akhreo

[akhreo]

The Love Language - Part 1 -

In the morning, sitting in the car with my mother, I thought about Ashley's messages. Why did dad have to remarry, he and mum split up a long time ago and it's true that mum found a new partner sooner, but she doesn't want to marry him. Ah, God knows.

Ashley: Don't worry, it'll be fine! At most, if she's a witch we'll go and kill her.

Charlie: I don't care about that woman. I'm more worried about her kids. You know how anti-social I am...

Ashley: She has a 15 year old daughter and a 21 year old son who your dad says is not even home. I don't think you can't get along with a little girl. YOU'RE 17 YEARS OLD, FOR GOD'S SAKE!

She's right, you shouldn't always overthink everything. You're not gonna get killed or eaten. But damn it, I still can't shake this overwhelming feeling that keeps making me sick to my stomach. Deep breaths and exhale, I mantra to myself while my mother talks absentmindedly to one of her co-workers. Work is everything and that's why I have to spend the autumn here at Dad's while he 'takes care of some business' somewhere in the East. I can't be angry with her at all because when time allows she always looks after me and gives me all the love, but I don't want to be at Dad's. Since my relationship with my mum broke up, it hasn't been very good, we've neglected each other and I've sort of shut her out of my life. But it's going to be even worse these few months.

The trip was boring, except that the scenery was beautiful, with tall trees and green pines, which can be even more beautiful in winter. As we approached the small town of Oak Jeans, my phone kept beeping.

Ashley: HEY!

Ashley. PAUL JUST POSTED

Ashley. CHARLIE!

Ashley: HE IS GAY!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!

Ashley: CHARLIE GET UP! THERE MAY BE HOPE!

My heart almost burst out as I read the lines, if what Ashley says is true, jesus christ. I shakily searched the Instagram app and typed in his username. paul_kristen01. He posted a story, I nervously took a breath and clicked on it. My heart skipped a beat as I read the lines.

Hi guys, as many of you may already know I'm gay. I know I've ruined a lot of girls' dreams now, but please understand that eggplant is much more fun. Hehe

The initial excitement has turned into something else, disgust. How can someone be so stupid as to take a risk like that, if it's even true? Grimacing I watched the device as the car door opened next to me, suddenly scared I covered my phone so no one would notice what I was looking at, because not only was the text on the screen with a plain monochrome background, no, behind the text was Paul's elaborate spindly body.

" Charlie, we're here. "Mom looked at me sadly. " Ohh, okay... " I got out of the car and walked towards the trunk to grab my suitcase.

" Leave it son, Ethan will take it in. " I heard my father's raspy voice, which made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

" Char... dad! " I turned around and with a big fake smile started to walk towards him. Then when I got to the porch I stopped in front of him and hugged him.

" I've missed you Charlie, it's been a long time since I've seen you grow up. " err lie, I haven't grown anything since I last saw you and he couldn't have missed me because then he would have come looking for me.

" I've missed you too dad. " I lied and looked over his shoulder and saw Cassandra, the woman he married. I flashed a fake smile and smiled at her, who returned it with a heart-warming smile.

Charlie let go and turned to her.

" Let me introduce Cassandra, my wonderful wife. -" I glanced at my mother, who didn't look very happy, and it depressed me.

"Nice to meet you Cassandra," I nodded and walked back to the car to my mother. I don't need any help from them.

I opened the trunk and grabbed my school bag from my back, taking my suitcase in hand, and stood next to Mom who was still fidgeting. I suppose she didn't want me to be with Dad, but in her lack of ideas and time she had to throw me in this dungeon. It hurt to see her like this, so I let go of the suitcase and hugged her tightly. It smelled good, as always, a little perfume and a rinse that always reminded me of the safe arms that now embrace me. I will miss it, very much.

" Mom, look, I know this is hard, but you have to accept it. Those two months will go by fast, look at it.", I tried to reassure myself of the long two months ahead.

" Promise me, Charlie, that you will write or call me every day. " I could hear the candle slowly breaking in his voice, which at the moment would not have been good.

" I promise, Mom," I said and hugged her.

I walked in front of Charlie and waited for the miracle to happen. I look nothing like him, while he has blonde hair and green eyes, I have midnight black hair and sea blue eyes, which I inherited from my grandfather Ben, may he rest in peace. He died last year of a heart attack, and it was very hard to get over him. If it weren't for Ashley and Tommy, I'd be tied to a bed in the yellow house.

" Your room is upstairs Charlie, go on up. " Cassandra said and I just looked, what?

" Um okay. "

As soon as I walked in the house I smelled freshly baked pancakes, I love pancakes. Automatically I aimed from the small hallway to the kitchen island where the stack of pancakes was on one of the counters.Before I could even take one, a girl appeared next to me and gave me the creeps.

