CHAPTER TWENTY ONE!
( EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. )

   CHARLIE STOOD UP once everyone else had settled down. He had his saxophone out, which you knew was one of the places he put a lot of emotional energy. Music was his escape.

"An original song composed by Nuwanda, for Neil," Charlie announced. You didn't roll your eyes at the nickname this time, you just smiled. Charlie began to play the saxophone, his fingers lightly clicking the golden keys. This song was unlike any other you'd heard him play. The music was a sound wave of emotion, one you knew he was capable of creating but you were still amazed. When he finished playing you just stared at him in awe.

"I didn't know you played," Keating commented. "That was beautiful." Everyone slowly started clapping, all awestruck.

"That was awesome, Charlie!" Knox cheered.

"I still can't believe you can do that," Pitts teased.

Charlie smiled proudly then sat back down beside you, not asking for praise but looking at you a little expectantly. You smiled and kissed his cheek. "Keating's right, it was beautiful."

"Thanks," he blushed, resuming his position with his arm around your shoulders. "Are you gonna read anything?"

"I think so," you said.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get up there!" he pushed your upper back lightly.

"Okay, okay," you stepped up to the front and pulled a crumpled paper out of your coat pocket. "This isn't going to be an artful masterpiece like Todd's, it's more of a feeling than anything else," you started.

"Oh, c'mon! It'll be great, just read!" Charlie shouted. You smiled and looked back down at the paper.

"A letter to Neil:
I am writing to you from Earth,
with the ones you left behind,
sitting in the sleepless cemetery,
just trying to rest my mind.

There are some people
who are made of sunshine,
who give light without asking,
just know that you were mine.

Still, I'm speaking to the silence,
to the stuffy, silver air.
I can't speak you back to life,
I'm just wishing you were there.

I am writing to you from your grave,
where you left your body behind,
where a beautiful heart once laid,
behind a tortured mind."

Keating stood up and pulled you into another tight hug, you didn't even realize that you had started crying. You felt another pair of arms and immediately recognized them as Charlie's. Then more and more until you were all crowded around each other, some crying, some not. To be held and to hold was nothing short of the most comforting feeling. When you pulled back apart, Charlie whispered in your ear, "I told you it would be great."

Charlie took another sip of wine while Keating's back was turned as everyone began to just converse.

"Charlie, he doesn't care, you don't have to hide it," you laughed.

"You're right, I'm just conditioned," he nodded taking it out from behind the ledge.

"Mr. Dalton, were you going to keep all that without offering any to me?" Keating grinned. Charlie chuckled and poured him a glass. Knox and Pitts took one too and you all just shared stories, most of which were about Neil. Todd managed to laugh at some, even if the smiles were wet with tears. Keating had a hand on Todd's back for most of it, just a simple reminder that he wasn't alone.

After a while you all filed slowly out of the cave, you ran your hand over the golden god of the cave as you left. The moon was bright and full, reflecting off the iridescent icicles and crystalline snow. You walked through the woods, hand in hand with Charlie.

"Next Friday?" Knox asked once you reached the edge of the woods.

"You bet, Knoxious," Charlie smiled, roughly pulling him into a hug and ruffling his hair.

"Hey, Y/N, I saw what you wrote on your desk, by the way. The teacher who comes to check the rooms hasn't done anything but bitch about it yet, it's a nice reminder of you," she laughed.

"Oh, yeah?" you smiled, "Maybe it was stupid but I had fun doing it."

"And you will be hanging out with me at every opportunity once you're ungrounded," Violet reminded you, pointing at you with her gloved hand.

"Obviously," you laughed, pushing her finger out of your face.

You then turned to Todd, "Hey, never forget how much talent you have Todd, and don't forget to call. That's an order," you said seriously. Todd cracked a sheepish smile.

"I'll call," he promised, openings arms for an embrace.

Meeks stepped forward and Charlie jumped on him too, hugging him tightly.

"Stop, stop, stop, you're squishing my glasses," Meeks struggled. After a moment you saw Charlie loosen and Meeks succumbed to the embrace. Hugs were exchanged like gifts, and tears like precious jewels.

"What's gonna happen to you, Mr. Keating?" you asked before he could say goodbye.

"I think I'll go to London, there's someone there that I miss," he said.

"London? That's so far!" Charlie groaned.

