(AKA - Parent Project Book) Gather around all the 16-17 year old horn dogs. Charlotte and Henry get paired up for Swellview High's annual Junior Parent Project. The project runs over the course of 7 months and it will put to test everything the Juni...
"Hey Hen. Is it possible that you could take a day off work this week?" I ask Henry as we're laying in bed with Aaron between us on his pillow.
"Char, I already have 2 days off work a week. You want me to take another one ? why ?" He asks me obviously shocked.
"I miss you. When you're home we're both taking care of the kids so we don't have time to focus on our relationship." I say and Henry laughs lightly.
"Char, what's the real problem here?" He asks and I go silent. The real problem is you haven't asked me out yet, the real problem is that you haven't made any advances in our relationship and every time I try to, you just shoot it down with the excuse of work,the kids or stress. The real problem is you lied to me again and I fell for it.
"Nothing Henry. I'm going to go to sleep." I say trying to play it off. I close my eyes and make myself comfortable. No more than 3 seconds later I'm being picked up and thrown over Henry's shoulder. He walks out the room and goes into the hallway. His hand is holding me in place but it's also on my thigh and if you ask me that's too close to my butt. Henry puts me down in the window in Aaron's room which is really nice since we decided to decorate it. It's become an office/reflection room.
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(A/N the window is directly across from the office space )
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We're sitting across from each other and Henry is looking at me expectantly.
"Am I supposed to say something ?" I ask and Henry nods.
"Okay, why are we here ?" I ask again.
"To talk, something is up and you don't want to say it. Speak your mind." Henry says and I smile. He does not want to know what I'm thinking about. Fucking bastard
"I already told you what was wrong." I say.
" I thought we were doing pretty good with our relationship. We have breakfast together every day, we text all during my lunch break and when I come home we have time with the kids together and then we talk for an hour. On days when I'm home we wake up early and spend our time in bed watching movies or tv together, then we'll check on the kids and make breakfast as a family. Once breakfast is over we give the kids their school time and while they're napping we're talking. What's wrong with all of that ?" He spews out. I choose to avert my gaze to looking out the window.
"All that is great but Henry I like you. While it's great that we're friends again, I thought we were going to move past that. We've been friends all our lives, shoot me if it's wrong but I want to be more than just a friend." I express in a softer tone than normal. I feel myself become vulnerable. I take a deep breath and try to compose myself so I don't come off soft.
"So you want more than what we have ?" He asks slowly and I just laugh dryly.
"Just forget it Henry." I say and I turn to get up but he just pushes me back down.
"No, we're talking this out. I get where you're coming from it's just complicated," I raise my eyebrow and before I can ask what he means he keeps on talking, " well maybe that's not the right word. Okay look I like you too and yes I made it extremely clear that I didn't want to be just friends again either. However, we're also in the middle of this project and things are running nicely. The dynamic changes in a relationship, there's more tension and frustration and pain from things that we'd overlook or at least push away if we were friends. I don't want that while we're doing this project." Henry expresses.
"So you don't want to further a relationship with me because it'll stunt our progress on this project ?" I ask. Since when does he care about anything ?
" No, I'm not saying it'll stunt our progress. I'm saying that it'll be harder to work together as well as we do now. Sure we'll still get it done and we'll do a good job because of who we are and how we are. I just think that throwing a new relationship into the mix will make it more difficult. You can't tell me that you haven't called me names in front of Aaron." Henry says and for a second my mouth drops.
"What does that have to do with anything ?" I ask defensively.
"Aha see point made. You name call in front of Aaron if I do something to make you mad and we're just friends. Now imagine if we were dating, the more intimacy the more intensified your feelings will be. You probably don't hold onto that anger very long because we're friends and it'll blow over. People who are dating tend to hold things and draw them out especially if both in the relationship aren't spending every second with each other." Henry explains. I hate that he's making valid points.
"Alright alright I get it. You don't want to date we won't date." I say trying to end this conversation.
"Charlotte." Henry says my name sharply and I roll my eyes then look at him with a "bitch what" face.
" I do want to date you but I just want to wait a while. I just got back in good standing with you and I'm still working on a few things. Do you really want to risk dating and then I do something stupid and then we argue but this time I turn back into the nasty human being that just didn't give a fuck and would smile at seeing you brokenspirited ?" He asks with edge in his tone. I sigh, he's afraid he'll ruin things.
" Henry, I really do get it. I don't want to risk you going backwards but if you do then who better to be here and help you do better ?" I ask just giving him food for thought. His face is now stoic and I hate that.
"I'm going to go to sleep. Goodnight." I say and this time when I move to get up, he lets me. I walk away and back into our bedroom. I get ready to lay down but then I get this feeling of not wanting to be here. I groan and get up. I walk back into the hallway to the storage closet. Henry comes out of the office the same time I open the closet.
"Did Aaron pee through the sheets or something ?" He asks and I shake my head.
"Nah, I'm just not up to sleeping in our bed. I'm gonna go sleep in the guest room." I say trying not to let my voice crack. Get it together Charlotte, we have no reason to cry. Don't be a baby.
"Well sorry but no, go sleep in the bed I'll move. I know it's me that you don't want to sleep with." Henry says and I just close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"Henry, it's fine. You've already had to sleep outside the room before, now it's my turn. See you in the morning." I say as I finish grabbing a blanket and pillow. Henry steps in front of me.
"Go to sleep in the bed Charlotte."
"Henry move."
"Charlotte, go to the bed."
"Henry, just shut up and get out my way."
"If you want me out your way then take your ass to bed and go to sleep."
"You go!"
"Charlotte go the hell to our bed and sleep."
"I'm not sleeping in that bed!"
"Stop yelling, you'll wake up the kids."
"Then move so I can be on my way."
"Charlotte-" Henry sighs and puts his hand up to pinch the top of his nose.
"Henry, no okay. Just fucking no, the sheets smell like you and when I'm upset the scent is so suffocating. I'm controlling myself and respecting your wishes. Now you big fat bastard get out my way." I express and instead of moving out my way, he brings me into a hug. I have no idea why but I just start crying into his chest. He wraps his arms around me and my arms are clutching onto his shirt while I just cry and breathe all haphazardly.
Where is all this emotion coming from ? I hate being young and hormonal. Why am I crying in his chest ? I need to - I need him.
