Here is part 8 of The Learning Years, I hope you enjoy it. I have decided to put the series on hold for some weeks, so I can use my christmas break for something more useful/enjoyable. Awww... To ease the pain a little for you, I am writing a number of Christmas stories (for naughty boys). I will submit them to the Nifty Archives, or you can read them at my site: http://www.geocities.com/willie_hewes And, hopefully, The Learning Years will be back in January. Till then,
Merry Christmas Everyone! WillieHewes@yahoo.com
Part 08
I sat down quickly and desperately tried to act normal.
"No use," Menno said dryly. "He's already seen you."
I sat completely frozen on the couch. He'd seen us? The window... The door opened and Charlie came in. I could tell by his face that Menno was right. He Had seen us. How could Menno stay so calm!
Charlie looked rather calm himself. More sad than angry. He closed the door behind him, and stared at us sitting at the couch. He was still wearing his coat.
"How could you do this to me?" His voice was cracked, as if he was going to cry.
"Don't be angry, darling." Menno said quietly. "We're even now." He got up and went into the kitchen. I could only sit there and watch it all, stupefied.
"And you, Ed, how could You do this? You were mine, goddammit!" I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Charlie stared at me a moment longer and then turned back to Menno.
"What the hell do you mean we're even? Even on what?" I swallowed. I could still taste Menno. Maybe I was going to be sick.
"You should be thanking me, Charles. I broke the curse for you." Charlie stared at him, angry, but silent. Menno went on,
"Now you don't have to break this poor boy's heart, cause he's already broken yours."
"You can't be serious," Charlie hissed. Menno sat down again and put his arm around me. Charlie still ignored me. "You unimaginable basterd!"
There was a pause. No one said anything. Then, slowly, Charlie turned to look at me.
"You ruined it, Eddy." he said tonelessly. I nodded, tears suddenly stinging my eyes.
"I know," I whispered. "I'm sorry." It sounded pathetic, but I couldn't think of anything else to say. Charlie turned back to Menno, ignoring me again.
"And you, you RAT! How could you! You still hate me?"
"Yes, I suppose I still hate you. But I tolerate you. I let you stay in my house. And I have to live with you every day of the week, and watch you win over every single guy that seems to have anything going for him, and I watch you toy with them for a few days only to toss them away like so many paper tissues! Well, I'm fed up with it!"
While he was talking, he stood up and was now staring down at Charlie. But Charlie stared right back. Coolly, he said,
"Don't you think the tissue in question has something to say about this?" I think that was what woke me up. Charlie called me "tissue". I started stammering some protest, but was cut short by Menno.
"I think his deeds speak for themselves." He let himself drop back onto the couch.
"No, no it's all his fault!" I tried to get past him to Charlie and nearly tripped over the coffee table. "He did it! I didn't want to, really, but he... I... I'd never," Charlie raised his hand to keep me at a distance. "Charlie, you know that. I love you." They both froze. I was a little shocked at it myself, but I knew I meant it. I took Charlie's hand and carefully put it around my waist. He didn't resist, just stared at me. "It was all his fault," I told him. Together, we looked at Menno.
"Yes," Charlie said slowly, pausing after each word. "I think... I can be... persuaded... to... that... point... of... view." Menno looked up at us, surprised.
"It's all your fault, Menno," Charlie told him. "And if you hate me so much, maybe it's time I moved out."
"Yeah, that's right," Menno answered angrily, "I've had about enough of your shit! Why don't you move out!"
Charlie's face looked calm, dangerously calm.
"Come love." He pulled me towards the door. "Let's go pack."
Upstairs, he took a sportsbag and started putting clothes and CD's in, seemingly at random. I still felt a bit stunned. What in the world had happened? Charlie was moving out? What had I done? He didn't say a word while he was packing, but I knew he wasn't mad at me.
"Where are you going?" I sounded more timid than I had meant it.
"To your place," he said smiling, "where else?"