Page 91 of Fade into You
“I thought we were staying over?” I say, looking back and forth between them, noting their similar features and mannerisms as they stare at each other in some kind of weird, inaccessible-to-me sibling moment.
“We are,” Bird says.
Then she gives Charlie a stern, wide-eyed, tight-lipped look. I feel her body jerk next to me under the table, and then Charlie lets out a sharp “Ow!
“Right, that’s what I meant,” he says. “Tomorrow.”
“I don’t know,” Bird answers. “But Charlie, can I ask you something?”
“Shoot,” he mumbles, chewing on a mouthful of food.
“Um, what’s going on with your hair?”
“What’s wrong with my hair?”
“It’s just very…”
“Gavin Rossdale,” I finish for her. “Circa 1996.Rolling Stonecover. Terrible article, by the way. But his hair looked great.”
“All right,” he says, nodding with a little stifled laugh that reminds me so much of Bird. “I can work with that.”
Which makes Bird burst out laughing in a decidedly non-stifled way.
“No, it actually looks good,” she admits. “It’s just very different, that’s all. You must not have cut it since the last time I saw you.”
“Nope.” He shakes his head, perfecting the messy crisp waves look that only pretty guys like him can pull off.
“How long has it been?” I ask.
“Since what, the summer?” he says.
“No, we didn’t get to see each other at all last summer. I was at the—”
“Oh, yeah. The writing thing. So, when was it?”
“Spring break,” she answers immediately, like she’s been keeping track.
“As in last spring? Jesus.”
“Too long,” she says more seriously, and he nods.
“You’re right. It’s been too long.”
There’s an awkward break in the conversation, so I fill it. “Well, this was a really nice surprise,” I tell Bird. “I’m glad you brought me with you.”
She laughs and almost chokes on her food. Has to take a drink of water. “What?Him?” she shouts. “Charlie is not your surprise, honey.”
Oof.Honey.She just said “honey” out loud. She called me “honey” for the first time, in front of someone else. I’m internally panicking, looking back and forth between them. And she’s frozen too.
“Ah jeez, thanks, Birdie,” he says, playfully rolling his eyes. If he noticed the glitch, he doesn’t let on. “On that note, I’m gonna go get some more food.”
He stands and brings his tray with him.
“Fuck,” I breathe. “That was… well, nice, actually. But also a little too…”
“Close,” she finishes. “Yeah. Sorry, it just sorta slipped out. Honey,” she adds with a small smile. “I don’t think he even caught it.”
When we leave the dining hall, Charlie breaks off and tells us he’ll see us later. “Be careful. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Don’t do most of the things Iwoulddo. I’m gonna go call Mom and let her know you made it.”
