Allyn got sick...again.

You know, I really envy you people without health problems.

Camp is put on hiatus for me right now, so I'll write a bit.

Charlie had been quiet at home. Everyone had been quiet at her house.

Emily was still bouncing back from the horrible memory and Chad was comforting her all the time. Nathan was being...weird. As usual.

Charlie was standing in the kitchen staring at her bowl of microwave Mac-N-Cheese as it turned circles in the microwave. She felt someone slip an arm around her shoulder and looked up to see her dad.

"You okay, Charlie?" he asked gently, concern in his eyes. Of course, that was always there now. Mom was really acting weird.

She nodded in response, continuing to stare. 2 minutes and 46 seconds to go.

"I know learning that story was hard, but breaking up with Landon was the best thing to do. You'll see."

She was pulled from her trance. "Break up with him? I didn't break up with him."

Chad's arm tensed around her shoulder. "What?"

"He hasn't hurt me. He promised he would never hurt me. I have no reason to break up with him."

His eyes narrowed to a glare. "Charlotte Valerie Danforth, you know his past. You know what he's capable of."

"He's not capable of it. His father, sure. But Landon can't stand Alex."

Chad involuntarily flinched at the name, and Charlie instantly regretted saying it.

"But...Charlie...you can't be with him," a small voice said from behind them.

Father and daughter turned around to see Emily standing there, looking slightly hurt and upset. Pain flashed through her eyes.

"Mom..."

"No. She's right, Charlie. You can't see him anymore," Chad said sternly.

"Yes. I can." Her tone was stubborn, and she completely ignored the beeping of the microwave as her food finished cooking.

"CHARLOTTE VALERIE DANFORTH, I FORBID YOU TO SEE THIS BOY," Chad bellowed, making even Emily jump a little.

"BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR!" she screamed back, angry tears boiling in her eyes. The microwave continued to screech.

"Life isn't fair. I'm keeping you safe, and to keep you safe you have to stay away from him."

"He's not going to--!"

"CHARLOTTE. I'm done with this discussion. You will not see Landon anymore. Understood?"

"But Dad!"

"I said, understood?" His teeth were clenched.

"Whatever." Charlie threw open the microwave door, finally silencing it.

"Charlie, don't talk to your father that way," Emily said gently, a touch of sadness or disappointment in her voice.

"I'll talk to jerks however I want." She slammed the bowl of macaroni on the counter, sending splatters of cheese everywhere.

"Room. Now," Chad said in that creepily-calm-but-angry voice.

"My pleasure." Charlie stormed up to her room, leaving her bowl on the counter.

Emily quietly wrapped her arm around Chad's. His muscles were flexing wildly, as they usually did when he was angry. "Baby," she said quietly.

He didn't respond except by ripping his arm from her gentle touch. Emily looked down, feeling more upset than ever.

Everything about her past seemed to bite them all in the ass later.

"Why aren't you angry?! Why aren't you upset?! They said I can't see you anymore, Landon! Do you not get it?!" Charlie screamed in his face in the hallway the next morning at school.

He looked back at her calmly. "I can't say I blame your parents, Charlie. I don't really have a great rep."

"That doesn't mean they should take you away from me completely! Why don't you care?! Don't you want to be with me?!" Angry tears were filling Charlie's eyes again.

"Of course, I do. Don't you think that for one minute," he replied gently and caressed her cheek.

"My father's such an ass," she mumbled.

"Don't you say that. Your father's a great man. And he's much better than mine." He kissed her cheek. "Maybe it is better this way."

"DON'T SAY THAT! Landon, why are you so willing for this to happen?"

He pulled her close, holding her tightly to him. His lips found her ear and he whispered, "Because I saw the fear and pain in your eyes when I lost my temper. And I never want to see it again."

"But that doesn't mean I never want to see you again," Charlie whined, getting more upset at the calmness in his voice. How could he be so at peace with what was happening?

He sighed, his hot breath at her ear sending a slight shiver down Charlie's spine. "If you really want to go against your parent's wishes..."

"Great. I'll see you tonight!" She smiled widely and hugged him again before running off to class.

Landon closed his eyes, knowing this just couldn't possibly end well. It never had when Lockwoods and Danforths(/Boltons) got together.

Gee, Romeo and Juliet much?

"It's so like, medieval times with this punishment," she ranted as his arms shielded her from the cold of the baseball field. "I mean, forbidding me to see someone?! Especially someone I care about so much!"

Landon sighed. He's doing that a lot, isn't he? However, Charlie didn't seem to notice and continued on with her angry rant.

"I mean, we're not freaking Romeo and Juliet, you know? Well, I guess we sorta are, hmm? But still, that doesn't mean--"

Landon's lips collided with hers suddenly. She let out a small gasp of surprise, but returned the kiss nonetheless. He pulled away after a few mind-blowing minutes of kissing her.

She looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and question. Her perfect brow raised up at him. "What was that for?"

"I didn't want to listen to your ranting anymore," he replied matter-of-factly.

Charlie pouted. "That's not very nice."

"...And because you just look so darn cute when you're all angry?" He flashed her the grin that made every girl (excluding softball players) in their school go weak in the knees or squeal with sheer delight -- sometimes both.

She slightly returned his grin. "Good save. I'll let it slide this time."

"Thank you, dear." He kissed the top of her head. "But I can't tell you my important thing if you're off ranting and being angry."

Charlie tilted her head to look back up at him. "What?"

He sat up, pulling her with him. Landon grabbed her shoulders gently, but firmly and turned his girlfriend to look him in the eyes. "This is very important."

She nodded. "You mentioned that."

"Well, I just don't want you laughing at me or something. But I feel like I really need to tell you this now, especially with all the drama going on..."

"Landon," she interrupted softly, "just spit it out." Her smile glittered in the moonlight encouragingly.

He took a deep breath. Then he looked into her eyes for a minute. Then took another deep breath. "I love you, Charlie."

Charlie's smile widened. "Y-you do?"

He nodded confidently. "I do."

"What a coincidence. I happen to love you, too." She leaned in and kissed him again.

Charlie silently crept up her driveway. Her phone glowed from her hand, the clock on the front screen practically screaming at her. 12:38. She was way late.

Understatement of the year, if anyone wants to know.

Slowly she unlocked the door, wincing at the loud squeak the front door made as it opened. Did it always creak that loudly?

Charlie glanced around the dark downstairs. Maybe Izzie or Travis hadn't called and she could say she was with one of them. No one seemed to be around as she took another step further into the depths of her house's shadows.

Click. Charlie's eyes quickly squinted shut as the bright light filled the room. Her eyes were desperate to adjust, and tried to so she could make out the two figures standing at the end of the hallway.

Gradually they came into focus. First figures, then two angry figures, then two figures she wished she hadn't seen in the first place. Her mother and father.

Ohhh, this was gonna be good.

I love cliffhangers, remember?

It's what makes me charming. ;)

So, if you review, I'll be tempted to end this cliffhanger torture and reveal what happens.

:)