Boy Oh Boys! (Season 1)

Chapter 5-3

Charlie found it hard to sleep that night. Not only had she ruined one of the Astronomy Club's pricey telescopes, but she was totally freaked out by seeing Pace lurking in the woods.

"Is he really something weird like Rib said?" she hugged Lilly fearfully and peered out the window. "Well, at least he's not here right now," she decided, climbing onto her bed and trying to get comfortable. "If Pace is some supernatural being, I'd rather not share a room."

Charlie frowned nervously, but finally closed her eyes. However, the morning only provided a new worry.

~~~

"Pace never came home again last night," she told the boys as Max passed around a fresh plate of blueberry muffins.

"Classic Pace," sighed Demeter.

"I told you vampires have to go find prey and get a little rest in their coffins sometimes," Rib ripped open a new box of cereal.

"Seriously, Rib," Demeter looked at him disapprovingly.

"What? It's true!" shouted Rib, yanking on the bag of cereal. "Why won't this open?" he grunted, placing his teeth on the bag, trying to tear it.

However, when the plastic finally let loose, its contents exploded into the air, covering Charlie in Scary O's.

"Good going!" said Apollo, removing the bits of cereal from Charlie's hair.

"Heh, sorry," grinned Rib, picking a Scary O off of her shoulder and popping it into his mouth.

~~~

"Do you think Pace is really gonna show?" Apollo wondered as they waited at the bus stop after breakfast.

"He told Charlie he'd come," shrugged Rib.

"But what if he doesn't? How else are we gonna convince him to enter the competition?" Demeter worried.

"Yeah, he has to come," said Apollo.

"He also has to come soon," added Max anxiously. "The bus will be arriving at any moment."

Charlie glanced around stressfully, but to her great shock, she spotted Pace strolling up the sidewalk.

"Look!" she exclaimed.

"Great!" Rib grinned. "Now all we have to worry about is how he reacts when we get to the rec center."

Charlie gulped as the bus pulled up and her dorm boarded. It was already packed with riders and there weren't many open seats remaining.

"I call the back seat!" Demeter shouted as he and Apollo quickly rushed along the aisle.

Spying an empty window-seat, Charlie took a step towards it, but Rib plopped down before she could sit.

"Mine!" he grinned.

"There is a seat there," Max pointed kindly to a vacant spot, but Pace suddenly pushed past, stealing the seat.

Charlie glanced around for another place to sit, but everything was now taken.

"It is okay. We can stand," said Max, grabbing one of the handles hanging from the ceiling.

Charlie also reached for a handle as the bus took off, hoping that the new recreation center was not too far away, but several minutes later, she found that she was already quite uncomfortable to be standing. The bus driver was wild, zooming fast and furiously down the street.

"Whoa!" Max held her steady as they turned a corner, and Charlie glared back angrily at Pace.

"That jerk takes everything from me!" she thought. "Well, not after today," she grinned, remembering the shopping list she had tucked in her pocket.

Charlie shot Pace another glance, but this time he caught her and returned the look with one of his stone-cold stares.

"Eep!" she quickly turned back around, but just then, the driver slammed on the brakes, sending Charlie flying down the aisle and right onto Pace's lap.

Frozen with shame, Charlie looked up at Pace. He was staring down at her, completely expressionless except for an intensity in his eyes. Then, his eyes shifted from her face to her neck.

"Please don't be a vampire. Please don't be a vampire," Charlie flinched and closed her eyes, preparing to feel a bite. "Here it comes," she worried as she felt something touch her neck.

However, squinting open one eye, she saw it had only been Pace's finger.

"You had a Scary O stuck to you," he said blandly, holding up the piece of cereal.

"Oh," Charlie blushed, quickly standing up.

"Hey, guys! We're here!" Rib suddenly shouted and Pace glanced out the window.

"This isn't the mall," he narrowed his eyes at Charlie suspiciously.

"I know!" she said quickly, trying to stop his coming anger. "But we're going there right after this! I promise!" 

"Whatever," said Pace, standing up and flicking the Scary O at her forehead.

Charlie watched in bewilderment as he slunk off of the bus and into the rec center.

"Well, at least we got him inside," said Rib, patting her shoulder, but Charlie knew that the hard part wasn't over.