Charlie

You take a half step toward him, your arms starting to reach out. You ALMOST lose it right there. You ALMOST grab him and kiss him right on those beautiful full lips of his. Almost...

You finally just shake your head and say. "You are something else Charlie Fox. You are something else."

You could not wait for the tryout the next day! You'd never been more ready for anything in your life.

***

The next day you are a bundle of energy. You do your best to contain it, saving it for the tryout that afternoon. Charlie gives you a pep talk before you part ways after breakfast to head out for morning classes. You drink in his every word and thank him profusely for the confidence he'd given you.

The time comes and you are out on the field, dozens of over young hopefuls all around you warming up and working out. The first team were training and watching from the other side. You go through all the warm ups, all the drills, all the reps. It was all familiar but so much faster than you were used to. Such a higher standard expected of you. It is a bit rough at first, as it is with many of the new prospects, but after a bit you catch up to the pace of things. As you begin to settle in and shake off the rust your confidence begins to build. These guys weren't so good, you could hang with them, hell, you were better than most of them.

Time finally comes for a little competitive scrimmage against the first team. It is a long hard fought full half of soccer. The results are what one would expect, the main team trounces the up and comers. But for your part you have an outstanding game. Your unshakable confidence from yesterday holding you in good stead, never letting you doubt yourself for an instant. While others on your team struggled you were spraying passes, making tackles, and keeping the other team's main playmaker firmly in your back pocket. At one point as you were about to sprint out to the wings to provide some support you remember Charlie's comment of you being easily taken out of position. You back off and let the wingback do his job and you are there to intercept as the pass comes in to the center of the field when it comes a few seconds later.

Afterward the player you'd been shadowing most of the game comes up and gives you a clap on the back. "Good game man."

You just nod. "Thanks, you too."

The coaches pull you all in. As the first team head to the dressing room the coaches explain that the rest of you will receive an email the next day telling you whether they want to see more of you or not. With a few more words you are let go. You knew you'd done well. While it was no guarantee you had a confident feeling you'd be getting one of those emails tomorrow.

You are walking by the fence, the stands on the other side, as prospective players and their girlfriends that had been watching come together and kiss and give praise. You are walking, distracted, your mind running over some of the plays from the game, when you catch a glimpse of a familiar olive green army jacket out of the corner of your eye. You look over and smile. Jumping the short fence you jog over. Your cleats crackling and clacking on the pavement.

Charlie was standing just beside the bleachers, out of sight from the other spectators. He was clutching a stack of books to his chest.

"Charlie! What are you doing here?" You ask happily.

"Just watching." He says. "You did good."

His praise warmed your soul. "Thanks to you." You state, believing that truly in your heart.

He shakes his head. "No."

You walk together toward the dressing rooms. He has a funny smile on his face. "Hey, um, I...I've got some news."

You didn't know what it was but you could tell it was good news just by the way he said it. You were excited to hear it. "Let me get changed, then let's head out for a bite to eat. You can tell me all about it."

He nods. You dash in and take a very quick shower and get changed. Within fifteen minutes you are back out and headed for the parking lot.

"Where are we going?" He asks, curious as to why you weren't heading in the other direction.

You smile. "After a tryout like that this deserves something special. I'm in the mood for a steak."

He walks beside you quietly, each of your happy moods rubbing off on the other. You walk shoulder to shoulder, you'd walk even closer if you could. As you hit the lot and start walking toward your truck he laughs. "That's your truck? Ha! I love it!"

You smile. "It's old and it doesn't look like much but it's in good shape and it'll get me almost anywhere I want to go, on or off road." You add. "If you ever want to go hiking out in the back country...well...I can get us there."

You feel a reluctance even as you say it. As your friendship had deepened and blossomed so too had your attraction. If you and Charlie ever were to get out...totally alone, away from everything...you honestly weren't sure you could trust yourself with him anymore. Fighting off this desire day after day was wearing on you, you really didn't need any extra opportunity to test yourself. You remind yourself to take some time to go visit Samantha soon, you had to touch base with her soon. Also, to be blunt, it'd be nice to actually get laid again.

