Chapter Two
Kay's laugh filled Charlie's ears like sweet music as he finished the story he was telling
Kay's stomach was aching from how much she'd laughed, she hadn't realised how late it was until she caught sight of the clock above the fire
"Oh my God!" She gasped "Its eleven thirty!" She jumped up and pulled her sneakers on
"You're going to walk home at this time of night?" He said "Alone?"
"Its not far..."
"Let me walk you..."
"Then you'll be walking home alone"
"Its not far" He smiled
She rolled her eyes "I'll be fine"
"Let me drive you then"
She sighed "Fine"
They walked out the cemetary and up the street to Charlie's car, he opened the door for her then got in himself
"Where do you live?"
"The houses that have been converted in to apartments"
"Thats too far to walk in the dark"
"I'm a big girl Charlie" She looked at him "But thanks for caring"
"You're welcome" He turned right "Are we all meeting for lunch tomorrow?"
"Think so" She replied "But I am not sitting next to Aimee or Will"
"Can't blame you" He slowed down so she could tell him when to stop "No doubt they'll go off by themselves anyway"
"Hopefully..." She pointed to the house in the middle, the one with a white door and light on upstairs "Oh great, they're still up"
"Come back to mine" He said, she knew he was kidding from the tone of his voice "That'll get them talking"
"No, my sister says I'm a 'good girl' and would never stay over at a guys house" She looked at the clock on the dash board "I better go. Thanks for the drinks and stuff...and the ride" She took off her seatbelt and climbed out the car "Night"
"Night"
He watched her walk to the door, she turned around and waved, he waved back then drove off once she was in the house
As Kay walked into the bedroom of the apartment, her sister, Sky and Annika practically pounced on her
"Where have you been?" Aimee exclaimed
"At Charlie's"
"What were you doing with that weirdo?"
That hurt Kay, so she was a weirdo now too? But she had to let Aimee off, she didn't know, only Sky and Annika did
"I took him his book back, I picked it up by accident. I asked you to get the address off Will remember...?"
"I know that but I thought you'd got hurt on the way home or something you'd been that long!"
"I didn't walk home, Charlie brought me back in the car"
"So what were you doing for all that time?" Sky asked
"Talking...he's a nice guy, funny, sweet..." She shook her head, desperatly trying not to swoon
"Is that his hoodie you're wearing?" Annika asked
Kay saw herself in the mirror, she hadn't realised she was still wearing it...
"Yeah. I got cold" She sat on her bed
"So..." Aimee said
"So what?"
"Do you like him?"
The correct answer was yes, more than yes, but she said
"Not in that way..."
"Liar"
"No I'm not"
"Then why were you so long?"
"We were talking!"
"About?"
"All sorts, from what courses we're taking to... I don't know, we were talking about everything"
"What's he taking?"
"Paramedics" She sighed "Can we drop it now?"
"Until the morning"
...
Kay walked with Sky and Annika as Aimee went off ahead to hug Will
"Did you tell him?" Sky whispered
She shook her head
"Are you going to?" Annika said
"Maybe...not yet..."
As they approched the group, it was obvious that the conversation was over
Charlie smiled at them, but it was more for Kay "Hey"
"Hey" They all said, it was only Kay who's stomach somersalted
They all sat by a tree, its leaves hadn't fell yet so there was no risk of them falling in their lunch.
Kay sat beside Charlie, her knee touched his has she sat, her cheeks went hot again
"So what's this I hear about you two?" Will said, pointing at Kay and Charlie
"Depends what you've heard" Charlie replied
"Kay was at yours from seven to eleven"
"Then you heard right"
"We were only talking" Kay added
"Its more the shock, Charlie barely ever talks to girls, let alone have them at the house" Jason said
"Just make me sound like a loser Jason" He said, then took a bite of his sandwich
"You're not a loser" Will said "Just different"
'You have no idea how different' Charlie thought
...
Music was pulsating from the house, Charlie swore he could see it vibrating.
The door was unlocked so he headed straight inside.
At first he didn't recognise anyone, but they all recognised him as he walked through the living room, keeping his head down
He stepped outside, it was quiter here...plus Kay was talking to Sky on a couple of deck chairs.
His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, she was wearing a dark blue dress that clung to her hips, with flat gladiators sandles and simple silver jewellary. Her hair looking soft and silky...he'd have to resist the urge to touch it.
Kay spotted Charlie making his way over. She felt herself blush at the sight of him in tight jeans and a smart shirt...she really, really liked this guy
"Hey gir..." He began, sitting down in the chair beside Kay, but James came out and Sky went running
"Ok..." He said, a slight laugh in his voice "Hey Kay"
"Hey" She smiled at him "Not planning on getting drunk like everyone else are you?"
"No, got work tomorrow" He replied "You?"
She shook her head "No, dreading my sister and Sky, they'll be up all night throwing up...I don't really want to be here, I came to shut Aimee up"
"You don't have to stay"
"Do you want me to go?"
"No" He said, maybe a little too quickly "Its just I'm here to prove the guys wrong, you don't want to be here, I don't want to be here, why don't we go back to mine or yours?"
She looked at her watch "In a while, otherwise its too obvious...and kinda rude"
"Hmmm, ok, my place or yours?"
"Mine...I'm not allowed to walk home by myself"
He laughed "Alright, fair play"
She smiled "Just have one drink, then we'll go"
"Or...we could have that one drink at yours?"
She bit her lip "Ok, fine, but if I get in to trouble, I'm blaming you"
"Ok, blame me" He smiled "Cars out front"
"We'll get caught if we go that way" She pointed out
"Sneak round back?"
She nodded and they went through the back gate