Char (3 page)

“Surprise!” I yell loud enough to wake them both up.

Landon sits up, and looks at me.

“Shit,” is the only thing he says.

“I thought I would surprise you with coffee.” I take both cups of coffee and chunk them as hard as I can against the wall. To say that I’m
pissed
would be the understatement of the century. I am absolutely fucking furious.

“Char…”

I turn and run down the stairs. Landon gets up and runs after me, naked.

“I’m sorry, baby. Please don’t go. Let’s talk about this.”

I turn to him. “What is there to talk about? You fucked Ashlee!”

“Just once,” he says. “And she means
nothing
to me.”

Just then Ashlee comes out of the room. She’s now fully clothed, and carrying her shoes. Her bleach blonde hair is a mess, and her day old make-up looks terrible. And for a second, I’m jealous. Jealous that this slut was with my boyfriend… Ex-boyfriend… Jealous because she looks rougher than I ever did after having sex with him.

“See you later, Landon.” She winks at him, and then walks out the door.

“Seriously, Char. Don’t turn this into something that it’s not. I just wanted to hook up. You can understand that, right? Ashlee means nothing to me. But you do. Are you really going to throw away our one year relationship over something so stupid?”

Seriously? He’s going to turn this on ME?

“One — I obviously mean nothing to you. You slept with another girl. No. Not just another girl. You slept with Ashlee Vernon.
The school slut
. That’s like the ultimate insult to me. And two — I didn’t throw away this relationship
. You
did. I hope you’re happy with her.”

With that, I walk out the front door. I slam it a little harder than necessary. With my head held high, I get in my car.

I drive to Aaron’s house… The second I see Aaron, I burst into tears. He holds me close as I cry, and it’s an UGLY cry. I actually took the time to do my make-up this morning, so eyeliner and mascara and running down my face. They’re all over Aaron’s shirt. But he doesn’t complain. He just lets me cry while he strokes my hair.

He should be saying
I told you so
, because he did warn me about Landon. But he’s not. He’s not saying anything, except the occasional ‘I’m going to kill that motherfucker.’ Which actually makes me feel better. Not that I want Landon dead, because I don’t. But the fact that Aaron is willing to kill a guy because he broke my heart is comforting. And sweet. He’s definitely the best friend I could ever have. Ever.

Once I finally stop crying, I tell Aaron the whole story from the beginning. Starting with me walking in on him and Ashlee naked, me throwing coffee at his wall… and ending with what Landon said.

“Of all the idiotic things Landon could have said, he said
that
…” Aaron shakes his head.

“I feel so stupid.” I take a shaky breath. “Do you really think that was the first time he cheated on me?”

Aaron tries to smile at me. But he can’t. I know he wants to tell me
yes.
But he can’t. “I’m sorry, Char.”

“I’m never going to trust another guy as long as I live.” Okay, so MAYBE
that’s a bit dramatic. But I’m hurting. I know eventually, I will get over Landon. Probably sooner than I think… but right now, my heart hurts.

Heart break sucks.

“Don’t let that asshole ruin you. You’re so much better than that.”

“Can you make my chest feel better?” I ask. But I know the answer.

“I wish I could.” He pulls me closer to him. “I don’t want you to hurt, Char. It kills me
to see you hurting.”

“I just want to not think about it.”

“Let’s go do something fun today,” Aaron says. “We can do anything you want.”

“
Anything
?”

4pm

Stupid. Evil. Boy.

“Out of everything in the world that you could have chosen to do,
this
is it?” Aaron questions my sanity.

We’ve been chilling at his house since I came over this morning. I stole a pair of his sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt. I washed all the make-up off of my face, and put my hair is in a messy bun. We ordered Chinese food, and now we are having a
Twilight
marathon.

I know, I know.
Twilight
. They have got to be the worst movies ever. Yet, I can’t help it. I love them. And I don’t care what
anybody
says, Jacob has some nice
abs in
New Moon
. And he’s hot. Especially after he cuts his hair.

Aaron sits down with a pint-size of Rocky Road, and we split it.

“Thank you for hanging out with me. It’s went from the worst day ever to tolerable.”

He smiles at me. “Good. I’m glad you’re not crying anymore.”

