I Kissed Ya
Chapter 11
The girls arrived back at Joey's caravan; the bright moonlight having guided their footsteps on their delightful walk home; pausing occasionally to meet in a long, delirious kiss or to hug and tease one another. Charlie held the picnic bag as Joey rummaged in her pocket for the caravan door key. She sighed with relief as she found it at last, and placed it in the key hole; turning it and pushing the door open. She stepped up into the van, but Charlie remained outside, not wishing to trespass without sanction. Joey turned and looked at Charlie. She smiled, and put out her hand; silently inviting Charlie to join her. After a few moments, Charlie accepted and climbed the steps into the dark caravan. Joey closed the door behind them, making no attempt to flood the caravan with artificial electric light, but instead, pulled Charlie close, in the natural light of the moon's illumination.
The girls stood facing each other; their eyes becoming accustomed to the soft light. Taking hold of Charlie's wrists, Joey encouraged Charlie to put them around her waist and thus done, wrapped her own arms around Charlie's neck. Their lips were just a breath apart and Charlie could feel her own breathing becoming erratic as her heart beat faster.
"Charlie." Joey said, quietly.
"Yes." Charlie barely whispered, in reply.
"Do you fancy baked beans on toast for dinner?"
Charlie, who had worked herself up into what can only be described as a frenzy, blanched at Joey's rather untimely suggestion and lifted her up off her feet and marched her to the caravan door, threatening to deposit her in the nearest dustbin. Joey laughed and screamed until Charlie put her down and instead tickled Joey until she was doubled up and crying with laughter. In a stroke of good fortune, Joey managed to capture Charlie's busy hands and dragged her over towards the bed. Charlie tried to resist; to a degree, but at last allowed herself to be taken prisoner and conveyed to Joey's chosen destination; their humour sobering as they arrived.
***
Joey sat down on the edge of her bed and entreated Charlie to do likewise. Charlie sat; her eyes shining in the moonlight. Joey lifted her hands and began to unbutton Charlie's shirt; just the occasional touch of Joey's finger tips against her skin thrilled Charlie and her breathing became became shallow, until she grabbed Joey's hands in her own and gave her a look of entreaty.
"Joey, you don't have to do this."
Joey just looked at Charlie and squeezed her fingers, then, gently brushing them aside, continued. Charlie's heart thudded in her chest so vigorously that she was sure Joey could hear. Joey opened the unbuttoned shirt and lifted it over Charlie's shoulders allowing it to drape like a stole. She gently ran her finger tips down Charlie's exposed flesh and back up to her neck. She leaned forward and kissed Charlie's collarbone and Charlie threw her head backwards as she felt the warm moisture of Joey's lips and tongue against her skin.
Joey gently pushed Charlie backwards until she lay back on the bed and concentrated on Charlie's ear lobe. A fire, deep within Charlie throbbed unmercifully as Joey continued her sensuous torture.
Suddenly, Joey stopped and looked down at Charlie. Charlie, not knowing if to stay where she was or to move, smiled back into Joey's eyes; trying to reassure her.
"Joey, you are sweetest, loveliest girl I know. Don't ever be frightened by me. I'll do my best never to hurt you."
Joey looked into Charlie's bright eyes. She brushed a few stray hairs behind Charlie's ear and took a breath.
"Amy played with me, Charlie. She took everything I gave her and laughed at me. I was just her plaything. And I allowed her to do it. Makes me a bit of an idiot, doesn't it?" Joey said, sighing and picking at the bed linen.
"Then Amy was selfish and a fool." Charlie said, sitting upright; pulling her shirt back over her shoulders. "And I'm sad that she's made you distrust me too, Joey. Words are cheap and I could be telling you all sorts of nonsense, but I want you to believe me when I say I care for you deeply and only want your happiness."
"I do believe you, Charlie and I do trust you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here, on my bed at this moment." Joey said, resting her hands on Charlie's shoulders; gently pushing her down again and leaning over her. "But maybe we can just take it slow."
Charlie looked into Joey's eyes and smiled.
"We can go as slow as you like, Joey."
"Maybe you can stay with me tonight?" Joey asked, feeling her cheeks blushing in the darkness.
"If you want me to."
Joey nodded. She smoothed Charlie's hair back over her forehead and Charlie put one arm around Joey's waist and their lips met gently.
***
Ruby arrived home from rehearsals in Yabbie Creek. The house was in darkness and switching on the light, she checked for messages on the answer phone. There were none. She walked into the kitchen and yawned. She opened the fridge and took out some juice and poured herself a glass.
Bleep, Bleep.
She glanced at her mobile phone having received a text message. Putting down the glass and swallowing the juice in her mouth, she picked up the phone to read the text. It was from Charlie.
'Hey, Rubes. Staying over with Joey – no funny ideas, please! Will see you in the morning.'
