The summer you didn't expect

Chapter 9

Loren

I put my bag in the back of Max's car and not ready to go home yet. There is so much unresolved stuff with me and Charlotte. Max walks up to me and gives me a sad look. "She won't leave her room and she won't talk to me or Keith do you think you can talk to her?" I sigh and look at the ground. "I'm probably the last person she wants to talk to but I can try."

I walk inside and stand at Charlotte's door. Took me a minute to build up courage to knock on the door. I hear her say come in. She looks up and sees it's me and her eyes tear up. "I'm sorry." I'm confused why is she apologizing. I sit next to her and look at the floor. "Why are you apologizing?"

She sighs and starts to cry. I jump into action and pull her into a hug. She cries into my arms. "I can't hurt Mitchell. I can't have the same feelings you have for me. I can't like a girl." I close my eyes and hold her. My heart breaks hearing that but I know she feels something towards me but she is hurting. She sits up and looks me in my eyes. I wipe the tears off her cheek.

"Charlotte it's okay if you can't have the same feelings I have but just know I'll always be here for you as a friend and even though we just became friends I can't lose you." She gives me a sad smile and leans her head against my shoulder. "I can't lose you either."

We sat there for about 20 minutes till Max knocked on the door. "Char, Loren we need to go I have a shift tonight." She sighs and stands up. "We are coming be out there in a minute." She walks over to her vanity and grabs her bag.

She walks up to me and looks into my eyes. She looks at my lips then back to my eyes. I really want to kiss her but I don't want her to hate me. I lean in even though I shouldn't. She leans in but Max knocks on the door again and opens it up. "Let's go now!" She jumps back and runs out of the room.

"God damn Max." I look at him with anger. He was shocked because Charlotte ran out of the room so quick. "Oh my god was she going to kiss you?!" I groan and storm out of the room to the cars. "I'm so sorry Loren." He runs up to me and I felt tears in my eyes. I turn around to look at him. "She is staying with him so that was my only chance to kiss her. I'm going to ride home with Evan and Baxter."

I walk over to Evan's car and asked him if I can hitch a ride and he was so excited I asked. I look back and see Charlotte looking me with sad eyes. I think I need to keep some distance for now.

Charlie

She rode home with Evan and Baxter. She didn't want to be around me did I mess everything up. We were so close to kissing and I really wanted to. Crap I'm crushing on her. I hurt her I saw tears in her eyes when she looked back at me before we left.

I felt Stella tap on my shoulder I look at her. "What's going on are you okay? Are you upset because Loren said she liked you?" What?! How does she know did Loren out me!? "What are you talking about?" She rolls her eyes. "You know what I'm talking about Loren told me she told you she liked you and that's why you were upset last night." She didn't out me she just made her look like she is pinning over someone that is straight. "I'm not upset that she likes me."

I sigh and look at the front seats. Max and Keith are holding hands and Max keeps looking at me in the rear view mirror. "Why are you upset with her?" I look down and sigh. "You are going to keep asking me so I'm just going to say it." I sighed and Stella looked so confused. "I think I have feelings for Loren but I love Mitchell and I can't like her."

I look at Stella and she smiles. "Oh is that why she keeps calling you Charlotte?" I hate hearing anyone besides my parents and Loren call me that. Stella puts her hand on mine. I was fidgeting with my fingers she could tell I was upset. "It's okay to like her Charlie. She seems like a nice girl and you can't go back to Mitchell after this weekend. He hurt you."

"He loves me he didn't mean to hurt me." When I said that Keith got pissed off and looked at me. "If he loved you he wouldn't have hurt you."

My eyes tear up and think back to me trying to push him off me and him grabbing my wrist. I'm so grateful for Keith knocking hard on the door. My thoughts go to Loren shoving Mitchell after seeing my bruises. We just talked earlier that day about being friends and she was already protecting me.

"Charlie are you okay?" I look over to Stella. I felt tears going down my face. "I was saying your name multiple time." She looked concerned and the boys did too. "I'm sorry I was thinking." She frowned and hugs me. "Just think about leaving Mitchell please." I sigh and nod.

Loren

I look out the window of Evan's car. I want to be there for Charlotte but it hurts. "So Loren you have fun this weekend?" Baxter turns to look at me with a smile on his face. "I did have fun I appreciate you guys for accepting me in your group."

"Of course you are a really cool chick plus you're hot." Evan says with a big grin on his face. I roll my eyes and ignore what he said. "So how do you guys know Keith and Charlie?" Took everything in me not to call her Charlotte. "Oh they are my cousins." Evan smiles at me in the mirror. Of course he is cousins with the girl I have a crush on and he keeps flirting with me. "That's cool." I give a fake smile and look back out the window.

We finally get to my house and I forgot my bag in Max's trunk so now I have to go to the club to get my stuff. I sigh and walk into my house. I grab my car keys and drive over to the club.

I see Max's car was parked in the lot. I hate that I have to walk through the club to get to the restaurant. I walk in and of course I bump into someone the moment I walk in. "Watch where you are going?!" Charlotte yells at me then she notices it was me and her expression softens. "Loren you really got to stop bumping into me." She smiles and laughs. Her laugh is so angelic and I can't get enough of her smile.

"I'm sorry I'm in a rush. I left my bags in Max's car I need him to unlock his car so I can get them." I start to walk towards the restaurant. "Why are you in a rush?" She walks with me and her hand keeps hitting mine. I can't tell her that I was avoiding her. "Loren what are you doing here?" Oh thank god Max saves me from answering her question.

"I left my stuff in your car and I knew you couldn't drop it off because you are working." He looks at Charlotte and hands her the keys to his car. "Charlie could you bring her to my car I got like 8 tables I'm waiting on?" Charlotte grabs his keys and nods.

We walk to Max's car and the whole walk neither of us talked.  When we got to the car I grabbed my stuff and when I turned around I see she is crying. "Charlotte are you okay?" I drop my bags and put my hands on her shoulders.

"Are you mad at me?" She says in between sobs. I feel like an ass now. "I'm not mad at you just hurt." She sniffles and hugs me. "I'm sorry if I hurt you. What did I do wrong?" I wipe her tears away and sigh. "I don't want you to go back with him but that's not up to me." She pulls me into a tighter hug. "Are you going to say he doesn't love me like everyone else keeps saying?" She buries her face in my neck so I can't see her face.

"No I'm not going to say that. What I want to say I can't." I hold her in my arms I don't want to let her go. She pulls away and looks me in my eyes. "I'm sorry Loren does this mean you don't want to be my friend?"

"I told you I'll always be here for you. I want to be your friend Charlotte." She sighs with relief and picks up my bags. "I'll try to be more considerate of your feelings. I'm sorry about what happened in my room." This girl knows me so well even though she barely knows me. "Thank you Charlotte." I give her a hug before walking to my car.