"I have no words. I can't be held responsible for anything he does."
"Hello? You have Julian Montgomery nekkid in your friggin' bedroom."
"I know, he has zero boundaries." Charlie rolled her eyes and thought he was an idiot.
"Didn't you just move here? Isn't he dating Courtney Carter? How is he in your room? Oh my God are you dating him?" Sarah scooted forward on the couch leaning toward Charlie with her forearms on her knees.
"Whoa there... slow down, take a breath." Charlie pulled a pillow between her knees.
"Are you dating him?"
"Jules? Oh hell, eew, God no."
"Eew? did you seriously just say eew? He is the hottest guy in school. Not to mention he is nekkid in your room."
"Did you just say nekkid?" Charlie wanted to make sure she heard her right.
"Yeah, I think it's better and sounds dirtier than naked. Naked is such a boring word."
"You are freaking hilarious. I'm finding more reasons to like you by the minute."
"Stop dodging my questions. How did his glorious nekkidness end up in your damn bedroom?
"Our families are close and we've known each other since birth basically."
"But I thought you just moved here?"
"Just moved back. We left when I was seven."
"That still doesn't explain why he's not wearing anything?"
"That's Jules for you, I can't begin to explain the shenanigans he stirs up."
"This is turning into the best day of my life." Sarah shook her head like she couldn't believe it.
Jules walked out of the bathroom with nothing but his underwear on and sat beside Charlie on the couch.
"Dude, clothes, go find some." Charlie back handed him across the chest.
"Ow. Thats abuse, you saw that right, Sarah?" he asked.
Sarah sat there with a stunned expression."You know my name?"
"Uh, you're in our writing class and I've gone to school with you since first grade. Yeah I know your name."
"And here I thought I was invisible," she said and sat back like everything she'd ever thought was wrong.
"This is seriously the first time you two have ever talked to each other?" Charlie looked back and forth between them and their simultaneously nodding heads.
"Pathetic. What are you stuck up, Jules?"
"Screw you, I'm not a dick. I'm sure I've at least said hi or something, we've just never had a reason to have a conversation I guess?"
"Wow, you totally sound dickish right now." Charlie scowled at him.
"No, you want to hear dickish. That would be the way I broke up with Courtney today... in the middle of the cafeteria... in front of everyone. Then I had the pleasure of cursing her out and throwing her out of my house this afternoon."
"Shut your face," Sarah blurted out obviously ecstatic and Charlie laughed.
"This kid is hilarious, I'm keeping her. You, I'm still on the fence about. Anyway tell us the details of how you crushed your fake girlfriend's heart."
He looked like he was going to shoot daggers out of his eyes. "Well you are the reason we broke up."
Charlie pulled back and looked at him like he had two heads.
"Me? Are you sure it wasn't her super stalker tendencies, nagging, jealousy and overall insecurities that did you in? Not to mention she's the biggest bitch east of the Mississippi? Or the fact you don't really like gi—"
"Shut the fuck up, Charlie," he snapped.
"Wow, you totally have her number," Sarah muttered, oblivious to them.
"Wait, I want to know something first. Sarah, how did you get suckered into getting stuck with this one?" Jules asked as he motioned his head towards Charlie.
"She invited me over to help out with our assignment."
"Hold the effing phone. The Social Leper invited you over?"
"Yeah I did. I like her more than you."
"Just sayin' its very out of character for you."
Charlie didn't need him to point out that it was out of character for her. She liked Sarah and didn't feel like she needed to defend or explain it to him. She turned her attention to Sarah and the poetry books.
"Anyway, Sarah have you found anything you like yet?"
"I think so, but I'm not sure if it's right," she said with a puzzled look.
"Read it." Jules tried to un-peel his skin from sticking to the leather couch.
"For Gods sakes man, put on a damn shirt and that wont happen," Charlie snapped at him.
"Speaking of shirts, I've never seen that one before? Where did it come from?" he grabbed the sleeve and tugged like he knew something.
"Like you know every shirt I have."
"A mans obviously worn gray Adidas t-shirt. Its not Joe's style and you don't have shirts that big. Would you like to try a different excuse?"
"Don't worry about where it came from," she snapped and gave him the stink-eye. She wanted him to shut the hell up about the damn shirt already.
"Well I just want you to know, that I know. I know EXACTLY whose shirt that is. I've seen first hand what has unfolded the last few days. The only question is when did you get it?"
"Julian, back off."
"Oh did we touch a sore subject? Are we hiding something?" He held his hands up in mock defense. Charlie chose to ignore his last comment because all he was doing was really pissing her off.
"I'm sorry, Sarah, go ahead with your poem." she felt bad for interrupting her.
"I'm not really good at reading it aloud. It makes me nervous."
"If you can't read it in front of us, how are you going to do it in front of the class?" Charlie asked.
"Good point. Okay, this is what I chose, here goes nothing. "To a stranger" by Walt Whitman.
Passing stranger; You do not know how longingly I look upon you,
You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking. (it comes to me, as of a dream.)
