Charisma

Billie and I decided to spend the rest of the night at his house, which resulted in us watching Straight To Hell; a video my father starred in.

"Isn't it weird to see your dad on television?"

"No, I actually enjoy it. I know him, so it's quite entertaining."

He tucked my soft hair behind my ear and chuckled.

"Charisma, what's it like in England?"

"It's not as magnificent if you live there and aren't a tourist. There are a lot of drug-addicted homeless people, some economic issues. It's much like anywhere else." I cuddled into Billie's chest and signed.

"Do you ever get homesick?"

"I guess I do at times since it's familiar to me. I mean, I know my way around London and I'm still learning how to get around Berkeley. I don't think I do as much because my family are here as well."

"Would you get homesick if you were the only one here?"

I looked up at Billie and furrowed my eyebrows.

"Billie, what are you getting at?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, your time is almost up here...I was wondering if you'd move in with me."

"Move in with you? Into here?"

"No! Mike and I are going apartment hunting tomorrow. I want you to stay with me, and I want you to move in with us."

I sat up on the couch and turned to face him.

"I love you, Billie. I am staying here for you. I don't want to lose you!"

Billie smiled and stroked my hair.

"I didn't doubt you, baby girl. I just want you to know that I want you to with me."

Billie could be exceptionally sweet and I felt myself beam with happiness. I snuggled back into him and he kissed the top of my head.

"I hope I don't become a burden on you boys. Living with a girl could be utterly horrifying."

Billie chuckled. "How could living with you be 'utterly horrifying'?" He mimicked with a faux accent and I laughed.

"It could happen! I'll be around all the time, you could get sick of me!"

"Firstly, all three of us grew up with sisters. I doubt any of us will be scarred. Secondly, I would never become sick of you. I'm excited for you to be around."

"This is great, Billie. I'm really glad you're so happy about this."

"Of course I am, baby." He gave me a light squeeze and kissed the back of my head once more.

* * *

"Charisma, sweetie, I need you to wake up now." A soft, feminine voice cooed in my ear.

I opened my eyes and saw Ollie standing in front of me. I jumped back slightly and her warm grin spread wider across her aged skin.

"Ollie?" I asked, my voice breaking in the process. She nodded once and I sat up; exhausted.

"Hi, sweetie, I'm sorry to scare you. Billie got called into work for a few hours and said he tried to wake you but you wouldn't budge."

I rubbed my tired eyes. "Oh, alright, well thank you for waking me up, Ollie."

She laughed. "No problem, sweetie. Would you like some breakfast?"

As if on cue, my stomach growled and I felt my cheeks heat up.

"Yeah, I'm starving."

I sat at their kitchen table as Ollie prepared us breakfast. As usual, she declined my offer to help her out.

"So, Charisma, where in England are you from?" She smiled as she scooped the pancake onto her spatula.

"Well, I was born in London, but we lived in Brixton and Newport for a while. Both of those places seemed to have a lot of problems, especially with drugs, so my mom moved us back to London."

"I've always wanted to visit London to sight-see. I think it's a beautiful country. Do you have any siblings?"

"It is beautiful. If you ever get the chance, I definitely recommend visiting. I've got a twin sister, actually. She's younger by three minutes and we're fraternal. I've got another younger sister who is fourteen."

Ollie set the spatula down and looked at me shocked.

"You're a twin? Billie never said a thing."

I smiled. "Billie doesn't exactly like my sister."

"How come? If she's anything like you, she must be a doll." Ollie smiled as she picked up the spatula.

"Maya is not a thing like me. She has jealousy issues and tried making a pass at Billie when I wasn't in the room." Thinking about that incident caused my good mood to vanish and Ollie noticed. After she finished up with our pancakes, she brought the plates and syrup to the table and sat down next to me.

"Thank you, Ollie. You're always so wonderful to me." I smiled gratefully and she smiled as well.

"You are a sweetheart. I don't know how I could treat you any other way." I felt my cheeks heat up and I pour syrup over my pancakes.

"Thanks, Ollie. It means a lot that you like me."

She smiled. "Of course I like you, dear. You've been nothing short of amazing to my Billie Joe, and I know he's thankful that you put up with his shenanigans."

