Charlie was outside at the lawn, she was talking to Charlotte as they sat on the white bench. It was a typical afternoon in a small town like Bluebridge, where people spend their time together just talking, sipping tea or taking an afternoon walk along the pathways. Some spend it at the lake or on a picnic at the grassy field. He’d miss all those things, he’ll remember it as his hometown. Bluebridge will be a place where he’ll probably visit once a year and less often with each passing year.
He was watching them from inside. Her smile was infectious, he smiled just looking at her smile. ‘Cried for months’ her mother said. She really did love him, something he still has a hard time believing. He was going to be better this time, he can’t slip up again. Whatever it takes to keep her in his life, he will do it.
He stepped out of the front door. Charlie waved at him to come and meet Charlotte. “This is my boyfriend Tom … this is Charlotte, my sister,” she said the word ‘boyfriend’ and he was floating. They talked for a while to let Charlotte know about their plans. She was torn with the idea of separating from Charlene for the whole summer, but then she gave her a big warm hug of blessing before she went inside and left them alone.
“How was it?” she asked.
He tilted his head to one side, “She was definitely graceful … threatened to kill me without saying a single word of threat … your mom is incredible,” he answered.
Charlie was silent for a moment, and then she hooked her arm around his and pulled him away across the lawn. “Okay … remind me to never leave you alone with my mom ever again.” Tommy laughed.
“I’m serious, Tommy, what did she say?” They were walking towards the gate.
“I can’t tell you every detail … but she did exactly that, … look, Charlie, …” he turned to face her. “I want to be with you … I told her that, I don’t want you or your mom to doubt that … I want to spend the summer with you, and get back what we’ve lost,” he took a deep breath. “I don’t know what’s gonna happen after that … to be away from you was hard, but I want it to work … I do,” he continued.
Charlie wrapped his arms around her waist and vice versa, “I want that too.” Their face were almost touching. “It’s okay … we’ll start with that,” she added.
He leaned his forehead to hers, their nose touched. “I love you so much,” he said, almost in a whisper.
“I love you, Tommy,” she kissed him a long and gentle kiss.
End Part
When he was a boy, he never really pictured how his life would be when he grew up. Throughout his adolescence, when he explored girls and his sexuality, he never had an image of what his dream girl would be like. He never really thought about it.
When he met Charlie, he just knew, it had to be her.
She wasn’t a light-packer. She stuffed his Honda with three suitcases and three boxes of her belongings to last her for the whole summer. She sat on the passenger seat, and lifted her lean legs on the dashboard, the sun reflected on her face and hair, he thought he must’ve been dreaming.
He was moving to the city where he always said he would, he was going to start working where he always said he would, and he was accompanied by the girl of his dreams. The girl who had pushed him to chase his own dreams.
She was his reason for everything. Most importantly, she loves him.
“What?” Charlie asked because he was staring. He smiled and looked away, “Nothing,” he said. She fidgeted on her seat, anxious for the road trip ahead, “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this!!” she screamed and threw her hands in the air. She went over to hug Tommy from the side and bit his ear playfully, “I’m so excited!! Can we go now??” Tommy laughed it off and started the car, “Yes, Charlie, we can go now,” he turned to kiss her.
And so they drove away from the town they’ve always known to the city of neon dreams. Unbeknownst to them, it would be a journey that will change the course of both their lives.