Ruby smiled as she read her sister's 'innocent' communication and quickly composed her reply.
'Yeah, right! As if anyone would believe that! Have fun!'
Charlie picked up Ruby's message and she opened her mouth in disbelief.
"What?" Joey asked, as she passed a plate to Charlie.
"My sister is incorrigible! She cried.
"Why?" Joey asked, holding out her hand for Charlie's phone.
Charlie passed it to Joey and watched her face as she read the message. Joey's lips broke into a grin.
"Well, I suppose you can't blame her for assuming, can you?" She said, handing back the phone.
"Well, at least I'd like my sister to believe me when I tell her something!" Charlie said with a frown.
Joey lit a candle and opened another bottle of wine.
"Well, maybe just feed her with what she expects to hear, then." Joey suggested.
"Why?" Charlie asked innocently.
"At sixteen, it's all about sex, isn't it?"
"I suppose, but at that age, I was struggling with a few issues of my own. When you realise you're not quite the same as the rest of the gang, it's a bit daunting."
"Did you have a bad time?" Joey asked sitting across the table from Charlie.
"I wouldn't say bad, but confusing. How about you?"
Joey pulled a little face.
"I think I knew a lot earlier than sixteen. The trick is reading the signs."
"I've never been good at signs!" Charlie laughed. "Hey! This pasta is lovely, but beans on toast would have done just as well!"
Joey chuckled and took hold of Charlie's hand.
"See, you're not reading the signs now, are you?"
Charlie frowned as Joey grinned.
"What signs?"
"The sign saying 'I'm trying to woo you with proper food and not beans on toast!'"
Charlie chuckled and blushed.
"Were you with Amy for long?" Charlie asked, suddenly.
Joey stopped eating and put down her knife and fork. She studied her food and was silent for a few moments. Charlie feared she had misread the signs, but at last, Joey took a deep breath and looked up.
"About four years off and on. We met at a premier of one of the show's I'd worked on. She was vivacious and glamorous. She quite turned my head!" Joey said, picking up her glass of wine and taking a sip. "My word, things moved so quickly. Before I could count to ten, she had me wrapped around her little finger and I danced attendance whenever she twitched. Have you ever had a relationship with someone where your every thought or movement is made only to please that person?"
Charlie shook her head, but now feared she was beginning to experience it for herself.
"Everything I did was with Amy in mind. I wouldn't go out with friends just in case Amy might be in town that night, or I wouldn't buy a particular type of underwear just in case Amy didn't approve. I changed my shampoo just because it suited Amy! It was like being possessed by an Alien force!" Joey said, working herself into a frenzy. "I lost myself completely!"
Charlie gently took Joey's hand and sighed.
"Don't torture yourself, Joey. I wish I hadn't mentioned her now." Charlie said; guilt washing over her.
"It's alright." Joey said, smiling. "I can't change what's happened, but it doesn't stop me from feeling a fool for being used."
"Do you ever see her now?" Charlie asked, toying with her knife.
"Sometimes." Joey admitted.
Charlie felt a wave of panic flow through her veins.
"Do...do you still have feelings for her, Joey?" Charlie asked; barely audibly.
Joey's eyes fell to her plate. Charlie's heart began to pound.
"I don't know." Joey answered, honestly.
Charlie felt sick. What if Amy was to come back into Joey's life again and steel her away?
After a few moments of silence Joey looked at Charlie's pale face and sighed.
"I'm sorry, Charlie. I was only trying to be honest with you."
Charlie swallowed and tried to look jolly, though deep inside, she felt sick.
"Honesty is best." She managed to say at last and rose to clear the table.
***
Joey loaned Charlie some nightwear and they made themselves ready for bed.
Joey was acutely aware that Charlie had been very quiet since they had eaten. She knew it was her confession concerning Amy which had been the cause and she would have given much to take back her words, rather than see the life go out of the girl whom had come to mean so much to her.
"Which side of the bed do you prefer?" Joey asked lightly.
Charlie shook her head.
"I'll be fine on the sofa." She said, "If you have a spare blanket."
"Charlie!" Joey cried, walking towards her quickly. "I thought that..."
"Maybe it will be for the best." Charlie said, wishing she could go home.
Joey was crestfallen. She wanted to spend the night in Charlie's arms even if there was to be no other contact than that.
"Alright." She said quietly and opened up a cupboard which contained spare blankets and pillows.
Charlie watched Joey as she reached for the items; feeling her throat beginning to close with emotion.
Joey handed Charlie the items and watched as she made up her bed.
"I'm sorry, Charlie. I just wish I could... "
"Goodnight, Joey." Charlie said climbing onto the sofa and covering herself over with the blanket.
Joey swallowed and fought back tears, knowing she had once again, upset the kindest person she had ever known.
