Charity Moon (3 page)

“Sure, but what’s my alternative? After I’m gone, his temptation will also be gone. Maybe everything will be fine then.”

“Well, all you have to do is hang in there a little longer until we get an apartment together and enroll in our nursing classes. Speaking of apartments, do you think you’ll get another job soon, since you got fired from Pete’s?”
Pete’s Paint and Supplies, until recently, is the store I’ve worked at every day for the past year.

“I’m not sure right now. With this being our last semester, I’d sort of like to focus on my grades. Mom’s supporting me though. She says I’ll have the rest of my life to work. And I didn’t get fired—I quit. I got tired of that slime ball Jerry hitting on me every chance he got. He made working there intolerable.”

“Well, how are we gonna get an apartment together if you don’t have a job?”

“Hold the phone, Little Miss Perky Pants! Don’t get your eyelashes stuck in double-duty knots. I’ll get a full-time job right after graduation, and I’ve got some money saved. Also, Pete said I could have my job back, full-time, once I graduate, and I just might consider it if Jerry’s gone.”

“Hmm, he was a jerk. Too bad you didn’t punch him in the nose.”

“Who said I didn’t.” I smirked.

“You’re my hero, you know that, right?”

“Yeah—and you’re mine—minus the perky part.”

“Ha, ha. I’d laugh if that were funny.”

“You just did.”

Ashley and I are inseparable, soul sisters, but physically we’re extreme opposites. Where I am tall, busty, with long, dark hair and crystal blue eyes; she is short, flat chested with cropped, blonde hair and big, brown eyes. “Never pretty, always cute” is her motto. We often wish we could switch bodies.
You know, grass is always greener and all that.
Side by side she looks like a pixie dwarf, that or I look like the Jolly Green Giant, take your pick. But I’ve never had a more loyal and devoted friend, and I imagine I never will.

When I pulled in my driveway, I glanced in my rearview mirror and thought I saw a blue Mustang pass by. “Nah, it couldn’t be,” I said to myself, shaking my head as I exited the car.

Once inside, I went straight to the refrigerator to get a glass of tea. I had just taken a long, slow sip, when I heard Frank call to me from the front door. He was home way too early, and feeling panic rush over me, I urged myself to think calmly about what to do next. I knew I needed to get to my room or my car. I couldn’t let him get his hands on me, not with so little time left under his roof. I took a deep breath and made a mad dash for the stairs, but he intercepted me as I rounded the corner.

He stood blocking my escape and the look in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine and up again. I’ve seen that look before and it normally meant he’d been drinking.

“Where are you going in such a hurry young lady?” He took a step in my direction and instant panic consumed me. I glanced around, observing no escape.

God promised me three years ago that Frank would never be allowed to harm me, and I’ve never doubted it until that instant.

My breathing became frantic. “No, Frank, please don’t.”

“Don’t what? I just want to talk to you. No harm in that, is there?” He took another step toward me.

“Please think about this. You’ll break my mom’s heart. I know you don’t want to do that. Now, please let me pass—please.” I pleaded.

I began to pray, calling on my Higher Power for the rescue I was in desperate need of.

My dad had a strong faith, and well I guess I do too, or did, but the last few years have taken their toll on my faith—what with my dad’s brutal murder and all. Before he died, the one thing he was adamant about teaching me was that sometimes our problems are too big for us, but they’re never too big for God. It must’ve stuck with me because in that moment I knew that God was the only one who could help me—that or send someone who would. 

Frank took one more step, putting him right in front of me, when the sudden and frantic ring of the doorbell distracted him.

I took advantage of his distraction and darted around him, up the stairs, and into my bedroom where I locked the door and secured my chair against it.

I heard him open the front door, but apparently no one was there because he charged straight up to my room and began banging on my door. I opened my window and crawled out onto the flat roof outside of my room. I often climbed out there when I needed to think—or in this case, escape from the clutches of a maniac out to destroy my happiness.

I covered my ears and cried as Frank continued to bang and yell obscenities at me. The only thing that kept him from breaking down my door was the fear of explaining it to my mother.

I thought I heard someone walking around the house under me. I looked over the eaves onto the ground below, but couldn’t see anyone. I knew it wasn’t Frank; he was still cursing me through my door. Oh well, I guess I must’ve imagined it. First the Mustang, then someone at the back of the house, I was beginning to think all of the stress was finally getting to me.

I sat out on that roof for the rest of the day. When it started to turn dark I crawled back in through my window, but stayed in my room until my mom came home. As a real estate agent, her hours could sometimes be long and hectic. I look a lot like her, except for the stubborn gray locks that had managed to sneak in when she wasn’t looking. I figured it wouldn’t be long before she took matters into her own hands, freeing herself of the menacing locks threatening her youth. She often questioned why I didn’t have supper ready when she got home, but, besides the fact that I rot at cooking, I couldn’t tell her that I locked myself in my room so her psycho husband wouldn’t attack me. I mostly used homework as my excuse, but on this day I realized that my backpack, with my homework in it, was still in the kitchen. I guessed that meant late hours of homework for me. Calculus alone kept me up till midnight.