“Sorry I ruined you shirt.”

“It’s okay. So tell me what is so great about Edward.”

I think about his question for a minute. “Well you really have to read the books to get it. Book Edward is different. He is
actually
attractive. And Bella is different in the books. She isn’t quite as lame as movie Bella.”

“Right.” He nods his head like he knows what I’m saying. But I know Aaron. He’s clueless.

“I just think people are fascinated by vampires in general. Who doesn’t want to be immortal? I’ll be eighteen in a couple of months. If I could freeze time right now, and stay seventeen forever, I totally would. Spending the rest of my life in eternal bliss with the love of my life. It’s so… romantic.” You know,
if
I actually had a love.

“An eternity with one person? Sounds
miserable
. I can’t even imagine spending a lifetime with somebody.” Aaron shakes his head. “No thanks.”

“I think if you found your true love, you would totally change your mind.”

“Do you believe in true love?”

“Of course I do,” I answer. But the truth is, I’m not so sure anymore.

Ugh. It’s the heartbreak talking again.

Stupid. Evil. Boy.

“Who is your dream girl?” I ask him.

He thinks about it before answering. “Well, my dream girl is smart. Because I don’t want to spend my life with somebody stupid. I hope she can surf, and if not, she has to be willing to learn. I want to be able to share surfing with her. It would be fun. And, on the same note, I would do something that she likes. Even if it’s watching stupid chick flicks.”

I roll my eyes, but smile. Someday, Aaron is going to make a girl very happy. And if said girl breaks his heart,
I WILL cut her
.

“She’s beautiful. And I’m not just talking about the outside. Because beauty fades, but love doesn’t. And when my girl and I are old and wrinkly, I still want to think she’s beautiful. She’s got to be from California, because there is no way I am leaving. It’s too amazing here. And she has to be totally and completely crazy in love with me.”

“That sounds nice, Aaron. I know you will find her.”

“Oh. And that’s another thing… She
definitely
has to like you. Because I am not spending the rest of my life without my best friend.”

“Aww… I wuv you too…”

“I hate the baby talk,” he says. “Candice always talks like that. It’s a major turn off.”

I stick my tongue out at him. “Good thing I’m not trying to turn you on then.”

“Oh I already am. From yesterday.”

I hit him with my pillow. “You’re never going to let me forget that you saw me naked, are you?”

“Never. It was
super
hot.”

“Whatever.”

Aaron and I watch all five of the Twilight movies, then I crash in his room. I’m so thankful that Aaron is my best friend. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. And I so don’t want to figure out.

SUNDAY, JULY 28

8am

Very hard body part.

I wake up with a very hard body part pressed against me. Aaron has his arm around my waist, and it’s dangerously close to my boob. Every inch of our bodies are touching, and there is currently something very hard poking my ass. I’ve stayed in this very bed with him hundreds of times. I stay over here at least two to three times a week, and never once has he cuddled me. If it wasn’t Aaron, this would be nice. But it
is
Aaron.

“Get off me.” I throw his arm off me. He puts his hand right back around me. Right on my boob.

Ugh.

I poke him with my elbow, and finally he starts to wake up. His hand jerks back, but he is smiling.

“Wipe that smile off your face before I punch you.”

“Sorry.”

I roll onto my back. “What was up with a very hard body part pressed into my ass when I woke up?”

Aaron grins a very innocent smile. “It’s morning, I can’t help it.”

“Well maybe next time you can not touch me with it.” My eyes glance down at the bulge in his sweatpants. I can’t help it. I’m curious. He’s seen my boobs, it’s only fair. But I’m wishing I wouldn’t have looked, because he’s big. Like much bigger than Landon.

“You could help me with it,” he says.

I throw my pillow at his face. “No way! Gross. It would be like having sex with my brother.”

“Your very attractive, non-blood related brother.”

“Not happening.”

“Your loss. I have a feeling you would enjoy it very much.”

“It looks like you would enjoy it more,” I say, but I am thinking that I would
very much
enjoy it. I am definitely not telling him that though. It’s not worth ruining our friendship over.

“So what’s the plan for today?” Aaron asks. Because if it were up to him, I would spend every second of everyday with him. And if it were up to me, I would too… but I can’t.

