Lessons Learnt

Chapter 4

Elvis was in a great mood. Everything was going well. He was off for a week of wild camping with some of the guys, and Charlie Boy…... guaranteed laughs all the way. Plus, in the two weeks since Charlie Boy had given him Georgie's phone number he had talk to her numerous times, and they had been out on several great dates. Elvis didn't know what it was about her, they were taking it slow and Elvis surprised himself he actually liked that. Georgie he thought was worth it.

Just then, across the car park he saw Charlie Boy turning up. Camping equipment in tow.

"Morning Elvis. Beautiful day. Perfect even" Said Charles. The one good thing about being Elvis' mate Charles often thought was that he got to play Army without actually having to be in the Army. He was looking forward to the week wild camping, just as much as Elvis was. It was an annual thing and each year it became more and more entertaining but and less and less organised.

"Morning Charlie Boy. Hope you're looking forward to this." Elvis said with a huge grin on his face, knowing what the answer was. Charles suspiciously looked over at his friend.

"Bloody hell Elvis what's up with you grinning like a Cheshire cat?"

"Nothing mate. It is as you say a beautiful day and I'm one happy man."

"Oh my God." Said Charles, the penny dropped. "You've finally been out on a date with Georgie haven't you?"

"Yes mate I have….. several… and let me tell you they were fantastic."

"Spare me the details." Groaned Charles. "I don't really want to know…..but knowing you I can only imagine them"

"Nah mate it's not like that at all. She wants me to woo her. We're going slow."

"Bloody hell." Said Charles. "Never thought I'd hear the day. Elvis Harte taking it slow….. she must be something."

"I don't know what it is mate honestly, seriously I've never felt like this before."

Charles laughed. "Good to hear mate about bloody time"

In all their years of friendship neither of them could truly say that they had been in love. Both boys figured when they were they'd know about it, and so far they hadn't. Their families couldn't understand it. Two good looking lads, who just couldn't seem to find anyone to settle down with. There were thoughts, between the two sets of parents, that maybe the boys might be gay. An idea that Charles and Elvis found hysterical, when they had heard it, and so would the numerous women that both boys had taken to their beds over the years.

It was just then that Charles caught sight of Molly with a group of soldiers walking across the car park. She looked over, definitely saw him, he was sure of that, but she didn't acknowledge Charles when he smiled.

"What's going on there?" Said Elvis, noticing the disappointment on Charles' face.

"You tell me? I have absolutely no idea. One minute I thought it was going fine the next minute nothing. She couldn't get home quick enough."

"Yeah well whatever you did mate she's been a real grumpy arse since your date. She's started to piss us all off with her bad mood."

"I can imagine." Charles said with feeling, he had been on the edge of her bad mood by the end of the date. "I've tried to text her a few times even called her once…well twice. Nothing. She's not answering, she's not replying. Guess I'll just give up. Got the message. Another one dead in the water."

Elvis nodded his head towards the general direction as to where Molly was standing. "I wouldn't give up too easy." He chuckled. "She hasn't stopped looking over at you since you arrived. But whatever you did mate sorted out soon….. it's not good for the team, someone off kilter like that."

Charles really had wondered what had happened between them that night. He was racking his brains trying to think of something he may have said, did, that could have offended her. The next morning he had tried to text her but got no response. He then telephoned but she never replied to his answerphone messages or answered his calls.

It had been over two weeks now and nothing. Charles was surprised just how disappointed he felt. He liked Molly, really enjoyed her company, found that smile one of the most captivating sights he'd seen for a long time. She really hadn't been out of his mind since it all had gone wrong, while reasoning with himself that it obviously wasn't meant to be. Now he was off for a week with the lads which, in his eyes was a sure antidote for any mis-placed emotions.

