The weeks crawled by in Charming and I settled into my teaching job. I would work, then pick Ellie and Kenny up after school and take them home to do homework, dinner and put them to bed if Opie wasn't there. We hadn't talked much since that night, instead just danced politely around each other. He spent an increasing amount of time away from the house, mainly at the club. On Fridays Mary would pick the kids up from school and take them home for the weekend, allowing me to stay late at school and work. Most of the time I shut myself away in the auditorium and banged out tunes on the piano. Yeah I was in avoid mode, and hiding out in my musical safe room. But I didn't know what to do. Jax was pissed at me, Opie couldn't look at me. So I hid. Which is what I was doing then, in the Auditorium sitting at the piano on yet another Friday night. It was late. Around 11. I had only a few lights on the stage, as I played and sung, whatever song I thought of. I stopped half way through, picking up my beer and took a drink. I froze when I heard footsteps behind me. I spun around. Opie and Jax stood in front of me. "I've been calling your phone" Opie said gruffly.
"It's flat" I replied standing.
"some shits going down, we need you at the club. Lockdown" he explained.
I shook my head. "no" I said turning and tidying up some music sheets I had out. "I'm not doing it"
"You have to Char, it's the club"
I turned around. "It's your club" I muttered. Stalking past them and grabbing my bag and guitar.
"You're coming, if I have to haul your ass there myself" Opie warned.
"Then start hauling" I replied. He stepped forward.
"Ope" Jax said. "I got this" he nodded for Ope to meet him outside. When we were alone Jax turned to me. "there's a bit of blow back from some actions we took." He said stuffing his hands in his pockets. "a few of the old ladies have been threatened. It's not safe"
"But I aint anyone's old lady?" I answered.
He shrugged. "Please just come, for your protection".
I looked at him for a long moment. He was generally concerned. "fine" I followed him outside to my car. Opie was there with him and Jax bikes. I put my bags and guitar in my car. ". Have you got the kids?"
"They're safe, Moms taken them up to her sisters. "Ope answered.
I nodded. "see you there" I got in the car and pulled out of the school carpark. The lights of the bikes were behind me the whole way to TM. After I had pulled in and parked the gates to the yard were shut and locked. I got out of my car as Ope headed inside the club. Jax stopped me just I was about to enter after him. "Can we talk?" he asked. I sat down at the picnic table to the side. Jax sat opposite me, leaning his hands on the table. "I said some things the other night. I'm sorry"
"You weren't the only one who felt lonely Jax. My life was you. And then. Nothing" I picked at my jeans. "I dated too over the years. A couple of guys seemed ok. But something always held me back. Someone" I looked at him. "I died that day I saw you with that. whore, and I've pretty much been cold inside since. I was so terrified coming back here. OF you. Of what I would walk back into." Tears fell onto my cheeks. "I'm not preppy. I don't think I'm better than anyone here. I fuckin hated college. I had no family, I had no friends. I spent most of it in a drunken stoned state writing depressing songs and playing in dodgy bars to get money. My life was here. But no one seemed to want me to stay." I wiped my eyes, sniffing. "some dream huh?"
Juice came out the doors "Jax, Chapel" he said. Jax reached out his hand and touched my arm.
"We haven't finished this ok" he said before heading after juice. I let out a deep breath and wiped my eyes. Standing I headed into the club. It was full of woman, some kids. I side stepped all of them and sat up at the bar. Half Sac was behind the bar serving drinks. "Hey "he greeted "what can I get ya?"
"Just a whiskey thanks" I replied. Gemma came over towards me carrying a small baby. She sat beside me. I looked down at I assumed Abel. I smiled at him.
"My grandbaby" Gemma said smirking. "Jax son"
"I figured." I said. "He looks just like his daddy"
"I'm just gonna put him down for a sleep in my room here." She said. Stood carrying jax out towards the dorms.
I let out the breath I hadn't realised I had been holding when she left. Gemma scared me.
It was after 1 when the guys came out of the Chapel. I was still drinking whisky and sharing a joint with Half Sac. He had been filling me in on the origin of his name, and although it grossed me out, I was laughing hysterically when jax appeared at my side. He raised his eyebrow at Half Sac who looked worried.
"Oh I was just." he stuttered.
"Entertaining me" I answered leaning over the bar and pulling him towards me to kiss him on the lips. I sat back down laughing. "Thanks Half sac"
He looked at Jax, his eyes widened.
"Beat it prospect" Jax said, Half Sac left relieved. He turned to me and took my hand leading me towards the dorms. At the end of the hall he opened a door to an empty room. After we entered he closed it and locked it. "thought you'd want somewhere to sleep" he explained.
I looked at the room. It was his old one. I had basically lived in there before college. It was emptied out of all of his stuff however. Since he had his own place now with Abel.
"You can have the bed. I'm good with the sofa" he said taking his cut off and sitting down. I sat down on the bed facing him. I unzipped my cowboy boots and took them off. Standing I moved till I was closer to him. I unzipped my jeans and slowly lowered them, stepping out of them and standing in front of him in my undies and singlet. He watched me with a grin on his face. I took his hand pulling him up. I unbuttoned his plaid shirt and let if fall on the ground, then lifted his white T-shirt up and off. It landed on the shirt. I kept my eyes level with his chest as I ran my had down his skin and across his torso to his waist. I knew every piece of this perfectly sculpted body off by heart, like a blueprint had been etched in to my mind. There were a few more scares then before, and a tattoo that read Abel across his heart. I kissed the ink, causing Jax to draw a breath. I looked up at him. His eyes so blue looked directly into mine. "I never stopped loving you" I whispered. "You haunted me". Jax picked me up and laid me back on the bed. Lying next to me. We lay side by side looking at each other. "you coming back, is like the world giving us another chance" jax said softly. "Giving me another chance" he kissed me lightly. "I don't want to miss this" He pulled the covers over us and drew me into his arms so my head rested on his chest. He flicked the light off and held me close. We talked like that for hours, until eventually I fell asleep, feeling whole for the first time in years.