I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you,
All is recall'd as we flit by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured,
You grew up with me, were a boy with me, or a girl with me,
I ate with you, and slept with you- your body has become not yours only,
nor left my body
mine only,
You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass- you take of my beard,
breast,
hands, in return,
I am not to speak to you- I am to think of you when I sit alone, or wake at night alone,
I am to wait- I do not doubt I am to meet you again,
I am to see to it that I do not lose you.
"Wow, I think you chose a great one." Charlie nodded in approval.
"You think so?" Sarah's voice was shaky as best.
"Definitely," Jules agreed.
Charlie was happy he took that bait and laid off her and the damn shirt. The doorbell rang and Charlie figured it must be the pizza. She back handed Jules across the chest.
"Go make yourself useful."
"Is it food?"
"Yeah, I ordered pizza."
"Are you buying? You'd better be, I can think of eight million reasons why," he mumbled with a sheepish grin. Charlie rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.
"I paid over the phone already, just fill in the tip and sign it."
Jules got up and walked out of her room toward the front door.
Sarah turned and watched him walk out of the room.
"I know, you don't even have to say it." Charlie shook her head and flipped through the book on her lap. Jules walked in with two pizzas and paper plates. His smug look annoyed Charlie the second she saw it.
"You knew I was coming didn't you?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Two large pizzas, I know you can put it away, but not that much."
"I figured you'd show up to mooch off me."
"Hey. You are the one that invited me over to spend the night, remember?"
Sarah was watching their exchange
with an assuming smile.
"Are you sure you guys aren't together?"
"God no, I have standards," Charlie scoffed.
"Hey, I'm a catch, thank you very much," Jules said, defensively.
"Okay, but I'm confused. I know you've only been at school a couple days. But I've never even seen you talk to each other and you are in most of my classes."
Jules loaded four pieces of pizza onto his plate and turned the box toward Sarah. He took a big bite before he answered her.
"Charlie and I are basically family. Unfortunately, she's the best friend I've got. No one knows this, the story is we're cousins so we don't get accused of things."
"So, you're not cousins then?"
"Nope, no actual relation. It was easier to say that to keep certain jealous psycho blonde's off my back," Charlie explained.
Charlie loaded her plate and settled back into her spot on the couch while she ate. Jules startled her and she almost threw her plate when he spoke.
"Oh, speaking of psycho blondes. Want to hear about the blow out break up with Courtney?"
Sarah sat shaking her head as she looked at her plate.
"What?" Jules asked.
"I just can't believe you broke up with CiCi You guys have been the like it couple for the last four years." Sarah tossed her hands up dramatically.
"Four years too long if you ask me. I just couldn't take her crap anymore."
"Took you long enough. Now this wouldn't have anything to do with a new special someone would it, Jules?" Charlie cocked an eyebrow up at him, he scowled at her in return.
"I hate you," he grumbled, as he shoved his pizza in his mouth. Charlie slammed her paper plate down on the coffee table, turned and pointed at him.
"Hah. I knew it, I freaking knew it. You hoe bag." Charlie shoved his shoulder.
Jules had a mouth full of food but wasn't going to finish chewing before he responded and spit it out onto his plate.
"Gross," Sarah said, as she wrinkled her nose and gave a mock gag.
"Me a hoe bag? What about you? You giant slut. I know where you got that shirt, I know exactly whose it is," he yelled at her, his cheeks turning red.
She'd opened the wrong can of worms. If he spit out her secret in anger and Sarah found out, everything would go to hell in a heartbeat. She glared at him and turned her attention back to Sarah. She knew she needed to diffuse the situation and fast before it got any worse.
"I don't usually apologize for anything, but I'm sorry, Sarah. I would love to tell you that we aren't always like this, but that would be a big fat lie. We are always like this," Charlie said as she went to pick her plate back up.
"I think this is great. You guys are hilarious. I could write down all of the banter and sell it as a sitcom," Sarah beamed.
"Okay, I get why you like her and invited her over. Although its going to bring a new dynamic to our gruesome twosome." He stuck his tongue out mocking her. Charlie didn't even bother to tell him he was an idiot. Gruesome twosome.
♥♥♥♥♥
Charlie wanted to take all of the attention off of herself and put it back on Jules. He hadn't told them what had happened with Courtney yet and she really wanted to know.
"So are you going to tell us what happened with evil tits today or what?"
Jules face lit up and a wicked grin crossed his face.
"Talk about evil, look at that face," Sarah said, as she tried to mimic him.
"Definitely a face only his mother could love."
"Hah. Boom!" Sarah burst out laughing and made her hands close around one another and then explode.
"Maybe Courtney was right, maybe you do think you're better than everyone," he spit out at Charlie.
"What? Are you shitting me?"
"Yeah that's what she said. She said you were stuck up and thought you were hot shit. She also said you needed to recognize she was the top dog at school."
"How the hell am I stuck up? I've been at that school all of two days."
