(Complete) Charlie's life is slowly spiraling out of control. Her mother is useless, her relationship with her boyfriend Gavin is a train wreck and the bruises she has to cover up are all becoming too much for her to bear.
Tanner has it all. He has...
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I lay out the blanket that I carried up from the truck, across the dusty dirt. I take a seat and pat the spot next to me, looking up at Charlie as I offer her my hand. She wraps her warm fingers around mine and lowers down next to me. She slides close to me, laying her head on my shoulder; and even with the silence it's so peaceful and comfortable; everything needing to be said, is relayed through body language. I wrap my arm around her lower waist and hold her close.
"I'm not sure if you're used to hearing this," I start and have to give myself a small push in order to finish my thought. "But you are an amazing fucking person." I can feel my cheeks heat up with a blush, and I thank god for the shadows being casted over us by the setting sun.
I can feel her shift in my arms as she looks up at me. Our eyes meet, and smiles light up both of our faces at the same time. I can see the slight cast or red on her cheeks and I lean forward, placing my hand on her soft skin, lightly rubbing my thumb across the apple of her cheek. "It may be super cliché, and you can totally judge me all you want for thinking this." I chuckle softly. "But I feel like I've known you my whole life. I don't think I've ever felt so.. myself, so comfortable with someone. And trust me, I feel a bit crazy for thinking, feeling and let alone saying all of this. But I just feel drawn to you." I look down for a moment, almost nervous for her reaction but when I look up her smile tells me everything I need to know.
"It's not crazy. Maybe a little cliché, because you know... it's the plot of any young adult novel." She giggles. "But I feel the same way." She pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth and my breath catches in my lungs.
She looks as if she's about to say something else, but instead she shifts and lays down, resting her head in my lap as she looks up at the stars that are glittering the clear, night sky. I run my hand slowly through her hair as she points up. "Look, I'm pretty sure that's the Big Dipper." She smiles and scans the sky for a moment more before pointing to another group of stars. "And the little dipper."
I look to where she's pointing and map out the stars in my head. "You're right. Shit, I haven't seen a constellation this clear in so long." And I can't help the grin that's pulls at my lips as my eyes travel back down to her, watching as her eyes wander the sky, picking out constellations. I don't know how it's possible but she keeps getting more and more beautiful; not just physically, but the way she gets excited as she points out stars, how when she smiles it could light up all of Tucson. I envy her strength and courage. I don't know much about her yet, but damn am I excited to learn every little detail about this extraordinary woman.
She catches me watching her and instantly blushes. "What're you thinking about?" She asks, looking up at me attentively. She reaches up, tracing her fingertips lightly across my jaw bone and I can't help but lean into the warmth coming from her soft caress. I leave a ghost of a kiss on her thumb as it brushes past my lips.
"Honestly, I'm just admiring how beautiful you are." I say as I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, the wind already trying to rip it back out. I wrap my arms around her, running my hands up and down her arms, feeling goosebumps arise under my touch.