" You must be Charlie's son, Charlie! " I hate my name but Mum wouldn't let us change it because of what it is...

" Yeah. " What the fuck am I gonna do? I was just about to steal some pancakes.

" I'm Claire. " She held out her hand. I just noticed, she had black hair like me, but her eyes were bug black, which highlighted her snow-white skin. I accepted her hand, which was very soft, and when I let go she just took a pancake and ran up the stairs and disappeared upstairs. Strange girl.

Quickly while no one was looking I took a pancake which I quickly munched on and continued on my way to find my room. As I went up the stairs there were five rooms upstairs, I guess one was Charlie and Cassandra's room, one was Claire's and one of the others was mine. Blindly I made my way into one of what turned out to be an upstairs bathroom. It was small but quite tidy, the washbasin tap was opposite the door and to the left of it was the towel rail. There was also a shower on the right next to the wall and finally next to that was the toilet. I closed it and then opened the door to the room next to it. It looked like a boy's room, the walls were greyish blue and there were coins hanging on the cupboard. I moved closer and took a closer look at the things on the cupboard. There were cups and more medals, there were class pictures where only boys sat in suits. They were pretty cute so I got out my phone and took a picture of them and sent it to our common group that Ashley and Tommy were in. As I was about to put the picture back I heard a low sound from the door, like a growl so I dropped the picture in heartbreak and it broke on the floor.

" Jezz " I crouched down on the ground to get the picture but the stranger was faster than me so I just reached into the glass. - Fuck! - I grabbed my hand.

" What the fuck are you doing in my room? " the boy growled between his teeth.

" I... "

" You what?! You fucking broke the picture! -" I'm getting tired of this style.

" That's because you growled at me like a dog! " I freaked out, but as soon as I realized the words I said, I regretted it. I called someone a dog...

I stood there, stunned, watching the boy's rage overwhelm him. I was frightened, he was tall but as he grimaced at me he looked even more frightening, taller. He stepped in front of me and grabbed my shoulder, literally pushed me out of the room and slammed the door on me hard enough. He's a bastard, I thought to myself, and then I looked more closely at my bleeding palms. It hurt so badly, I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the tap and put it under the sink, cleaning the wound, which was throbbing more and more

" What are you doing? " Claire came up behind me and scared me again. IS EVERYONE TRYING TO KILL ME TODAY?

" Nothing. " I ended the conversation with that and continued to deal with my still bleeding palm.

She disappeared and came back a few seconds later with a bandage and a salve. She didn't say anything, just turned off the water under my hand and then grabbed my hand and took it into her care. I just watched as her soft fingers first lubricated my palm and then wrapped the bandage around it. After that we just watched each other for a few seconds and then she spoke.

" My brother's an idiot, ignore him. " She put her hand on my shoulder to encourage me or whatever.

"It just slipped out, I didn't mean to put him down or anything," I explained.

" You were right, sometimes he does growl like a dog. " Claire laughed, which made me smile involuntarily.

" Um, can you show me my room? " I looked at the tiles. I'm a good loser, I can't find a room.

" Of cours " She walked out in front of me and stopped at the room next to the boy's. No, not me. " Here, right next to Ethan's room. " Ethan, I tried his name.

I entered the room, which was bare, so to speak, the bed had no covers and the bedside table next to it had a broken leg. And even that was in good condition, next to the door was a rickety white wardrobe that was scribbled up and missing parts. As I looked around I thought I was going to faint, am I going to live here for 2 months?!

" Good shit. " Claire said from behind me.

- Exactly " I stared at the desk to the right of the door.

" Should I get Ethan to help me bring things in? I saw you had some stuff. " she asked and I turned to him with super speed and shook my head, silently motioning her to STOP CALLING THAT PARASTS. Claire's mouth quirked into a mischievous smile.

"ETHAN! MOM TOLD SEVENTH CHARLIE TO PACK IT!" that silly girl, I introduced her and ran down the stairs to the yard where Mum's car was parked.

I opened the back door of the car and took out a box of books and quickly went back for the suitcase I had left and ran back into the house. As I stepped onto the front steps in my haste I stepped sideways and fell backwards. The contents of the box slid into the living room and my bag in front of me. As I got up I saw Ethan watching me. The bastard didn't even grab me, he watched me fall.

" You okay? " he asked and I exploded. How can he be such a jerk, I've EATED YOU FIRST!

" I'm fine, thank you! " I hissed between my teeth.

He shrugged and left me with my stuff.

