The Virginity Bet [#Wattys 2015]

Chapter 23

As Charlie's alarm clock went off she reached out and slammed it a few times before it shut off.

She yawned, looking around. She looked and saw that Caleb was lying next to her. Naked. She was in his arms with her head on his chest, and his leg was draped over one of hers. She smiled, remembering yesterday.

Then she realized her alarm was going off for a reason. She had to be at school in an hour. Charlie shook Caleb. Finally his eyes shot open. He stared at Charlie for a few seconds then he smiled.

"Good morning, baby." He whispered, reaching his hand up to brush Charlie's hair back behind her ear.

Charlie smiled, "We have to go to school."

Caleb shot up. "Right." From the corner of his eye, he saw his phone on her dresser. It was still recording! Caleb was surprised it hadn't run out of charge yet. Before Charlie could go look for some clothes and end up spotting Caleb's phone recording them having sex, Caleb gently pushed her off the bed and admired her naked body.

She rolled her eyes, "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

He laughed at the irony of the situation and as he felt a breeze, and realized he was naked too. He pushed Charlie into her bathroom and she gave him an uncertain look, "Don't be so quick to get rid of me, Caleb." She whispered, licking her lips. She suddenly pressed her body against his, as if asking for another rounds She kissed him for a long while and finally pulled away.

"Y-You go brush and wash up and get ready and stuff. Mind if I use your window to go get ready?"

Charlie smiled, "Don't fall on your way out." She turned and walked into her bathroom. He admired her beautiful body as she walked away from him and he cursed himself over and over again because he knew this would be the last time he'd see her after what he was about to do.

As soon as she closed the bathroom door, Caleb slyly walked over to his phone. He winked at the camera just for show, and finally shut off his phone. The guilty feeling in him settled.

He stepped through Charlie's window, onto the tree, and into his own room. He plugged his phone into the charger, and walked into the bathroom.

He looked at himself in the mirror. "You're a terrible human being." He told himself, "You just made someone fall in love with you, you took their virginity, spoiled all of their beliefs about only having sex during marriage, and you're about to release naked pictures of her in bed with him. Wow. Way to go, Caleb. Way to fucking go. All for respect? Screw respect? 500 dollars? You're pathetic, Caleb. But it's too late to turn back." He paused and said, "But you love her. You don't have to do this. You don't have to release the pictures. You can forget the bet even exists." He paused and shook his head, completely pushing aside the ridiculuous thoughts, "Suck it up, wuss." He said again.

-----

Charlie's doorbell rang. She took one last glance in the mirror at her knee length black flowy skirt, with a neon pink crop  half-sleeved top. She wore it with a pair of black converse, and smiled. She opened her door and saw a smiling Caleb. "You look gorgeous." He commented, eyeing her body.

She blushed, "Don't I always?" She joked.

He snorted, "Cocky this morning, are we?"

She grinned, "I'm just glad you were still there when I woke up. I can't say that for the rest of the girls that have ended up sleeping with the dashing Caleb Hughes." She rolled her eyes.

He chuckled, and leaned in, kissing her cheek softly, "You're the last girl I'll ever be sleeping with." Lies, Lies, Lies! He told himself. Why am I still keeping up this act? I got what I wanted? I'm going to release the video when I get to school, so why the hell am I still pretending? He asked himself.

The two rode to school in Caleb's car. Charlie still couldn't bear to see her sister. Her mom could deal with giving her a ride. Or she could walk. Whatever. She didn't really care.

-----

"Holy crap!" Mason said at the flashdrive Caleb handed him. "Did you really get Charlie Harper, the biggest prude of them all, laid?" He asked Caleb with raised eyebrows.

Caleb shrugged, "Can you play it at lunch?"

"Hell yeah, bro. Can't wait to see this." Mason said, clutching the flashdrive.

"If this really is it" He said, "Props, bro. I've been trying for three years." He pulled Caleb in fro a handshake and Caleb nodded, "Thanks, man." He walked away, half waving.

Meanwhile

Charlie spotted Oliver leaning against his locker talking to some other guys. She had a while before class started, so she jogged up to him. "Oliver! Hey!" She smiled as she approached the guys.

They gave her and Oliver weird looks. "Since when does Charlie Harper know your name?" One of the guys gaped at Oliver.

He shrugged, "I don't know."

Charlie was hurt that he said that, but she shrugged it off and asked the guys with a sweet smile, "Uh, guys? Can I talk to Oliver for a second... alone?"

They nodded, quickly walking away, looking over their shoulders at Charlie and their friend.

"Can I help you with something?" Oliver rudely asked.

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Look, I'm just here to say sorry. I know you overheard me talking with Caleb. But he was just freaking out about Lucas and me and, ugh, everything, and I just said that in the heat of the moment, because I didn't want him to jump to conclusions."

Oliver glanced at her with a look of pity. He said in a sickly sweet voice, "Are you sure you're not too embarrassed of people seeing you talk to me? Clearly I'm just some guy." He quoted Charlie, "Who means nothing to you."

"Oliver! You mean something to me. I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I was being an idiot, okay? I don't want to lose an amazing friend like you. Or at least the beginning of such an awesome friendship."

"Shh!" He said, putting his finger to his lip, "Lucy is walking by." He sarcastically mumbled.

Charlie turned, and sure enough, Lucy was giving her a questioning look. Charlie rolled her eyes, "I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you, Oliver." As if to prove her point, she hugged him and shouted loudly for anyone in the hallway to hear, "OLIVER, YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD FRIEND! THANK YOU!"

Everyone was now staring at Charlie. She smirked at Oliver, who smiled back, "Fine. I forgive you. But I have to get to Calc. So I'll see ya later, okay Charlie?"

Charlie nodded, glad that Oliver had forgiven her. She waved to him as he left, and leaned against the lockers. Oliver? Check. Lucas? Not quite. She thought, It's time to confront Lucas about his little locker room talk. It's time that the two had a chat. It's time for closure.