Chapter 3

AN: Oh god. I made you guy wait a looong time. Sorry 'bout that. I have SO much that I want to do with this story too! I am just a dirty slacker is all. So, I hope you enjoy this next installment. And since I had a few request to bring Charlie in now, I did.

And thanks to Shoey, erica2004, D.Lerious, lewisa, IceSpikeXBlackRose, ShadowGraffiti and SharpShooter626. You guys roxxorz my boxxorz.

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Charlie ambled smoothly along, pushing his bike through the open air corridors of CalSci, the low sun casting large shadows in the late afternoon day.

Today had been a good day. After weeks of obscenely late nights and little-to-no food, he had a major breakthrough on his newest project. He could practically taste the conclusion. Just thinking about if made him grin.

When he had made the breakthrough he had shouted for joy as Amita clapped with delight. He had turned around and wrapped her body in a huge hug, lifting her slightly off the floor. She had just grinned and congratulated him. At the memory he blushed and thanked god that nobody was around to see him do so.

She had smelled so good as he had pressed her against him. And while just thinking about it made his heart rate pick up a notch, he felt slightly terrible for turning a normal hug into a cop-a-feel. She was his student for god sakes!

He sighed. That didn't make her any less beautiful or irresistible though.

"Charlie!"

He paused for a moment, a small smile gathering on his lips. Speak of the devil. He turned to see Amita moving towards him.

"Hey Amita." He gave her a full-fledged smile, one that always seemed to appear whenever she was around, no matter how hard he tried to stifle it.

She responded with a smile of her own and they began to walk together.

He cast her a sideways glance. "So, what's up?"

She thought for a moment before grinning. "Not much."

He looked at her more closely, a small smile still on his face. "With a knowing grin like that? No way, something's up."

She smiled again but this time there was a hint of nervousness to it. "Really it's nothing."

He was going to press it further but decided against it. "So what would you say to a terribly boring work session tonight in which we try to get closer to the ending of the equation? We could order a pizza. I'd even let you put pineapples on half of it."

Normally Amita would smile brightly, tell him she would love to, and Charlie could almost fool himself in to believing that it would be like a date of sorts. But this time Amita looked away, nibbling on her lower lip before shooting a quick side glance his way, with a faint apologetic smile on her face. "I'm busy tonight."

"Oh." He laughed slightly "You got a hot date or something?" It was meant to be a joke, but the look on her face made it fall flat.

She looked away for a moment before looking back. "Yah. Sorry."

Charlie swallowed hard and he managed a shrug. "Why are you sorry? You're allowed to go on dates. I'm your thesis advisor not your…keeper." He was going to say 'boyfriend' but couldn't manage to get the title past his lips.

She smiled softly up at him before looking away.

They walked in silence for a few moments. "So is that what that happy little grin was about? Your date?"

She didn't say anything, but the small smile that reformed on her face screamed a resounding 'yes'.

He nodded slightly. "He must be a…great guy then." He gave her a look. "Do I know him?" The question came out softer than he meant to and he cleared his throat.

Amita's response startled him. She looked vaguely panicked for a moment before answering, "He is a great guy. You know him."

Charlie scowled for a moment; wracking his brain trying to think of the people he knew who would go out with his student. A helpful side of his brain said, every male she has ever come in contact with?

"Larry?" he joked weakly.

She laughed at that, but it didn't alleviate the awkwardness that had settled between them. "No, not Larry." She gave him a soft grin before joking back. "I asked him. He turned me down." She suddenly looked very serious and she continued. "And there is only so much rejection somebody can take before they give up hope and move on, you know?"

Charlie was now acutely aware of the fact they were now no longer joking, nor talking about Larry. This was about them. Charlie wasn't completely dense, he knew Amita had been interested in him. Her not so subtle comment about black and white movies being her most recent attempt to makes her feelings known. That multiplied by the lingering touches and longing looks she had been throwing his way for a little under a year now had made it completely obvious to him that she liked him. Waiting for him to make his move. And he had many occasions to reciprocate. To ask her out. He was certain the faculty wouldn't have minded.

All it would have taken was for him to invite her along last week. It would have been simple. And almost his entire being had screamed out for him to do so. But he hadn't. He had just made some off hand remark about how she should go see one sometime and walked off. Why had he been putting off her feelings? He wasn't quite sure. He knew he liked her back. He opened his mouth to say 'sorry', 'I do like you' or something, anything, of significance when Amita spoke and he felt his stomach drop.

"It's Don."

Amita had stopped walking and he followed suit. Not because she had, but because he didn't think he could will his legs to move any more.

For a moment he was confused. Don is what? What about Don? Then he clued in.

"Don? He is the guy? My brother Don?" His voice was quiet.

Amita nodded.

He didn't think he was able to talk but he was surprise to hear himself say, "How long has this been going on?"

Amita held his gaze, "This is actually our first real date but…um, a week now."

Charlie just continued staring. A week. Since last weekend. When he had once again spurned her advances. He stomach was now in the process of tying its self into knots. "Oh." was all he was able to say.

She started to move towards him but stopped when Charlie took a step back. Amita bit her lip again. "I'm sorry Charlie."

He didn't bother telling her that she didn't have to be.

Amita glance at her watch. "I gotta go. Or I'll be…" She winced and paused for a moment. "I just go to go."

Charlie nodded dumbly but would no longer meet her gaze. "Yah sure. See you Monday." His voice was strained as he attempted to sound normal. He hoped on to his bike and rode off before she could say anything.

She didn't call out to him. Or perhaps he just didn't hear it. Didn't want to hear it. He peddled as fast as he could, causing his legs to burn. He didn't care at this moment that his reaction was childish. He just wanted to get away. But even as he reached the edge of the campus, far away from the courtyard where he had left her, he could still feel Amita eyes on him.

Charlie felt his heart constrict and he peddled faster. Trying to escape.

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Sorry again for the wait my peeps! Well you know what they say, absense makes the heart grow fonder. It also makes it angry. And kinda hungry. REVIEW! please.