Forever Yours

chapter twenty-five

The rest of the trip is uneventful. We do some more sightseeing and celebrating. Celebrating the opening of Dad's exhibit and New Year's. We go to dinners with Dad's work colleagues. On our last night in D.C., we have dinner with Fredrick and Charles Hope.

Of course, I have to sit next to Charles. And of course, Dad thinks we are like a thing now. I sit in between Joel and Charles. Awkward. Dad, Connie, and Fredrick are on the opposite side of the table. Dinner is fine, nothing crazy is happening so far. Dad and Fredrick talk about work, while Connie asks Charles about college. Joel and I are quiet for the most part, but I don't think anyone really notices. Well, maybe Charles. I think he knows this is tearing Joel and me apart, and I am sure he likes it. Asshole.

I hate Charles. I hate him so much. I cannot believe he followed us. And I especially cannot believe that he's basically blackmailing me.

After dinner, while everyone is just talking, Charles thinks it's okay to rest his hand on my thigh. The nerve! I want to push his hand away. I want to stab it with my fork. But again, I don't know what might set him off to tell Dad and Connie. I just have to suffer.

I look over at Joel with wide eyes. He gives me a look that says what's wrong. And then he notices. Pure rage takes over his face for a second before he contains it. And then Joel does something I never imagined he would do. He rests his hand on my other thigh.

Charles notices. He gets an evil grin on his face, then slides his hand further up my thigh. My mouth drops open. I want to scream. Ew, ew, EW! How are our parents not noticing what's happening on the other side of the table? Joel notices.

Joel stands up from the table abruptly, his chair screeching behind him, almost falling over. We all look at him stunned.

"Charles, can I talk to you for a second, outside?" Joel asks, less than politely.

Charles reluctantly agrees and follows Joel outside. What the hell is he going to say to him?

"Willow, darling, do you know what that was about?" Connie asks me. I play dumb and tell her that I don't know.

About five minutes later, Joel and Charles come back and sit down at the table. They're scarily silent and no one prods them to say what they were talking about. Joel has a smug look on his face, while Charles looks terrified. Joel must have threatened him somehow.

As we're all leaving the restaurant, Charles pulls me aside. "Well, this has been fun."

I roll my eyes and say, "Can't say the same. We had a deal; this stays between us."

Charles smirks at me, then turns pale when he notices Joel shooting daggers into his head. "I may want more in the future. I'll keep you posted." With a wink and another sopping wet kiss on my hand, Charles and his dad leave. Thank God that's over. I may want more in the future? There's no way in hell.

The next morning, it's time for us to head back to Portland. The trip started off so good but ended so badly. I'm just glad it's finally over. I can finally be with Joel again and hopefully Charles is gone for good.

As we're on the plane back to Portland, I ask Joel about what has been bothering me. "What did you say to Charles at the restaurant?'

He looks at me with a blank expression on his face then says with a pat on my leg, "Don't worry about it Lo." And that's the end of that conversation.

The rest of the plane ride is quiet as Joel continues to pout. I wonder how long he's going to keep this up.

Dad and I finally make it home after we drop off Joel and Connie at their house. We're both exhausted. I feel like the trip back was much longer, especially since Joel decided not to talk to me the entire time. When we parted, he said a simple goodbye and that was all. No look of love in his eyes.