“You ready to go, Charlee?” She turned to see Walter standing there with his backpack over his shoulder, looking a little surer of himself than he had the first time he came to her rescue.
Immediately catching on, she nodded. “Yes, we’re late.” With a quick half smile, she glanced at Ross, who was now frowning, and hooked her arm into Walter’s. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll take a rain check then,” Ross said as she and Walter walked away quickly.
“Rain check for what?” Walter asked in a low voice. “What did he want?”
“To have coffee with me and you saved me again. Thank you, Walter.” Charlee pulled her arm out of Walter’s when they turned the corner of a building and she was sure they were out of Ross’s sight. “Sorry about latching on to you.” She shrugged. “It was an impulse I guess—felt safer.”
“It’s okay,” Walter smiled. “I didn’t mind. So he’s still bothering you, huh?”
“Actually, I hadn’t seen him in a while, and I’m pretty sure he’s not out to harm me, not here on campus in broad daylight, anyway. It’s just . . .” She glanced at Walter a bit hesitant to go on but then did anyway. “He brings back old memories for me.”
Walter’s eyes opened a bit surprised. “You know him from way back?”
“No.” Charlee shook her head before taking a seat on a bench. Walter sat next to her, and she turned to him with a frail smile. “But feeling spooked or maybe just harassed by someone like him brings back old memories of when I was a kid in school.” She lifted a shoulder. “I’ve always been really shy. So I didn’t do well fitting in. The kids were . . . Well they weren’t very nice. It’s why I ended up just being homeschooled.”
Walter’s eyes opened even wider. “You left school because you were bullied? So did I.”
She tilted her head. This shouldn’t surprise her, but he was so big. “Really?”
Walter frowned. “Well, I was practically done with school. Just a little over a month before I finished high school, I dropped out. It was kind of impulsive and stupid actually, but I’d just had it.”
Charlee shook her head, taking a deep breath and glanced away. “I just don’t understand what it is about people that make them enjoy being cruel to others. I don’t think it’s Ross’s intention to be cruel.”
“He’s a jerk, Charlee.”
“Oh, I know.” Charlee glanced back at him, agreeing quickly. “I’m just saying I don’t think he means to hassle me more than pursue me, but it’s the way he goes about it—so aggressively and intimidating, like his just sitting down so close to me today, especially because our first encounter didn’t go over well at all. That’s what drudges up the ugly memories.”
“Well, I wouldn’t take my guard down about him not meaning any harm.” Walter said with a somber expression. “I still remember that look in his eye the day you wouldn’t give into him.”
Charlee thought about the first time she ran into him after that day and how creepy it had felt. “I won’t.” She smiled and stood up. “I better get going. I was so busy just trying to get as far as away from Ross that I went the opposite direction. My next class is clear across campus.”
Walter stood up. “I’ll walk you.”
“No, you don’t have to, Walter. Being my bodyguard is not your job.”
Walter shook his head. “My next class is that way too. And I want to.” His smile was a shy one. “Who knows? Now that I’m working out so much, maybe I will look into doing some bodyguard work.”
Charlee smiled maybe a little too big. Just like that, the butterflies in her belly started up again. Walter talking about working out was all it took to bring on the thoughts of Hector, his rock hard body, and the fact that she’d be seeing him again soon.
With her heart rate already taking a flying leap, she reminded herself of what she promised Drew. No matter what happened, she would remain composed. Charlee had also promised she wouldn’t do what she tended to do when she was trying to cover up feeling hurt or uncomfortable—overcompensate by acting too much the opposite way or say something rash if she got angry. She shouldn’t be angry, because in this day and age people did things like this all the time. Becoming angry or hurt would only make it obvious that Hector had been the first guy she’d done anything like this with. Charlee shouldn’t give him the pleasure of knowing that, if he didn’t deserve it. She was a modern woman living in a modern world. This was true. She agreed completely, even though this was huge for her.
Charlee smiled inwardly, chewing on the inside of her cheek. She remembered the way Hector gazed so tenderly into her eyes, kissed her so sweetly, and how sincere he was when he’d said the things he had. What she didn’t dare tell Drew was that the more she thought about Friday night, the more she was convinced this hadn’t been so insignificant for him either.
***
Monday . . . Tuesday . . . Wednesday . . . Thursday. . . Disappointment didn’t even begin to describe what Charlee was feeling. Hector hadn’t bothered to show up for chess lab all week. It was already Friday, and Charlee was certain he was avoiding her. Overhearing the guys and Walter talk about Hector with the two girls he’d apparently taken home again last Friday night didn’t help either.
As devastated as she felt, she was madder at herself than anything. He’d shown up with two girls—two girls he knew she’d seen grinding up on him on the dance floor just prior to them ending up in that room. And though he’d referred to them as just friends, Charlee knew exactly what kind of friends they were and, therefore, what kind of guy that made him, and still she’d gone against her better judgment and allowed him to kiss her.