bird,that's a

jabber jay,and her name is Charlie." Uriah says as we laugh.

"Yeah,I did good." I smile.

"I did well."

"Excuse me?"

"You used the wrong terminology. You said good instead of well." I shake my head and smile.

"English major dude." Uriah says bent over the hood of a jeep.

"Remind me to never play scrabble with you."

"Noted." She grins,before hugging us both goodbye and leaves.

"You got a good one,man. Don't let her go." I say as he smiles.

"Didn't plan to."

***

I change the song that's currently playing in my headphones and continue walking home.

"Hey Stefan."

"Hi." I greet back a guy I'm pretty sure is in my art class.

I'm pretty sure that was him.

I tug my zipper higher over my exposed neck,feeling it get a little warmer in this freezing ass weather.

I stop in my tracks when I hear a sound.

I look around and just see people casually walking through campus.

Am I loosing it?

But no,I hear it again and start to follow it.

It's a meow. And It's coming from a small box under a bench.

I reach for it,and it keeps making even more noise.

I open it,and sure enough, there's a small kitten,who looks like it's about to die of hypothermia.

"Hey little guy. Somebody abandoned you?" I pat his head,as he cradles my hand immediately.

I look around and think.

What do I do?

"You wanna come home with me?" I ask as it starts shaking slightly.

"Okay. Let's go. Let's just hope Charlie doesn't kill me." I sigh and close the box so he doesn't get colder.

After coming home,thankfully Charlie wasn't here,so I was able to give the little guy a warm bath and then fed him.

I didn't have cat food,but I compromised and gave him some milk and whatever was in the fridge that he could eat.

So now,I'm just petting him until he fell asleep,and Is now just resting.

"You're cute." I smile as I look at him.

And he was,better his fluffy grey fur and adorable little grey eyes,he was an actual little angel.

I have always been a dog person,but maybe this guy could be my change of heart.

"No,I did not punch him. He made a stupid comment,and then my fist making contact with his face was a mere coincidence..." I hear her talking on the phone as she walks in.

I jump over the couch with the cat in my hand,and quickly put him in the box and in the closet,temporarily...or maybe until the end of senior year.

"Hey..." I say a little breathless as she frowns.

"I'll talk to you later Lill. Yeah,I cannot promise to not hurt anyone else. Bye." She hangs up "Hi."

"What's...up?" I clear my throat.

"Nothing. I was just at work. What's up with you? Why are you out of breath?" She asks.

"Just...working out a little."

"Okay...are you hungry? I brought you something from the diner." She shows me the bag as I smile.

"Not right now,I'll eat it later. Thank you."

"Sure. Anyway,I have some notes to go through,and then I'm heading out. You have the place all to your self. Go nuts." She says jokingly.

"Thank God. Maybe i can finally put on Fine Living,and watch them build tree houses." She chuckles "Nerd." Before going into her room.

I sigh in relief and check on the cat from time to time,and wait until Charlie leaves.

I'm almost done with my homework when she walks out.

"You look nice." I look at her unusual attire.

"Thanks. I'm gonna surprise Chad at his apartment. Hopefully I'll get more than a hug." She winks as i scrunch my face in disgust as she laughs.

"Well,good luck."

"Thank you. I'm just gonna go in the bathroom and put on some makeup. And I'm thinking that I should..." She stops in her tracks and looks around.

"Did you hear th-"

"Hear what?!" I shout making her jump.

"I don't know I heard something,I could have sworn it-"

"Well you're wrong! All I hear is music! We will,we will,rock you!Go on..." I push her towards the bathroom but she stops me.

"Stefan,what are you doing? Fuck off." She walks in the living room again and look around.

"Its an animal."

"No it is not. Goodbye Charlotte!" I shout.

She looks at me for a few seconds before running towards the closet.

I run too,so that's how we end up with me cornering her agains the door ad she looks up at me with a death look.

"What are you hiding,you asshole." She struggles against me.

I look down at our bodies,which are grinding against each other and smirk.

