The summer you didn't expect

Chapter 8

Max

We all dried off after swimming for 2 hours. I go over to Charlie and shake my wet hair above her. She had a towel on her face so she didn't see it coming. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" She gets up and I run for it. "Babe help me!" I yell at Keith he sat there next to Loren both laughing. Charlie tackles me put my face in the sand. "Don't ever do that again." She stands up stares at me pissed off. She burst into laughter looking at me though.

"What why are you laughing?" I feel a pinch my ear. Oww there is a crab on my ear. "Oh my god Charlie help me!" She shakes her head no and walks away. Keith runs over to me and helps me get it off my ear. "My knight in shining armor." I kiss him and we go finish packing up our beach stuff. "Me and Keith have to go to the house to get the surprise ready can you guys bring the stuff up?"

"Yeah we can." Loren says while grabbing the blankets we had and pack them up and Charlie goes to get the guys and Stella in the water.

Me and Keith walk to the house holding hands. He speaks up and looks at me. "There is something definitely there I can see why you wanted to try to get them together this weekend. Only problem is Charlie was straight before all of this so she is probably freaking out and might not be ready we need to make sure she has a good support system." I smile and lay my head on his shoulder. "She will be okay Keith don't worry plus I saw Loren comforting her on the porch earlier. She is in good hands."

We get to the house and I open my trunk to grab the fireworks we bought. "Everyone is going to love this." Keith smiles and takes them out of the trunk. "No shit you guys got fireworks!" Evan ran over to us with everyone walking behind him. "Damn it was supposed to be a surprise." Loren smiles and pats my back. "That's okay we are still excited."

"Alright let's all get dressed and met back at the beach in 30 minutes." Keith claps getting everyone's attention. We all agree and go get ready for tonight.

Loren

We all went inside to change and eat something before we go watch the fireworks. I made everyone grilled cheeses and Charlotte could not stop talking how good they are. "I can't believe I've never had one of these before! It's so good Loren you have to make these all the time now!" She dances in her seat. She is so cute she is like a kid with a lollipop.

I smile at her and give her a wink. She blushes and looks down to hide her face. I put my hand on hers and lean in to whisper. "You don't have to hide your blushing with me. I find it really cute." She smiles and pushes me away playfully.

Max comes skipping into the room and jumps on my back. "You ladies ready for some fireworks?" I shrug him off my back and laugh. "Get off me you goof and yeah we are!" He goes to tell everyone else.

"You ready?" I put my hand out for her to take. She blushes and grabs my hand. I led her outside and walked to the beach. She let me hold her hand all the way to the beach but when she saw Keith and Stella she let go. I can tell she is still so scared to tell everyone how she is feeling. I understand though it took me years to come out. I really do hope it doesn't take that long with her. I really like her. I mean I have a crush on her! Who am I kidding I'm falling for her.

We all sat on the beach watching the fireworks go off. Charlotte sat between me and Stella. Since Stella was next to us Charlotte kept to herself. Stella leaned over to her and whisper something but I couldn't hear what she said. Charlotte looks like she is going to have another anxiety attack. "Char are you okay?" I put my hand on her hand. She pulls her hand away and runs up to the house.

"I'll go talk to her. You guys enjoy the fireworks." Keith gets up and runs over to the house. Did I do something wrong or did Stella say something that made her upset? "Hey what did you say to her?!" Stella whispered angrily at me. Took me back for a second. "I could ask the same thing I just asked her if she is okay?! She looked upset from whatever you said!" She looked down and sighed. "I just ask her if you guys were friends." That hurt I thought we were in a good place. I sulk down a little and Stella scoots closer to me.

"What's going on with you guys?" I can't tell her that would be outing Charlotte. "I have a crush on her and she knows it." Shows my feelings but doesn't out her. "Oh you know she is straight right?"  I nod yes and look back at the fireworks. I want tonight to be over.

Charlie

I can't do this I can't like her what is everyone going to say. What will happen if Mitchell finds out I'm still technically with him. I run into my room and curl up in a ball on my bed. I hear a knock on my door I tell whoever it is to go away. I can't face Loren right now. Keith opens my door and sit on my bed. "Hey baby sis what's going on?" He rubs my back and looks at me with a concerned look.

"I can't like Loren it complicates everything!" I cry into my pillow and he sighs. "Why are you so scared Char?" I look up at him and cry more. "What will everyone say, will this change how everyone sees me and I don't know how to feel I've never like a girl before!" He hugs me and wipes my tears away on my face.

"Charlie you can't worry about everyone else. Mom and dad won't care we both know they don't care when I came out they were just happy I was happy. If your friends treat you bad about how you feel they are not real friends." I think about Mitchell and scared to talk to him about everything. "I still love Mitchell I can't hurt him." Keith sighs and looks at my wrist where Mitchel made me bruise. "He hurt you." I cry into his arms I don't know where to go from here.

I cried in Keith's arms for a hour till Max knocked on my door and Keith went to talk to him. Loren knocked on my open door and I couldn't talk to her right now so I turned away. "Charlie can we talk?" I shake my head no and she sighs and walks away. I feel so bad I'm hurting her but I can't hurt Mitchell. He is my boyfriend and I can't like her for many reasons.