Just for This Year

Chapter Eighteen

September 27th
Saturday

34 Days Before

Sam could vaguely hear Charlie reciting his monologue below him, the sound washed out by the waves below him. The two were sat at the top of a hill overlooking the water. They decided that they wanted to go somewhere different than normal to rehearse. This was a spot the two had always been fond of. They had gone here since they were young. They always sat the same way: Sam with his back against a tree and Charlie's head laying in his lap.

Things had been going well with Charlie— really well. They had been hanging out more than ever. Sam was getting exactly what he had wanted, which was time alone with Charlie without his sister. He didn't think he was going crazy anymore thinking that something could happen. It didn't feel like Charlie was out of his reach.

He had experimented with being a bit more touchy than usual, and was happy when it went well. Sam found himself playing with Charlie's hair more or leaning into his side when they were sat next to each other. He would purposely graze his fingers along Charlie's arms or legs, allowing his touch to linger for a few moments to gauge his reaction. Each time, Charlie seemed calmed and content by his touch.

He ran his fingers lazily through Charlie's blonde hair, his mind distracted by the feeling of the hair between his finger tips. He only snapped out of his trance when he felt Charlie nudge him from below.

"Sam, your line."

Clearing his throat, Sam flicked his wrist to better see the page. He held it lazily over Charlie's torso, allowing his hand to rest on his body. He scanned the page to see where they were in the scene, but his mind began to wonder again. They'd been rehearsing for a few hours now, and Sam was beginning to grow bored. He didn't want to act anymore— especially since he was hardly acting to begin with.

"I feel like these characters kinda resemble us, don't ya think?" Sam mumbled, eyes narrowed that the script in his clammy hands.

Charlie rolled his eyes as his friend broke character, deciding to go along with it and think on it for a moment before answering. "There are similarities, I s'pose."

Sam nodded, his brain wandering with where this conversation might lead. "You know, just the idea of caring so much for a person. That you'd support them in whatever they might do."

Charlie grinned cheekily. "You telling me you'd do anything for me, Sam?"

"Yes," Sam said with more conviction than how he said his own name. The blonde boy faltered with how sure he was of himself.

"I just..." he continued, trailing off as his gaze locked onto the paper instead of the boy below him, "I just think that I would do a lot for you, you know?"

"Yeah, I'd do a lot for you too," Charlie admitted in a quiet voice, his eyes narrowed slightly in confusion. "Wanna say what's on your mind?"

The black haired boy licked his lips, having too many thoughts on his mind to narrow it down to just one. He was never good at isolating his thoughts, his mind moved at a mile a minute. But there was one thing that he knew for sure— he wanted Charlie.

Sam stared down at the sandy-haired boy below him, and felt his mouth open slightly subconsciously. All he could do was think and think. It took everything in him to hold himself back from pouncing on Charlie. He just wanted to feel close to him. Closer than having his head on his lap. Closer than Charlie's arm laying on his thighs. Closer than Sam's arm sprawled out on his stomach. Closer.

He needed to feel closer. And for once, Sam decided to not hold back.

Sam leaned down and crashed his lips against Charlie's, his eyes screwing shut.