Forever Yours

chapter twenty-four

I gasp at the sudden intrusion and pray to God that it's no one we really know. But my prayers aren't answered when I discover that it's Charles. I slap my hand over my mouth and push Joel away from me. He gets tangled up in my dress for a second, but then finally comes out. "What's wrong Lo?" Then he meets my gaze over on Charles. We are both pale in the face.

"Sorry LO," Charles says, emphasizing my nickname that Joel just used. "I was just looking for a bathroom. Sorry to interrupt, carry on." Then he leaves the room with a wicked grin on his face.

I quickly steady myself as I hop off the counter. I fix my dress quickly and run after Charles. I bust through the door and find that he is not too far away. I run after him and grab onto his arm to turn him to face me. "Charles, wait."

"Wait for what?" He says a little sadistically. "The show to go on? I'm alright, incest is a little too much for me."

Him saying that makes me feel gross. Why would he say something like that? "Excuse me?" I finally say, angry as all hell.

"Well, your dad and his mom are together so that makes you two, practically, brother and sister. Incest. Shall I say it again?" Charles spits out.

"That's enough," Joel says, suddenly appearing behind me. He rests a hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

Charles gets a good look at us before saying, "Ugh, you two are disgusting." Emphasizing the word disgusting. I want to lunge at him and punch him in the face or say something along the lines of 'you're disgusting,' but I must stay on his good side.

"Charles please, you can't tell our parents," I'm begging.

He gets an evil look on his face. "What's in it for me?"

I glare at him, ugh, I really do want to punch him. "What do you want?" I spit the question out like it's poison on my tongue.

He thinks this over for a good couple minutes. Joel and I growing more irritated as time goes on. I'm about to say something else when Charles finally speaks up, "A kiss at midnight. Oh, and you don't need to dance with Joel, when you have me for the rest of the night."

I feel Joel get tense behind me. He squeezes my shoulder that his hand is still attached to. I meet his hand with mine and give it a squeeze, trying to relax him. I think this over in my head until I see Charles growing bored.

"Do we have a deal or what?" Charles asks impatiently.

Joel gives my shoulder another squeeze, as if saying it's okay. "Deal," I simply say. We are all quiet for a minute until something dawns on me. "Why would you use a bathroom on the complete opposite side of the museum? You were following us, weren't you?!" I point an accusing finger at Charles.

Charles stutters, "I...I was not." He is so guilty looking.

"Wow, what a perv," Joel comments.

Charles gets angry and yells to Joel, "At least I'm not the one banging my sister!"

Joel tries to lunge at Charles, but I stop him and push him away, "Joel, no." I glare at Charles. I am so mad at him that I could kill him. Well, that is a little violent Willow. Maybe not kill, just seriously injure.

"C'mon Charles," his name coming from my mouth sickens me. But I would be even more sick if Dad and Connie knew what was going on. The thought of Charles telling them what he saw makes me want to throw up.

Charles offers me his arm and I reluctantly take it. I sense Joel trudging along behind us. Stomping to show how irritated he is with the whole situation.

We make it back to the ballroom. Dad sees me locked arms with Charles and smiles. Ugh, I hate this so much.Dad actually thinks I am enjoying this. Yeah right. Never in a million years.

Charles and I make it out to the dance floor, and we dance. I am having the worst time. I try to keep a smile on my face though because Dad is watching. And I do not know what may tick off Charles into telling Dad and Connie. I look over sadly at Joel as he sits at our table and watches us with disdain. I can tell how much this is hurting him because I'm feeling the exact same way. Being in someone else's arms feels wrong. It feels like a sin.

Charles is good-looking enough, but he is nothing compared to Joel. His slicked back, brown hair looks as if he used a whole tub of hair gel. His towers over me at a height of six foot five. His brown eyes watch me the whole time and it freaks me out.

He pulls me closer, and I cannot even try to stop it because of the way that he's squeezing me. It's so unbearable, I think my lungs might give out.

"You look beautiful tonight, Willow," Charles whispers.

"Don't try to small talk me. That was not part of the deal." I shoot him a glare.

He just smiles wickedly at me and says, "Well, I've changed my mind. Unless you want me to tell your dad and give him—what I'm sure will be—a heart attack."

I subtly shake my head and frown.

"That's what I thought," he says. "Let's try this again. You look beautiful tonight, Willow."

I glare at him again. "Thanks," I say with no enthusiasm whatsoever.

We dance for a little while longer, until it nears midnight. Everyone gathers in the middle of the room. A large screen is set up on stage for us to watch the ball drop. Dad, Connie, Joel, and Charles' dad come to stand next to Charles and me.

We all stand and watch as the countdown begins at 11:59. Everyone is yelling, whooping, and hollering. Well, everyone except Joel and me. Joel stands to my right, while Charles stands to my left, hand on my lower back. I close my eyes and imagine him being Joel. I cannot believe that at this time last year, I was professing my love to Joel and having sex with him in my bed. And now here I am, in Charles arms, as Joel watches.

Ten. This feels wrong.

Nine. So wrong.

Eight. Why is this my life? Why can't I just be with Joel in peace.

Seven. I look over at Joel as see that he is already watching me.

Six. He looks so sad.

Five. Charles pulls me to him, hands on my hips.

Four. I love you, Joel.

Three. Remember that.

Two. "Pucker up," Charles says to me.

One. Happy freaking New Year.

Charles leans down and kisses me. I want to imagine that it's Joel. I am kissing Joel. But it's just so repulsive that it could not possibly be Joel. It's disgusting, and not just that fact that Charles is literally slobbering all over my face, but because he is not Joel.