Pretty Boy [Completed and Revised Version]

Chapter 37

Caleb's POV
As friends?! Really, dumbass?! I groaned and buried my face in my pillow. Why am I such a wimp?! What happened to winning her over, getting her back and sweeping her off her feet?!

Looking at her sitting there, so near yet so far was torture. I miss her so much and it took all the energy I had not to just pull her close and kiss those damn lips. I guess I thought I didn't want to scare her by coming on too strong. But I never thought that I was such a wuss. I had to go back to the states the next afternoon. I gotta do something. And fast.
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Charlie's POV
I tossed and turned in my bed. The tears kept flowing, which pisses me off. I hated crying. Made me feel weak. I finally sat up and groaned. Damnit, I couldn't sleep. I took my phone and clicked Dara's number. I waited as her phone rang.

"Hello! Hey, Charlie!" Dara greeted me cheerfully. Suddenly I felt tearful again. I missed her. I felt like flying back to the US and just curl up in a ball in her arms and just bawl my head off.

"Dara, hey. So, Caleb's here." I got straight to the point. There was a tiny gasp on Dara's end and then quiet.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't tell him where you are. He saw you at the beach, by accident. Then he called me and made me confirm that you are, in fact, in Sydney. Other than that, I never told him anything. I guess he went on serach for you." Dara said. I sighed and leaned back against my pillow.

"Well, we talked today and he wanted to be friends." I said in resignation.

"The eff did he mean by being friends? Is he for real?!" Dara said incredulously.

"Right?! I mean like, the hell man! I left you and when we meet again after 8 months, you want to be friends..urgh..please!" I groaned.

"Charlie, you still love him don't you?" Dara said in a serious voice. I was quiet as my tears flow down my cheeks.

"So much, Dara. So much that it hurts." I chocked.

"Oh honey.." Dara sighed.

Then, after a few minutes, I took a shaky breath and assured Dara I was fine. I made her promise not to tell Caleb about what I told her. Dara gave me her word. Then we hung up and I willed myself to sleep. But my dreams were only full of Caleb.
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The next morning, I went to work with a heavy heart. I was not in a good mood. I arrived pretty early, since I couldn't really sleep last night. Damn Caleb! He kept appearing in my dream. I sat in the lunch room, nursing a cup of coffee. It was only 8:15. Just then, Julie appeared. She went to get her coffee and then sat opposite me. She just stared at me once in a while and sipped her coffee. I glanced at her. She looked at me much like how Dara looked at me when she wanted to help me, but was giving me the space I need.

"Caleb and I used to date. We broke up because of the media and online bullying. I couldn't take it anymore so I broke it off. And last night, he said he wanted us to just be friends..." I broke down and Julie quickly went to me and hugged me.

" Shh, it's okay. Everything's gonna be fine." Julie comforted me. I cried until I couldn't anymore. Luckily nobody came into the lunch roomp.

Julie took me to the ladies' and I fixed myself up. She helped me with my makeup that I looked presentable enough to go out there like nothing happened.

I walked to my cubicle and started switching on my laptop and organising the folders that I would need for work today. Soon, the office was buzzing. I was typing on my laptop when I heard a familiar voice. No way.

I peeked over my cubicle and almost chocked when I saw Caleb! What the hell was he doing here?! I shrunk lower in my cubicle, but peeked through the gap of the partition.