Charlie had a bit of a spring in his step as he walked down the hall of the girls' dorms. He was wearing his best flannel shirt and a pair designer jeans he borrowed from Banks and he'd even splashed on some after shave for good measure. The Ducks captain was about to ask Kory out on their first official date and he wanted everything to go smoothly. Looking his best certainly couldn't hurt. Plus he'd practiced the speech he was going to give her ten times to the mirror before he left. It got to the point that Guy told him if he didn't just go ask her, he'd do it for him.
So Conway stopped at the girls' door and straightened his shirt one last time before knocking. When the door popped open a perky looking Connie stood at the other side with headphones on and a CD player in her hand.
"Hey Charlie, what's up?" The girl stepped back into the room, letting her captain follow her in.
"I'm looking for Kory, is she here?" Charlie asked looking around the room.
"Do you see her? Nah, she's in the gym with Kenny, trying to teach Averman, Dwayne and Julie some martial arts."
"You're kidding me…"
"Nope, Averman and Dwayne thought it would make em more agile, Jules is just violent. You wanna go down and get her, I'll come with ya." Connie volunteered.
Charlie just shook his head and went toward the exit.
"I guess I'll just see her at dinner."
"Okey dokey, I'll let her know you came by."
"Thanks Con, see ya later."
Just as Charlie was about to turn the knob the door swung on its hinges, opening wide. Kory bounced in with her usual burst of enthusiasm, dripping with sweat, smelling pretty fowl and definitely not looking her best.
"Hey Charlie." She put her hands on the boy's hips and pushed past him in the doorway. "Are you looking for me?"
Instantly the speech Charlie had worked so hard on slipped from his mind. It had easy to pull off when talking to his own reflection, but some how getting it out while face to face with the girl wasn't as simple. Even in her less then attractive state, Charlie was choking. Kory perched on her bed, swigging down some water from the bottle in her hand.
"When did you become one of the strong silent type Conway?" Connie laughed turning off her walkman.
Kory nodded.
"Yeah Charlie, I asked you a question, are you looking for me or not?"
"Uh, yeah, I wanted to ask you if you'd like to grab a bite with me tonight?" Charlie finally found the words.
"I'm sorry, I can't." Kory replied softly.
"Oh, it's okay."
"I've got an audition for the first chair violin in the band, in about an hour. Could we do something after that?"
A smile found its way back onto the captain's face as started running through the list of possible date spots in his mind. His ego also began to reinflate slightly when the realization that he wasn't rejected set in. It was great, he wasn't sure where he'd take her, since it would be to late for supper, but at least he'd gotten the date.
"Um, yeah, that's fine. What time do you wanna meet?" The boy questioned with a relieved grin.
"Well, if you just want to hang out here for a few minutes, I'll go take a shower real quick and you can come to the audition with me. Then we can just set out from there." Kory suggested walking over to her cedar chest and pulling out her shower bag.
"Sure, actually I'm just gonna run back to my room for a minute, I'll meet you in front of the auditorium in a bit. Don't go in without me."
"Alright, see you in a bit."
Charlie ran back to his room and flew through his dorm. Banks looked up from the sketch he was doodling on the cover of his math book and raised his light eyebrows.
"Where's the fire Spazway?" He goofed, pencil still posed over the book cover.
The other boy just sighed.
"Close your eyes Banksie, I've gotta get something outa my secret stash."
"You mean the molded old shoebox you've got hidden on the top shelf of the closet?"
"Just close your eyes Cake-Eater." Charlie groaned.
"Yes sir Captain sir." Adam sarcastically saluted and went back to his drawing.
Charlie crept to the closet and closed the door behind him. He pulled the chain on the light and it turned on with a jingle. In the very back of the top shelf, just as Banks had said, sat a moldy old shoebox, duct taped together, with the words 'Charlie's Don't Touch' written all over it. He pulled it down and gently removed the lid, trying to avoid tearing the top. Inside was a small piece of dingy white fabric he was going to give Kory as a good luck charm.