I nervously gathered up my things and threw them into the suitcase I had opened and when I was done, my mum and dad came in. Charlie was smiling and hugging Cassandra around the waist, which only made me more nervous and then I saw Ethan's bored face with two boxes in his hands. His face was curved, his eyes were chocolate brown and his head was a black bird's nest like his sister's. I sighed and looked at my mother who smiled encouragingly. Overcoming my anger, I strode up the stairs and when I got to my room, I threw my things on the bed and went on a rampage. My clothes were no longer in the suitcase but scattered everywhere and I was sobbing. I don't want to be here, I don't want to be with them. Those were the only words I could think of when someone knocked.

" FUCK OFF! " I yelled and slammed the door on a startled Ethan.

Now I suppose he thinks I'm a hysterical cunt but I don't care, it's too much for me. I sat down on the bare bed and buried my face in my palms. I agreed and I suffered through it all. I told myself but I didn't believe it and the sobs came again. The door opened and Mom and Dad came in through it and I got the de javu feeling.

" My little boy what's wrong? " my mother sat down next to me and started stroking my back. " Nothing. " I swallowed hard and wiped the tears from my eyes. " What are you standing there? " I looked angrily at Ethan.

" Is your palm better? " I stared at him, I swear something moved in my stomach.

" What happened to your palm? " Mom asked worriedly and I grabbed my hand and put it behind my back.

" Nothing. "

" Charlie!" my father called to me.

" It's because of me... " Ethan started but I jumped up and put my hand over his mouth to keep him quiet.

" I said nothing happened." I smiled at them.

“ Hishs palmsh “ he licked my left hand, is that stupid? Then he held my hand down and put it over my mouth. And I'm so stupid that I licked my lips so I got his saliva in my mouth. "I scared him and he bit the glass. " hi said and I could feel myself getting redder and redder. He smelled delicious and as he squeezed it got more and more unpleasant.

" And why didn't you want to tell me? " Mom asked, nervous bass. Since she wouldn't let go, Ethan stomped hard on her leg, but he didn't notice. Then I took a closer look at what he was wearing, a police uniform with a sidearm, handcuffs, and a steel-toed boot. " Ethan, I believe... Can I have a word? " Fuck, the bomb goes off.

" Yeah. " Then he turned and disappeared, you better Ethan... I don't even know his last name.

" Jr. Charlie Roberts! If you ever keep a petty thing like that from me again, I swear to God I'll beat you so bad! " she looked at me with a scowl on his face. " So I'm to think, son, that you're going to tell me everything. Who knows what else you're not telling me. "

" Ah, Olivia, our child is no longer a child. He must have secrets he's not sharing with you. " Charlie, don't make this worse for me.

" You're hiding something from me that your father knows and I don't?! " and I automatically backed off.

" NO, you didn't! I haven't talked to my dad in a long time. "

" But I WANT YOU TO CALL HIM EVERY DAY! " shit, I'm pale. No way.

" Olivia, aren't you gonna miss your plane? " Cassandra came in and for once I was really glad to have her company. Mom got up and gave me a hug and a kiss and left.

I feel like shit, Mom's mad at me and thinks I'm hiding something from her. Which is true, but God, how would she take it if I admitted I was attracted to boys? Slowly I moved from my sculpture and started packing, moving the clothes off the floor and then the toy sculptures out of the boxes and then the books onto the wrong cupboard. I still felt bad so I took my laptop out of my bag and turned it on. While I waited for it to load I climbed into bed and lay on my stomach. As soon as he switched on my mobile I connected to the internet as I didn't know Charil's WI-FI password and I didn't feel like talking to anyone except my friends. I started Skype and then started a group call with Ashley and Tommy. After a few rings Ashley answered first. She said hello and I was smiling like a baby.

"Hi!" I said back. " I have so much to tell you. " I said sadly." What happened?" Ash's voice became serious. "Lots and lots of things. "

"LOVE YOU!" joined in Tommy.  “What did I miss?" 

“ Stop it, you stupid kid! Something happened there. " Ash blurted and rolled his eyes. "So tell me Charlie, you're very depressed. " 

Then I told them about the sudden change of heart for Paul and then about my hand and Mum's freak out. I left Ethan out on purpose, I don't know what it was when he kept his mouth shut and I don't want the guys to get the wrong idea.

We talked a bit more when Cassandra called me down to eat and I was starving so I hung up and went downstairs. Everyone was sitting at the table except Ethan but I thought it was better that way, he wasn't here to spoil everything. Dinner was pleasant enough, we didn't talk so it was over quickly. I thanked Cassandra and ran up to my room. I quickly put on my The Last of Us bed cover and made my bed. I picked out something to wear as pyjamas and went to shower, brushed my teeth and went to my room to forget about this long and exhausting day so that tomorrow I could have another and even worse day. I had a weird dream, Ethan and I were in it and he was talking quieter and quieter which made me more and more excited even though I couldn't understand anything. Then he kissed me and I woke up.

#gay #book #cop #love