Preston Greens

22. Everyone's Thinking

"Today seems like a thinking day for me, and I wanted to stop dwelling on some problems, so I came over here to get it off my mind, something to distract me." Charlie said quietly. 

I nodded. I completely understood; I was standing in the same place today for twenty minutes just thinking. 

"Do you want talk about it?" I asked him. We were exactly the same, so maybe we have the same problems. 

"Well, there's this girl I like, but I don't think she likes me back." He said. Charlie seemed to be hesitating, and he never does that with me. I was twitching. 

"You know, I have the same problem." I said quietly. 

"Really?" He asked me, looking up. 

"Yeah.." I said. Now I was hesitating. 

"Who is this person?" I asked him.

 He looked at me straight in the eyes and said "You."

I almost fell back in my chair. I had the same problem! Now I had to tell him my decision I made last week. It was time. I got back up in my chair and faced him. 

The second before I opened my mouth seemed to last for ages. I thought about how once I uttered these words, there was no taking them back.

In that instant, all that time I spent thinking about the practicality of this situation seemed to not matter in the slightest. All it took was that one second, that one look at his face. 

"I like you. You make me feel things I've never felt before. I'm scared to take the next step. I'm not sure how practical it will be. It's all foreign. There is so much going on in our lives and we are so young. But I am willing to try because although it will be difficult, the prospect of living without you seems impossible to bear." I blurted.

 His expression was hard to figure out. "I get it." Was all he said.

"And? Is that all you're going to say?" I asked, slightly frustrated. I just poured my heart out to him and this was what I got in response?

Charlie looked at me. I looked at him, begging for a response, anything, besides what he just gave me. I couldn't stand the silence. Finally, he spoke.

"Carly... I am crazy for you. I want you to be my girlfriend. Wait, no, scratch that. Carla Merriam Sosabella, will you be my girlfriend?" 

 I pinched myself. This was real. 

I went over to the radio and pressed play. A slow song came on. I pulled him out of his chair, ready or not, and looked into his blue eyes.

"Yes, Charles East, I will be your girlfriend."

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We went over our dance routine. We stepped on each other's feet, but that was okay. I couldn't stop laughing! It was a fun time. Before I knew it, it was time for mom and dad to go to karate, so I went downstairs and made us a snack. I got out some pretzels while Charlie was massaging his feet, sitting on a barstool. I put the pretzels on a plate and served them. I sat on the stool next to him and ate some pretzels. 

"Hey, where did all the pretzels go?" Charlie said, sounding a little annoyed. 

"Sorry! I was hungry!" I said. I couldn't believe I ate the whole plate of pretzels! Now I was thirsty for water. I got some water from the fridge and stood by it, waiting for the cup to be filled. Charlie got off his barstool and went to the pantry, getting out the pretzels. He ended up eating the rest of the bag. I couldn't stop laughing.