Turning pages ~ Charlie Jones (stereo kicks)

Chapter 36

Charlie's P.O.V

"So, have you said it?" Reece pestered determinedly as I arrived at Casey's house a little later than expected. My detention had overrun because Mr McGowan thought it'd be funny to get me to wait fifteen minutes, after the original time, before deciding to let me leave. I'd organised to meet with Casey and Reece before helping Casey throw a party.

"Said what?" I questioned as I pulled a stack of plastic cups out of the shopping bag. Pulling the plastic covering the cups off, I began to set them on the counter.

Reece tutted at me, like he was ashamed with me. "You know.." He trailed off slightly, expecting me to understand what he was talking about. Once I'd got inside, the two of them bombarded me with questions about my conversation with Annabelle at lunch.

"No, Reece," I said, "I don't know." I turned to face him, a disbelieving look on my face. "If I did know, I wouldn't have asked you the question in the first place. So tell me what the heck you're blabbering about."

Casey snickered a little while he began to concoct the 'punch'. Reece shot him a dirty look that would have sent Casey six-foot under at least twelve times. "What?" He defended, his eyes still bright with amusement.

Reece then turned back to me. "I'll get to the point." Reece stated and I nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you should," I recommended lightheartedly, a stifled laugh coming from Casey's direction. It was clear he'd already got a bit of a buzz, which was slightly strange considering it was about half five now.

"Charlie, I swear, if you don't shut up, so help me-"

"Okay!" I lifted my hands up in surrender.

Reece gave me a sarcastic smile but continued anyway. "Have you said the three words?"

Furrowing my eyebrows, I started to ask what it was. "What three- Oh..." I stopped abruptly in mid-sentence. I love you. Reece rose his eyebrows as if to say 'Carry on'. I shook my head solemnly and Reece sighed.

"You've not?"

I sent him an obvious look and he recoiled from his louder statement. "No, I haven't," I muttered.

"Why not?"

"If I knew that don't you think I would have told you?"

I didn't know why I hadn't said it. Maybe it just wasn't the right time or place to say it. They were three words you can't just throw around like a boomerang, it might not always come back to you. Besides, if I said it to Annabelle, who could be sure she feels the same way back. Maybe, just maybe, the feeling wasn't mutual. I couldn't be able to cope with it if she rushed off after I'd said it. The words were strong and you have to be really sure before you can say them. Love wasn't something to be messed with.

Sighing, I backed against the counter and held my fingers to the bridge of my nose. Reece's hand patted my back and he let out a sympathetic sigh, echoing my previous one. It was good to have a friend like Reece, sure Casey was great and all, but Reece understood things. Or at least he tried to. He knew how I felt, he had the same problem with Leoni and it was only recently that they confessed to each other. Since then, they'd been unbreakable.

That was what I wanted with Annabelle. Something that couldn't be broken, not even by little spits of fire that sparked up in our relationship frequently. Obviously we'd argue, every couple does. I didn't want to leave her, not yet anyway. I felt to strongly about her.

"Go home," Reece suggested helpfully. "Go home and get yourself cleaned up. You're picking Annabelle up anyway, aren't you?"

"You sure you don't need any help here?" I asked, motioning to the stray boxes of pizza lying on the side of the counter. Reece nodded.

"Sure, Casey is pissed already so it doesn't really matter," Reece said, nodding towards Casey who was singing a verse of High School Musical while he poured the punch into a couple of glasses. "The party starts at nine, now go and get yourself dressed, you've got pizza on your shirt."

I looked down and nodded in acknowledgement. "I have." I mumbled. "Okay, see you later, Butsy." I clapped him on the back then waved to Casey. "See you, Cas."

"We're all in this together..." Before I could hear anymore of that utterly thrilling song, I rushed out into the hallway.

When I arrived at my house, I rushed upstairs into my room. My mom was downstairs, Rosy and Jason helping her clean up the living-room by watching Spongebob Squarepants. As I reached my bedroom, I headed straight toward the shower. I didn't want to smell of Mr McGowan's sweaty classroom and Casey's mom's perfume - long story.

Once I was out and changed, I walked over to the window. I slid it open and checked to see if Annabelle was sat out there. She wasn't and her window wasn't open. I knitted my eyebrows together, why wasn't she there? If she wasn't on her roof, she'd usually have her window open. Shrugging as if to brush the subject aside, I grabbed my guitar from under my bed and climbed out onto the relatively flat surface of the roof outside my room.

Well, I tried to climb out, but just as I put my leg up, my phone rang in my back pocket. Usually I would have waited, but this was a familiar ringtone. Annabelle. PLacing my guitar on the ground, I pulled my phone out, answered and pressed it to my ear.

"Annabelle?"

"Charlie, thank god," Her voice was hoarse and relieved. She sounded like she'd been crying, like she was still in tears.

"Annabelle?" I questioned again. "What's wrong?"

A sob erupted through the speakers and I grew even more concerned. What was going on? "Charlie, I need you."

I stood straighter to my feet and began to make my way toward my bedroom door, that was hanging limply open. "Annabelle, what the hell has happened?"

Another sob. "Charlie, please," She pleaded desperately. That was when I ran. I sprinted down the stairs and I was out of my house before you could say my name. My phone was still pressed to my ear.

"Annabelle, where are you?" I questioned.

"The park," She replied. Another sob. "Charlie, please."

My eyes widened and I opened my car door. "Annabelle-"

"Charlie."

"Hush, don't worry," I cooed down the phone, starting my car. "I'm coming for you."

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