Charlie Whitmen loves sports, junk food, video games, cars and basically anything-if not everything-your average teenaged boy would find interesting. But wait a second, Charlie isn't even a boy! Oh no, she's actually a girl!
Bet you didn't see that...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Playing with Balloons & Roses
After an hour and fifteen minutes stacked with derisions, mockery and plenty of shenanigans, the basement is finally organized to the young fella's liking. The two high school students, who are now coated under sheen layers of sweat, head upstairs with the amicable golden retriever on their heels. Ethan fills up Maxwell's bowl and offers Charlie a chilled water bottle from the refrigerator.
Without reluctance, she accepts. Her head falls back, and in roughly thirty seconds, she empties the entire thing. A little bit of the liquid dribbles down the side of her mouth and then slithers along the veins on her neck.
Sounds like one of those overplayed, seductive scenes in the movies, doesn't it? How freaking cliché, yet extremely effective. Tearing off a napkin from the roll on the counter, Ethan holds out the sheet for her to take. His eyes are averted and focused on the microwave instead. Charlie glances at it, and wipes the water with the back of her hand.
"When's Layna supposed to get back? It's getting late, isn't it?"
"It's only twenty past nine. It's not that late." He disagrees, lowering his arm when he realizes that she isn't going to take the napkin. "Besides, it's not like any of them are driving. They'll be fine." While they lived in Stowe, the number of citizens over fifty wasn't high. This meant that his grandmother didn't have too many friends her age there that she could spend her time with.
In South Burlington, however, the supply of companions for Layna to bond with seems endless. Ethan is grateful that the woman can get to live life a little more vividly now, especially with people in her age group, people who can understand her. It hasn't been that long since they moved here, but he could see how much happier she is. She means the world to him, and he is determined to make sure her life will be easy from here on out.
God knows the two of them have been through hell and back.
"Just wanted to make sure," says Charlie as she disposes the plastic container into the recycling bin. "If that's it, I should probably get home to my impending doom." An army of shivers marches up her spine at the mere thought of the dreadful work she has to complete before the sun awakens tomorrow. She makes her way towards the front door and Ethan trails her from behind.
"You aren't hungry or anything?" He queries. They did use up a shit-ton of energy moving everything. He would be cool with ordering pizza for them or something. It's the least he could do.
"Nah, I'm good. I had dinner before I came over." She narrates, grabbing the knob and twisting it. The door opens and the cool night air welcomes her with open arms.
"Oh, okay." Ethan stops at the threshold and leans up against the frame.
Charlie swivels around on her heels with a coy simper dangling on her lips. "You sound sad," she comments impishly. "Are you going to miss me when I'm gone?" She's only joking with him. Ethan is aware of that fact, yet he is still baffled and can't prevent his cheeks from tinting pink. Is this how the girls he flirts with feel? Talk about a taste of his own medicine.