Everyone knew that Charlie wore the same underwear during the peewee's playoffs almost seven years before, he told almost anyone that would listen. What most people didn't know, something he kept secret to keep from disgusting everybody, was that he'd cut a tiny square off of those underwear and kept it. He had it with him at the Good Will Games and just about every other big game he'd ever played in. That little bit of fabric had beaten the Hawks, the Icelanders, the varsity and won two state championships, all while residing stuffed inside of his skate. His biggest problem was keeping Kory from noticing the gross stench. After giving it a quick shot from one of the sixty cologne bottles on Guy's bureau, he set out.
In front of the double doors leading to the auditorium, Kory sat on the floor with her eyes shut and her arm out as if she were holding her violin. Though her hands were empty and her violin sat safely in the case, she continued to draw her right hand back and forth like her was playing. It was a ritual she preformed prior to playing, every time their was going to be someone to hear her. It distracted her and tested to see if she remembered the notes without looking at the sheet music.
The girl was so out of it, that when she opened her eyes to see Charlie kneeling in front of her and nose to nose with her, she screamed.
"Jesus Charlie, don't sneak up on me."
"How was I going to not? You had your eyes shut and even if I stumped, you wouldn't have heard me." He extended his hand and hauled her to her feet.
"Good point." Kory smiled and dusted the back of her black pants.
When she straightened up and stood erected for a split second, Charlie got a quick look at how she was dressed. How was dressed nearly knocked him over, the top of her sandy colored hair was pulled back in a butterfly clip with a few stray wisps framing her face, she was wearing thigh fitting black pants, a red tube top and a short black leather trench coat. The hockey player again forgot what he had rehearsed, from sweat soaked in shorts and a tank, to beautifully put together and sophisticated, he couldn't decide which he liked more.
"Any who, it's almost time for my audition, wish me luck."
Abruptly Conway remembered what he wanted to say.
"Wait, Kory here, take this." He slipped the shred of cloth into her hand
"What's this?"
"It's for luck, just don't ask where I got."
"I won't, thanks Charlie." With a swift hug Kory vanished behind the double doors.
After a few minutes of impatient pacing in front of the door, Charlie was beginning to get restless. With a quite shove he pushed them open and snuck into the back of the room. The band director Mr. Taylor, dean Buckley and Ms. Delaney were all seated in the front row, with attentive ears and on the stage with their violins ready were Kory and Sonya Rhodes. Sonya Rhodes was a concert trained violinist and the daughter of a Julliard instructor, she also had been the first chair every year since she arrived at Eden Hall.
The audition began with Sonya, Kory had to admit the girl was good. She played Beethoven's second symphony in b minor and Kory was intimated. When it came time for her turn Kory knew there was no way she could get the spot if played the song she'd planned. So when her time came, she presented a work in progress she was writing. It show cased her ability and awed the judges. At the end Sonya Rhodes had lost the position she'd held since her freshmen year.
"I did it!" Kory yelled racing up the aisle and vaulting into Charlie's arms.
Charlie picked the girl up off her feet and spun her around.
"Congratulations, see now we really need to go out. Come on congratulatory dessert is on me."
"Yay." Kory wiggled from his arms and grabbed his hand. "Come on, I'm starved."
"Lead the way, you know where I park." Charlie laughed picking up her violin case.
Halfway out of the room they were cut off by Sonya. Her face was sour grapes and her eyes were flaming.
"I know you don't hear very well, so I'm going to make myself very clear. You better watch your back, no one humiliates and gets away with it. Keep that in your handicapped little mind."
Kory flinched as if she'd been slapped in the face. In all the schools she'd gone to with her father in the Marines, no one had ever spoken to her like that. Even at Eden Hall, a school with a reputation of having rude and snobbish students, nobody had insulted her like that. She was at a loss for words. As she allowed Charlie to leaned her out to the parking lot she chewed agitated on the inside of her cheek. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. She knew if she opened her mouth she let out a painful whimper, but was to strong for that.
"Are you going to talk to me?" Charlie asked as he pulled in his chair.
"Why wouldn't I?" Kory replied blandly from across the table.
"You didn't say anything to me the whole ride."
"Yeah… I guess I just didn't feel like conversation." She shrugged.