"I sense sexual tension."

"I sense that you're about to be choked."

"Kinky."

She groans and pushes me off,opening the door quickly and looks around before she picks up the box.

I groan and wait for what's about to come.

"You got a cat? And didn't tell me?"

"I...it wasn't my plan. It was on campus in a box,it was gonna die. I'm sorry. Please just let it stay for a couple of more days,and then I'll take it to a animal shelter or something. Please Charlie..."

"You saved it?" She asks in such a soft voice,it scares me.

"Yeah.I-I thought you would be mad. I know you don't like...animals? I'll just take it to a farm or..."

"Do you wanna keep it?" She asks out of nowhere,completely surprising me.

"Do you?"

She shrugs "It's cute. And I guess our little club of people who have been abandoned could use a third member." I smile at the way she's caressing his little head.

"Really?" I ask she nods.

And I can't contain myself,I place a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you." She nods before looking back at the cat again.

"Go. You're gonna be late." I say as she nods and puts on her coat before leaving.

Charlie Reynolds manages to surprise me again.

***

My head jerks up from my pillow instantly when I hear glass shattering.

I look over and see that the cat is comfortably sleeping beside me.

I push of my blanket and walk to the kitchen,where I see Charlie picking up shards of glass with her hand.

"Charlie,what the fuck?! Are you insane? Leave it." I grab her arm and pull her up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. I just wanted some water,and..." She sighs deeply before placing her head in her hands.

"What happened? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" I ask looking at her up and down for any sign of anything

"I knock on his door. Looking like a million dollar tramp. And you know who answered? His pregnant wife!" She sighs in a groan as my eyes widen.

"Oh..."

"So yeah,I just had to make a stupid excuse and flee from there because I ruined a marriage. God,I'm a horrible person."

"Hey,hey. Look at me." I tip her chin up ad she stares at me.

"You had no idea. You didn't ruin anything. This is all that cheating fuckers fault. And you are the opposite of a horrible person. So stop."

"I'm sorry you have to go through all my bullshit." She sighs.

I smile "No ones I'd rather go through."

One minute she's looking up at me,snd the next...Charlie's kissing me.

I'll admit,my weak spineless self gives into her. I place her on top of the counter as her hands tug my hair.

But something in my mind clicks.

"Charlie..." I try to pull away.

"Please." She whispers and kisses me again and her hands are lifting my shirt.

"Charlie,stop." I pull away completely snd look at her as she's panting and looking straight at me.

I turn on the kitchen light,and suddenly everything changes.

I squint as I look at her as she smiles.

"Are you high?"

She chuckles " Maybe just a little- just a little bit." She laughs.

"God,Charlie..." I run my hands down my face.

"Why don't you wanna fuck me?" She asks as my head jerks up.

She smiles again "I'm not good enough for you? Hmm...?" Her hands moves under my sweatpants and against my underwear band.

"Charlie..." I take her hand out and pick her up with my hands under her knees and walk her to her bed.

"Are we gonna have sex now?" She asks lazily.

"No Charlie." I say and lift the blanket before I lay her down.

"You're probably right." She sighs "I don't wanna screw you up too. I've already messed you up enough."

"You haven't messed anyone up Charlie." I take off her shoes one at a time.

"I miss sleeping with you though. I always thought it was hilarious how we went from having two feet space between us in the bed,to waking up with your arms around me. You're warm."

I sigh and decide,fuck it. What more can happen.

So I lift the cover and lie down next to her,so we're facing each other.

"Thank you." She says as I push a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah."

"Do you think I'm stupid an irresponsible?" She asks,like a little girl who's disappointed her parents.

"No. You're the smartest person I know. I'm sorry you've been through what you've been through."

"Mmkay." Says as she blinks tiredly a couple of times.

"The kitten looks like a Frank." She says,causing me to laugh.

"Frank?" I ask as she smiles,that gorgeous ass smile,that she doesn't show enough.

"Okay. If that's what you want."

"I'm glad you're at least giving me one thing that I want."