1983 c.h. (au)

16: not a goody goody

Charlie was pacing back and forth in her room knowing that any minute Calum would be throwing rocks at her window. She knew it was time to confess the truth. There was no denying that she was in love with Calum. But she was also in love with a mystery man that had been here way before Calum had shown up and moved into Charlie's world.

Almost on cue, the familiar clicking of rocks at her window sounded and her heart crashed in her chest with anxiety and worry that Calum wouldn't like her anymore. She walked slowly to her window to open it and see a smiling Calum glowing in the moonlight. He scaled the side of her house gracefully and flung himself into her room. "Hey baby girl. You never called me back. What's wrong am I getting a little boring for you?"

"No it's not that." Charlie took a seat next to him on her newly built window seat. "Calum there's something very serious that I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I need you to be open minded. Can you do that please?" Charlie looked deeply into his eyes noticing that he was chewing softly on his lip.

"Okay." Calum's voice shook nervously. His hands were starting to sweat at Charlie's seriousness. Maybe she would confess to her mom hitting her finally or maybe she would tell him how she truly feels.

"Okay but promise me one thing. Promise me that even after I tell you this news, you won't get mad and we can still be friends?" Charlie looked up at him through her lashes pleading that he wouldn't be upset. Calum nodded slowly and set his jaw anticipating the worst.

"Lay it on me darling."

"I didn't tell you before because I was unsure," Charlie started. "But a guy that I know is out for now from college. And he's coming to see me."

"And what is he to you?"

"He's my-" Charlie stopped and Calum braced himself. "He's my boyfriend."

"You have a boyfriend?" Calum furrowed his eyebrows. Charlie was always a good little girl. He couldn't think of her being with a different man. Clearly, she is not a goody goody.

"Everything that I'm about to say is true. I told him that we should take a break a month before he left because we were fighting all the time. So we did just that. And I didn't hear from him so I took that as we were broken up."

"Uh huh."

"And it comes to find out that we weren't. I didn't know that but I'm really glad that he's come back in my life. Just please don't be mad." Charlie practically begged him even though all that he could see was red. Calum took a deep breath before looking Charlie in the eyes. "Please."

"All I want is for you to be happy. And if he makes you happy, then I guess I'm happy too."

"Can we still be friends?"

"Sure we can still be friends." Charlie pulled Calum in for a hug. He breathed into her beautiful brown hair and left the lightest of kisses on her shoulder. Now that there was a twist and a new guy, that was a major setback in Calum's plan. He would have to be subtle with the intimacy until he can't take it any longer. Calum pulled away from her quickly. "I should probably go. I'll see you later right?"

Charlie nodded her head yes letting him climb out her window and landing softly on her grass from a 10 foot drop. Calum took slow steps not wanting to break the news to his friends even though he would. He took a while to get to Ashton's house before he actually got there. He opened the door letting himself in and slammed it shut before speed walking to the kitchen and started making himself a sandwich. "So how'd it go? Did you ask her out yet?" Michael threw questions at him.

"She  has a boyfriend. I'm not the one." Calum spoke angrily at the fact that she had another man in her life.
***

It was the next day at lunch time when Charlie was talking with Ashton and his friend Luke. Luke and Charlie started becoming friends without Calum's consent. Calum was slouching against a tree smoking a cigarette an watched her be so animated. She was laughing at jokes that probably weren't funny and smiled like there was no tomorrow. "Why are you so hype?" Luke asked Charlie.

"Because her Calum did it last night." Ashton joked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Are you ten. No one calls 'it' it anymore." Luke rolled his eyes and flicked a burrito bean in Ashton's direction. Apparently he had bought it off Michael even though the colourful haired boy couldn't be found.

"I'm still as virgin as the olive oil in my kitchen." Charlie laughed at the inside joke between her and herself.

"How virgin is it?"

"Extra." She answered the question and smiled again.

"She's just hype because her boyfriend Tristan is coming today." Calum scoffed from where he was and half cringed at the word 'boyfriend'. He blew smoke out and finished off his cigarette still slumped against the tree eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Wait a second? If you have a boyfriend, why were you fooling around with Calum?" Luke pulled his ring between his teeth and pulled on a pair of sunglasses preparing for a long explanation.

"I'm not a slut. Tristan and I were taking a break and I didn't hear anything from him. So I thought that we were broken up and that I was free. But he called me and asked if we could start over and I said yes because I missed the good times." Charlie shrugged and continued to smile while reading the text that appeared on her screen.

"Oh. That makes some kind of sense. When is he getting here?" Luke nodded his head becoming in the know.

"Now." Charlie stood from her seat outside and speed walked through the crowded cafeteria and to the front doors of her complicated high school to get to him.

"There's my girl." Charlie ran into Tristan's arms and he picked her up and spun her around. "Oh my god I missed you so much baby."

"I missed you too." She spoke into his chest feeling a tingly warm sensation inside. "Oh god. How I missed you Tristan."

"Look I know. I'm sorry that I fell off the planet. I just thought it was best if I gave you time and I did. I'm here and that's all that matters."

"You didn't have too much fun at college did you?"

"No I didn't. I was waiting for you princess." Tristan placed her down on her feet and poked her nose. "I'm just glad that we're together again." His skin was a lovely caramel colour as many people are down in SoCal. Charlie looked into his sapphire blue eyes deeply. "Aren't you?"

"Of course I'm glad." Tristan put an arm around her shoulders and they walked back to Ashton and Luke feeling like a happy couple. "Guys I would like you to meet Tristan. Tristan this is Ashton and Luke my friends." They shook hands and Tristan stole a French fry from Charlie's tray.

"She has been non stop smiling when she told us you were coming up. It's nice to meet you." Ashton rolled out the welcome wagon immediately. Much because if he didn't he would get crap from Charlie later.

Calum had noticed the extra addition to her lunch table and stood straight getting a better view. He had to assume that the unfamiliar boy that was sitting next to Charlie was her boyfriend. From the way they were sitting, it was undeniable. Hands down, he had to be her lover.

Calum now realized how much about Charlie that he didn't know. He never knew about past relationships and how her and Ashton had become friends or anything. Charlie wasn't always the shy girl. She definitely was not a goody goody.