He walks around it a bit looking at your old truck. The pair of you get in and you start off. It is quiet in the cab as you drive your old pick up truck through the city, sticking out from the rest of the traffic. Charlie was looking around at the passing sights, you were driving and looking at Charlie every chance you got. He glances over every so often and gives you a little smile. Sigh...how did he have this effect on you? How could he have this effect on you?

You find a decent but not too expensive chain steak house and pull in. This would do the trick. You park and head in. You are seated, you order, and are finally given a time alone face to face.

You ask excitedly. "So, what's the news?"

He grins with barely contained enthusiasm. "Remember I said I had long lost family down here?"

You nod. "Yeah, of course. Your Grandma was separated from her sister. I remember."

His brown eyes sparked in the dim light. "I think I've found someone who knows them!" He takes a bound book of journal articles that he'd brought with him into the restaurant and sets it on the table. "Thanks to the University's library I've gotten access to all sorts of things I couldn't get to before." He hurried flips open to a page he had bookmarked. "Here. She works in private industry. A cutting edge researcher in genetics. Brilliant stuff, absolutely brilliant...if unorthodox. Dr...um...yeah, Dr Peggy Bailey."

An academic article from a genetic researcher? What an odd way to track down lost family.

He continues as his eyes scan the article. "The direction of her research. Her theories and experiments. If you know what to look for..." He laughs. "...it's as obvious as a signal flare. IF you know what to look for. Which no one else would."

You had no idea the real meaning behind what he was saying, but he was so damn happy and so you were happy for him. "That's great." You say.

He closes the book and sets it beside him again, coming back down to earth. "Now, due to confidentiality she probably won't be able to tell me anything. But I just KNOW she knows who they are, some of them at least." He looks up. "I have to go talk to her. She's based in a lab only a few hours away."

You gaze into his eyes. You reach across and take his hand in yours, he is surprised at this small but very public display of intimacy from you. A hug between male friends might be explained away, holding hands across a table in a dimly lit restaurant...harder to explain.

You didn't care. You say, your own voice matching his excitement. "Well then...let's go. Let's go this weekend. Where are we going?"

He is surprised. "Uh... This weekend? Oh, uh, Jonathan, you don't have to... This is my family thing, you don't have to bother. She probably doesn't even work on the weekends. It's a long drive."

You squeeze his hand in yours. "Then we'll wait around till Monday if we have to. Skip some classes. I don't mind a long drive...with a good friend."

"Jonathan. I..." His words catch in his throat.

You inform him point blank. "I'm coming with you."

After a long quiet intimate moment he finally nods, the anticipation of the adventure and the possibility of his great family mystery being solved getting the better of him. "Okay." He says.

You give his hand one last squeeze then you clap your hands and in an all too College aged dude sounding loud voice you exclaim. "Alright! Road Trip!"

Tables all around you look over disapprovingly at the disturbance as Charlie blushes. You just laugh, you couldn't wait.

***

The pair of you eat your meal, enjoying the comfortable pleasant fellowship you shared. You eat your delicious steak, you talk about your practice, you talk about the weekend trip, Charlie talks about his excitement and hopes of what might happen. He tells you how he is going to keep it a secret from his family until he learns something. With how nosy and controlling you knew his mother was this was quite an act of rebellion for him.

You drive back to the campus in silence. Each of you lost in your own thoughts. You stop by the ponds for a short time and listen to the evening song of the frogs in the fading light of the day. You park the truck and make your way back to the dorm. The pair of you stop in the common room for a short while to say hello to the guys and watch a little television. Soon Charlie retires for the night, you follow him in about half an hour later.

As you enter you notice he is standing at his desk staring out the window. His phone was laying on the desk in front of him, he likely had just been talking with his parents.

You look at him. That thick raven hair, those slender shoulders. You break. You simply break. You could feel your willpower crumple and buckle. You couldn't do it any longer.

You walk up quietly behind him. He could see you approaching in the reflection from the window. You could see the reflection. You could see yourself walking up behind him and you knew what you were about to do.

You stand right in behind him. Your stomach touching his middle back. You take his shoulders in your big hands, you kiss his head, you smell his soft hair.

