4 Miles to Paradise

Chapter 22: This Night Just Won't End

Chapter 22: This Night Just Won't End

"Jerrimy," Rose sobbed with her arms wrapped around him and her head rests on his shoulder. "I missed you so much!"

"I know," he whispers in her ear. He pulls away her hair to plant a light kiss upon her rosy cheek. "I know Rose, I know."

Rose squeezes him tighter, not wanting to let go and allow him to see her face, which is now dropping a waterfall of tears.

"When did life get so thorny?"

He chuckles. "Thorny? That's an interesting choice of vocabulary."

"You know what I mean," Rose pouts and pushes him away. "You look great," Rose tells him as she examines him closely. He's grown a few inches and is more toned, but other than that he mostly looks the same. Rose can tell they are getting close to the dreaded topic, so instead of letting him ask her, she tells him she has to go. "We can hang out later," She promises him.

Rose races away as fast as she can do from the alcohol she's had. She doesn't have much of a plan, but she'll figure out what the hell she's doing. Rose ends up outside Charlie's hotel suite, sitting in a couch in the lobby. She's not wearing her heels, doesn't know where she left them, and doesn't care. She'll get them back later. Just as she is close to falling asleep on the soft couch Rose hears footsteps.

"Well, if it isn't Rosalyn Young."

Rose glances over at the intruder before giving her reply, "I've never understood that phrase."

Charlie chuckles before moving Rose over to sit beside her. "Me either, if I'm being completely honest.

"Well, if it isn't Charleston Sinclair," Rose repeats the phrase, using his name.

He smiles again but asks her a more serious question. "What are you doing out here?"

Rose shrugs. She's not even sure herself. She could've gotten a car by now to get home, but she hasn't. She isn't ready to go home, not while Skye's there in her bed. She'd feel awkward, but she can't stay here where Luke still is.

"Charlie, is it true that you were Skye's first?" Rose ignores his question with one of her own.

"Yes."

"Who was your first?"

Rose notices him hesitate slightly.

"It's okay if you don't want to share. Drunk me is intrusive."

Charlie begins his response to her prying. "I, I was in the 6th grade. My babysitter, she uh, took advantage of me."

Everyone sees Charlie as the wild bad boy, who does drugs, has sex, drinks a lot of alcohol, and is extremely smart but doesn't care about school or take is seriously. He's charming, but deadly, and his signature smile while beautiful makes a person shiver. He wears makeup, light but still visible, dresses formal often even in our public school, and seems to do everything he possibly can to piss off his parents.

Charlie is the one everyone is in love with for his looks, but people avoid him like the plague for his reputation and recklessness. He's never had a girlfriend or boyfriend and probably never will. He isn't much of the dating type.

And yet, he just told me his babysitter used to take advantage of him. Charlie's had a rough life, and everyone has always known it, but everyone has also known his ways of dealing with his pain and suffering, in ways society deems as bad. Maybe like Skye, Rose misjudged him, but either way she's not letting him off the hook that easily.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"The past is the past for a reason. It's over and done with. No need to take a trip down memory lane," he tells her. Then lifts his beer to his mouth for a gulp.

Rose gathers her thoughts to say something but then stops herself.

"Be careful Rose. I know what people think of me. I know they think that I see sex as just a pleasurable practice of lust and desire, but I really do believe the first time should be special, and I hope you get that."

She looks at the boy for a moment, taking in his gorgeous, model-like, looks, and brown wavy hair. She stares into his hazel eyes, seeing the genuineness in the beautiful orbs. "Thank you."

He smiles that psychotic smile of his and stands up, holding out a hand. "Why don't you sleep here tonight, I have an extra bed."

"That's okay, but thanks for the offer, dude. Now, let's go back and party!"

"Uh, are you sure you wanna go back in there?" Charlie asks with concern shining in his eyes.

"Yes."

. . .