The boy folded the menu closed and reached over the table for her hand.
"I know just what to make you feel better." He whispered something to the waiter, making sure to use the menu to block his mouth, so the girl couldn't read his lips.
A few minutes later a mammoth chunk of chocolate, peanut, cheesecake arrived at the table. The hot fudge topping was running down the sides in a decadently gooey mess. The two could almost taste the mind numbingly delicious dessert as it sat center court on the table.
"Go ahead, try it." Charlie slid her a fork. "It's practically orgasmic."
Kory slid the fork into her mouth, closing her eyes when it touched her taste buds. She draw it out slowly, suddenly her eyes popped open and she moaned.
"Oh my god, that was positively sinful."
"I told you it would make you feel better."
"It did, this is fantastic." She took another bite.
"I knew you'd like it. So what are you up to tomorrow?"
"Ken and I have another lesson with Averman, Jules and Dwayne."
Charlie nodded.
"You're a regular Bruce Lee aren't ya?"
"Nah it's just fun, I'm not really that good." Kory conceded.
"That's hard to believe, you're good at everything."
"You make me sound like such a Mary Sue."
"Mary Sue?"
"Little Ms. Perfect, but seriously you should see Julie attack the punching bag. The girls' got some server aggression."
"I know, you once got taking out of a game for intent to injure."
The two continued talking while the polished off the last of the cheesecake and even longer afterward. As Charlie walked to her to her door, squeezing her hand and carrying her violin, he realized something. In the month they'd known each other he'd fallen completely for her. At first it was just a strong friendship, then an intense crush and at that moment he came to the conclusion he wanted to be more then just friends with the neighbors daughter.
"That's was fun Charlie, I had a really good time." Kory grinned tapping in the code to open the door to get into the girls' dorms after dark.
"Me too. I think we should do it again some time." Charlie stood on the steps outside of the dorm.
"We should."
"I want to kiss you." The boy declared out of the blue.
"You should."
They shared an awkward, strained first kiss. The kind that made you giggle after it were over. But you know it can only get better the second time.
"I'll meet you in the quad for breakfast tomorrow?" Charlie kissed her cheek one last time.
"Sure, see you in the morning." The sandy haired beauty started to back up into the building, halfway up she blew Charlie a kiss and then raced up the stairs to her floor.
So Conway stopped at the girls' door and straightened his shirt one last time before knocking. When the door popped open a perky looking Connie stood at the other side with headphones on and a CD player in her hand.
"Hey Charlie, what's up?" The girl stepped back into the room, letting her captain follow her in.
"I'm looking for Kory, is she here?" Charlie asked looking around the room.
"Do you see her? Nah, she's in the gym with Kenny, trying to teach Averman, Dwayne and Julie some martial arts."
"You're kidding me…"
"Nope, Averman and Dwayne thought it would make em more agile, Jules is just violent. You wanna go down and get her, I'll come with ya." Connie volunteered.
Charlie just shook his head and went toward the exit.
"I guess I'll just see her at dinner."
"Okey dokey, I'll let her know you came by."
"Thanks Con, see ya later."
Just as Charlie was about to turn the knob the door swung on its hinges, opening wide. Kory bounced in with her usual burst of enthusiasm, dripping with sweat, smelling pretty fowl and definitely not looking her best.
"Hey Charlie." She put her hands on the boy's hips and pushed past him in the doorway. "Are you looking for me?"
Instantly the speech Charlie had worked so hard on slipped from his mind. It had easy to pull off when talking to his own reflection, but some how getting it out while face to face with the girl wasn't as simple. Even in her less then attractive state, Charlie was choking. Kory perched on her bed, swigging down some water from the bottle in her hand.
"When did you become one of the strong silent type Conway?" Connie laughed turning off her walkman.
Kory nodded.
"Yeah Charlie, I asked you a question, are you looking for me or not?"
"Uh, yeah, I wanted to ask you if you'd like to grab a bite with me tonight?" Charlie finally found the words.
"I'm sorry, I can't." Kory replied softly.
"Oh, it's okay."
"I've got an audition for the first chair violin in the band, in about an hour. Could we do something after that?"
