Pitbabe S2, Chapter 7 pg2

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 7 pg2

   “That’d be nice.” The more Charlie said things like that, the guiltier I felt. I’d been ready to throw a full-on tantrum, but now I was starting to hate myself for only thinking about my own feelings and ignoring Charlie’s. “But it’s fine. I might whine a bit, but don’t overthink it. I’ll get over it.”

   “Don’t say that. I feel bad now.”

   “If you feel bad, quit studying.”

   “For real?”

   “Kidding!” I shot up, firmly rejecting the idea when Charlie’s tone made it sound like he might actually drop his studies to indulge my ridiculous demands. “Are you crazy?”

   “I’m kidding too,” Charlie laughed, gently pushing my head as if he found it adorable that I’d suddenly become so gullible. “Babe went through all that trouble to send me to school. I’ve got to finish, right?”

   “You’re like my kid or something.”

   “You see me as your kid?”

   “Just in this one thing. How could I see you as my kid? The world would end.”

   “Good thing you think that way.”

   Charlie ruffled my hair again. The longer we’re together, the more I feel like a kid—at least when I’m with him. Over the course of our relationship, I’ve learned that he’s more of a leader than I am. Even though he’s years younger, he’s calm, smart, and mature. Sometimes I can’t help but feel like he’s the only one taking care of me. He’s taught me how to be a better adult, a much harder lesson than me teaching him to race cars. That’s why I want to take care of him in the ways I can, like insisting on paying his tuition, even though I know Charlie can easily afford it himself now.

   Besides money, I guess understanding is the only thing someone like me can offer him. There are so many things Charlie does that I can’t be a part of. I used to feel bad about myself for not understanding what he talked about, for not being fully invested in his grand ambitions. I felt like a lousy partner for not being able to join his world. That is, until Charlie said, “Babe, you’ve always been in my world. You don’t have to try at all.” That made all those feelings of inadequacy disappear. I have to thank him for making me realize that just watching from a distance is enough. Charlie has his own world, and I don’t need to understand or dive into every part of it.

   “But I can’t cancel my meeting with the professor today—it’s too last-minute,” Charlie said with a regretful expression. “Tomorrow, I’ll take the day off to be with you. Let me go today, okay?”

   “Okay.” It wasn’t what I really wanted, but I gave in. Seeing Charlie torn is just as bad as not seeing him at all. So if I have to pick the lesser evil, I’d rather choose what makes him feel at ease. “Tomorrow then. You promised.”

   “Promise.”

   “What time will you be done with the professor?” I asked. Charlie thought for a moment, mumbling that it’d probably be around four or five. “Oh, if that’s the case…”

   “But I’ll probably have to head to the lab after,” he added. Just as my heart, like a field of wilted flowers, started to bloom again, his next sentence sent it right back to its dried-up state. He spoke cautiously, looking so guilty that I didn’t dare show my disappointment. “If I can wrap everything up today, I’ll be able to spend the whole day with you tomorrow. Sound good?”

   “Mm, fine.”

   “I’ll be back quick,” Charlie said firmly.

   “Quick as in what time?”

   “No later than 8 p.m.”

   “Whoa.”

   “Accounting for traffic,” he said, tightening his embrace and pressing a kiss to the top of my head, sealing the promise. I could only hope Charlie would keep his word. “I’ll come back fast, maybe even in time to have some fun with Babe.”

   “Fun how?” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

   “Guess.”

   “Oh…” Charlie’s playful expression sent my heart racing. This was definitely it. “The kind of fun Phii Babe likes?”

   “Your eyes are sparkling.”

   “You said it, Charlie,” I pointed at him seriously. “If you come back whining about being tired, I’ll be really mad, you hear?”

   “Yeah, yeah, I won’t be tired,” Charlie nodded lightly. “Shower and smell nice for me, okay?”

   “Okay.”

   With that, I sprang up immediately, making Charlie look at me in confusion.

   “You’re showering now?” he asked.

   “Gonna eat. I’m starving.”

   “The moment food comes up, you’re full of life, huh?”

   I wasn’t fazed by Charlie’s jab because it was true. For a greedy guy like me, putting up with my boyfriend saying, “Can we do it later?” more than three times is already more patience than a saint. Let me just say, compared to when we first met, I’ve never had to go this hungry before.

   “Uncle, can I switch cars?”

   Kim’s voice didn’t sound like he was joking. I reluctantly put down the list of spare parts I needed to order and looked up at my little brother, who’d suddenly come asking for a new car out of nowhere.

   “Just like that, you want to switch?”

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