In the Wolf's Den

Thick

Thick

Charlene

Journal

I'm here again. So check this out

His hazel eyes brightened as his lips slowly curled into a smile of disbelief, “You sure?”

I nodded slowly while giving him a reassuring smile. The pulsation of my heart quickened as his hand approached mine. I refused to draw my hand to my side because I didn’t want to offend Stephen. So I allowed his masculine hands to grasp my own. The impact resulted in a nervous wave to sweep over my body.

“Don’t be nervous” he smiled, “come on.” He instructed softly

He led me to the farthest corner of the cafeteria to an empty table.

He explained in one word as he walked, “Privacy”

“Privacy?” I questioned in disbelief.

Privacy could not be accomplished with Stephen. Whenever I was capable of tearing my eyes off of Stephen’s broad back and book bag I managed to gaze at the multitude of faces. His audience all seemed to wondering what I was wondering: what did Stephen want with me? When this thought reared its unwanted presence into my thoughts I couldn’t help but to have nervousness bubble in my stomach. I let go his hands and began to anxiously pull
on my fingers. We reached our destination; Stephen quickly sat on the inside of the table and me the outside.

Hazel, I was presented with a sea of hazel. His mouth slightly ajar but his words were caught in his throat. Stephen closed his mouth and once again I was presented with a sea of hazel. I shifted uncomfortable not knowing what to say or how to act. Involuntarily my heads and eyes shifted to the table.

“Charlene, I am a bit lost of words” he scratched behind his left ear, “I didn’t expect you to be willing to have a talk with me” his lips thinned into a frown

All of the words that swarmed through my mind could not combat against his statement. For several moments Stephen and I sat in silence, our eyes drifting in multiple directions.

Stephen stated without eyeing me, “I wish I could sense how you feel then I would have the right things to say. We wouldn’t be sitting here all silent”

"I don't see-" I clasped my hands together and drew them in to provide shelter for my face. With my hands I stroked the few strands that lied on my forehead, "I don't see the tension"

"You don't have to envision the tension to know and feel that it's there. You and I have been running circles around eachother and I don't understand why"

"It’s because I don't know how to act with you-"

"Why?" he leaned in, "if I offended you-"

A male pressed into our conversation enthusiastic and eager. The young male stretched his light brown eyebrows upward revealing a brilliant pair of green eyes, "Hello" he stated childishly

Stephen faintly smiled, "Charlene this is Cooper. Cooper Charlene"

He extended his hand and I graciously and gratefully accepted because he provided an extra amount of time, "Charlene-"

Abruptly Stephen interrupted, "Coop this isn't-"

He faced me, "Encantado de conocerle mucho gusto." Cooper smoothly departed

Stephen smiled as he ran his hand through his hair.

"You haven't offended me" I gently declared after moments passed

He smiled, "Then we should start over. If I haven't offended you then give me a chance. You know you want to. You need to take more chances."

My eyes focused on the wall, afraid.

"Starting over will give us a clean slate..."

"I'm not sure if I am ready to have a clean slate. It's difficult-"

"What's difficult?" He placed his hand behind his head and leaned against the wall, “One two three and poof” He extended his hand, “Hello my name is Stephen Alexander Smith… People on the team call me Sas, if you want you can call me that, but I’ll accept whatever you decide to call me. Damn I did it again talk about myself… s*** I didn’t catch your name. What was it?”

I laughed sweetly, "You know it’s not that… It’s difficult… Nothin' just forget it"

"O' come on now say what's on your mind"

"It's not you. I just don't know how to deal with guys"

"Is this about Jacob?"

"No"

"Then what's it about"

"All right it's about Jacob"

He chuckled, "You still have it that bad for him, huh?"

"That wasn't very funny," Pain ran rampant within the walls of my mind; with all my powers pain and self pity were contained.

"It was a joke I didn't mean to hurt you"

Finally, after drowning these resurrected emotions I met his stare.

"Let's start over… I’m Charlene do I have to tell you my middle name?"

I don't know what to think... How can we start over?