9. To Talk

Sky was excited. But not so much because of the party but because she knew how much it annoyed Charlie that he had to spend his Saturday night escorting her.

Charlie looked like he wanted to burn everything down.

He stepped out first, scanning the scene with the intensity of a sniper. His jaw flexed. His posture locked into full military mode: shoulders squared, eyes narrowed, hands loose at his sides like he could disarm a bomb if needed.

Sky rolled her eyes. What kind of teenage boy acts like this?

He nudged her shoulder. “Stay close. Don’t wander. Don’t let anyone hand you anything.”

Sky rolled her eyes as they walked toward the house. “I know, I know. Don’t drink, don’t leave, don’t flirt. A tragic existence.” She grinned at the house. “Do you feel that, Charlie? That’s freedom.”

Charlie didn’t answer.

They stepped through the door and were greeted by the full chaos every teenager dreams of and every responsible adult fears.

Music blared. People danced with almost concerning enthusiasm.

Someone was climbing on a coffee table to attempt a backflip.

“You got to be shitting me,” Charlie murmured.

And there, across the room, Elisa Campbell spotted them.

Her eyes went straight past Sky and laser-locked onto Charlie like he was an extra credit assignment she needed to ace. She waved enthusiastically.

Charlie’s expression didn’t move, but Sky swore his soul died a little.

Elisa practically skipped over. “You made it!” she squealed at Sky before turning a slow, sparkly smile toward Charlie. “And you too.”

Charlie nodded once. “I’m here for security only.”

Elisa giggled like he’d told her she won the lottery. “What? Security?”

Sky smacked her lips dramatically. “Don’t listen to him, Elisa. Charlie likes to pretend like he is in the CIA or something.”

Sky said it loud enough that several people turned their heads. A few snorted. That only made Elisa giggle harder, fluttering her lashes. “I think it’s hot how serious he is all the time,” she said.

Slut…Sky thought to herself.

Sky flashed Elisa a sugary smile, but inside, she was one wrong eyelash flutter away from committing a felony.

Charlie didn’t even bother replying. He just stepped aside, scanning the crowd again like the War on Teenagers had begun.

Sky, however, had a mission.

Annoy Charlie.

Publicly.

She slipped into the crowd before he has the chance to stop her. It only took her a few seconds to duck behind a cluster of dancing bodies and land near the kitchen doorway. A tall guy leaned against the doorframe, red Solo cup in hand. Sky recognized him instantly.

Caleb Vega. Football team. Stupidly good hair. Smiled too much in class like someone who didn’t know pain.

Total boyfriend material.

Sky swayed over. “Hey, Caleb,” she said flirtatiously.

He looked up, surprised but pleased. “Sky, right? From Lit class?”

Sky rolled her eyes playfully. “Yes. The one who argued with the teacher about how Macbeth is whiny and needs therapy.”

Caleb laughed. “That was funny. I thought she was gonna throw the book at you.”

“She would’ve missed,” Sky smirked.

He chuckled again, stepping a little closer. “Never seen you come to parties.”

Sky leaned in like this was her natural environment. “I don’t. But tonight felt right.”

Caleb’s smile widened. “Glad you did.”

Sky tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, the universal I know I’m cute move. She fully expected Caleb to be watching her.

Her eyes drifted past him, through the crowd, to Charlie.

He stood near the doorway like someone who got dragged to prom with his least favorite cousin.

Arms crossed. Jaw tense. He wasn’t talking to anyone. He wasn’t drinking. And he definitely wasn’t smiling.

Caleb leaned a little closer. “You okay?”

Sky snapped her gaze back to him and smiled brightly. “Yeah. Why do you ask?”

“You keep looking at that guy over there,” he said, motioning toward Charlie. “Is he your boyfriend or something?” he asked.

Sky made a face. “Eww, no, he is not. More like an annoying brother, really.”

Caleb visibly relaxed.

“Cool,” he said, chuckling. “How about dancing with me then?”

Sky grinned and let him take her hand.

They slipped into the living room crowd again, lights flashing over their faces as the music vibrated through the floor. Caleb pulled her a little closer, but not too close. He moved well, confident, but not overbearing. It was fun.

Simple, even.

But every few seconds, her eyes shifted toward the doorway.

Charlie hadn’t left.

He watched her like a hawk with anger issues, arms crossed tight, body rigid, trying not to look like he was about to intervene.

His expression didn’t change.

Except for that tiny, tiny tic in his jaw.

Sky couldn’t help it.

She smiled.

Caleb spun her around, and Sky laughed, tossing her hair. When she faced forward again, she caught Charlie shifting position. It was subtle, but definitely a step forward.

He looked seconds from storming the dance floor like a one-man SWAT team.

Caleb leaned in, breath warm against her ear. “Hey, you wanna go somewhere quieter?”

“Hmm?” she hummed absent-mindedly.

Caleb shrugged, smiling easy. “The backyard? Or upstairs? It’s crazy in here. We could actually talk. Or…”

He didn’t finish, because Sky wasn’t listening anymore.

Her eyes flicked back to Charlie.

He had uncrossed his arms.

She turned back to Caleb with her most innocent smile. “Upstairs? Why?”