"You didn't jump at the chance to be her minion and it pissed her off. She says you think you're too good for anyone. I got mad and told her that you just don't like crowds or being around a lot of people. Then I told her it sounded like she was jealous of you and she threw a fit."
"Oh my God is that why she was screaming in the hallway and stomping after you?" Sarah asked.
"Yup. Then she proceeded to tell me how lucky I was to have her and threatened to dump me. So I told her go ahead, it would make my life easier. So she threw a giant hissy fit saying how many guys would kill to be with her and how I will regret it. So I told her to let them all line up, it was time for someone else to suffer being around her."
Charlie was in shock that Jules told her off and didn't try to be the nice guy, like he usually would.
It was getting late and Charlie still hadn't found a poem for her assignment yet. At least Sarah had found one, so the night wasn't wasted.
"Well, I should get going. I really had a good time, thanks again for inviting me over and for the cheap entertainment, Jules. Am I allowed to call you that, or is it Julian like at school?"
"Hey, who you calling cheap? You're in the club now, Jules is fine," he said and winked at her.
Sarah started to pack up her stuff up as Charlie stood from the couch and stacked the books they had laid out into a pile.
"I'll walk you out," Charlie said. The girls walked down the hall and descended the stairs to the front door.
"Thanks again, I really had fun."
"I'm glad you came, you're welcome anytime. Granted you'll be forced to be around him but if you can tolerate that, all is well."
"I think I'm good. Goodnight."
"See ya' later." Charlie watched her until she got in her car and drove off before she shut the door.
♥♥♥♥♥
Jules grabbed his clothes off the back patio and headed back up to Charlie's room. She hoped he would be dressed when she got up there. Instead she found him looking through her drawers.
"What are you looking for there, Kujo?"
"You have any workout pants that would fit me? Or should I go raid Joe's closet?"
Charlie crossed the room to her dresser. She dug through it until she found a pair of pants he could wear.
"These should fit your fat ass," she said and tossed them to him. He slid them on and plopped down on the couch. She laid across the one opposite to him.
"So whats your deal? I know something is up with you," he asked, with his mouth pinched into a hard line.
"Nothing."
"Come on, you can't bullshit a bullshitter. You're wearing his shirt. What happened with Sam?"
"I went over there this afternoon." She braced herself for him to yell at her.
"And?"
She looked at him in shock, "You mean you're not going to scream at me?"
"Why would I? You love him—"
"I don't love him." She frowned.
"Dude, you totally do. Did you guys get into it or what?"
She shrugged, not really sure how to answer what happened over there. "Well, I went over there to tell him to fuck off. And then, we argued a little and when I went to leave he stopped me. We had crazy make up, break up sex and then I left."
"You say it so matter of fact. I know it's not that simple for you. Are you going to talk to me about this or not?" Jules was getting frustrated.
"I just need time to work through it all okay? This all happened so fast. I... I'm just tired and don't want to talk about it right now." She hoped he would let it go at that for a while.
"Fine. Let's get this stupid assignment done." He handed her a book off of the pile in front of them and they looked through them in silence.
Settling into the couch until they got comfortable, Charlie watched Jules when he wasn't paying attention and he looked worried. They didn't talk about Sam for the rest of the night and each found a poem for their assignment before they called it a night.
As they crawled into her bed, Jule
s hugged her before they said their good nights. He sprawled out on one side of the bed and Charlie curled up tight on her side. As soon as she closed her eyes she could see Sam's face. She swore she could feel his lips on hers and his body pressed against her.
Even though Jules had his own room at her house, she was grateful he never slept in it. She wondered how class would be the next day and hoped it wouldn't be too painful being around him all the time.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sam walked around the front of his desk and leaned against it. "All right guys, did everyone find something useful for the assignment?"
He saw a lot of head nods and heard quite a few yeses, yeps and yeahs.
"Well, this is going to take a while to get through everyone. It may take a couple classes for us to finish. When you're called on, come up to the front of the room. You need to recite the poem you chose loud enough for me to hear in the back of the room where I'll be standing."
He chose that moment to steal a quick glance at Charlie when he scanned the room. Something was wrong with her expression, there was no emotion in her face. He worried that things hadn't ended as well as he thought but he could have been reading too much into it. Josh pulled him out of his thoughts.
"But this isn't public speaking, Mr.G."
"You're right Josh, its not. However, I think as you guys listen to each other recite the poems you chose aloud, it will help fuel your inspiration for an original of your own."
He heard various groans throughout the room.
"Does anyone want to volunteer?" he asked.
To his surprise a few hands went up and he made his way to the back of the room to watch. They'd recited the typical choices, "I carry your heart with me" By E.E Cummings, "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe, "Delight in Disorder" By Robert Herrick.
Sarah stood in front of the room and looked a bit apprehensive. She looked at Charlie, who gave her an encouraging nod. Sarah took a confident stance at that point and recited "To a Stranger" by Walt Whitman. She blew him away with her choice and wondered if Charlie had influenced her at all.
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