The Virginity Bet [#Wattys 2015]

Chapter 14

"Hey Char." Lucy chirped as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"What's up, babe?" Charlie grinned.

"Ky told me about you and a certain someone." She said with a wink.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Yes. Me and Caleb are dating now!" She squealed, suppressing the urge to jump up and down and clap her hands like a child.

"I'm so happy for you! You haven't dated anyone, since I like, moved here in freshman year" She said, pulling Charlie in for a hug. For some reason, Charlie sensed that she was tense, but she didn't ask, because there was already enough drama going on with Luke being back. Plus, Charlie met Lucy after Luke's disappearance, so she had never told her what had happened.

It had been only a few days since he showed up at her doorstep, but she still hadn't seen him back in school thankfully.

"Thanks, Luce. Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier, I guess everyone just had so much going on that I forgot about one of my best friends. So, tell me what's going on with you?"

"Oh! Don't even worry about it. See... there's this guy."

Charlie's eyes widened, "You? Thinking about boys?" Her jaw practically dropped to the floor.

Lucy smacked her, "Okay, I know I'm socially awkward, but that doesn't mean I can't have feelings!"

Charlie rolled her eyes playfully, "Yeah, yeah. So whose the lucky guy? You haven't liked a guy since... ever!"

"He's new. He just got here yesterday, you wouldn't know him."

Charlie bit her lip, and she was about to ask for his name, when the crowded hall they were in suddenly turned quiet. Everyone's heads turned to the direction of the school's front doors.

Lucy gasped, pulling on Charlie's sleeve. "There he is now!" She whispered.

Charlie was staring in the direction Lucy was referring to. She sighed and didn't realize what the big deal was. She took a sip of the steaming cup of coffee she had gotten from Starbucks that morning, and inhaled the great smell that came with it. When Luke strutted through the front door, looking smug and cocky, Charlie nearly spit out the coffee in her mouth.

"You like Luke?" She spat and Lucy smacked her, "Shh! People will hear. How do you know Luke?"

Charlie exhaled, "Long story."

When Luke met Charlie's gaze, she looked away. He stopped walking as he reached her, "I could really use a friend." He said to Charlie.

Charlie continued looking in the other direction. She could feel her classmates eyes trained on her. Some were looks of pity and sympathy, while others were jealous and hateful.

"Why does Charlie get all the hot guys? She isn't even that cute!" She heard a girl whisper from nearby. Lucy shot her a glare and the girl's friend giggled, "I know right! It's so unfair. I think my dog is cuter."

"W-Well we'll be your friends." Lucy stuttered, but said with a genuine smile. Charlie shot her a glare, "Speak for yourself." She mumbled.

"Thanks." Luke said to Lucy with a grin. He looked back at Charlie, "What happened to being civil?" He joked.

"Maybe I changed my mind." She sneered.

Caleb neared the group, who was awkwardly standing on one side of the hallway. "Hey you." He said, planting a kiss on Charlie's cheek.

"Hey baby." She said with a smile, feeling warm inside. Charlie realized that when Luke said hello to her, she didn't feel a thing. But when Caleb did it, her heart filled with butterflies and her insides did somersaults. She decided that what Luke did to her was history, and while she would never forget it, or maybe never forgive him for it, she could at least act normal, for both his and Lucy's sake. She did seem to have a crush on him after all.

"I missed you." Caleb said.

Charlie rolled her eyes jokingly, "Stop being so clingy, Caleb."

Lucy laughed. Charlie noticed a pain look on Luke's face, so she cleared her throat, stepping away from Caleb, "If you ever need a friend Lucas, we're here." She mumbled.

-----

"Luke! Over here!" Lucy said with a smile on her face, gesturing Lucas to her lunch table. He had looked so helpess for a moment.

He gratefully smiled at the table's occupants, "Thanks. Hey guys."

Caleb snorted, shooting Lucy a scowl. Charlie let out a light chuckle, seeing as the only reason Caleb didn't like Luke was because of what he had done to Charlie. She snaked her arm around Caleb's waist, "Is someone jealous?" She whispered.

Charlie saw Logan and Mason shooting their group glares from a few tables away. Kylie kept her head down, eatng her food in silence.

"Please. Jealous of a scrawy kid like Luke?" He joked.

Luke pouted and Charlie smacked Caleb playfully, "Don't be mean."

"I am not scrawny!" Luke glared.

Lucy giggled, "Yeah, Luke is definitely not scrawny!" She agreed.

Everyone laughed at that, even Kylie managed to softly smile. "Thanks, cutie." Luke said, and he planted a wet, sloppy kiss on Lucy's cheek. Charlie looked away, and she felt a pang stab at her heart. That used to be me, she thought.

Caleb coughed, "Get a room, you two."

Kylie was the only one who seemed to sense the pained look on Charlie's face. She grabbed her wrist and said, "Mind if I talk to you for a sec, Char?"

I nodded, glad for the excuse to get away from the table.

"Are you okay with this? With him sitting here?" Kylie asked her softly.

Charlie bit her lip and said, "Honestly, no. It's hurts so much. I know, I know, I'm with Caleb, but... I can't just see him kissing Lucy like that in front of me. Not to mention he literally just met her a few hours ago and he's planting his lips on her!"

"I know, Ky. The same thing happened with you and Logan. You can't blame Lucy though, she doesn't even know about Luke."

Charlie nodded, "I know."

"Good. Do you want me to make him leave? Lucy will understand, she knows I'm upset about Logan, and that I need space."

Charlie shook her head, "It's okay, Ky. Thanks for pulling me away. I just needed a second to breathe."

"Of course. Are you ready to go back?" She asked sensitively. Charlie nodded and they started walking back to their table. Before they got there, Charlie grabbed Kylie's wrist and stopped her. Kylie looked back, raising an eyebrow.

"Listen, Ky." She started.

"I know" Kylie interrupted her, "This doesn't mean you forgive me for what I said, I know."

Charlie smiled, shaking her head, "Actually, I was going to say I do forgive you. It's okay. Sometimes people just say things they don't mean. We're okay. Okay?"

"Okay." Kylie whispered, "Thank you."

Charlie smiled and they both walked back to the table with their heads held high. Charlie looked over to Mason's jock table and shot Logan a glare.

They both sat back down at a table to find that the conversation going on was about bras that clasp in the front.

"What did I just walk in on?" Kylie joked, seemingly happier than she was before lunch had started.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Lucy said shaking her head, but there was an unmistakable trace of a smile left on her face.