Olivia Beckham

I am sitting at the island anxiously awaiting for five o'clock with Sofia sitting on the counter with her body laying on mine. I've been sitting here for so long that Sofia managed to fall asleep in the most compromising position. She's sitting on the counter with her legs straight out and her head and chest resting on me. Apparently she's decided to start stretching while she sleeps. I would put her in her bed, but I don't want to wake her up by moving her too much even though I'll have to put her in her bed when I leave. I've already changed into the outfit I'm going to wear: black flared leggings lined with fleece, and a beige turtleneck sweater with my matching beige UGGS and my hair is up in a messy bun. I need to get Sof into her bed soon because I need to put some makeup on so that I don't look like I've been crying all afternoon. Not that I have. heh. heh.

I glance up at the clock and realize I only have 20 minutes left so I should probably put Sof in her bed. I slowly stand up and rearrange Sofia's position. Luckily she only stirs and doesn't wake. I am able to finagle my way around to get her in her bed without waking her up, and slowly close the door with her baby monitor in hand. I go to check on my siblings which are all playing quietly after just getting back from school; I told them when they came home what was happening tonight and who would be over. Of course they didn't care because they love Charlie's parents. Then I head to my room and over to my vanity where I start to apply my makeup. I always feel so gross and ugly without it, even though I know Charlie doesn't care.

I'm just finishing the last swipe of my mascara when the doorbell rings. I twist on the spoolie to my mascara tube and go downstairs. I open the door to see the Williams family all standing in a small half circle around the door. I let them in and call for the kids to come downstairs and a minute later we hear the stampede of children. I start giving Mrs. Williams instructions for the kids,

"There's dinner for them in the fridge, they usually eat at like 6:30ish and then the younger four go to bed at 7:30ish. Ben goes to bed at 8 and Adrian goes to bed at 8:30 If we end up going that late. Leo is hanging out with some friends and should be back at like 9ish. Sofia has been sleeping for probably a little over an hour. When she wakes up she might be hungry, there's premade bottles in the fridge you can give her. And here's her monitor. The kids can help you too if you need anything. They know where everything is." I hand over the baby monitor and turn to look at the mess of ADHD called my siblings. I do the one thing we always do when we need order, "Beckhams!" they all freeze and answer with their names, a solute, and get into birth order from oldest to youngest. Good. My parents made this up for us when I was little and we've been doing it ever since.

Turning back to the Williams, and looking at their bewildered faces I say, "If they're being crazy like they were before just do that and they'll get into this position. If they don't listen, Banish them to the backyard." I tell them. I look back at my siblings, still in position and tell them, "you better listen and help the Williams. If you don't, then we'll have problems." I give each one of them a look before saying, "Carry on soldiers." and they all leave the room. I turn to the Williams one last time and say, "That's all, any questions?" They both answer no and shoo me and Charlie out of the house. We walk out and down the pathway.

We walk over to his driveway where I start walking towards his car before he tells me to come over to where he is. We're taking his dad's truck. No. Way. From what Charlie's told me, Mr. Williams is very cautious of who he lets drive his truck because it's a white vintage 1955 Chevrolet 3100 with mountain tires. Charlie told me that they take this truck up in the mountains which is why it has such modern tires. 

He guides me over to the passenger seat and opens the door for me before reaching his hand out to take mine and help me in the truck. And help I needed, because another thing. The truck was also lifted; so me just standing the truck was to my stomach. Even though I was a dancer, I wasn't planning on leaping into a car. So yeah, I was glad for Charlie's assistance even if he had to practically pick me up to help me in. After I'm in the car, he walks over to his side and gets in no problem! Not even a stumble to be seen as he got in the truck. I guess that's what happens when you're a basketball player.

He start's up the truck and back's it out of the driveway.
"So, you gonna tell me where we're going yet?" I ask

"Nope. You're just going to have to wait and see. I promise you'll like it though." he answers me.

We drive for almost two hours before we get to our destination. Although it's not really a place. It's more like a cliff and it makes my serial killer fantasies come to life for a second before I squash them. Charlie isn't a serial killer.

Right?

Oh well, if he is, it's too late for me to run.

He goes to the back and that's when I realize that there's blanket's and all kinds of stuff in the back.
"Are you going to tell me what we're doing now?" because I am not in the mood to be yeeted off a cliff. He gives me a look. Uh oh, did I say that out loud? Eh whatever.

"We're going to look at the stars. You never get to see the stars very clearly when you're around civilization. I miss it. I used to have a spot in Illinois, and I don't know how it worked, but even right next to the city, I could still see the stars clear as day. It was the most beautiful thing. I would go up and stare at them all night. So much that my parents had to drag my sleeping butt back home every night. It's my happy place looking at the stars." He was looking up at the sky with admiration and you could see that he meant every word.

He looked down at me from the bed of the truck where he gestured for me to get up with him and where everything he just set up was. I got up toddler style with lots of effort and Charlie sat down on the blankets and I went and sat next to him. He lifted his arm up for me to snuggle into his side, and because I was cold, ONLY because I was cold, did I accept his offer. He then pulled a big blanket from the side of him and threw it over our shoulders and lap's because it was cold. We stayed like this for a while, just watching the sky and content in each other's embrace.

It was him who spoke first, "I'm starving. I brought food." and he pulls out a basket full of food. He spreads the food in front of us and starts to unwrap a sandwich when he realizes that I'm not getting food. "Aren't you hungry?" he asks me. I'm really not. The last time I ate was probably this morning, but my body isn't saying it's hungry yet.
"Would you be mad if I said no?" I asked

"I wouldn't be mad, But how aren't you hungry?"

