Thin Line- Charlie Dalton Love Story

Chapter 18: New Beginning

It was just 9:30 when some people had let out fire works already. Neil and Todd took this time to confess everything about the Dead Poets Society. Turns out I was the only one here that didn't 'officially' know about them. I figured they had to tell me to keep from conversational blocks. I was sitting on one of the lawn chairs watching the fire. There's something so mesmerizing about fire and flames. It makes you want to touch it but you know that if you do, it'll hurt you. So you stand back and watch it's beauty instead. Meeks and Pittsie were uninterested in the beauty of the fire and unaware that it was burning their marshmallows while they were in deep conversation with Tina and Gloria. Todd and Neil were deep in conversation about something and Knox and Chris were sitting by on the log, wrapped around a small velvet blanket that was just enough for two of them. I looked around the scene, and I couldn't help but smile about how wholesome this was.

I got up to get myself a drink, when Charlie Dalton finally announced his arrival.

"Nuwanda has arrived." He said with his chest out and his arms wide.

I grimaced at his obnoxious behavior and leaned to grab a coke.

"And he has brought with him a dolly."

A dolly huh? I straightened up again, slightly curious on who this 'dolly' might be.

"Oh hello there Chase, care to meet my friend?" Charlie said with a smirk as he leaned against the food table.

"Hi." She had said, all smiley and annoying.

"Oh my god, Nancy!" I cried.

'Don't give him a reaction Valerie' I kept saying to myself. 'Don't give him a reaction that is exactly what he wants'

"It's good to see you again." I lied.

Nancy gave me a fake smile and left to find a place by the fire. Charlie stayed behind.

I couldn't hold it in any longer, "Why the fuck did you bring her?"

He looked at me and blinked innocently not saying anything.

"After everything I told you about her?"

"Why do you think I brought her then?" He replied, digging out a cold beer for himself.

"To piss me off?" I laughed, "How pathetic."

I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer, "You can't get me out of your head, Nuwanda. And the faster you admit that the easier your life is gonna get."

I went back to my seat. He can parade Nancy Miller all night for all I care. Truth is you only truly try to make someone jealous if you have feelings for them. And usually the other party doesn't get jealous if they don't have feelings for them. But why? Why? Why was I kinda bothered by it. I'm sure it's just because he used Nancy that's why. Yes, that's why. Just relax. Patience is a virtue.

Charlie stole Meeks and Pitts' chair for himself and Nancy. He spent half the time 'talking' to her but his eyes were glued on me. As much as I hated Nancy and her entire existence, I knew that the slightest bit of reaction would make me lose this silent battle.

It was half past 11 and everyone was sitting around the fire. Knox, Chris, Neil, Todd, Charlie, Nancy, and I were sitting in the lawn chairs in a semicircle around the fireplace. The circle was closed by the log which had Meeks, Pittsie, Gloria and Tina on them. We were talking and laughing about how we spent our year '59. I was genuinely having a good time, excluding the moments when Dalton would deliberately make eye contact with me and graze Nancy's hair. Ugh I could just throw up. We were now going around saying what our new year's resolutions are.