A smile found its way back onto the captain's face as started running through the list of possible date spots in his mind. His ego also began to reinflate slightly when the realization that he wasn't rejected set in. It was great, he wasn't sure where he'd take her, since it would be to late for supper, but at least he'd gotten the date.
"Um, yeah, that's fine. What time do you wanna meet?" The boy questioned with a relieved grin.
"Well, if you just want to hang out here for a few minutes, I'll go take a shower real quick and you can come to the audition with me. Then we can just set out from there." Kory suggested walking over to her cedar chest and pulling out her shower bag.
"Sure, actually I'm just gonna run back to my room for a minute, I'll meet you in front of the auditorium in a bit. Don't go in without me."
"Alright, see you in a bit."
Charlie ran back to his room and flew through his dorm. Banks looked up from the sketch he was doodling on the cover of his math book and raised his light eyebrows.
"Where's the fire Spazway?" He goofed, pencil still posed over the book cover.
The other boy just sighed.
"Close your eyes Banksie, I've gotta get something outa my secret stash."
"You mean the molded old shoebox you've got hidden on the top shelf of the closet?"
"Just close your eyes Cake-Eater." Charlie groaned.
"Yes sir Captain sir." Adam sarcastically saluted and went back to his drawing.
Charlie crept to the closet and closed the door behind him. He pulled the chain on the light and it turned on with a jingle. In the very back of the top shelf, just as Banks had said, sat a moldy old shoebox, duct taped together, with the words 'Charlie's Don't Touch' written all over it. He pulled it down and gently removed the lid, trying to avoid tearing the top. Inside was a small piece of dingy white fabric he was going to give Kory as a good luck charm.
Everyone knew that Charlie wore the same underwear during the peewee's playoffs almost seven years before, he told almost anyone that would listen. What most people didn't know, something he kept secret to keep from disgusting everybody, was that he'd cut a tiny square off of those underwear and kept it. He had it with him at the Good Will Games and just about every other big game he'd ever played in. That little bit of fabric had beaten the Hawks, the Icelanders, the varsity and won two state championships, all while residing stuffed inside of his skate. His biggest problem was keeping Kory from noticing the gross stench. After giving it a quick shot from one of the sixty cologne bottles on Guy's bureau, he set out.
In front of the double doors leading to the auditorium, Kory sat on the floor with her eyes shut and her arm out as if she were holding her violin. Though her hands were empty and her violin sat safely in the case, she continued to draw her right hand back and forth like her was playing. It was a ritual she preformed prior to playing, every time their was going to be someone to hear her. It distracted her and tested to see if she remembered the notes without looking at the sheet music.
The girl was so out of it, that when she opened her eyes to see Charlie kneeling in front of her and nose to nose with her, she screamed.
"Jesus Charlie, don't sneak up on me."
"How was I going to not? You had your eyes shut and even if I stumped, you wouldn't have heard me." He extended his hand and hauled her to her feet.
"Good point." Kory smiled and dusted the back of her black pants.
When she straightened up and stood erected for a split second, Charlie got a quick look at how she was dressed. How was dressed nearly knocked him over, the top of her sandy colored hair was pulled back in a butterfly clip with a few stray wisps framing her face, she was wearing thigh fitting black pants, a red tube top and a short black leather trench coat. The hockey player again forgot what he had rehearsed, from sweat soaked in shorts and a tank, to beautifully put together and sophisticated, he couldn't decide which he liked more.
"Any who, it's almost time for my audition, wish me luck."
Abruptly Conway remembered what he wanted to say.
"Wait, Kory here, take this." He slipped the shred of cloth into her hand
"What's this?"
"It's for luck, just don't ask where I got."
"I won't, thanks Charlie." With a swift hug Kory vanished behind the double doors.
After a few minutes of impatient pacing in front of the door, Charlie was beginning to get restless. With a quite shove he pushed them open and snuck into the back of the room. The band director Mr. Taylor, dean Buckley and Ms. Delaney were all seated in the front row, with attentive ears and on the stage with their violins ready were Kory and Sonya Rhodes. Sonya Rhodes was a concert trained violinist and the daughter of a Julliard instructor, she also had been the first chair every year since she arrived at Eden Hall.