Molly watched Charles across the car park. She knew he was going away for the week with Elvis, and to be honest she knew what time they were meeting, so her appearance in the car park wasn't exactly coincidental. Since that disastrous night with Charles she had tried to put him out of her mind. Something she was finding surprisingly difficult. What was it about him? She just couldn't work it out. He hadn't been that nice to her, using her like that. Yet she still thought about him. She needed a distraction. What she needed was a girl's night out with Georgie and that's exactly what she had planned that evening. Girl friends, dancing and shots; the perfect antidote for any confused emotions Molly had.

The night out with Georgie was hilarious, they usually were. She was a really good mate to Molly. The pair had been together and had been through many trials and tribulations over the over the years. They had been through many heartbreaks, were always each other's shoulder to cry on, always turning to one another for support. She was just what Molly needed, however she still could not stop thinking about Charles.

Georgie broke her thoughts. "Are you not listening to anything I say? I'm talking about Elvis. I'm telling you that we've been out on a few dates. It's been brilliant. He's taking it slow he says. Seriously Molly I've never been before like this."

Molly was happy for her mate, pleased with the huge grin that Georgie had on her face. Inexplicably she also felt sad for Charles. Georgie had obviously chosen Elvis over him. She knew what it was like to come in second to your mate.

"I'm happy for you Georgie really. Nice to see that you finally chosen one of them!."

"What do you mean by that?" Said Georgie a little bit offended. "Choose one of them? What you saying?"

"Well…. Yeah…. I thought you were choosing between Elvis and Charlie." Opps thought Molly. She knew she had to tread carefully she didn't want to upset Georgie.

"Oh my God Molly don't be stupid. Elvis is far my type than Charlie. I didn't even try with Charlie. Do you know I still don't know how Elvis got my telephone number… guess that's his SF training and all that." Georgie waxed on. Molly wisely left out the part she had to play in that manoeuvre.

"He's away this week. God I'm going to miss him…. it's only been two weeks…. but he texts me every morning and every night and sometimes sends me a little present at work. He really is so sweet." Molly had had enough, her friend was really starting to bore her now. Plus Molly had never heard anyone call Elvis sweet before!

It was 10 days or so later that Molly was called to the guardhouse. When she arrived she found Charles standing there with a huge bunch of flowers. She was surprised to say the least.

"Charles hi?" She questioned him looking at the flowers feeling mortified. "They're not from me are they?" Charles spun round, catching site of her: she again took his breath away.

"Yes they are and hope you like them." He said offering the flowers to her.

" Shit….. you bought me flowers…Thanks." she said half mortified half secretly impressed. Then as an afterthought she said. "Why?"

"Oh God no…. they're not from me. I just brought them over from the school. They're from Smurf's parents…. I think….I guess. I think they are a thank you for what you did…. You know to his arm. Anyway there's a card."

"Oh." Said Molly completely mortified that again she got the wrong end of stick. "Thanks for bringing them over… they're lovely…I'm just not really a flowers type of girl. Err…but yeah thanks." She wanted the ground to swallow her up, reading the card they were indeed from Smurf's parents.

"So how are you?" Charles asked as she walked him back towards his car. Charles took it as a sign that she didn't really want to be in his company any longer than necessary.

"Yeah I'm good thanks. You?" Oh this was painful she thought, the embarrassment of her mistake washing over her again and again. She just wanted to forget it all, the date and the fact she was carrying a massive bunch of flowers around with her that she thought he had bought her. She felt as though everybody on the parade ground was watching her.

"I hear Georgie and Elvis are getting along like a house on fire." Charlie said opening his car door, getting ready to get in. He knew she didn't want his company, but still he was reluctant to leave.

"Yeah I believe they are." Trying to read his expression she then said. "Look I'm sorry about that you know, even though she's my mate and all that….she can be a bit shit at times"

Yeah I know….. What…..what you saying"? said Charles. "What do you mean "You're sorry?" He turned and looked at her.

"Well I just thought, you know… I'm sorry about her and Elvis. I know that you were keen on her too. That's why you asked for her phone number and all that." Then as an afterthought she said " But don't worry your secret is safe with me and I'll never tell her that."

Charles stepped back out of the car "Molly I didn't ask for Georgie's telephone number. You gave it to me."

