Dylan didn't want to make things up with Charlie. He didn't know why but for some reason something pushed him away from Charlie. Maybe it was the fact that Charlie was the last one. That after Charlie, Dylan would finally have to face Stella. That all the pain Dylan had buried with trying to get his friends back would finally surface again.
Olivia and Mo finally got him to try. They threatened to drag him dress shopping again and this time he would have to help with the makeup. The thought made him tremble viciously.
"Charlie. I'm sorry. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I want to at least try…" Dylan muttered under his breath trying to practice. He couldn't figure out what he would say to Charlie much less what he was going to do. Charlie was going to want some proof that he had changed. Dylan's pone vibrated as he paced the sidewalk in front of Charlie's house.
Got u an opportunity. Every1 is going mini golfing tomorrow
Dylan shook his head at Olivia, walking back toward his house. How was mini-golfing supposed to help him? And what did she mean by everybody? Worried, Dylan's thumbs flew across the keys, sending a text back to Olivia.
What do u mean by every1?
It wasn't long before he got a reply.
Every1 minus Stella and Ray we couldn't get her to come.
Dylan smiled bitterly. He knew he wouldn't be able to deal with both Charlie and Stella but it would have been nice to have seen her. Was she happy? Did she think of him? Stella had stopped sitting at the Lemonade Mouth table after Dylan had been returned a second time. Mo, Olivia, Wen and Scott had picked him up, setting him down despite his protests in a seat at the table. Stella hadn't sat there since.
Sophia was sleeping on the couch when Dylan crept in while Trina was sitting next to Amy, cooing softly. Dylan walked into the room shaking his head when Trina turned around. Waving his sister out of the room, Dylan pulled a blanket up around Sophia's shoulders. She moved slightly, her eyes opening for a moment but Dylan had already retreated.
"What are you doing Trina? I thought it was time for Amy's nap." Dylan asked sternly. Trina stuck her lip out as far as she could, cradling Amy in her arms. Dylan gently took the baby from his sister. Amy moved sleepily, nuzzling Dylan's arm as she tried to fall asleep. "Not yet Amy." Dylan cooed. Trina smirked at him until he left the room. "Wait until you're in your crib."
Amy opened her big blue eyes to stare up at Dylan after he set her in her crib. Quickly he covered her with her blanket. Amy always seemed to fall asleep faster with her blanket. Instead Amy just looked up at him, a tiny fist raised toward him. Slowly, Dylan reached down easing his baby niece's fist apart with his finger. "Go to sleep Amy" He crooned as her tiny hand wrapped around his finger. Within minutes Amy was asleep and Dylan backed out of the room slowly.
"I haven't seen you look at anyone but Stella like that." Trina whispered. She was leaning against the doorframe with a large smirk on her face. Dylan stuck a tongue out at her as his heart pulsated a broken beat. "Seriously. You don't look at anyone with that much…"
"Shut up Trina" Dylan said harshly. Trina looked at him with hurt eyes. Dylan immediately felt bad. "I'm sorry. Things have just been stressful. I…I can't handle Stella being gone." He slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Trina looked at him pityingly before she crouched next to him.
"Then get her back. She looked at you the same way." Dylan turned his tortured gaze on Trina. She smiled putting a hand over Dylan's. "You two were meant for each other Dylan. I know you'll find a way to get her back. After all only a loving big brother could deal with a sister like me." Trina smiled widely and Dylan gathered her into a hug.
"You aren't that annoying." He whispered smiling as she struggled to get free. When he finally let go, Trina complained he'd messed up her makeup. Dylan barely had time to protest before she disappeared into her room to fix it. With a small smile on his face Dylan went to check on Sophia. Maybe he could handle Charlie. He was just one more step on the road to Stella. Hopefully that road led Stella back into Dylan's arms.
The next day, Mo came to pick Dylan up. He climbed into the car casting a confused glance at Mo. Scott was supposed to pick him up. "What happened to Scott?" Dylan asked buckling in. Mo looked at him her gaze blunt with dislike. She still hadn't fully forgiven him but Dylan liked to think that things were a little better between them. Mo didn't talk to him in a clipped tone anymore.
"Scott has to take care of his siblings. One of them got sick and his dad couldn't take off work." Dylan winced. Mo had to have been looking forward to spending time with Scott. Scratching the back of his neck, Dylan wished there was something he could do.
"I'm sorry." He murmured as Mo drove away from his house. "I know how much you were looking forward to this." Mo shrugged her eyes on the road.
"What can you do? It's not like we could have prevented it." Dylan nodded uncomfortably. They had stopped in front of Charlie's house. "Go get him." Dylan sighed getting out of the car. Charlie wasn't going to be happy to see him.
The door opened soon after he knocked to reveal a smiling Charlie. The smile fell from his face when Charlie noticed who was standing there. "What do you want?" Dylan closed his eyes briefly. Charlie's tone cut him to the bone. They had once been almost the best of friends.
"Uh mini-golfing." Dylan pointed at Mo's car. "Olivia asked you to come didn't she?" Charlie shrugged, not moving from the door frame. Dylan shifted nervously before finally asking "Are you coming Charlie?"
"I guess. But if this was your idea I won't be very happy." Dylan shook his head as Charlie headed toward the car and climbed in. Dylan slowly followed after. How am I supposed to break through that wall?
The car ride was spent in an icy silence. Dylan was almost glad that he hadn't sat in the front seat lest Charlie give him an icy stare for the entire trip. Mo opened her mouth to break the silence once or twice. Each time Charlie silenced her with a glance. Dylan couldn't help thinking Charlie really doesn't like me.
