Jenga

Chapter Twenty-One- Love Period

Is it alright to say that I want to run away right now? Probably not.

But if what I just heard is correct, and my desires and heart aren't taking over my mind, Charlie is trying to tell me something I'm afraid to say myself. I don't want to rely on that, though, it's probably just a bunch of words.

He's saying this just to drive Reynie away, I know that. So why am I getting so worked up about it? Do I not want him to say it? Or do I want him to say it so much that I want to deny the fact?

The first one makes more sense.

"Ch--Charlie--"

"I'm in the middle of something important," he interrupts.

Reynie glances at me and smiles. "OK, OK, don't say anything unnecessary, I'll admit my defeat for now. I'l never give up on Noa, though," he says and quietly exits the cafe, leaving a tip of two dollars on the table.

"If you think I was just saying words when I said that, your fears must be tricking your heart," Charlie says to me, which, since we've met, is the second thing he says that makes me cry really hard.

I don't understand why I'm crying, if it should be a joyous moment. Charlie's finally . . . finally telling me something that I've wanted to hear truthfully from him for a really long time.

In the midst of my hopeless tears, Charlie faces me and does the unthinkable--he grabs my shoulders and touches his warm but hard lips to mine, and a huge bolt of some kind of love electricity or something travels down my spine.

 He lets go of my shoulders and removes his lips from mine. He, without looking at me, takes my hand and we rush outside together.

"W-What are you doing?" I ask. I'm surprised I'm still capable of speech after all that.

"I love you, Noa."

I stop walking fast and Charlie stops to look at me. "You idiot, why would you say that?"

"Because I couldn't not say it."

"Don't be confusing, why do you love me all of a sudden?"

"All of a sudden? I've had feelings for you probably before you did for me."

"What?!" My mouth drops wide open. Is he serious? Either he's joking or he falls in love fast. "I fell for you when we went on that Barnes and Noble trip!"

"And I did when you came over to my house for the first time." Wow. Didn't see that coming. "So, can you not be afraid and tell me you love me?"

Is he serious? I can't say it. "I can tell you that I'll go out with you. I cant really say it yet, but I definitely do feel it, is that alright?"

Charlie looks at me in an are-you-serious-of-course-it's-OK kind of way.

I grip his hand and we continue to walk, side by side, never letting go. Until we reach my house, that is.

<> <> <>

 "Are you kidding me? You can't solve this problem? I thought you were smarter than me."

I feel myself blush when Charlie says this, and turns his chair around facing me closely.

"I am smarter than you. But not in algebra. Only in English," I say to him, trying to keep my cool as he does the problem for me.

I'm starting to like study hall.

"Hey, you two seem different," Reynie says to us, pretty much already knowing the cause.

"Don't start," I reply.

Julia gasps and slams her desk. "Did I lose?!"

"You didn't really have a chance of winning," Reynie retorts.