“Dad is in town. I’m having lunch with him.” And I am already dreading it.

“Need me to come with you?”

My dad hates Aaron. I always take him when I want to piss my father off, but I want today over with. It’ll go faster if I go alone. “Naw. Besides, you have plans today.”

“I do?”

“Yep. You are going to go have a one-night stand. It’s obviously been a while.”

“Whatever. You don’t know anything about my sex life.”

I laugh. “Actually, I do. And I know it’s been a while because you were feeling me up in my sleep.”

“Who says I was asleep? Maybe I was awake. It’s not my fault you showed me your boobs.”

“You didn’t have to stand there staring. Like I swear you just stared forever.”

“And if I knew you looked like
that
I would have seen you naked so much sooner.”

“Again, I’m not having sex with my best friend.” I turn onto my side so that I am facing him. “Thank you for yesterday.”

“How are you feeling?” he asks. And that is why he is my best friend. He can joke around with me and have fun, but when I need him he’s always there.

“Better.” It’s the truth. “I’m sure it’ll take a while to get over him, but I will. I just dread school. Seeing him and
her
everyday is going to test my sanity.”

“I wish I could be there for you. But if you need me to kick his ass, I will.”

“Thanks.”

12pm

Lunch with Dad.

I meet Dad at a restaurant at twelve o’clock on the dot. He’s very prompt. I must have got that from him. Nothing is worse than being late.

“Hey, Dad.” I give him an awkward side hug, then we both sit down.

“How is life?” he asks.

Did I mention I love awkward lunches with my dad? Because I
don’t
love them. They are the bane of my existence. “Life is life.”

“Are you still dating that guy?” Dad didn’t like Landon either. Come to think of it, he hasn’t ever really liked any
of the guys I have dated. Ever.

“No. Landon and I broke up,” I answer.

“What about Aaron? Are you two still friends?”

Ugh. “Yes, Dad. He’s my best friend.”

He forces a smile. “Make sure he stays that.”

“Stays what?”

“Just a
friend
.”

I roll my eyes. “If I need your advice on relationships, I will let you know. Until then, it would be awesome if you could just stay out of it.”

“Fine,” he says. “The reason I wanted to meet you today is because I think it’s time we talked about your future.”

“Oh God. Did Mom put you up to this? I already told her, I’m not going to become a model. Or an actress. Or any other kind of celebrity slash public figure. I am very satisfied living in the shadows of Candi and Chloe.”

Dad smiles. “I am glad to hear that.”

“Really?” This surprises me. I always assumed that he feels the same way Mom does. Of course,
how
would I know what he feels? He’s never around to tell me.

“Yes. Now tell me, what is it that you want to do?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” I answer honestly. “I know that I don’t have forever to figure it out, but I do know that I want to go to college.”

“Excellent,” he says. “What schools have you thought about going to? You know that applications are due in four months.”

“I haven’t really thought a lot about where
I will be going.”

“I think you should consider Columbia University.”

“In New York?”

“Yes.”

Ugh. I hate New York. The streets are way too crowded, the winters are way too cold, and California is way too far. “I will probably just go to a community college around here. I would kind of like to stay here. With my friends. My sisters. My life.”

Hell. No. I am not even going to consider New York.

“Columbia is a great school. I would get you a nice apartment on the Upper West Side, and you’ll just be a taxi ride away from me,” he says. “Hell, I’ll even get you a driver.”

A driver? Seriously? I like driving myself. In my Jeep. In Malibu. And why would I care if I am close to my dad? He’s been living in New York City since I was like six. And even before the divorce he was hardly ever home.

“I don’t want to leave here.”

“Your friends aren’t going to be here forever, Charlotte. I’m sure all of them are going away to college. Even Aaron.”

This makes me roll my eyes. “Dad, Aaron is eighteen. He’s already graduated from high school, and I know for a fact that he’s doing online classes.”

“Of course he is.” Dad looks mad.

“Besides,
you
obviously haven’t been listening to me. It isn’t Aaron keeping me here. He’s my best friend, yes, but that’s it. Nothing more. I’m staying here because of Candi and Chloe. I’m not leaving them. And sure, Mom annoys the shit out of me, but I can’t leave her.”