"My body is telling me I don't need food." I answer.

"Ok. I'm not going to push you. But I also don't want you starving yourself. You already look like you're a twelve year old little kid. Don't take that as an insult. I'm just stating facts." He pauses then says, "Doesn't mean that I don't like you though."

Deciding to ignore his comment, I lay down and direct my focus back up to the stars. He was right. They're beautiful. I could stare at the sky forever.

After he's finished eating, he lays down beside me and watches the stars.

We watch the stars together and it's one of the nicest and most relaxing things I've ever done. I feel at peace and like nothing could ever go wrong. I want to live in this bubble forever. Charlie makes me feel safe. The kind of safety that no matter what happens, you know that everything will end up ok if he's there. It makes something all warm and tingly inside my chest. I want him to know he's my comfort. I slowly move my hand over to where his is and curl my fingers around his. It was at that moment that something shifted. Something changed in our relationship at that moment. Even though we've held hands before, this time was different. Something evolved from this movement that somehow made it more intimate. And by the way Charlie was looking at me, I know something shifted for him too. I look up at the stars and silently tell God thank you for sending this boy into my life.

It's almost nine when we finally decide to pack up and call it a night. Even though I would love to spend the night sleeping under the stars, I know my mom will still make me get up and go to school. We stay holding hands the whole drive down until we get stopped halfway through by a police officer where he tells us there's a fatal accident blocking the highway and we won't be able to pass for at least two hours. Because we have time to kill, we decide to climb back onto the bed of the truck and look at the stars some more. We ended up playing and making up all kinds of games using our surroundings. Luckily Charlie got a few bars and we were able to text our moms and tell them what was happening and why we would be home later. After an hour we had only moved a few feet. It was almost 2:30 when we were able to start moving again and we still had an hour to go to get back home. But it was honestly such an amazing date I would do it one thousand times over. We end up getting home at almost 4am and we both hastily gave our goodbyes before going to our respective houses. I didn't even change my clothes before collapsing in my bed and sleeping like a rock until 7 where I groggily dragged myself downstairs and got to school. Sadly my mom didn't have work today which meant I didn't have a reason to stay home with a still sick Sof and sleep. But that's ok, I'll suffer the fatigue with Charlie.

Just as I'm starting my car I get an incoming call from Charlie. I answer the call like a zombie in overtime and he cheerfully says, "Good morning! I had a great time with you last night and this morning, want a ride to school? Because I'm waiting outside your garage." I swallow my internal groan at how cheerful he is functioning on 3 hours of sleep and say, "I'm coming home after school today though. Are you? Because I don't know the basketball player's schedules. All I know is that we don't have to be there until 6:45." I answer. He tells me to come talk to him outside and he ends the call. I open the garage and walk out to where his car is sitting by my curb. I look down into his car and repeat my question. 

He then answers with, "I have to be there at 6, I don't have to stay after. So can I please take you to school? Pleaseeeee" 

"Fine. Just give me a sec I need to tell my mom I'm leaving." I say already zombieing my way back to my house. I say bye to my mom and little Sof in her arms and walk back out and into Charlie's car. 

We arrive at school and start to walk into the building when one of my best friends, Makenna calls me. I tell Charlie, "One sec" and answer the phone. 

"OLLIE!! YOU NEVER TALK TO ME ANYMORE. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL ME YESTERDAY AND YOU DIDN'T!! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU!?!" I pull the phone away from my ear and grimace from how loud she's being. She's right, I meant to call her last night before me and Charlie went out. Things were happening and I didn't have time and I guess she resorted to this. 

"Sorry, I was a little busy yesterday. I promise I didn't forget about you though I was going to call you." I answer her. 

"ARE ME AND RACH STILL EVEN INVITED TO THE GAME AT YOUR SCHOOL TONIGHT???" she answers, still screeching like a monkey. Makenna is in my dance company and has been for years, along with Rachel, our other best friend also in my dance company but at a different school, like Makenna.

"If you keep screaming, no but if you stop? Yes" I answer which calms her immediately. 

"The game's at seven right?" she asks now calmed down. 

"Yeah, don't sit on the wrong side this time though." I answer. Last time she was sitting on the opponent's side pretty much the whole game and then decided to switch in the middle of the game AND walk THROUGH the game. Let's just say embarrassed is an understatement. 

She sighs and says, "It was one time Ollie and I didn't do it on purpose."

"Did you think they were going to stop the game for you? Part like the red seas? Bow down to your feet?" I ask her. 
"you're insufferable. I'm hanging up now. I'll see you tonight. Love you. Byeeee!" 

"Bye. Love you" I answer and she hangs up. 

"Sorry that was a friend, she's kinda crazy." I tell Charlie 

"Yeah, I agree with you" he replies and we enter the school just as the first bell rings. 

He starts to walk me to my class and when we get there he says, "Wait for me and we can walk to second hour together ok?" I give him a nod and he says, "See you later Ol." before walking to his class. I enter my class and hope upon everything that I won't fall asleep.

Later in the period Charlie texts me:

Charlie: What's your favorite flower? Just wondering :)

Ok, weird. 

Olivia: Zinnia's. Why?

He doesn't answer me right away so I turn off my phone and lay it on my desk. One thing about this school is they actually don't care if you're on your phone or not. Something about, it's your education and they're not going to make you learn if you don't want to.

The distraction did wake me up though because I was falling asleep before. I can't wait for tonight's basketball game. I want to know if he plays as good as he says he does. I will die if he's not actually as good as his talk. He would never hear the end of it.