"Yeah…. technicalities mate. But we all know what that night was about. You took me out just to find out information about Georgie."

Charles stepped away from the car closing the door and leaning on the side staring down as her. He was unsure what she was meaning, but if she was implying what he thought she was, he needed to set her straight.

"Yeah you're right. I did take you out that night and asked about Georgie….. but that wasn't the reason I asked you out you know? I took you out because I wanted to go out with you. It had nothing to do with Georgie."

Molly didn't quite believe him he could tell, so he continued.

"Look to be honest it was Elvis… he asked me to get as much information as I could from you about Georgie. I was asking you about her for my mate, not from me." He then ran his hands to his hair. "Christ Molly is that what you thought? That I took you out just to find out more about Georgie?" He was horrified she obviously had thought that about him.

Molly suddenly found her boots really interesting and wouldn't move her eyes away from them to look at Charles.

"Well yeah….It's not exactly the first time it's happened to me. I've been on a few dates with blokes who really was just wanting to find more about Georgie. Kind of got used to it. Thought that's what you were doing."

Charles felt sad that Molly had thought their date was no more than a fishing exercise for him.

"Oh my God." said Charles, realisation dawning. "Is that what happened. I was wondering. I mean I don't know about you Molly but I really thought that the date was going well. And then suddenly you just stopped… I don't know…. you just suddenly just didn't seem to want to be there anymore."

Molly bravely looked into his eyes, she knew that she had to be honest here. She didn't want to mess this up, whatever this was!

"Well yeah I thought the date went really well too. But then you started to ask all these questions about Georgie and I kind of thought you weren't interested in me." It took nearly all her courage to admit that.

Charles moved slightly towards her. Closer than they ever had been before. His eyes locking on to hers. She could actually feel his breath moving across her face, moving the loose strands of her hair. Feeling a charge between their almost touching bodied. He dipped his head even lower and whispered into her ear.

"Molly Dawes….I am interested…..in you." His words and actions made Molly melt. It was the words Molly had wanted to hear, it was just until now she hadn't known that.

He stepped back from her, searching her face for a response, seeing his need for reassurance she raised her chin high, stared into his beautiful big brown eye, and said.

"Really? Well yeah…ditto."

Both had huge smiles on their faces, feeling like teenagers again and rather relieved. They continued to stare at each other, a lot longer than necessary. Charles' eyes moving across Molly's face and lips as though he was trying to memorise them. Molly knew that one of them had to break the silence and one of them had to be brave, and she was kind of hoping that it would be this gorgeous looking man standing in front of her. Hoping that he would be the one to make the next move.

And that's exactly what Charles did. He sighed deeply, then broke their gaze. He opened his car door, smiled at her and got in.

"Bye Molly." he said, in almost a whisper, and drove off.

Molly stood rooted to the spot. Unsure what had just happened. She was fairly certain her mouth was hanging open. Cringing to herself. Here she was standing in the middle of the car park for everyone to see, holding a huge bunch of flowers. Moments ago she'd been making puppy dog eyes at somebody who said he was interested in her. She thought she had given him the perfect opportunity to ask her out again, and all he did was to get into his car and drive away. Humiliated was not the word. She started to walk back to her room.

Bleeding hell Molly thought, how wrong can you read things?

Just then her phone beeped and a text message came through.

"So now we know where we stand. I like you and I hope you like me. Would you like to go out on a date with me again Molly Dawes?

A proper one! Somewhere nice.

Where we can get to know one another a little bit better. C

Molly grinned the biggest grin shit eating grin she thinks she had ever grinned! She wasn't ashamed to admit it either, but hoped no one had seen, she actually did a little skip when she read Charles' message. Yes, she hadn't mis read things. He'd asked her out again. Excited wasn't even close enough to describe how she felt.

Yes. I'd love that Charles…. just say where and when.

Looking forward to it. M

Great one condition though. C

What? M

That for the entire date we don't talk about Elvis or Georgie once. C

That's good with me. M

One more thing. C

Yes. M

I think you're lovely Molly Dawes. C x