Bad Boy Temptation

5. Ctrl Alt Delete

Charlie's POV

Were my eyes deceiving me or was Ace Caldwell currently standing on my front porch?

Honestly, I wish my eyes were deceiving me.

I hadn't seen him since we broke up, and even though he did look a tad different with his shorter hair, there was no mistaking that stupidly gorgeous face.

Ugh, I could just melt.

I swear I could feel my eyes widening to the point that they were about to pop out of their sockets. Out of all the people I expected to be knocking on my door, he was the last one that I wanted to see.

"Hey." His honeyed voice gave me butterflies. And that smile, that beautiful smile of his caused my entire world to come to a halt.

For a moment, I almost forgot everything that went down.

That he broke up with me.

That he broke my heart.

He didn't want me to be with him through his worst.

And now he decides to show up on my porch unannounced?

In a panic, I decided to slam the door in his face and instantly press my back up against it, as if my scrawny self could somehow prevent him from opening the door with ease, if he decided to even try. But thankfully, he didn't.

Is this what Adelaide wanted to talk to me about? The sudden return of Ace freaking Caldwell? Because if so, why the hell couldn't she just send a freaking text?!

Ctrl alt delete me please.

"Charlie?" My mom quirked an eyebrow at me. "Is everything okay?"

I scowled at her, like full on scowled at her—which was something I rarely did to my mother for fear that she might smite me.

"Why would you tell him that I was here?" I asked, frustrated.

"I'm sorry, I thought you might have wanted to talk to him." Mom says. "It's been awhile since you both last talked."

"Ugh!" I groaned, dramatically so as I force myself to my feet. "Next time he comes here, do me a favor and tell him that I'm not here." I snapped. "Or better yet, tell him I don't wish to speak to him ever again!"

I know, I'm being a massive brat, right? Still, I was far too angry at the world to be kind about any of this.

"Charlie!" My mom snapped as I stormed off. "That is no way to speak to your mother!"

I answered with a frustrated slam of my bedroom door before heading over to my bed and falling face first into my pillow. I screamed extra dramatically into my pillow until my throat began to hurt.

Why!

Why!?

WHY DID ACE HAVE TO SHOW UP ON MY DOORSTEP?!

GAHHHHH!

After all of this time!

And just as I was beginning to think I could possibly move on from him and focus more on my school, like becoming this year's valedictorian. I know, it's so uncool of me, but I have and most probably always will be a massive nerd, and I'm okay with that. In the past, I may have hated who I was, but I finally accepted myself for who I truly was; a massive homosexual nerd.

But now, Ace is back.

And he'll probably be coming back to Clarence High for his senior year, as well. If he doesn't have to repeat the grade for his rather lengthy absence, that is.

I don't know if I can do this.

I can't face him, not after what happened.

I wanted to stand by him, to help him during his time of need, but he chose to go at it alone.

He didn't want me, or need me.

And I am not just upset about him breaking up with me before he headed off to rehab. I'm upset about the fact that he lied to me, and that he kept doing drugs behind my back, and that he almost overdosed.

And that I found him....

I found him like that, lifeless and lying on that tiled floor.

Most of all, I was upset that I had no idea what was going on with him. How did I not realise? How did I not know what he was going through?

He said it best himself.

He is broken beyond repair.

And not even I could fix him.

My phone begins to ring from its place somewhere amidst my bed covers. After rifling, I finally find it with Nora's cringe face on the screen.

She was FaceTiming me.

Ever since she decided on moving to Los Angeles so that she could start her fashion brand or whatever, I had hardly heard from her. Why would I with her life going so greatly?

I mean, she's living in Los Angeles of all places! And she was in a perfect relationship with Connor. You remember Connor Andrews? The handsome stepbrother to Allegra—the wannabe homewrecker? Yes, him and Nora are in a relationship with each other.

I was happy for them.

Truly.

At least one of the Harrington children get to have a happy ever after.

I swipe my thumb across the screen to answer the phone. "Hello?" I said, withdrawn.

"Charlie!" Her happier than average voice squealed through the phone. "How are you?"

How should I play this?

Should I pretend that I'm doing fine, or should I tell my sister the truth and have a mental breakdown in the process?

"Eh." I responded with option C.

"Guess what!" Her voice was one key away from bursting my eardrum.

Moving the phone slightly away from my ear, I respond. "What?"

"Connor proposed to me!"