Just Friends?

Chapter XXI

I stared at him again. The words that left is lips sounded like a lie.
"If you would never leave me," I stuttered, "then why did you?"
Charlie paused.
He looked at me, his eyes filled when a troubled look.
"I had to." He finally said.
"You didn't. We could've- you know what? Forget it." I looked at him, my heart burning with a fire, a deep searing pain seeping through my eyes and penetrating his eyes. I didn't care. My heart burned, my sight was blurring, tears welling in my eyes.
"No! We can't. We couldn't have. You don't understand." He looked down at me, I could hear in his voice he was almost as pained as I was.
"WHAT! WHAT DO I NOT UNDERSTAND?" I stormed into the room turning my back to him so he wouldn't see me cry. I crossed my arms, "I don't understand Charlie. I really don't."
"I don't expect you to." His hand touched my shoulder.
"DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T YOu ever touch me." My voice progressively softened.
Tears streamed down my face like waterfalls.
"I-I-I don't want to talk..not to you," I pull my shoulder from his grasp and make my way to the door. It's silent for a while as my hand reaches to grab the handle. The brass tingling under my warm hands. My makeup is streaming down my face. I can't look at him like this. I feel his presence behind me.
"Then don't talk to me."
I turn around as he finishes his sentence. His had is drawn to my face like a magnet. His thumb drawing circles against my cheek. With his other hand he wipes my tears away. His voice is softer this time but when he whispers, it becomes raspy.
"Shh. If you don't want to talk we don't have to."
I looked him in the eye and broke into full on tears, I buried my face in his chest, his arms wrapping around me. I couldn't do this anymore. I can't stay upset with him, not like this, I need him. I need his safe embrace.
He ran his fingers through my long blonde hair. His arms pull around my waist and lift me up a little so my toes barely touch the ground. I sobbed into his shoulder. His arms rubbing my back. I wish I could stay like this forever.
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A week later
I run my hand through the air outside of the moving car. Creating wave-like motions with my fingertips, my palm following in the similar motions.
Break the Rules by Charlie XCX is blasting through the car.
"Thank god the semester is over! I've been waiting for this trip forever," Sage yelled over the loud music.
I smiled and nodded, my mind was somewhere other than the trip we were on in Costa Rica.
"Come on Chica! Let go! Have fun!!" Sage laughed.
"I am!!" I decided to stop thinking about it for a little bit.
We pull into the parking lot of the beach, with the music still playing at full volume.
I hop out of our black pick-up that we rented for the trip. I pull myself to the top of the car and sit on the top for a second.
"The waves look amazing today!!" I yell down to Sage.
"Long or short boards then?" Sage yells back to me.
"Hmm," I smiled, "Long!"
"Yess, I've been so excited to use them this season," Sage yelled up to me.
I slid off the truck and ran to the back. I pulled out my white long board. I ran my hand along the two black stripes that surrounded to center red stripe. In the center of the board was a painting of three hibiscus flowers. I wrapped my arm around the board then turned to Sage. Her blue board was in her arm, it had a similar design to mine but hers looked like the sides of the board had been dipped in lime green paint. There was a black stripe that ran down the center of her board and like mine, she had a painting on her board. Her painting was located at the tail of the board where it would be closest to touching the wave when you surfed. Her painting was of three dolphins. I dropped my wetsuit over the middle of my board and Sage did the same.