CHASING CHARLIE GRAY

14

Charlie Gray's friends were actually really nice people as far as I remember. I had walked out the bathroom with my heart in my hand and clung to Charlie as she introduced me to everyone. There was Phichit, who was a professional swimmer like Charlie, Vanessa, actually Charlie's cousin and one of a kind and lastly, Dakota who was Phichit's partner and the closest to me personality wise.

I think Charlie Gray had said some thing to them while I was in the bathroom because not too long after, they all mysteriously had things to do and had to leave immediately.

"They didn't have to leave"

"They totally did" She tried to play off.

I didn't have time to admire her while I was freaking out but now that everything had died down again, well.

" You're looking positively radiant today" She snorted,  coming to sit closer to me.

" You're not very good with silence huh" My cheeks heated and I turned away to stare at the pool.

"I'm teasing, seeing my friends always makes me feel better"

"That's good"

"I feel even better when you come over" 

I pretended to not notice her staring at me in order to keep my sanity. It was growing progressively more hazy as the day carried on and the air was still. We sat in silence for a while before Charlie got up and grabbed my hand, leading me through the house and to her cold and sunless room. She didn't waste anytime, immediately going to spread out star fish style on her bed. 

"What're you waiting for?" She called out into the silence and when I was finally laying next to her she turned to me with a smile.

"Are you staying tonight?"

"Do you want me to?" As if second nature I reached across the space between us to push her hair out of her face.

"Of course I do, it'll be just us tonight"

"Yeah I saw your mom right before she left"

"okay so I'm thinking Pizza and hot wings" She looked to me for approval.

"Yeah that's fine"

We didn't do much other than lay around talking and laughing until food came and then we ate until we were stuffed and since there was no sense of time in Charlie's room, we fell asleep.

when I woke up again, my phone was going off in my pocket. I eased off the bed carefully, not wanting to wake Charlie Gray and closed the door behind me before I finally answered my phone.

"Hello?" I called down the line.

"Hey honey!" My father's voice came out loud and clear. I hadn't heard from him in a while.

"Hi dad"

"How are you? Sorry I haven't called in a while just been a little busy around here is all" My dad was an offshore drilling consultant for a big oil rig and I only got to see him every couple of months.

"I'm not too bad, staying over at a friend's house and mom's on a route" I whispered back.

"Sorry I didn't realize how late it was for you" He apologized.

"It's okay, I'm glad you called I miss you"

"I miss you too, I should be home in a month or two, depending on how everything goes"

"That's good, I don't think you've ever come back so soon"

"Yeah things are looking good here and if that continues it might be even sooner" He hummed.

"And what's this about you staying at a friend's house" I knew he wouldn't over look it. I hadn't purposefully left out the fact that I'd made a new friend to my dad, we just didn't get to talk often and when we did the conversations were fast paced.

"You remember Charlie Gray? We went to a elementary together"

"The swimmer?"

"Yeah"

"How'd that even happen?"

"School project" I explained shortly.

"Well either way I'm glad that you made a friend, I was getting worried"

"Dad I'm not a loser without friends, I just don't talk about them"

"Because you don't value those friendships but this one is different somehow"

"What are you even going on about?" I hoped he wouldn't catch the change in my voice.

"I'll find out how just you wait, I gotta go" He sighed sadly.

"No you won't, goodbye dad"

"Bye, I love you" and then the line disconnected.

I pondered over his words for a moment before deciding it wasn't worth staying awake for and went back into the bedroom to sleep next to Charlie Gray again.