road trip of a lifetime

chapter five

We had stopped for some food after nearly 3 hours of driving. I was starving.

"How long is gonna take to make one salad!?" I sounded like impatient kid.

"We just ordered, it's gonna take a while," Owen laughed at my anger.

"Right..." I sighed and decided to go through my Instagram. Two new following request, I read. One from Owen... And one from Charlie? I was confused. He didn't even know me.

I accepted both and went through the rest of the app. Tara had posted a cute selfie of herself.

I needed to tell her what was going on with Owen and Charlie. Maybe I could get some peer support from her. After all she was crushing Charlie even more than I was.

"Guess what," I texted her.

"What?" she responded immediately.

"No, I told you to guess" I teased her. Owen noticed me smirking to my phone and raised his eyebrows to me.

"Just texting my friend," I quickly explained to him.

"Yeah right..." he said doubtfully. "It's some guy isn't it?" he smirked pointing to my phone.

"No it is not," I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh it totally is!!" he got excited "show me a picture of him"

"There is no guy, there has never been a guy, and there will never be" I smiled frustrated.

"Aww," he gave me maybe the cutest puppy face I had ever seen and I couldn't do anything but laugh at him.

"TELL ME!!!!!!!!" I looked at my phone and started writing to Tara.

" Well, Owen dropped kinda big bomb on me when we left the motel... WE ARE GONNA PICK UP CHARLIE. And I've have to drive a whole day with him. In the same car. With me. How am I supposed to do that and not make a total fool out of myself!????!? I wish you were here instead of me, you are so much better in situations which include people. Oh and he started follow me on instagram" I sighed at my phone.

To be honest. I couldn't thought about anything else but the fact that we had to pick up Charlie. On the other hand I had survived from Owen pretty well, so maybe it wouldn't be that bad. But more I thought about it more sure I was that he would think I was a total loser.

"You. Are. Going. To. Meet. The. Love. Of. My. Life?" was all I got back from Tara. I laughed. Sometimes she could just be so... well girl.

"Why there hasn't been a guy?", Owen suddenly asked. "And why you say there will never be?" he looked me with sad and confused look on his face.

"I.. I don't know," I stuttered. "I guess I just haven't met anyone like that yet" I shrugged my shoulders. "And well I have kinda gave up with the whole "finding your soulmate" thing" I continued "I'm just focusing on my studies and career."

"Oh okay" Owen said quietly. "There comes our food" he changed the subject.

He was right, the waiter was walking towards us with two plates. Thank god. I don't know how much longer I could have lasted with out food.

.....

I drove past the huge Winnipeg sign which told us we had arrived to the city. I had got over my fear of meeting Charlie and now I was even kinda excited about it. I looked at Owen who was singing Now or Never from the Julie and the Phantoms. I smiled at him and he noticed it.

"What? This is great song!!" he defended himself dancing as much as he could in the small space. I just laughed and joined the song.

In a while we arrived to the gas station where we were supposed to meet Charlie. I wondered if I looked as excited as I was. Also a bit terrified. But I decided to take a positive attitude and go with the flow.

"I need to go to the bathroom," Owen said and opened the car door.

"Are you just gonna leave me here alone?" I panicked and looked at Owen wiht my eyes wide open.

"Yeah I am. I think you can make it alone like ten minutes" he laughed at my reaction and left.

I was scrolling through my phone when I suddenly heard a knock on the window. When I turned to see who it was my eyes met the most beautiful smile in the world. No one has a right to own a smile that stunning.

"Hey, you must be the famous Aino," the voice said as I opened the door and stepped outside. "I'm Charlie" guy said with huge smile and went for a hug, but at the same time I reached for handshake. He let out a laugh an shook my hand.

"Yeah hi," I said awkwardly. "Nice to meet you"

Well this escalated quickly. I was so embarrassed. From all the almost 8 billion people in the world this had to happen to me. What was wrong with me.

Breath Aino, breath. It's gonna be okay.

"So where I can put my stuff?" Charlie asked. I raised my head to see his face. Only then I noticed his beautiful hazel eyes which smiled almost as much as his mouth. He had brunette hair which was slighty curly.

I really needed to concentrate more to answering and being present before I would sonk more in to those eyes.

"Um.. You can try to put something to the trunk but I think it's pretty packed of our stuff. So you can put rest to the backseat," I said quietly still embarrassed.

He nodded and went to open the trunk. He managed to fit one of his two bags there. He placed his other bag and guitar on the backseat.

I couldn't help but noticed that he had been smiling this whole time despite my embarrassing move. He probably thought that I was a complete joke.

"Hey man!" I heard a voice coming from behind us. I had never been so happy to see Owen. He could get me out of this really awkward situation. "I missed you buddy!!"

"Oweenn" Charlie yelled running towards the guy behind us.

Then there was a lot of hugging, fist bumbs and other stuff, which make me smile. I felt little more relaxed now that Owen was back from his trip to the restroom. Maybe everything would be okay after all.

"Your friend is really quiet," I heard Charlie saying to Owen.

"You mean her" Owen pointed me and raised his eyebrows in disbelief "she certainly isn't" he laughed. "I think she's just a little shy" he said more to me than Charlie. I rolled my eyes at him and could feel my cheeks burning up. This was definitely not how I imagined this to go.

I saw both of them staring at me and whispering something to each other. I looked back at them confused.

"What?" I got out.

"Nothing, you ready to go" Owen ignored my question.

"Yeah, your turn to drive. I can take the backseat, so you guys get to catch up" I suggested just so I could get out of this situation. I thought I could also use a nap.

"Sounds great! Thanks A!" Charlie almost jumped out of excitement. I shook my head and grinned to the nickname he had given me. I saw Owen looking at me in the corner of my eye with all knowing smile.

I climbed to the backseat and moved Charlie's stuff little to make room for my nap. The car started moving and I closed my eyes. I could still here Charlie telling Owen about his trip to Winnipeg and I could hear how excited he was. It was amazing how he could excited about every little thing. I smiled to my thought and felt a sleep.