Chapter 10: Open Your Back Door

Hannah:

Well, that was awkward earlier. Louis kept putting his arm around me the entire time. Charlie had nothing to worry about, anyway. I had nothing to worry about with the girl that was with him. After leaving the store, we met with Linda at the Subway for lunch. I nibbled slowly on my sandwich, the soft bread and onions mingled on my tastebuds. I wasn't in a rush to go home. I stared off, lost in thought, there was a couple holding hands in line. She snuck a kiss into the crook of his neck. The corners of my mouth twitched in a small smile of their sweet moment.

"You ok?" I heard Linda, bringing my attention to her. She stared at me with her mouth full.

"Yeah, uh you guys ready to go?" I asked them, grabbing my sub and sour cream and onion chips. I'll eat this later.

"Sure," Louis spoke as he stood up and took his trash with him. I stood as well, holding my leftovers.

"You two can go, Ed's picking me up." She spoke, drinking out of the corner of her mouth.

"You're not talking to him, remember?" I reminded in a duh voice.

"Oh yeah." She pouted, chewing the straw, groaned in frustration. "Fine. Let's go." She stood, dragging her feet she followed us out of the mall and to the parking lot.

***

Louis dropped Linda off first and then took me home. "See you at school." Louis parked in the driveway. I waved bye to him, exiting his car, searched for my house keys and opened the front door. Before closing it, he's still in the driveway. I waved again, he waved back before driving off. Entering fully inside, I pulled out my phone to call Charlie. To ease my mind and his.

By the time I dialed his number, I heard keys and the front door opened. "Hi sweetie!" My parents came back from their errands, many grocery bags were in their hands. I went over to help, placing them on the dining table and began sorting out the food they bought. From frozen treats to produce, it will last us for a while.

"You guys bought a lot from Costco, didn't you?" I asked, placing the eggs in the fridge.

"Yeah and for good reason too," dad chimed in.

"Why?" I asked as I put in the last item in the freezer.

"Well, sweetie your dad and I are going on a business trip." Mom responded.

"Okay, for how long?" I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Two months. We leave next week." Dad concluded.

"Aww." I pouted. "Wait, why?"

"Your dad and I have to meet a client about a case, they can't travel to the states here." My parents being lawyers and owning a firm together, they worked long hours.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked.

"Greece." Mom answered.

"So I have the house to myself?" I grinned.

"No, your uncle Robert will be coming to stay," dad stated.

"Fine." I slouched my shoulders dramatically. We sorted and place the last of the items in the kitchen. Mom announced she will make dinner in an hour.

***

After dinner, I sat in my room watching a random show, contemplating to reread the After series by Anna Todd or something else. I decided to catch up on Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Halfway into the book, my phone began to ring, The caller ID gleamed on the screen reading Charlie's name. I sat up halfway on my elbows, dread crawled on my skin. I slid the icon to accept, putting the phone to my ear and breathed. "Hello, Hannah?" his low voice said on the other line.

"Hey," I answered shakily. Please say you want to stay together.

"You didn't call me," he responded.

"I got sidetracked. My mom and dad-"

"Open your back door." I frowned.

"What?"

"Open your back door."

"You're here." I stated and stood fully off my bed.

"Yeah, I might freeze to death." Fake chattering his teeth, he had an amused tone in his voice.

"Hold on." Exiting my room, I slowly stepped on the stairs carefully. All of the lights were turned off so I used my phone flashlight to see where I was going. I made my way to the kitchen to the back door, opening it slightly for a peek. Charlie with his phone in hand he looked up, giving me a cute smile. I shushed him, grabbing his hand we went upstairs to my room. I closed my bedroom door quietly, sighing with relief as I locked it.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"I came to see you." He's changed from what he wore at the mall to a black t shirt and sweatpants. The hint of chlorine was on his skin and his hair was still wet.

"Look, about what happened-"

"It's not a big deal, babe."

"Oh, OK." I giggled, softly.

"You just came back from the pool?"

"I couldn't sleep," he answered, "you know the swim meet next week."

"The away one in Frostburg?" I asked, tugging my sleeves.

"Yeah, you're coming, right?" He walked over closer.

"What about the one tomorrow?"

"That one, too. You're gonna be there?"

"Of course. But I don't have a ride." I tugged my sleeves.

"We'll go together in my car."

"How will that work?"

"I'll take care of it, I want you to be there." Our foreheads connected, he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I will be there." I kissed his rough lips, he held me on my waist, pulling me closer as our chests touch.

"I missed you," Charlie responded, the motion of our lips speeding up.

"You can't get enough of me," I teased, ruffling his hair, he chuckled kissing my nose.

"Where did you park anyway?"

"Around the corner."

I kissed him again. His hands threading in my hair, lifting my leg up.

"Charlie, my parents will freak if they see you," I said breathlessly pushing him away, he gripped my waist harder, trailing his lips to my neck.

"No they won't. They're asleep."

"My dad has his hourly bathroom breaks and very alert when he wakes up. I don't want him thinking you're a burglar, you gotta go." He lets go, reluctantly agreeing and exited my room quietly. I followed him downstairs to the kitchen, led him outside and he gave me a kiss goodnight.

I locked the door behind him, checking through the window until his figure disappeared in the darkness. Going back upstairs,there was a shadowed figure was in the front of the bathroom made my stomach drop. "Oh my god mom you scared me." I held my chest, breathing in and out.

"What were you doing downstairs?" she asked tiredly.

"I got up to drink some milk," I lied smoothly.

"It's almost one a.m." She rubbed her eyelids with her fist.

"I was reading upstairs."

"You shouldn't make a habit of that."

"I know. Sorry."

"Get some sleep, sweetie. Night." She yawned, patted my arm and made her way to the bathroom.

"Goodnight," I returned and went into my room, shutting my lights, I covered myself with my blankets. That was a close one.