"I adore Billie, and I truthfully think him and I fit pretty well together. We're a lot of like, but different enough to where it's still fun and unpredictable."

"I'm glad you two get on so well. I think, actually, you're the first of Billie's girlfriends to be comfortable around me. They used to think it was weird when I was home. I've had six kids; you cannot surprise me. I don't work as much, because I only have Billie Joe left in the house and it's going to be pretty lonesome when he moves out."

"You should just have Tre and Mike move in and then it'll be like having three kids in the house again."

She chuckled. "I could, but I think Billie is ready to get out of here and get some life experience. However things work out with the band, he knows the door is always open for him and the boys."

"Billie loves you very much, you know that right?" I smiled, setting my fork down. She nodded once, smiling as she looked at me with watery eyes.

"I do," She spoke, "But there's been this tension in the house lately. We fight a lot more since he dropped out, and every time I try and have a civil conversation with him he just snaps and thinks I'm trying to fight with him about school." She sniffled and dropped her head into her hands. My heart sank at the sight and it reminded me of the very first day Billie and I met. He seemed agitated no matter how much he enjoyed his time with me.

"Oh, Ollie," I stood up, "Please don't cry. Billie doesn't mean to snap at you, I'm sure." I hugged her and she chuckled lightly; patting my hands.

"I know, I know. I just wish he'd see that I'm proud of him no matter what he does." I pulled away from her as she sat back up straight and she smiled kindly.

"Ollie, I can assure you that Billie knows you're proud of him. Maybe he just feels he's let you down." I sat back down in my seat and Ollie smiled weakly.

"I would have liked to see him graduate...it's hard to have five kids go through school and when your final kid is almost there...it's hard. But I know he has a career ahead of him in music, so I'm proud of him."

After a heartfelt talk with Ollie, I headed back home to talk with my dad.

Brookelle, Maya and my dad were watching The Wild Stallions when I joined them in the living room. My dad smiled, as usual, and greeted me warmly as I sat down next to him on the couch.

"How was your night with Billie?" He asked, throwing his arm around my shoulder.

"It was good. I love when we get to spend the night together." I smiled at my dad and he tousled my hair.

"Of course you do, Charis. It seems like you have something on your mind, though." He urged me on and I looked down at my hands. How could I separate myself from my dad?

"Well," I began, "I was thinking that our time was almost up here..." I looked up at him and smiled weakly. I felt Brookelle and Maya's eyes upon me and my stomach tightened.

"Yeah?" My dad smiled encouragingly.

"Well, Billie and I are quite serious for our short time together...and I figured for us to work out I would have to stay here." I finished; breathless. I looked up at my dad and he seemed surprised.

"You want to stay here?" His voice was soft, and I could tell he was upset.

"I don't want to...I am going to stay here." I corrected.

Brookelle gasped at my attitude and Maya smirked. I rolled my eyes and smiled sheepishly at my dad. He cleared his throat and connected his hands in his lap.

"I understand," He sighed, "But, Charisma, where are you going to live?"

"Billie is getting an apartment with Mike, and they want me to live with them. I have all my money saved up from my job, and I know that the boys have a savings as well." I hoped my explanation would help calm my dad. I knew he understood that my happiness came first, but he always wanted me to be safe and secure.

"I really do like Billie, Charis. But are you sure this is worth it? You two haven't even known each other for a month." I gaped at my dad and felt anger wash through me.

"Of course I know this is worth it! Billie and I are in love!" I stood up as my temper flared. Why does it sound pathetic?

"Charisma, calm down. There is no reason for you to get upset." Maya muttered; sitting up in her chair. I glared at my sister and then looked back at my dad.

"I have every reason to be upset! You make me feel dumb that I have to justify my reason for wanting to stay here. You're statement made me feel pathetic for saying we were in love. It may be too soon for the rest of you, but you don't know." I felt myself being washed over with emotion and my eyes stung with tears.

My dad stood up from the couch and pulled me into a hug. His touch caused me to start to cry and he rubbed my back affectionately.

