My Hater, My Lover (Book One)

Chapter 30- Key under the mat (Miguel)

After school, I took the bus to Charlotte's house. Eron had offered to drive me but I said he had already done enough for me. Besides, I knew if I was alone with him in the car, I was going to ask him again about yesterday and I didn't want to keep bothering him.

Her house was close to mine, it was near the river, by the bridge.

I knocked on the door, and it opened. 

"Hey Miguel," Charlotte said, her voice a bit drozily, like she had just woken up.

 "You didn't come to class, I just wanted to make sure you were alright," I asked, concerned. 

 "My parents aren't home. Come in," she said. I rarely went to her house, because she didn't like her friends meeting her parents. 

They didn't get along, according to Bruce. 

I entered and I could see how dirty everything was. Dirty take out boxes everywhere and dust, like no one knew what a broom was.

 I followed her across the living room to her room.

I sat down on the bed, and Charlotte smiled at me. 

"Was it fun?" she asked me, closing the door behind me.

I nodded my head. I remember we were at Burger Queen after we finished Korean food, and she opened her school bag.

 "Take a shot, the food tastes better," she had said.

 "Okay," I said without hesitation, even though I had scolded her the day before. I just wanted to forget my troubles.

 We went outside and into the alleyway. She shot me up and then herself.

The cool sensation entered my body, and I felt light. I took a bite of my burger and it was delicious, I could hear the crunch of the meat in my mouth.

We laughed and walked all the way from the burger queen to her house. Once we got close to her house, she grabbed my hand.

"I don't want to go home. Lie down with me here, under the trees," she said.

We both lied down in the grass of her neighbour's yard. I looked up at the stars and I remembered Eron. How lucky was I , that Eron loved me? That someone who was attractive, popular and powerful had liked me enough to follow me to my current school?

I turned to look at Charlotte and she had fallen asleep on the grass. I felt high but I knew better than to leave her there. I dragged her to her door and dug for her clothes for a key.

I found it and opened the door. I pulled her up the stairs, in the dark. I couldn't find the light switch but that was fine. I made do.

I hauled her onto the bed and stared at her sleeping heavily. I felt too light to want to sleep.

I kissed her cheek and went downstairs and left the house. I locked the door with her key and put it back under the doormat, as I knew she liked to keep it.

I had walked around, trying to find my way home and I remember I thought I was really high because I though I had imagined Eron and his car near by house, but that turned out to be true.

 "Yes," I said, remembering it. I was back in the present.

 I had stopped feeling pain, which I seemed to be feeling alot recently.

 "Wanna do some more?" she asked, not even waiting for my answer. She was already grabbing a spoon and tying up her arm.

I could heard Eron's voice in my head, telling me, no, leave. But thought about how he had his secrets. Couldn't I?

I held out my arm and she tied it up, before she injected me. 

I lay down on Charlotte's bed. Then I noticed she undid her arm. That was fast.

"You're fast..."I muttered, losing sensation fast.

 "I don't need that, when you're here with me," she said, crawling onto me. I felt my mind floating around, I didn't push her off. I felt Charlotte press her lips against me and it felt amazing. 

My nerve endings felt like fire. I kissed her back. All my anger and sadness and misery just drained out of me as I kissed her feverishly.

She mounted my lap and we started to kiss and move our bodies against one another.

 The door to Charlotte's door suddenly opened.

"Good thing I remembered the key was under the mat...." Bruce trailed, as he entered the room.

Charlotte didn't pull away, but I immediately tried to push Charlotte off.

 Bruce sprang up and yanked Charlotte by the arm, pulling her off me. 

"What the hell are you doing!" he yelled at the two of us. "I came here to check up on you because I cared about you and I come and find this crap?" he exclaimed angrily.

 "You have a friggen' boyfriend! Isn't that enough?" Bruce spat at me. Charlotte was limp like a doll in his grip. Her blond hair was slumped over her face like a rag.

 "And you!" he said, turning his rage to Charlotte. "You should know better! Miguel doesn't give a shit about you and here you are, doing this stuff with him, like some kid of slut!" Bruce was so angry, and I wanted to get up and defend her, defend myself, but my body felt like it was waking through water.

 "You have no...right to call her....that..." I said, slowly, my mouth trying to form words but it just couldn't. It felt heavy and stiff.

 "Miguel, shut the hell up, I already didn't like you, but now I just think you're scum. Forget it, forget both of you. I hope y'all enjoy lying the bed you made." He said quietly, letting Charlotte's hand go.

 He turned and stormed out of the house. I heard his footsteps and the slamming of a door.

Charlotte was slumped on the floor. She looked empty. No tears, no emotion. She looked at me warily. 

There was a thick silence that echoed in my ears.

"Can you be with me?" she finally asked. Her voice sounded hollow, empty. "I want you, not Bruce."

I got up from the bed, and I walked unsteadily to the door. I couldn't take this anymore.

 I couldn't take my heart feeling like it was torn in half.

"I'm with Eron, so please, let's just be friends," I said quietly, before I closed the door and walked down to the stairs. I left her house, and I didn't even bother to close the door.

I walked unsteadily back to my house. 

I opened the door. My mom was in the kitchen.

"You're home early," she called, as I stumbled across the living room to my room.

"Yeah, no martial arts class today," I called back. I prayed she didn't come and see me in this state. 

" Sorry about yesterday, I was drunk and I slept at Robert's," I managed to say before I closed the door to my room.

I slid to the floor and lay down. I closed my eyes and tears leaked down. When I remember this day I wish I could go back in time and never leave Charlotte. I'd regret this day for the rest of my life.