The next day, during lunch, the torture began. It was bad enough living through the annoyance of my gum exchange with Levi once, but reliving it over as Ashley told the others was just downright painful. They began teasing me immediately. I knew I’d have to think of a good way to get Ashley back—one that required pain—lots of pain.

“I dare you to go over there right now and kiss him on the lips,” Delaney challenged.

“What? Are you delusional? Why would I do a stupid thing like that?”

“I double dare you,” she persisted.

“Uh oh! Charity’s never turned down a double dare in her life,” Ashley added.

“Yeah, well this will be the first. I have nothing to prove to you. I’m not making a fool out of myself for your enjoyment. Do I look like a total donkey?”

“He’d be the idiot of all idiots to reject you,” Toby said.

I smiled. “Thanks, Toby.” I glared at the others. “At least someone’s looking out for me.”

“But will you do it for twenty bucks?” Toby asked, slapping the bill down on the table.

I gaped at my friends as they all dug in their pockets, bringing out what money they had on them.

“I have twenty,” Stacy said, slapping hers down.

“I only have ten,” Delaney said, repeating the gesture.

“I have ten,” Ashley said.

“What, Ash, you too?”

She shrugged. “I’m only human, Charity. I wanna see the hottest people in the school swap spit too,” she said, her muddy brown eyes full of mischief.

“Technically we’ve already swapped spit. And you’re all acting very immature.”

“Okay, Charity, sixty bucks says you won’t go over there right now and kiss Levi Drake on the lips,” Toby said, daring me again to meet the challenge.

“And it has to be an open-mouth kiss with tongue,” Delaney added with a smirk.

“You know, if you weren’t my friend I’d pop you! On second thought I think I’ll pop you anyway!”

She laughed and backed away in mock fear. “I’m just trying to help you, Charity. At the rate you’re going you’ll die a grumpy, old maid.”

“Grumpy old maids don’t get their hearts broken. And you guys need to get a serious life instead of living yours through me.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Toby asked, straight-faced, drawing my attention back down to the table and the money that lay there.

I huffed as I looked down at the pile of cash before pulling out my lip balm and saturating my lips. And with a squared jaw, I got up and stared Delaney right in the eyes. “I’d tongue a frog for sixty bucks.”

Every one of them gasped as I rose and walked with determination across the room and straight toward Levi, sitting unaware, back facing me. I took a deep breath as I stepped beside him. He looked up at me, and I met his gaze boldly.

“I hope you understand this is nothing personal,” I said, putting my hand in the back of his hair and closing my fist around a handful of silky strands before tilting his head back. I gave no more thought, lest I chicken out, as my lips came down on his. His initial shock was evident but soon faded as his mouth greeted mine with eagerness. The kiss quickly deepened, his scent finding me and threatening my control, but the sudden cheering from his friends brought me back from the brink. I pulled away, and without looking at him, turned and headed back across the room.

“Oh man! Levi, what did you do to get the hottest girl in school to kiss you like that?” one of the guys asked in amazement.

“Oh yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! Maybe she likes guys after all,” said another.

“What did she taste like?” I heard one ask.

There was silence, then, with wonderment in his strained voice, Levi answered, “Like raspberries.” 

I smiled and purposely strutted back to my seat, feeling Levi’s gaze fixed on me as I walked. “Okay twerps, where’s my money?” I asked, hand open, eyes narrowed.

They handed it over with stunned faces.

“Now I know why I idolize you,” Toby said.

“That was so hot I need a cold shower,” Stacy added.

Ashley didn’t have to say anything. Her angelic smile said it all.

“What did he taste like?” Delaney asked, smirking.

“Like cake.”

I folded the money, shoved it in my pocket, and walked out of the room without another word. Once I rounded the corner, I pressed my back against the wall and took a few deep breaths, trying to slow my heart rate. I admit I’m not very experienced when it comes to kissing, but even I know that kiss was totally hot. Levi ‘Lava-Hottie’ had once again earned his name. 

Every day for the rest of the week, another boy transferred to our school from E. W. High. But that wasn’t the weirdest part; they all seemed to be friends of Levi’s, and by Friday, six boys in all had transferred. All of them were tall, well built, and like Levi, reasonably tanned. It seemed I was the only one puzzled by our new additions. My friends were just enjoying having new boys to look at. But we haven’t had a single person transfer from our rival school in years, if ever. Though I hadn’t spoken to him, or even made eye contact, since the dreadful day of our lip lock, I decided to ask Levi about it in Art class.

“So, Levi, what’s up with all of your friends transferring here? Are you that influential that they can’t manage at E. W. without you?” I scoffed while finishing up the last touches of his portrait. It was clear by his expression that I caught him off guard.

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking slightly puzzled.

“No one transfers here in years and then there are six of you in one week. It sounds a little suspicious if you ask me.”

“Well, no one’s asking you,” he countered sharply.

“A little defensive aren’t you? Do you have something to hide?”

“It’s better if you just mind your own business.” His expression was a little alarming.

“Hey, it’s public knowledge, so it
is
my business. Why are you so defensive about it?”

“Why do you care?” he asked coldly, leaning across the table toward me, so close in fact I caught his scent and was momentarily dazed.