"Jonathan." He whispers.

Your tone is hushed as well. "I...I'm not strong enough. I can't..." You brush his hair gently to the side. Leaning down you tenderly kiss his slender neck...again...again a little higher...again just under his delicate jawline. He sighs, tilting his head so you have easier access. You kiss his cheek...his soft ear lobe soon between your lips you nibble and suck.

"Ohhhh..." He breaths in the softest of little moans. He turns back toward you. His hands out, caressing your toned body through your tight cotton t-shirt. His fingers tracing your pecs, your abs, running down your sides. Soon his light touch is gripping you, clawing at you. He whispers. "Jonathan...we can't..."

Your powerful hands on his shoulders get tighter, you were losing yourself. "I just can't...not anymore...just...just once, even just once...I'm not strong enough. I'm not strong enough anymore." You say again, as you bring your cheek down along the side of his temple.

You feel him suddenly stiffen in your arms. His breath was rapid but he was making an effort to control it. Reaching up he places his hand against your mouth, you eagerly kiss it. But that isn't what it was there for. He pushes you back. Looking up at you with those incredible brown eyes you see a steely resolve that broke your heart, you knew what it meant. He gives you a loving smile.

"Then I'll be strong enough for both of us." He says.

"Nooo..." You sigh.

"Please Jonathan." You could hear the soul wrenching pain in his soft voice. "Please...step away..."

You let out a breath of defeat, your shoulders slump, you step away. You turn away from him, hiding your face from him in your shame. You'd broken your trust with him. You feel his small hand on your back, though you could tell he was keeping his distance.

"Trust me. It is for the best." He assures you.

You nod. Of course it was. Of course it was. Charlie knew better. Charlie was stronger than you. You take a deep cleansing breath. "Okay...Okay. I'm okay. Just..." You turn to look at him, he smiles up at you. "It was a moment of weakness."

He nods. "I know. Trust me, I know."

"How? How do you do this to me? I just...I just don't understand." You shake your head in disbelief at the desire you felt for him. "I'm sorry."

He continues his gentle smile, letting you know the feeling was mutual.

You let out a little laugh as you try to fight back the tension in the room. "Whooo...well, that happened."

He laughs. "Almost happened."

It takes some time, longer than usual, but the comfortable feeling between you returns once more. Things were as they had been once more. Your friendship strong as ever and no boundaries irrevocably crossed.

Once more you start talking about the trip as you get ready for bed. Lights are out and you continue to talk in the darkness of the room. You talk and talk and talk. Neither of you wanted to stop. Eventually you do. Sleep comes uneasily that night.

The next day starts like any other. Get ready, go for breakfast, etc. Today you had a few more errands. You had to gas the truck up for the trip and Charlie said he'd look into whether he could find an affordable hotel that he could book for you. The memory of the night before dominated your thoughts as you sat through your classes. The feel of him in your arms, the feel of his soft neck against your lips. You redouble your resolve. You swear to yourself you would do better in the future.

Later in the day you are in one of the computer labs when the email arrives. You'd made the team! At least on a provisional level. You let out a happy whoop that turns heads in the quiet lab. You print out the email, this you had to show Charlie!

Grabbing the sheet from out of the printer you practically run the whole way back to your room. You desperately hoped he was in. You spring in, dance around a confused Mama Rose, and bound up the stairs. You zip through the common room without even a nod to Luiz.

Out of breath and a smile a mile wide you burst through the door to your room.

Charlie was sitting at his desk chair faced toward the door. Standing between you and he...

Samantha spins around and leaps into your arms. You see her flowing wheat blonde hair and those pale sky blue eyes twinkling. "JON! OH JON! There he is. There's my Jon."

You stand stunned as she grabs your face and kisses you hard. She smells of bright berries and field flowers. She pulls back from you and looks up at you with a huge grin and a laugh.

"SURPRISE!"

***

You are still stunned as you let out a little confused noise. "Ehh? Sam? Sammy? What the hell are you doing here?" You stammer.

