Someone Like Me

Chapter Twenty-Seven: I Swear He Is NOT My Boyfriend...

I was curious about the surprise and I had a feeling it must involve Dalton because Charlie wouldn't just come in here to ask me out somewhere. Dalton had to be involved somehow. So I agreed to Charlie's offer. I was followed by Charlie's truck on the way home. The windows on his truck were tinted deeply so it was almost impossible to see him from the outside. I knew that the tint had to be too dark to be legal.

               I pulled into the driveway behind my sister's sports car and Charlie pulled in behind me. He truck idled while I ran into the house to get changed. I went into the kitchen only to see Peaches and my mother sitting there having their lunch. They gave me looks as I went around to the kitchen sink to put my coffee mug there that has been sitting in my truck from this morning.

               "What's that noise?" Peaches narrowed her eyes hearing the silent hum of Charlie's truck. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to think of something to say.

               "A friend, we're going out with other friends." I mumbled quietly.

               "Cherry has friends?" Peaches spoke shocked. "So she isn't a loser." My mother laughed along with her and it made my heart twist up in pain as their laughing. They always did this when I mentioned friends and it always made me feel like I actually was what they call me.

               I left the kitchen as soon as possible and grabbed my phone from my back pocket to give Charlie a quick call. Surprisingly the day after Peaches interview my mother gave me back my phone because it kept going off under the sink and she was getting sick of the damn noise it was making. All my calls and texts were from Dalton which meant that she hated the engine revving ringtone I had set for his contact. I was happy to have it back over something so stupid.

               "What do you need Darling?" I made it to my room when he picked up.

               "I just wanna tell you to be careful, my sister and mother hear your truck."

               "My windows are too tinted. They would never see me." He paused while I was getting out of my work clothes. "What happened?"

               "They made fun of me," I surprised myself with how easy I was able to tell him. It showed how much I could trust the man. "They heard you, and laughed at me because a loser like me shouldn't have friends."

               "Did they...that's it..." I heard a click.

               "Charlie?" The phone line went dead and I knew that he wasn't happy. He was nowhere near a good mood now. Why did I have to tell him what happened? I rushed to get changed into something nice as I heard a loud knock from the door downstairs. Why did I tell him? I wanted to tell someone...it made me feel like I wasn't alone. The hurt would feel like it disappeared some knowing that I have told someone who cares. But my worry grew because I knew that Peaches and my mother knew Charlie. So that meant they could connect the puzzle if they saw him at my doorstep waiting for me.

               The door was opened as I tried to find my shoes. I was out of my room fast and made my way down the hall. I could hear Peaches saying something.

               "—with my sister? She's like...a loser."

               "Back home, I don't judge my mates. That's dishonor and disrespect." I listened to Charlie's voice pull off an almost perfect Australian accent. I looked down the stairs and saw what he had been wearing. It wasn't much but it covered his features up well.  He wore a black baseball cap with a Ford logo on the front, his sunglasses, and a familiar grey hoodie that he's worn before when he came to see me on the TV set so long ago.

               "Well I mean...You could do so much better." She didn't realize that I was on top of the stairs and I could hear her. "Like me for explain. We would look sooo great together."

               "No thank you Miss," Charlie shrugged her away as he saw me. I smiled down at him at his attempt of what he did. Peaches mind couldn't register who it actually was under the hat and glasses. Plus with the light grey hoodie, she couldn't figure out who it was because Charlie always wore dark colors like black. Never light...besides the rare white t-shirt he liked to wear that really outlined his muscle and could barely show a detailed tattoo on his left chest.

               "Why not? What do you even see in her?" I made my way down the stairs when she said that and Charlie smiled brightly.

               "Darling," He pulled me into a hug and I knew he was acting to piss off my sister. It made me grin. "I was growing worried, you were taking so long." He kissed my forehead softly before pulling away. My blush as the same feeling came back from when he first did that. I could hear Peaches let out a frustrated growl.

               "I'm alright," I smiled.

               "Good, I hate to see my little Darling any other way." He was being really sweet and it made me so happy because Peaches was actually getting upset and mad over the scene between Charlie and I. That was because Charlie was giving me all his attention and Peaches was to the side. She hated to be on the side.

               "What's going on out here?" My mother walked out of the kitchen and her eyes landed on Charlie who wrapped his arm around my waist then pulled me close. She must have heard Peaches's otherwise she wouldn't have moved. "Who the hell are you?"

               "Cherry's boyfriend," My eyes widened at his answer. Okay, now he was going a little too far with this. I know he just wanted to piss Peaches off a little but I guess he wanted to really tick off my mother. My mother let out a loud snort. I didn't know what to feel after that reaction but Charlie's grip tighten around my waist.

               "Impossible, she doesn't have one."

               "Quite possible because I'm standing right here." His voice was on edge but he still kept up the Australian accent to cover up his voice.

               "Well, maybe we can hang out some time?" Peaches batted her eyelashes at him and my mother seemed to agree with her. "So that I can get to know her boyfriend...sound good?"

               "That sounds like a great idea," My mother nodded. I grow a bit defensive of Charlie and actually moved closer to him. He didn't mind and pulled me into his arms. I couldn't believe the two of them. They talked like I wasn't here.

               Charlie let out a laugh and I saw as their expressions changed.

               "You're so funny! Like I would want to be anywhere near someone who lies and pretty much treats her own damn sister like crap. No, thank you. Now if you can excuse me, I have to take my Darling out. Because I at least treat her with some respect and honesty." What he had said was directed towards my sister and I knew he was hinting towards the day Peaches was interviewed by Amina.

I knew I was going to get it when I get home.

               Before any reaction could be given; Charlie opened the door and led me outside. I looked up at him but he rushed me over to his truck without saying a word. Once we were in his vehicle was when he started laughing. I couldn't help it and I actually started to laugh along with him. Rethinking about the whole scene, I found it to be so funny. Just the reactions and my sister attempts to get with Charlie failed. Just like with me being at the dance with Dalton.  Her attempts there failed also. It was actually great to see my sister get rejected by the boys. She's never gotten rejected before and usually it was the men that would come after her.

               "That was worth the risk," Charlie's laughed ceased as he took off his hat and shrugged off his jacket. I was still giggling as he threw them onto the backseats.

               "Honestly I was scared but now...it's just funny."

               "So you're not mad at me?"

               "No," I smiled shaking my head.

               "Alright," He put his truck in reverse. "Well let's go."

               I wondered where we were going.