{Thursday 6 July + Friday 7 July}

~ Charlie's POV ~

"I knew it!" Eden says happily, grinning at me. We are sitting at our spot and Ryder had just told Eden that the reason he wanted to hang out with us was because he wanted to ask me out, causing me to blush. 

"When she told me you texted her, I called it and she didn't believe me but here we are and you two are going on a date" she continues grinning at me. Ryder laughs and runs his hand through his hair. 

"Oh, I hear you wanted some help with your business work?" Ryder asks Eden. She nods and they schedule a time this weekend to meet up so he can help her. I watch as they continue to talk and start to daydream about why Ryder doesn't have any parents. 

Fuck, I'm so nosy. 

"Charlie?" Eden asks. I snap out of it and look at her. 

"Mmm? Sorry, my mind was somewhere else. What did you say?" I reply embarrassed. 

"Ryder and I were talking about your date tomorrow and I asked you whether you wanted me to come over after your shift to help you get ready?" She asks grinning. I nod and smile back at her. 

"That'd be nice" I reply quietly. I look at Ryder and we make eye contact. I smile and get lost in his brown eyes. 

"Charlie?" Ryder asks quietly. 

"Fuck! Sorry, I really don't know what's wrong with me at the moment, I don't usually zone out like this" I blurt out as I snap out of my daydream. He chuckles and stands up. 

"Where's Eden?" I ask, noticing she's no longer with us. 

"The bell rang, she had to get to her English because apparently her teacher is super strict and there are consequences for being late and she did not want to have to find out what they were" he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet, sparks surging through my hand as he holds it gently. 

"Oh, aww man, I didn't get to say goodbye," I say quietly. 

"It's okay, you have me, I'll walk you to class" he replies chuckling. 

"Thanks" I reply, blushing.

"No problem Angel," he says smiling. We walk to my class in a comfortable silence, receiving a few funny looks from people along the way. We make it to my class and I turn to Ryder and we lock eye contact. 

"Thanks for walking me," I say quietly. 

"You're welcome. I'll see you tomorrow" he says grinning. 

"Will do" I reply before turning to go to class. 

"Bye Angel," he says walking down the hall. 

"Bye Ryder," I say smiling.

Work was quiet today but the whole time I spent it running through the problem in my head. How would I tell mum I have a date tomorrow? 

The drive home after picking up Adette was quiet too. No chills or weird car crashes, just Adette babbling on about what she did at school today. I've been praying that mum wouldn't mind that I had I date, seeing as I haven't dated since my parents business got big. 

I stopped dating and doing a lot of other stuff to help look after Adette while they were gone which I didn't mind doing, so I wouldn't think that me having a date for the first time in a while would be an issue. 

But it is on a Friday night and mum would be extremely tired. I continued to weigh up every detail on the drive home. I pulled into our driveway and Adette and I get out of the car and head inside. We are welcomed by the smell of cookies and I see mum standing in the kitchen. 

"Mum? Why are you home? I thought you said you'd be back late?" I ask her confused. 

"Well I was supposed to be back late but there was a change of plans at the firm and it meant to got to come home early for once," she says beaming. 

"So I decided to make us some cookies before I started making dinner". 

"I love you mum," I say smiling, pulling her into a hug. "I love you too sweet pea" she replies happily. I head up to my room and dump my school bag on the floor and check my phone. I see there is a new text from Ryder so I unlock my phone and read it.

"You looked beautiful today Angel. Especially with your glasses on... glad to see you're taking my advice ;)"

I blush, hard. I quickly reply a thank you before heading back downstairs. Adette is doing her homework at the table while mum is cooking dinner so I decide to take the opportunity while she is distracted to ask her if I can go on the date. 

I walk over to her and start to help her with the dinner. She looks up and smiles at me. 

"You don't usually wear your glasses, Charlie. This is new," she says smiling. 

"I know, I was told by someone that I should wear them more often because they think I look beautiful in them so I've decided to give it a try" I reply quietly, a smile tugging at my lips as I think of Ryder. 

"Oooo did a boy tell you this?" She asks teasingly. I blush and nod. She chuckles and pulls me into a hug. 

"Well I agree with him, you do look beautiful in them" she replies grinning. "So, who's the boy? Is it someone I know?". 

