Charlie

I must be dreaming. I'm sure of it. There's no way that Olivia kissed me. That she wants me to be part of her future.

But she did. Her lips were on mine. I promised I would be in her future. I didn't dream any of it. Her hand was in mine. Her lips were on mine. It was better than anything I ever thought. She is amazing. And she likes me?

The pieces don't quite fit together in my head, but maybe, one day they will. For now I'll wait and be with her. I know it isn't a joke, but I keep waiting for something to tell me it is. But Olivia isn't Eva. She wouldn't do what Eva did to me. Not like how Eva embarrassed me in front of the whole school.

Before pulling away from Olivia's house I dial El. He will be able to tell me whether I'm dreaming or not. They'll also help me figure out what to do about my mom. They know my pain. Heard me talk about it over video games.

I know that Olivia is trying to help, but she doesn't get it. Not like El, but even he doesn't really get it. Only knows what I've vented and ranted about. Plus, I'd rather talk to him than my dad right now.

I drive away as the phone rings, and right as I think he won't pick up his voice fills my car. Just barely louder than the rain. "Yo. What's up?"

"Olivia kissed me," I blurt out. Not how I wanted to start, but... I can't stop thinking about it. About her.

There's a ruffle on the other side of the phone right before a loud, "What?" rings in my car.

I grin. "She kissed me! We kissed!"

"Dude! That's awesome!" I can't see him, but I can hear the excitement in their voice. Can imagine the huge grin he's wearing for me.

"I know! And it... it was amazing."

"Better than kissing dream Eva?"

I scoff. "Please." I roll my eyes. "It would be better than kissing the real one." It would be better than kissing anyone in the world.

"You're such a simp."

I snot but don't deny it.

For Olivia, I would be anything she wanted.

I sigh. "That's not all I called about."

He must hear the change in my voice. "What happened?" he asks, softly, like I'm a spooked animal. And, maybe I am.

"She brought up my mom and whether I should meet her or not."

"Shit."

I nod, even though he can't see.

The rain starts to fall faster and harder. I turn the speed on the wipers up a tad and slow to a careful speed. But my house isn't much further from here. "Yeah. And... I don't know what to do."

"And you're asking me?"

"Yeah."

There's silence on his end, leaving me with just the falling of the rain.

"Do what you want," they say. "Do you want to give your mom a chance? Or would you rather never see her again?"

I think about that. About how I've felt all these years towards her, about my rants. In every single rant I also said I just wanted to know her reasons. Did she just not contact us because she wanted to be better before seeing us? Or did she not care enough to?

"You know there's only one person who will understand," El says.

I sigh. "I know."

My house parts in the rain, only shown by the bright headlights of my car.

"Are you going to talk to him?"

I turn the car off and look at our house. The front window is shining with the lights from the living room. "I think so."

"Good luck buddy."

"Thanks," I say before hanging the phone up. I turn the car off and soak in the sound of the rain. Taking a deep breath before throwing the door open and making a mad dash to the house. By the time I'm in the house, I'm soaked.

"No!" I cry as Max runs up to and pounces on me. Water drips off me and onto him. I bend down and ruffle his fur. "We don't need a wet dog!"

He barks in my face. A tiny little thing.

Fighting Max off, I untie my shoes and tuck them beside the door. When I stand up I almost jump at seeing dad leaning against the counter in our kitchen, watching us. "Good day?" he asks, a smirk on his face.

I nod, my facing heating up. I run a hand through my hair, trying and failing to untangle the wet knots. I give up with a huff. "It was, until it started raining."

He chuckles. "So how was the vet?"

My face gets even hotter. "It was great."

He raises an eyebrow. "Yeah? Does she think that's the career she'll go with?"

I nod.

His face brightens. Life seems to come back into it. "That's great! So now that she knows you can start helping her with college and-"

"We kissed!" I blurt out.

The look doesn't leave his face, but the smirk returns. "Is that so?"

I nod like a bobblehead. "It was the greatest thing ever."

He chuckles. His eyes dart down to the mug sitting before him. "That's how I felt with your mother."

The excitement dies as thunder claps. "Dad..." A warning hedges my words.

He sighs and looks up at me. "Charlie, we have to talk about her eventually."

I roll my eyes and take a seat at our dining table. "I know. I was just hoping we could talk about... Olivia." I duck my head as I say her name.

His chuckle gets closer. When I look up he's pulling a chair out and sitting down across from me. "Okay then. What do you want to talk about regarding her?"

I shrug, suddenly not wanting to share.

The grin never leaves his face. "Who made the first move?"

"She did. She told me I was going to be a part of her future."

He raises an eyebrow. "And you want that?"

I nod. "Of course I do!"

He seems to think about this before slowly nodding. "If that's what you want. But be careful, I don't want you two to feel like you have to stay with each other because of that."

A chuckle of disbelief escapes me. "That won't happen."

A nod and sigh is my only response.

I guess this is where we talk about mom. As much as I don't want to. "You know... Olivia thought that I should meet with mom. Get her to at least explain why she never reached out." My gaze stays focused on my hands. A whine sounds from below me. I look down and see Max looking up at me with sad eyes. Reaching down I pet him as I let dad think.

"Is that what you want?" he asks after a moment.

I shrug. "I guess part of me does want to know why she never wrote to us. But there's another part that wants nothing to do with her." I lower my voice. "I don't know which side to listen to."

His hand settles on me, causing me to look up. "I don't know why she never reached out. But I know I still love her and am willing to give her a chance. That's why she's here. She's just trying to get another chance."

I open my mouth to say something but he stops me.

"Now you don't need to give her a chance, but she does owe you an explanation. And you deserve one. I want you to have one." His gaze softs. "But it's up to you whether you want one. Either way I'll be here for you."

I chuckle a sad laugh. "That doesn't help me."

A sad smile graces his face. "I know."

But as I sit here, Max's fur between my fingers, I realize that he did help. I do deserve to know why she didn't reach out. Even if I don't want her back in my life, I want to know that single reason. That single question that hasn't changed over the years.

"When can I meet with her?" I ask as he stands up.

He looks down at me, his eyes wide. "Whenever you want."

"And I can bring anyone I want?"

He nods.

I take a deep breath. "Then I'd like to meet with her."