One More Time Left to Say Your Goodbyes

After Max and Casey left I got in the shower. Mostly to get away from Ronnie.

It wasn't that hard to figure out what happened last night. I couldn't really remember, but from what I do remember it was...moaning. A lot of moaning.

I squeezed my eyes shut. The fuck was wrong with me? What must Casey think of me? What if the neighbors heard it? Oh my god. Why?

Running shampoo through my hair, I could hear the television turn on in the living room. I was going to be stuck with Ronnie the entire day. Alone. After last night. And he wasn't exactly bummed about it. In fact he looked happier than I'd seen him since when he first stepped through Casey's doorway.
And Max? Well you didn't have to be a genius to figure out Max. If the expression 'if looks could kill' was true, I'd be dead ten times over. I don't know what the hell was shoved up his ass, but I could only guess how wonderful a mood that Casey would have to deal with today.

A knock on the door reminded me of Ronnie's presence and I sighed.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm in the shower!"

I could hear the smile in his voice. "Nothing I haven't seen before, Char. Also the steam's probably thick as hell. And there's a curtain. Calm your tits."

"Fine," I replied, gritting my teeth. I felt a cool breeze come in and heard Ronnie sit down on the toilet seat.

"So," He began. "About last night..."

"We fucked didn't we?" I asked, and I heard Ronnie suck in a breath.

"Er...yeah. But if it makes you feel better at all, you were amazing."

I smiled. "Yeah, that makes me feel so much better."

"What's wrong?" Ronnie's tone shifted from a joking one to a concerned one. "Did you not like it? Was I not good enough? Are you embarrassed? Because you don't-"

"No, no," I said, sitting down on the tub floor. "It's not that. It's just...Ronnie...I was a virgin until twenty-four hours ago."

The bathroom was silent except for the sound of running water. I stood up, wringing my hair out and turning off the shower.

"Could you hand me a towel?" I asked quietly. I saw Ronnie's arm pass around the curtain, holding out a towel. "Thanks." Wrapping it around myself, I stepped out into the steam-dense room. Ronnie was sitting on the closed toilet seat, a serious expression on his face.

I sat down on his lap, his arms wrapping around me. He looked at me with guilty eyes.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. If you would have told me..." He trailed off, taking a breath. "I mean...it was special to me."

"I never said it wasn't special. But...I mean Ronnie, I was baked off my ass. I can't even remember most of it. And I didn't think my first time would be with you, no offense. I just...pictured it differently."

He sighed. "Well there's nothing we can do about it now. What's done is done. If you want, we can go get something to eat. Walk around downtown?"

"Sure."

I stood up, waiting until he walked out of the bathroom before letting the towel fall to the floor and pulling clothes on. I moved in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.
I didn't recognize the girl staring back.



The heat was rising from the concrete in waves, and I certainly felt it. I groaned as Ronnie and I made our way back to Casey's apartment, and Ronnie smiled over at me in amusement.

"Why is it so hot?" I complained.

"Because that's how things work, Char."

I grumbled, fixing my shirt. My heart rate sped up as I glanced up ahead and saw a familiar face.

"Alex..." I said quietly, and Ronnie looked down at me before glaring at where Alex stood, leaning against the outside wall of a bar, texting on his phone. He looked up as we approached.

I didn't meet his eyes as we passed. While our backs were to him I heard Alex's voice.

"Biiiitch, bitch bitch biiiitch."

Quick as a flash, I turned and saw Ronnie with a fistful of Alex's shirt, one hand leaning him against the building. He had such a look of hatred on his face that I was scared just watching him.

"Don't you ever speak to Charlie again, don't even fucking look at her. She doesn't need a letch like you trying to make her feel like shit for something you did."

Alex stared defiantly into Ronnie's face. "I suppose you're Ronnie, the 'high-school friend' that she's been fucking all this time. Tramp!" I flinched as he spat in my direction.

Ronnie shoved him back hard against the brick, and I saw him wince in pain.

"First: the fuck are you talking about? Secondly: Charlie isn't a tramp, you dickhead. Third: If you ever touch her ever again I'll mess you up so badly that you won't ever have a shot at having a girlfriend ever again."

Alex gritted his teeth. "Look, man, the only reason I know about you is because that jerk that lives in the same building as I do came out for a smoke and talked to me. You've gotta know him. Black hair? Snake bites?"

My jaw dropped as I saw Ronnie's head swivel to look at me, his face wearing the same expression that I was feeling. "That asshole..." I whispered.

Ronnie let go of Alex, letting him slide onto the sidewalk before walking to my side.

"What did Max tell him?" I asked frantically. Ronnie just shook his head. I began speed walking towards Casey's apartment, Ronnie following in my wake.

As we stepped through the doorway I noticed Casey sitting at the small table near the kitchen, sipping on a Diet Pepsi. Her eyes looked red. Max was outside on the porch, no doubt smoking like a chimney. I walked over to Casey, but before I could ask her what was wrong Ronnie walked right over to Max, opening the door and proceeding to let out a stream of profanities. Casey and I sat in silence and watched them.

"The fuck man?!" Max yelled irritably, halfway inside the apartment.

"Why the hell did you talk to Alex? What is wrong with you? I swear you must've eaten paint chips when you were a kid."

Max glared at his friend, his fists clenching and unclenching. "I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about."

Ronnie snorted. "Oh spare me the fucking innocent act, you dickhead. Charlie and I ran into Alex and he sure had plenty to say. The most interesting of all was the fact that he had a chat with you apparently."

"I was just fucking around with him! Don't get your panties in a twist just because some ex boyfriend of hers is a prick. Not my fault. Besides, not everyone likes Charlie."

I saw Ronnie shake with anger, and I was about to intervene before Casey interrupted quietly.

"You certainly did from what I've heard."

Everyone except Max looked over at her in surprise. Casey's blue eyes wouldn't meet mine.

"Casey...what-"

"She knows," Max spat bitterly. "I told her everything. Everything."

Casey just looked at the ground. I swallowed, feeling my heart beating in my chest loudly.

"You don't hate me, do you Casey?"

Her voice was shaky when she replied. "Why didn't you tell me, Char?"

"I didn't even know that your Max was the same as the Max back then until he walked through that door. Please believe me. I didn't want to hurt you. I just-"

"Don't act like the fucking victim here, Charlie!" Max yelled, glaring daggers at me. Ronnie took a step towards him.

"Don't start on her!"

"Oh right protect your girlfriend! Have a nice time last night fucking her? Was she good? Finally got what you've always wanted, huh?!"

"SHUT UP!"

Casey's wavering voice brought everyone's yells to a halt. She looked up at me with sad eyes.

"Charlie, you're like a sister to me. I'm not mad at you. I'm just...hurt." She stood up, wrapping her arms around me as she began to cry.

"Why are you so sad?" I asked. It couldn't just be because Max spilled the beans. Casey would be able to handle that without crying. I knew Casey.

"I broke up with her."

I glared at Max. He looked over at me with a trace of emotion in his eyes I didn't recognize. But oh God I hated him so much. Fuck you, Max Green. Fuck. You.

That was the last straw for Ronnie. I closed my eyes as I heard the satisfying sound of fist meeting face.