"Umm, no it isn't. His name is Ryder Jacobs, he moved here the day after dad died" I reply smiling. She smiles and continues to make the dinner. 

"Will I get to meet this boy at some point?" she asks, smiling at me. 

"Yeah well umm, you see, he sort of asked me out on a date" I start nervously. She grins and pulls me into a hug. 

"When is it?" She asks happily. 

"Umm tomorrow night. He's picking me up at 7 pm. I hope that's okay?". 

"Of course it is bub! You deserve to date again! Plus, I'll be home to look after Adette as that is my job as her mother" she replies chuckling. I grin and pull her into a hug, thanking her. 

We continue to make dinner and soon the three of us are enjoying chicken tacos and talking about Adette's school. 

When we are all finished, I clean up while mum puts Adette to bed. I then head upstairs to do some homework for a bit before going to be.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. I wake up to the sound of my alarm I had set on my phone, buzzing away on my bedside table. I turn it off and jump through the shower, before pulling on my white jeans and blue plaid flannel. 

The rest of the morning is a daze and soon enough I find myself sitting in tutor, next to a very excited Eden and an amused Ryder at the table next to us. 

The whole way to school, Eden had been gushing on about how Ryder and I were going to make the cutest couple ever and how we would make beautifully stunning babies. I had rolled my eyes to all of it but a small part inside of me agreed when she said we would make a cute couple. 

And now she was talking to Ryder about the date and how she wanted to hear all the details, obviously a bit too loudly because the girls behind us were making scoffing noises as if they couldn't believe that Ryder and I were going on a date. 

I was starting to get annoyed and Ryder could see it which makes him laugh but thankfully, the bell saved me from having to lash out at the girls. I mean, I know he's not mine or anything but I'm not fucking ugly and I can get a date if I want one. 

Ryder and I make our way to art class, receiving some more funny looks before sitting down in our usual seats. Miss Oscar starts the lesson, telling the class that it is their last day to work on their portraits in class before making her way back over to Ryder and I. 

"Now, you two" she starts, smiling at us. 

"Yesterday Charlie, you drew Ryder, so today, Ryder I want you to draw Charlie". We both nod and follow her back into the small photography room. 

"Now Charlie, like Ryder did yesterday, I would like for you to take your shirt off, but I understand if you feel too uncomfortable with that so if you don't want to take it off, then Ryder will just draw you as you are right now" she says smiling before leaving us too it. Ryder turns to me and smiles gently. 

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he says quietly. I shake my head and start to unbutton my top. 

"No it's okay, it's only fair" I reply, trying not to blush. 

"How do you want me to pose?" I ask. 

"However you want to Angel" he replies huskily, looking me over, a grin tugging at his perfect lips. I nod, drop my shirt on top of my bag, turn on one of the spotlights before walking into the center of the room and posing in the most natural way I can muster.

I watch as Ryder holds up his work, looking at it proudly. 

"I think I'm finished," he says happily. I smile and walk over to him before looking down at her art book. Wow. I feel my mouth drop open but I don't even care at this point. 

It's stunning, no exaggeration. He captured every last detail down to my freckles and the little dimples I get when I smile. I'm completely mesmerized by his drawing but am quickly brought back to reality when Ryder chuckles. 

"You like it?" he asks smirking. I nod and blush. "Your dimples are cute by the way," he says as he turns off the spotlight. I muffle a thanks as I pull my shirt back on. I go to ask Ryder where he learnt to draw like that but am stopped short when Miss Oscar walks in. 

"May I see your work Ryder?" she asks grinning. He nods and hands her his art book. Her smile grows even bigger as she looks over his drawing. 

"Well done Ryder," she says happily. He smiles and thanks her before we follow her back into the classroom. Soon the bell rings and I say goodbye to Ryder and make my way to PAT. 

The rest of school flies by with health third period, where Ryder and I made small talk during our lesson about unhealthy relationships, study fourth period and stats last period. I go to my shift at work, doing the usual before heading home. 

I didn't have to pick up Adette from Eden's house this afternoon as Eden would bring Adette and Iris with her to my house when she comes over to help me get ready. I pull up in my drive to see both Eden's car as my mum's car parked. 

