Forever Summer

Chapter 41

Nick waves at Charlize. "Hey! I saw your text that said you wanted to meet up." said Nick. "What's up?"
Charlize had her feet crossed like a knot. "Oh, I just needed someone to talk to. I felt like this was a good place for us to hang-out."
They were up on a hill, with the sound of waves crashing below them. Charlize gestured to Nick to walk with her.
"Anyway, I've been hanging out with some friends lately. For some reason I just felt like I needed some time away from them for a while, like I wasn't sure where I stood with them." said Charlize.
"You mean, the friends from our school or your other school?" asked Nick.
"The ones at our school."
"Oh."
"There's nothing wrong with them by the way." reassured Charlize. "It's just I've been...I don't know how to put it in words but I've been feeling like shit."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
They stopped at a tree, Charlize lay back on it. "Nick, have you ever had the feeling that you're not good enough for anyone?" she asked.
"I mean...I've felt that way a couple of times, especially in my previous relationships." answered Nick, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Were they good to you?"
"Of course," said Nick. "The relationship just didn't work, that's all."
"That's good." responded Charlize. "I've been in relationships where guys took advantage of me." She sighed. "There was this one sweet guy who took me out one time and when we were kissing, he tried to slip his hands into my pants."
There was a pause.
"I think I broke his arm afterwards." she said, rubbing her arm. "I also had this other guy ask me for nudes and my best friend suggested I send him my feet."
Charlize laughed. "Let's say...that guy had a weird interest."
Nick chuckled, hoping it was the right response.
"But yeah, I've been in some rough relationships. It sorta took a toll on my mental health."
"You were depressed?" asked Nick.
Charlize nodded. "Not only that, those relationships also ruined my friendships. I think that's why I moved here from my previous school."
"You moved twice." Nick added, holding out two fingers.
"Yes, the other school before that was my main one," said Charlize. Then her eyes light up. "Ooh! Ooh! Did I tell you they filmed a popular movie there?"
Nick shook his head.
"There was also a theme park close by. I heard they were going to have a field trip for Grad Night."
"I don't know if we will have Grad Night this year," said Nick. "They're kinda working on it since our school's kinda broke."
Charlize frowned. "It would honestly suck if we don't."
She gets her back off the tree and continues walking. "Anyway, back to our previous topic, I was thinking about moving back to my other school."
Nick turned her head to her. "You're moving?"
"I said I was thinking about it."
"Oh."
Charlize stares off at the distance. "Yeah, I kinda miss it - my best friends - this other sweet guy who I used to hang-out with."
She turned to Nick, who had a jealous look on his face. "Relax, he's the guy I used to have a crush on. I told you about it, didn't I?"
Nick recalled back to Rachel's. "Yeah...I remember."
Charlize placed her arm around his. "The only thing holding me back from leaving is you."
Nick looked at the arm, realizing this was the second time she had touched him. The first time was when they began dating, when she gave him a side hug.
"You know Nick." muttered Charlize. "Thanks for being someone I can rely on. You're like one of the only people who I have met besides my old friends who care."
Shortly after having her arm wrapped around his, she lets go. She stops near a cliffside where she watches the sun disappear from the horizon.
"Nick, do you have any other friends?" she asked, turning to him as he stood beside her.
"Well, I have Marc,." Nick responded.
"Who's Marc?"
"He's my best friend," Nick replied. "I was planning to have you meet him at the movies but you didn't go."
"I know, I know. I was just busy." said Charlize. "I knocked myself out after the party lasted till four o'clock in the morning."
There was an awkward pause.
"Perhaps we can make it up if another movie releases," Charlize suggested.
"Hmm...sure."
There was a short pause.
"Speaking of movies, me and my best friend went to watch this horror movie during Halloween," said Charlize. "We were kinda stoned so we spent half of the movie just laughing our asses off at the most random things."
"I didn't know you do drugs."
"Well, it was my first time since my best friend offered." Charlize explained. "She said it enhances the experience which to me, it sorta did until I began having a panic attack."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Nick.
Charlize turns around and looks at the hill of grass in front of them. She grabs Nick's hand and walks up to it. Then she fell backward and told Nick to lay next to her. They look up at the dark sky, filled with stars.
"Whenever I had the chance, I would lay down in an open field of grass at night and stargaze," said Charlize. "It was one of my favorite things back in my hometown."
She turned to Nick, who had his hands placed behind his head. "Do you like to stargaze too?" she asked.
"Well, I don't usually see the stars at night so I don't see the point of stargazing if there are no stars."
"Well Nick, one of my favorite quotes that pop out of my head is-"
She paused for a second and searched through her pocket to get out her phone. She quickly looks for the quote.
Never ignore a person who loves you, cares for you and misses you. Because one day, you might wake up from your sleep and realize that you lost the moon while counting the stars.
Charlize smiled. "I always think of this quote whenever I stargaze," she said. "It just fits whenever I have to clear my head after a shitty day. It reminds me of the people I have in my life and how they took me for granted."
Nick then faced her. "You know...that's actually a very good quote," he said, grinning.
"I know right." said Charlize, looking back at the sky.
While they continued watching, Nick remembered something. He gets out his phone and goes on Instagram. After pulling up Charlize's profile, they suddenly heard a car beeping.
Nick and Charlize quickly stood up. Then Charlize's phone went off, with the caller name: Sophia.
"Oop! That's my best friend. I have to go." said Charlize, walking away.
"Where are you going?" Nick asked.
"To the movies."
Nick watched her approach the car as the friend got out to hug her. Through the window, Charlize waves goodbye at Nick as the car drives away.
Nick waved back with his phone still in his hand, revealing the disabled account from Charlize.