Caleb blinked. “Uh…to talk? It’s quieter there.”

Sky arched an eyebrow. “Really? Just to talk?”

Caleb paused. His smile faltered for half a second.

Behind him, through the crowd, Charlie’s expression became volcanic.

A vein in his neck appeared.

Sky felt… powerful.

She stepped a little closer to Caleb, just enough to tilt her head up at him. “Alright then, let’s talk upstairs.”

Caleb smirked, looking pleased, like a wolf who’d just been handed the keys to the henhouse. He took her hand and threaded through the crowd.

She turned her head.

Charlie is still there. Still watching.

Caleb led her up the stairs. Sky let him lead.

A door at the end of the hall. Closed. Caleb glanced at her.

Sky smirked. “You said to talk. This where the confessions happen?”

He laughed nervously. “Something like that.” He nudged the door open.

Inside: a bedroom. Elisa’s parents, probably. Too neat to belong to a teenage boy. The bedspread was pale blue, ruffled like a calm sea after storm. Framed photos on the dresser. A window overlooked the backyard.

Caleb perched on the edge of the bed, motioned for her to sit too. Sky considered him. The set of his jaw, that eager smile. He was waiting for her cue.

She sat. Not close. Not far. An arm’s length, just enough to suggest maybe, just for tonight, she was dangerous.

Caleb cleared his throat. “So, uh. How’s literature treating you? Still think Macbeth needs therapy?”

Sky grinned. “He’s textbook unstable. Like, textbook. And don’t get me started on Lady Macbeth.”

“She’s intense, right?” Caleb’s smile steadied.

“Mhm,” she hummed.

Caleb turned toward her, propped an elbow on his knee. “You know, I always wondered about you.”

Sky arched a brow. “What about me?”

He shrugged. “You’re just… different. Like, you show up late, say exactly what you’re thinking. Don’t care if anyone likes it.”

She leaned back, palms braced against the duvet. “You think I’m strange.”

“No. I think you’re interesting.” He watched her, earnest but hungry.

She could feel Charlie at the edge of her mind, storming up the stairs in silence.

“Is he really your brother?” Caleb asked, voice softer now.

“Who?” Sky asked.

Caleb looked at her like she was playing dumb on purpose.

“The guy you kept staring at downstairs,” he clarified.

Sky blinked once.

Twice.

Then forced a laugh. “Oh. Him.”

Caleb nodded, leaning a little closer. Too comfortable. Too soon. “Yeah. Him.”

Sky twirled a strand of hair around her finger, pretending to think. “Why? Jealous?”

Caleb smirked, smug confidence creeping in. “Maybe a little.”

Sky snorted internally.

Boys were so easy.

She leaned back on her palms again. “Relax. He is just…an employee.”

Caleb laughed again. “An employee? What do you mean?”

Sky’s grin sharpened.

“Oh, you know,” she said casually, letting her shoe swing back and forth like she had all the time in the world. “He works for my dad.”

Caleb paused mid-laugh. “Like…at his company?”

She gave him a sweet, empty smile.

“No. Like…for me. Well…technically for my dad, but he follows me around.”

It took a beat.

Then Caleb’s expression shifted.

All that easy, confident charm evaporated like someone had unplugged him.

“…Follows you around?” he repeated slowly.

“Yep,” Sky said brightly. “He’s my…”

She tapped her chin, pretending to think.

“…assistant.”

Caleb blinked. “Assistant?”

“Handler?”

“What?”

“Professional buzzkill?”

“…what?”

Sky sighed dramatically. “Fine. Bodyguard. He’s my bodyguard.”

Caleb’s entire soul left his body.

“You have a bodyguard?” He looked toward the door, then back at her. “Like…a real one?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Why?”

Sky shrugged. “My dad’s paranoid.”

Caleb swallowed. “About what?”

“Everything.”

Silence.

Caleb slowly set his Solo cup down like it might explode.

“So that guy downstairs…”

“Charlie,” Sky supplied.

“Charlie,” Caleb said, now pale. “He’s like…a trained…professional?”

“Oh yeah.” Sky stretched her legs out, completely unbothered. “Like scary trained. All broody and intense. Could probably put someone in a chokehold with a shoelace.”

Caleb stared at her.

Sky batted her lashes. “Why do you look scared?”

“I…I’m not scared,” he lied, voice cracking like a twelve-year-old going through a crisis.

Sky groaned internally. She said too much. She softened her expression, tilted her head, lowered her voice.

“Caleb, chill. I was joking. Mostly.”

“Mostly?!” he exclaimed.

She scooted a tiny bit closer.

“Listen,” she soothed. “Can we just stop talking about Charlie and do what we came here to do?”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “And what’s that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. I am not some naive freshmen. I know you didn’t bring me here just to talk.”

Caleb’s lips quirked up. “Yeah, you are right.”

His face dipped closer. Their knees brushed. His breath mixed with hers. His lips were inches away.

Then…

The doorknob clicked.

Both of them froze.

Sky barely had time to turn her head before the door opened and Charlie walked in.

His eyes locked onto Caleb’s hand on her waist first.

Then her face.

Then Caleb’s again.

“Time to go home, Sky,” he said.