Nowhere, Anywhere, Somewhere

19

Today we are leaving Texas and going back to Huntington. 

So far I have avoided Brian pretty well, only speaking to him when necessary.
As I was in my room packing my bag, there was a knock in my door. 
"Come in!" I yelled, folding a shirt to pack. 

" Megan?" I heard from the doorway. 

I looked up to see Charlie standing in the doorway, dressed in his marine uniform and carrying a duffle bag. 
"Oh, hey Charlie. You're all packed up I see..." I spoke, walking towards him. 
He opened his arms and I embraced the hug. 
"I'm gonna miss you," he said, resting his chin on top of mine head. I felt him kiss my forehead,"So much. "

I pulled away, smiling,"A couple of years ago I wrote you a song, I thought maybe you'd like to hear it?" I offered. 

Charlie grinned,"yeah, of course. " 

I nodded, reaching behind me and grabbing the guitar which was laying on my bed, and taking it with me. 
"C'mon." I grabbed Charlie's hand and drug him down the hall and out the house. I laughed as we ran out to the barn and it felt like old times again. 

When we got inside the barn Charlie raced me up the stairs to the hay loft and we collapsed in laughter amongst the hay bales. 

I looked over at Charlie in his uniform and the day dream came crashing down. 

"what's wrong?" he asked, noticing my sudden lack of joy.

I shook my head, tuning the guitar. 
" I just realized that nothin's ever gonna be the same again is it?" I asked, looking over to him. 

He shook his head. " no, but we'll always be the same people. I'm me and you're you. The world may be big and full of crazy, Meg, but at the end of the day it's not what affects us.  We let it affect Ourselves. "

I smiled a little. And there he was; quiet, wise Charlie was back. 

"okay, here it goes...It's called Me and Charlie Talkin'"

He nodded, unfolding his legs to get comfortable.

I took a breath and started strumming,

" Me and Charlie boy used to go walking, sittin' in the woods behind my house
When being lovers meant a stolen kiss and holding hands with nobody else around
Charlie said he wanted to get married but we were only ten so we'd have to wait
He said we'd never let our love run dry like so many do these days

So you treat your love like a firefly, like it only gets to shine for a little while
Catch it in a mason jar with holes in the top and run like hell to show it off
Oh, promises were made when we'd go walkin', that's just me and Charlie talking

Charlie always said he'd like to leave here, so he turned eighteen and he left our sleepy town
Letters came and went and I kept waiting for Charlie to come back and bring the life he'd found
Funny how time and distance change you the road you take don't always lead you home
You can start a love with good intentions and then you look up and it's gone

So you treat your love like a firefly like it only gets to shine for a little while
Catch it in a mason jar with holes in the top and run like hell to show it off
Oh, promises were made when we were walking that's just me and Charlie talking

Now and then I sometimes think of Charlie and how we thought we new it all back then
Now I'd give anything to feel love from a child's heart again

So you treat your love like a firefly like it only gets to shine for a little while
Catch it in a mason jar with holes in the top and run like hell to show it off
Oh, promises were made when we were walking that's just me and Charlie talking

La, la, la, la, la, la,
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,
La, la, la, la, la, la"

Charlie gave me a big smile as I finished the song. 

" that was amazing, Meg. Really, I loved it. "

I blushed. " thanks. "

It grew silent for a moment. 

" I hope it works out for you two." Charlie randomly said. 

I furrowed my eyebrow, strumming random strings. 
" what you talking about Charles?"

He chuckled," You and Brian. "

I froze," I don't know wha-"

" Oh please. I watch you two sometimes. I see the looks you give him. I know that look. You used to give it to me,"he looked down smiling, as if remembering a fond memory. 

I frowned," it'll never work. He's married. "

" So?"

I gasped, slapping his arm,"Charles King, Jr.! "

He laughed," O C'mon Meg. Don't be a prude. If you really like him, don't let anything-or anyone- stand in your way."

I shook my head, standing up,"It's wrong. "

He stood up too," There's worse things. "

I rolled my eyes. " I can't believe you're encouraging me to enter a relationship with a married man. "

We walked down the stairs of the barn out out the doors to the yard. 

I stood in the open grassy field and took a deep breath, closing my eyes. 

" If it's something both your heart and your mind want; something you ache for with every fiber of your being, something you would regret NOT doing later on, how can it be wrong?" he said, giving me a kiss on the cheek. 

I then saw a taxi cab pull up in the driveway. 

Charlie grabbed his duffle bag off the porch and turned to me," I'll keep in touch. I promise. Bye Megan."

I gave a watery smile,"Goodbye Charlie."

He grinned, stepping into the taxi cab and shutting the door. 

I waved as the car drove off, disappearing Into a cloud of dust on the gravel road. 

" So he's gone? Just like that?" I heard a familiar voice behind me.

I stiffened and turned to Brian. 
He stood in the doorway of the house, mug of coffee in hand and loading suitcases onto the front porch with the aid of Jimmy. 

" yeah" I answered. 

" How sad," Jimmy pouted, walking over to me to give me a hug. The string bean had to lean over quite a way because of how short I am. 

" thanks Jim," I said, returning the hug. 

" Syn get in on this!" Jimmy yelled. On the inside I panicked, and heard Brian's chuckle before a second pair of arms wrapped around me. 

" GUYS, GROUP HUG!" I heard Matt's distinct voice yell. 

I heard thundering footsteps and then multiple other people join in the hug. 

There were probably ten of us standing there in my yard, hugging. 

When we all pulled away Jimmy frowned. 

" Meg, why are you covered in hay?"

I just laughed.