She kisses you again, you kiss her back a little stiffly and with some hesitation. This had all taken you completely off guard. "I'm here to see you silly! I thought I'd surprise you. You don't call much anymore, I had to come see how you're doing in the big city without your Sammy girl." She gasps. "Oh my god! What have you done to your hair!?"

You are still a bit dumbfounded. "Oh, uh, I got a hair cut last week. Sammy, I, uh...it's good to see you."

She giggles as she snuggles into you. "I bet it is! Almost two weeks without your Sammy. I missed you too baby. Though..." She runs her fingers over the short hairs around the back of your head. "...I'll miss those long flowing locks of yours. God you look so...so different. I'll get used to it I guess."

You look over to Charlie. He was sitting, his arms wrapped around him, his hair over his face more than usual. You knew that look, he was on the defensive, tucked up in his shell. He wouldn't say too much now you knew. You wonder what Sam had said to him before you arrived. That must have been an awkward conversation for him without you there. He is trying his best to keep a pleasant smile on his face as he watches the pair of you reunite, you could see the conflict inside of him as he watched you together.

She holds you around the waist possessively, pressing her sizable soft bust against you. She was wearing pink shorts and a matching tank top, she was looking fucking good! She giggles and kisses your chin. She whispers. "I've got a hotel for the night baby, just you and me. All night long baby. God I've missed you!" She clutches at you hungrily. You knew that clutch well, she was hot and horny. Fuck...so were you!! She felt so fucking good pressed against you.

You look at her, happy to see her but also cross. "I...I wish you had called. Charlie and I had plans this weekend. We were..."

Charlie speaks up in his soft voice. "It's okay Jonathan." He smiles. "We can do it some other time. It's okay."

Sam looks at you brightly. "See, it's okay. Charlie understands. Don't you Charlie? He might not have a girl but he understands how important this is." She hugs you close once more. "I was just telling him about how much we can't wait to live together next year. To get you out of this awful dorm. Our little love nest."

Charlie squirms in his seat. Try as he might he couldn't keep his eyes on you, he was staring down at the floor now. Poor guy, Samantha being here had gotten him all shy again.

Samantha snatches the paper from your hand, the news of you making the team, and tosses it onto your bed. "Come on. Let's go baby. I want to make every minute count." Ohhh man, you'd never seen her this worked up before. She would be a demon in the sack tonight!

Well, here it was. Now was your chance to connect with Sam again like you wanted to. Now was your chance to get laid. Blow off some of the pressure that had been building up these past two weeks. You were so happy to see Samantha. Right? Right? Of course you were.

You disentangle yourself from her, your mood starting to lift as you looked at her. Big round ass, hourglass figure, big tits, perfect tanned skin. Blonde hair and blue eyes. She was a perfect pinup. She was hot as hell. You wanted to give her ass a little spank...but it didn't feel right around Charlie. You smile at Sam. "Okay. Hold on Sammy."

You walk over to your bed and take the paper. Without a word you pass it to Charlie. He reads it and looks up at you with a proud yet deep and mysterious look in his eye. You nod to him in thanks.

"You're sure you're okay with this Charlie? We can go next weekend." You offer.

He nods quickly as he looks away. "Sure Jonathan." It was so weird to see him like this again, after how close you'd gotten. He'd be better once Sam was gone. You'd talk with him all about this tomorrow.

Samantha interjects. "Of course he is okay with it. He wouldn't stand in the way of true love. Charlie you are just a doll. A precious little doll." You cringe at the condescending tone to her voice. You'd talk to her about it.

You flash Charlie an excited grin. "You're the best. We'll talk later okay. And, uh...don't wait up." You laugh and shoot him a wink. "I'll see you in the morning. Maybe late!" Sam giggles at the insinuation.

He nods again. "Okay." He turns away suddenly, he pauses a moment to wipe his eye before turning on his computer and getting into some work.

You grab your jacket and take Sam around her midsection like you always used to do, god she felt good in your arms again. You plant her with a kiss on her bubblegum lips. You almost felt like the old you again. No confusing emotions or complications, just a good looking jock with his hot girl. Just like back in high school. Oh god, the things you would do to her tonight!

"See you tomorrow buddy." You call back into the room as you open the door.