"I'm not gone forever, and besides, just give me a call any time," Keating reassured him. "I'll miss you all too, which means I might have to return to America at some point too."

"Alright," Charlie sighed with a disappointed nod. "Until later, O Captain! My Captain!" Charlie saluted.

"Until later, Nuwanda," Keating grinned with a twinkle in his eye.

You strode off into the night, parting to go your separate ways. The boys and Violet ran in their dark coats back to the doors of Hell-ton, Keating strolled back to his old, coffee-coloured car, you and Charlie decided to take the long walk back to the car.

The water from the river splashed against the rocks like a soothing lullaby of the Earth, the trees swayed to the light winter breeze. Your feet clicked along the wooden panels of the bridge, making snowy footprints.

"I'm gonna miss Keating," Charlie sighed.

"Yeah, I know, me too."

Charlie grabbed your hand again, squeezing it tightly, nearly crushing yours. You didn't mind though.

"Have I ever told you I love you?" Charlie suddenly asked.

"No, as a matter of fact, you haven't," you looked up at him, his burning brown eyes.

"Well, I do," he smiled, looking at you too, your soft sparkling eyes. You stopped walking for a moment, pulling him back.

"I'm sorry, you what? I'm gonna need you to repeat that," you grinned.

"I love you, Y/N," he stated quickly, "I love everything about you. I love the way you make me feel safe, the way you hold my hand, that look in your eyes when I say something funny, the look in your eyes when I say something stupid, the little awkward giggle you do when you're nervous, how free you make me feel. I- Just everything." He stopped as you stood in shock, your heart swelling to the point where you could hardly feel anything else. "Now come on." He started walking again, almost avoiding your response.

"Hold on, wait!" you grabbed his coat sleeve. "I love you too, Charlie. Everything about you. Your jokes, your music, your goddamn perfect smile and perfect hair, your stupid nickname, the way you hug me when you get all excited, the way you don't back down. Everything."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. What? Did you really think I didn't?" you asked.

"Well, no, I just, nobody ever has."

"Loved you?"

He nodded.

You looked at him sadly for a moment. It wasn't true, you knew he was loved, but it was sad to you that he didn't know. His parents never really showed him.

"Well let me make it clear," you leaned in, so close that you could smell the expensive wine on his tongue. You breathed in and kissed him, kissed him hard. You wrapped your hands around his neck and pulled him closer, his hot lips moving seamlessly with your soft, pillowy ones. He put his hands on the railing of the bench behind you, leaning even closer, roping you in.

"Just wait," he whispered, pulling away.

"Wait for what?"

He grabbed your hand and lead you down the pathway through the trees that would take you back to the car. You passed through the greenery, tripping over small tree roots. Once you reached the car, he slipped the keys out of your pocket then opened the back door. He shoved his saxophone in the front seat along with the wine glasses.

"Come on," he motioned for you to get in, a lovesick smile on his lips. As soon as you shut the door his lips were on yours again in a passionate kiss. His hands wrapped around your waist and yours tangled themselves in his soft brown hair. He leaned closed to you, closer than you's ever been. His tongue traced your bottom lip and his hands traced the skin right beneath the hem of your shirt. You parted your lips and he slipped his tongue into your mouth. At first, it felt strange and slippery, but as you went on, it began to feel more natural. His hands moved higher, up to your rib cage, and yours fell to his shoulders. You pushed off his coat and it fell to the floor of the car. You pulled away for a moment to catch your breath and Charlie kissed a trail from the corner of your lips to your collar bone. You could feel your skin being lit on fire, but not in the sense of pain, in the sense of burning electricity.

He made his way back to your lips, each kiss needier than the last.

❦

He drove you home, careful not to be seen.

"I love you," he repeated as you slipped out the car door.

"I love you too," you smiled. Your heart skipped a beat as his cheeks grew pink and his beautiful eyes shone back at you. You were so in love. You gave one last wave before the car sped off down the road and you were standing in the night air once again.

❪ ⋆࿐໋ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

GUYS, IT'S THE LAST CHAPTER I HOPE U LIKED IT. I just wrote this instead of doing my Social project and no regrets. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I can't believe it's finished, that's crazy. I'm gonna go back and do some minor editing and making sure it's all perfect but wow guys. I really do love u guys so much. Your support means the WORLD to me and I really really hope you liked the ending.
- s.