The summer you didn't expect

Chapter 12

Charlie

It's been 2 weeks since I was in the hospital I had to take it easy because I had a major concussion. I've been texting Loren the whole time but I didn't want her to come to my house. I'm not ready to be that close with her yet. Keith keeps telling me it's fine if I like her and that I should tell her but I can't I'm not ready for my life to change.

Someone knocks on my door and I really don't want to talk to anyone right now. "Honey someone is here for you at the door." I look at my mom with a confused look.

I get up and walk outside my room to the top of the stairs. Loren stood there at our front door. "What are you doing here?" I walk down the stairs and see she has a bag in her hand. "Keith told me you haven't been eating well so I brought you food from work." She holds up the bag with a smile.

Since everything happened I've been in a depression and haven't had an appetite. "Oh Lor thank you." I give a small smile and take the food from her. "I got your favorite a crispy chicken wrap. Oh and fries with extra seasoning." She knows my order she is really trying to get to know me. Thing is I don't know much about her still. I need to start asking questions and stop talking about myself.

"Charlotte are you okay?" Oh shit I haven't responded to her yet. "Uh yeah just in my head today. Let's go in my back yard and eat this." She nods and we walk to the back door. She pulls out my chair for me at the patio table. I smile and kiss her cheek. Her face turned bright red and I laugh. "Why are you laughing?" She asked after pushing my chair in for me.

"You are really cute Loren." Her face turned bright red again. "You're really cute too Charlotte." Now it's my turn to blush. "Thank you again for bringing me food it's just been so hard to care after everything." She puts my hand on mine and rubs circles on the back of my hand. "I care about you and I care enough so you don't have to."

My heart skipped a beat and butterflies were in my stomach when I heard her say that. "Loren I..." I look down at my food and felt my heart racing. I want to tell her but I can't.

Once I do everything is going to change, everyone is going to see me different, guys will sexualize that I like girls, girls will think I'm checking them out and no one will take me serious anymore. With Mitchell I was this posh girl with a handsome man on my side but if I was with Loren it would be different. We are both feminine and I know everyone will ask who is the man. I've heard people ask Max and Keith who's the woman all the time.

"Charlotte what's going on? You have been zoned out a lot since I've been here. What's on your mind?" Loren gave me that concerned look again. That look she always gives me. Tears build up in my eyes and I stand up. "I can't eat right now, I can't do this right now." I'm about to walk back inside but she hugs me from the behind.

"I'm sorry." She presses her forehead to my back. I'm froze I can't walk away and I can't turn around to face her. "Loren I'm scared." I hear her sniffle and I turned in her arms to see her crying. She has seen me cry a million times but I have never seen her cry. "Oh Lor why are you crying?" I put my arms around her neck.

"I don't want to scare you. I want to be the one to make you feel special. Charlotte I need to be honest I'm falling for you." We look into each other's eyes. Her ocean blue eyes stare into my honey brown eyes. "You are falling for me?" I'm shocked all I can do is look in her eyes. She nods and stays quiet. I think she is waiting for me to say something back that is not a question.

"I'm falling for you too Loren but I'm not ready for my life to change. I'm not ready for what everyone is going to say about me. How everyone is going to see me " I lay my forehead on her shoulder. She kisses my head and holds me in her arms. "It's okay that you are not ready I'll wait ages to be with you."