The Dead Poets

44

My eyes slowly flutter open. The bright ray of the sunshine glowing through the curtains and into the small room, waking me.

Charlie lay beneath me. His bare skin illuminating under the sun's rays. His golden locks fell messily around his face. His arm was wrapped securely around my back, while my head rests on his chest as it slowly rises up and down.

I smile— truly and completely content.

"Morning," Charlie's grins, his voice rough from sleep.

"Morning," I say, my fingers tracing slow, small circles over his bare chest.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Eve."

"Eve, Eve?" I ask curiously.

He grins, oh how much I've missed that smile.

"Yeah, you know. The night before Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve, Eve," Charlie says so matter-of-factly. As though it were the most obvious thing in the entire world.

I lean my head up closer to his, placing a gentle, loving kiss on his lips.

"What's that for?" He asks playfully, a smile etched across his sleepy face.

"I just love you," I say earnestly. Although my guilt for hurting Jack was still scratching at me, my love for Charlie was all consuming. I was entirely happy, for the first time in forever— and for once— I was going to let myself bask in it.

"Well, in that case..." Charlie says jokingly, flipping us over so he was on top, straddling my waist, gently cupping either side of my face and placing sloppy kisses all over me.

"Charlie," I laugh, pushing him off, as he falls to the other side of the bed with a soft thump.

"Is it true?" Knox exclaims loudly, bursting into the room. Neil, Todd, Meeks and Pitts follow closely behind, piling into the small space.

"I told them not to," Neil says— always the voice of reason.

"So it is true," Meeks says incredulously, upon seeing a grinning half-naked Charlie laying next to me in the small bed.

"Okay peeping Tom's, how'd you find out?" Charlie says lightly, wrapping his arm tightly around my waist.

"Knox saw you going into Violet's room last night," Pitts says, to which Knox smiles proudly.

"Told you— I know what I saw," Knox spoke defensively— "it's a Christmas miracle."

Neil rolls his eyes playfully, walking deeper into the room. "My train's tonight at 7:00, anyone wanna share a cab?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow morning," Knox says.

"Me too," Meeks quips.

Leaving? I give the boys puzzled glances.

"For the holidays," Todd offers, speaking for the first time since he trailed behind the boys into my room.

"Oh, right," I say, a rather pathetic attempt to veil my growing disappointment.

I hadn't been able to spend much time with the boys lately. With Charlie and my's' situation, I became withdrawn. Not to mention, my parents sent me that note weeks ago, reminding me of their holiday plans— none of which involve me.