The audition began with Sonya, Kory had to admit the girl was good. She played Beethoven's second symphony in b minor and Kory was intimated. When it came time for her turn Kory knew there was no way she could get the spot if played the song she'd planned. So when her time came, she presented a work in progress she was writing. It show cased her ability and awed the judges. At the end Sonya Rhodes had lost the position she'd held since her freshmen year.
"I did it!" Kory yelled racing up the aisle and vaulting into Charlie's arms.
Charlie picked the girl up off her feet and spun her around.
"Congratulations, see now we really need to go out. Come on congratulatory dessert is on me."
"Yay." Kory wiggled from his arms and grabbed his hand. "Come on, I'm starved."
"Lead the way, you know where I park." Charlie laughed picking up her violin case.
Halfway out of the room they were cut off by Sonya. Her face was sour grapes and her eyes were flaming.
"I know you don't hear very well, so I'm going to make myself very clear. You better watch your back, no one humiliates and gets away with it. Keep that in your handicapped little mind."
Kory flinched as if she'd been slapped in the face. In all the schools she'd gone to with her father in the Marines, no one had ever spoken to her like that. Even at Eden Hall, a school with a reputation of having rude and snobbish students, nobody had insulted her like that. She was at a loss for words. As she allowed Charlie to leaned her out to the parking lot she chewed agitated on the inside of her cheek. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. She knew if she opened her mouth she let out a painful whimper, but was to strong for that.
"Are you going to talk to me?" Charlie asked as he pulled in his chair.
"Why wouldn't I?" Kory replied blandly from across the table.
"You didn't say anything to me the whole ride."
"Yeah… I guess I just didn't feel like conversation." She shrugged.
The boy folded the menu closed and reached over the table for her hand.
"I know just what to make you feel better." He whispered something to the waiter, making sure to use the menu to block his mouth, so the girl couldn't read his lips.
A few minutes later a mammoth chunk of chocolate, peanut, cheesecake arrived at the table. The hot fudge topping was running down the sides in a decadently gooey mess. The two could almost taste the mind numbingly delicious dessert as it sat center court on the table.
"Go ahead, try it." Charlie slid her a fork. "It's practically orgasmic."
Kory slid the fork into her mouth, closing her eyes when it touched her taste buds. She draw it out slowly, suddenly her eyes popped open and she moaned.
"Oh my god, that was positively sinful."
"I told you it would make you feel better."
"It did, this is fantastic." She took another bite.
"I knew you'd like it. So what are you up to tomorrow?"
"Ken and I have another lesson with Averman, Jules and Dwayne."
Charlie nodded.
"You're a regular Bruce Lee aren't ya?"
"Nah it's just fun, I'm not really that good." Kory conceded.
"That's hard to believe, you're good at everything."
"You make me sound like such a Mary Sue."
"Mary Sue?"
"Little Ms. Perfect, but seriously you should see Julie attack the punching bag. The girls' got some server aggression."
"I know, you once got taking out of a game for intent to injure."
The two continued talking while the polished off the last of the cheesecake and even longer afterward. As Charlie walked to her to her door, squeezing her hand and carrying her violin, he realized something. In the month they'd known each other he'd fallen completely for her. At first it was just a strong friendship, then an intense crush and at that moment he came to the conclusion he wanted to be more then just friends with the neighbors daughter.
"That's was fun Charlie, I had a really good time." Kory grinned tapping in the code to open the door to get into the girls' dorms after dark.
"Me too. I think we should do it again some time." Charlie stood on the steps outside of the dorm.
"We should."
"I want to kiss you." The boy declared out of the blue.
"You should."
They shared an awkward, strained first kiss. The kind that made you giggle after it were over. But you know it can only get better the second time.
"I'll meet you in the quad for breakfast tomorrow?" Charlie kissed her cheek one last time.
"Sure, see you in the morning." The sandy haired beauty started to back up into the building, halfway up she blew Charlie a kiss and then raced up the stairs to her floor.