"I'm sorry my words had such an effect on you, Charis. You know you can stay here if that's what you really want. I just want the best for you, you know that." He kissed the top of my head and I heard my sister laugh.

I pulled away from my dad and crossed my arms over my chest.

"What's so funny?"

She smiled. "You are. You're such a drama queen, Charisma."

"Oh, yeah? I'm the drama queen? Well at least I don't have jealousy issues and make passes at your boyfriends." I yelled back, causing her to sneer.

"You don't deserve such a good guy. You're horrible to your boyfriends and you know it!" She stood up from the chair and we glared at each other.

"Girls, please. Sit down." My dad tried to reconcile.

"You really need to stop bringing that up, Maya." I hissed.

"Why? It's the true you and you know it."

"I was sixteen, Maya! Nobody said I was the perfect girlfriend!"

"Oh, yeah, well he must've been a real sweet talker to get you into bed." She yelled.

I stared at my sister and felt my cheeks heat up from humiliation. My dad tried to pull me into another hug, but I turned toward the foyer and hurried out of the room. I heard my dad yelling at Maya as I descended down the stairs and once I reached my room, I grabbed the home phone off the charger and dialed the familiar number.

I felt my heart beat quickly as I sat at the edge of my bed and listened to the ringing.

"Hello?" He asked; noise in the background.

"Billie!" I breathed, a bit too desperate.

"Charisma? Are you okay?"

"No," I cried, "I really need you right now."

"I get off of work in twenty minutes. Where are you?"

"I'm at my house."

Billie sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay. Bye, Billie."

"Bye, Charisma. I love you."

"I love you too, Billie."

I hung up the phone and threw it behind me. A light knock on my door caused me to jump and I saw my dad smiling weakly as he stood in my door way.

"Can I come in?"

I nodded. "Of course."

My dad sighed and walked slowly across the room toward me.

"Listen, kiddo, I'm sorry if I made it seem like you had to prove your relationship to me or your sisters. I know what it's like to be young and in love....but your circumstances are different. I just want to make sure you know what you're doing." He sat next to me, causing the bed to sink down slightly.

I sighed. "I do know what I'm doing, dad. I want to stay here and develop my relationship with Billie."

"Have you fully thought about what you're doing?"

"What's to think about? I understand that I'd be moving out and being on my own."

"But you're really going to be on your own, Charis. We aren't going to be down the street anymore. You're going to be here while your family is miles away in London."

And that's when it hit me. Like a ton of bricks. My was separating myself from my father and he wasn't going to be around anymore. How can I do that?

I looked up my dad with tearful eyes and he smiled weakly.

"Dad," I breathed. He pulled me into a hug and I felt tears roll down my face.

"It's a big step, darling. It's never easy to separate yourself from your comfort zone, especially as drastic as this will be. But if you're sure it's what you want, and you can do it; then do it."

"I know," I sniffled. "But with you so far away..."

"Don't think about that. Focus on the positive and it won't seem so bad." My dad kissed my temple and I felt a bit of comfort in his words.

My dad left me alone after that, and I curled up in my pillows while I waited for Billie to come over.

"Charisma..." Billie's voice whispered in my ear.

I turned on my side and saw a goofy grin placed upon Billie's lips.

"Billie?" I mumbled; wiping my eyes. Dry tears. Nice.

"Yeah, it's me, baby girl." I sat up slowly and smiled as I took in his presence.

"I'm so happy to see you." I threw my arms around him and he chuckled.

"I'm happy to see you as well, baby girl."

I kissed his neck as I nuzzled my face into his shoulder.

"I'm really, really happy to see you." I giggled; kissing his neck. It felt like a fresh batch of hormones washed over me and I continued kissing my way up to his jaw line.

"Whoa, Charisma, what's gotten into you?" He pushed my away slightly and I stared at him confused.

"What? Can't I do that?"

"No, you can. It just seemed like you were upset on the phone and now...well, you seem...excited." I rolled my eyes at his choice of words and he smiled.

"I am." I shrugged.

"Well I'm not...exactly. I came here ready to comfort you....not to...excite you." He furrowed his eyebrows at his own confusement and I giggled.

"That's what I'm for, silly." I giggled as I pushed him down onto his back.