Yay, everyone is here. I bounce happily up the stairs and through the door to see Eden and my mum drinking coffee and talking and the girls playing with Barbies on the floor. I beam as I walk up to Eden and mum and hug them both. 

"Someone's happy," mum says chuckling. 

"That's because she's about to go on a date with the hottest guy in school" Eden replies grinning. I blush and nod slightly. They both laugh before Eden stands up and drags me up to my room. 

"Now chickadee, let's get you ready," she says grinning as she sits me down on my bed and moves over to my dresser. 

"What to wear, what to wear," she says muttering under her breath as she sifts through my drawers. She pulls out my pair of tight dark wash ripped jeans and chucks them at me. 

"Put these on for a start," she says before turning back to my drawers and pulling out a black lacy g-string. 

"Wear these underneath, we don't want underwear lines" she adds happily, clearly in her element of a personal stylist at this point. I do as I'm told and turn around to change my underwear before pulling on the jeans. 

She turns around and grins at me before handing me my cream strapless bra and my white long-sleeve off the shoulder top. 

"Put them on then I'll do your hair and makeup," she says warmly. I nod and turn away again to change my bra and put on the shirt. I turn back around and she grins at me. 

"Perfect! Now sit on the bed" she says. I nod and sit down on my bed, taking off my glasses. I sit patiently as she does my hair and makeup before putting my glasses back on my face and going to my wardrobe and pulling out my black lace-up boot heels and instructing me to put them on. I do as she tells me before standing up and facing her. 

She smiles warmly at me before guiding me over to my mirror. I stare at myself, my jaw dropping. I look good. 

"You look beautiful," she says quietly. 

"Thanks, Eden. You the most amazing best friend I could ever ask for" I reply back before hugging her. I look back at myself. The top and jeans hug me in all the right places and the boots give me that little extra height. 

She had done natural makeup and had taken out my half up half down and had just pinned some strands of hair away from my face. I watch as she hands me my white knit cardigan and my wallet and my phone before spraying some perfume on me, still grinning at me. 

I thank her before following her downstairs into the kitchen where my mum is waiting. She beams at me when she sees me. 

"You look gorgeous Charlie," she says smiling before pulling me into a hug. 

"Thanks, mum" I reply, blushing. 

Suddenly there is a knock on the door and the butterflies return, making me nervous. Eden squeals as my mum walks over to the door to answer it. 

She gives me one last smile before opening the door. Ryder is standing there, smiling warmly, holding a bouquet of flowers. 

Calla lilies, in fact. My favourite flower. 

"I told him they were your favourite flower" Eden whispers in my ear before guiding me to the door. 

"Good evening Charlie" he says warmly, handing me the bouquet. 

"H-h-hi" I stutter, nervously causing everyone to laugh. Fuck, way to go Charlie. 

"And you must be Mrs Stone" he says, extending his hand towards my mum. 

"Please, call me Carina" she replies beaming as she shakes his hand. He nods, smiling at her. 

"I'm sorry to hear about your loss Carina. Are you sure it is okay if I take your daughter out tonight?" he asks her nervously. She smiles and nods. 

"Thank you, may he rest in peace, but yes hun, it is perfectly fine". 

"Thank you. I shall have her home by midnight" he replies beaming. Mum hands me my keys and I take them smiling. 

"Would you like me to take the flowers and put them in some water for you Charlie?" she says smiling. I nod and mouth a thank you. She laughs and heads to the kitchen. 

"Now you two kids go have fun" Eden says smirking. I nod and say goodbye to everyone before stepping outside and shutting the door. 

"Ready to go Angel?" he asks huskily. I nod and smile at him up at him. 

"Good" he says grinning, slipping his hand into mine.

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Hey Guys,

The picture up the top is Charlie's outfit for her date!!!

I hope you enjoyed that chapter!! I'm sorry for such a late update. It's currently my school holidays and I've been really busy the past couple of days but I managed to update for you guys! Hopefully, there will be more chapters up soon!! Also, I want to get 'Repeat' finished as soon as I can so I'm sorry if I don't post on this book as much as I do for Repeat. It's purely because I want to get that book finished so I can focus all my attention on this one!! Anyway, please vote and leave me a comment letting me know what you think!!

Thanks,

-Allamy xx