Olivia and Wen were already waiting for them, cuddling in each other's arms. Charlie's posture softened as he greeted them. Dylan looked at Mo but she just shrugged without looking at him. Before Dylan could say anything, Mo walked away to join the conversation Charlie had struck up with Olivia. "Great idea Olivia. I barely have Mo's trust and you already have me trying to beg forgiveness from Charlie. How many fingernails do you want me to use for each one?" Dylan muttered as he sauntered up to the group. The conversation was—unsurprisingly—about Dylan.
"You still haven't told me why he's here!" Charlie said in a ferocious whisper. Dylan slowed his walk trying to seem as if he was taking his sweet time. He was interested in hearing Olivia's answer to the question.
"You need to give him a chance!" Olivia responded fiercely "He's already tried to apologize more times then needed. You should have already forgiven him!"
"Olivia's right" Wen said softly. "Dylan never tried to hide the fact from us. He just couldn't figure a way to tell us." Dylan decided to step in then as Mo opened her mouth. Enough people had already defended him. It should be his turn.
"Nice to know you guys are talking about me." Dylan said appearing at Olivia's shoulder. Olivia jumped backward into Wen's arms which made Mo cover her mouth with her hand. "Sorry Olivia. Are we going to golf or not?" Olivia was fanning herself rapidly, the other bands members trying not to laugh. When Charlie noticed Dylan looking at him, his smile dropped like sands of an hourglass.
"Let's golf" Olivia puffed finally, climbing out of Wen's arms. "Uh for teams, Mo will be with Wen and me. Dylan you're with Charlie." Dylan smiled slightly at Olivia. A chill went up his back from the pure chilly nature of the look Charlie gave him. Don't freeze me over yet Charlie. Dylan thought as they headed toward the counter.
Olivia, Wen and Mo went onto the course first, leaving Dylan with Charlie. Charlie excused himself to the bathroom almost right away. Thanks Charlie. Let me go tell Olivia she wasted her money Dylan thought after Wen's group disappeared around the corner. "Are we going or not?" Dylan turned to see Charlie facing carefully toward the course.
"Yeah. Let's go." Dylan said grabbing his club with one hand and putting the ball in his pocket. "Uh you might want to go first." He waved his broken arm. "I'm going to be a little slow at this game." Charlie smirked walking out toward the course. Dylan followed after smiling slightly to himself. One smile meant Charlie's defenses were cracking.
The first few holes past quickly. Charlie laughed a few times at Dylan's attempts at putting and Dylan even laughed at himself a few times. They didn't talk though, passing through holes as fast as they could. Well more as fast as Charlie could get through them. Dylan began wishing for a hole that would slow them down or an event.
He got his wish in two ways. The first was a hard hole where they had to roll the ball down a hill into a giant clown's mouth then from there into the hole up on a hill. Both of them wanted to get it straight into the clown's mouth on the first time down the hill. The second part came in the form of Roy and a few of his buddies as well as their girlfriends.
"Look at those losers!" Roy called as Charlie tried to get the ball in the clown's mouth for the third time. Dylan could hear Charlie gritting his teeth. Turning away from his former friend, Dylan shouted back at Roy.
"Hey Roy! Why don't you run back to your little master? Obviously someone is holding your leash if you won't learn your lesson!" Roy's face darkened as blood rushed towards it. His friends began to laugh loudly.
"I'm going to make you pay Potens!" Roy shouted turning towards his friends. Dylan's brow furrowed. What was Roy going to do now? What hadn't he done to Dylan at this point? Roy turned with his friends as they all pulled back their arms, golf balls in hand—even the girlfriends were holding golf balls. Dylan traced their gazes toward Charlie. Oh no.
"Charlie move!" Dylan yelled shoving his friend out of the way. At the same time, he heard Roy shout something. Pain blossomed along his side. Wincing, Dylan crouched as he covered his head with his uninjured arm. An onslaught of golf balls followed the first one
It felt like forever until the golf balls stopped raining down upon Dylan. By that time he felt like one big bruise. "Charlie" He croaked "Are you ok?" Dylan attempted to uncurl but his body protested. "Charlie, you better be ok. I'm not going to be able to move without hurting for a while now." His voice was a little stronger.
Charlie appeared next to him along with Mo and the others. "I went to get help." He said helping Dylan stretch out. "Anything broken?" Dylan raised the arm in a cast and Charlie smiled. "Anything else?" Dylan shook his head.
"Just sore. Really sore." He felt like one pulsating bruise now. Charlie looked up at Mo who handed him a bag full of ice. "I hope you have one really big bag of ice Charlie. That little thing isn't going to do anything." Charlie smirked, upending the entire bag over his body. Dylan jerked upright in shock before groaning. "That's not fair."
"Why did you do that?" Charlie asked quietly as he pulled Dylan's arm over his shoulder. Wen took the other arm and together they lifted him up. Dylan gave Charlie a pained questioning look when they passed through the door back towards the parking lot. "Why did you push me out of the way and take the golf balls yourself?"
"We're friends Charlie" Dylan said wincing as they lowered him into a car. "What more reason do I need then that?" Charlie shook his head at Dylan, smiling widely. Dylan smiled back while Olivia and Wen climbed into the front seat of the car.
"You're crazy Dylan. But I'm glad to call you my friend." Dylan gave him a thumbs up before Charlie closed the door. While the car drove away, Dylan closed his eyes smiling. He had Charlie back. It was finally time to work on Stella.