Chapter 14: Dinner

The school day dragged on, like a foe who refused to be defeated and had to be stomped to death to keep it from getting back up one last time. I met Charlotte in the hall outside her locker, and we walked out of the building together. The nurse had told her she didn't need to come back in the next day if she didn't want to, but she said she was feeling much better.

"I haven't eaten all day," she said. "No breakfast and no lunch. That's probably what's wrong with me."

"So let's go eat," I said.

"Can I take you out? My treat?" she offered.

"Sure," I said.

"Just let me drive my car home, and I'll meet you at my place."

"Well in that case, let me head home and get changed, and I'll pick you up at five, okay?"

"Alright," she said. "I've gotta go home and frame this letter on my bedroom wall, next to your picture."

"You don't have a picture of me."

"Well wear something nice and I'll take one when you get over there."

"Will do," I said.

We kissed and went our separate ways.

I got home, showered, changed into a shirt and tie, kissed my mom gleefully on the cheek, and I was out the door again before she even had a chance to say hello. I brought my letter with me, in case I wanted to read it again.

I got to Charlotte's house and Stephanie greeted me at the door.

"Hey, Studly Doright," she said. "My, my, don't you look good enough to eat? Come on in. Charlotte's still getting ready for your little date."

"Hey, Stephanie," I said. "How are you?"

She led me into the living room and we sat down across from each other on two of the three suede-covered couches surrounding a vast marble coffee table.

"I'm doing great," she replied. "I'm looking forward to this trip we've got coming up. It's big business. We're gonna be expanding into new markets, and it's looking like at least 50% in increased sales revenue per year."

"Sounds great," I said.

"You have no idea what I just said, do you?"

"Not really. How much are you worth altogether?"

"None of your business, boy. Let's just say this house is modest compared to what we could be enjoying."

Then she changed the subject.

"We heard about the fight you got in today at school today. That was mighty noble of you. Ron was very impressed. Charlotte is of course on cloud nine over you. She showed me the letter too. You're quite a special guy, Anthony."

Charlotte came downstairs in a ravishing little evening gown. I was immediately smitten with the desire to tear it off of her, but I of course resisted. She came at me with a camera, and I grimaced at her, feeling too modest for such lavish attention. She stood there taking pictures of me while I sat smiling shrugging, and trying to look casual. Then she got her mom to take the camera and shoot a bunch of photos of the two of us together. We hugged, we kissed, we snuggled, we stood there looking happy and cool, and Stephanie just kept snapping away. Finally she had about sixty different pictures and we headed out the door.

Charlotte took me out to what had to be the finest restaurant I'd ever been to, up until that point. It was a place called Franco's. They even had a string quartet playing in the dining area for the patrons. The only trouble was we actually had trouble getting in. They wouldn't believe that a couple of high school kids like us could afford a place like that. Charlotte had to pull out her school ID and her driver's license to prove that she was the Charlotte Lawsen that her mother had called to make reservations for. Stephanie and Ronald were apparently regular customers. They'd never seen Charlotte before though.

"That was somewhat embarrassing," I said to her as the maitre d' finally escorted us to our table.

"Trust me. He's way more embarrassed than us now," she whispered back.

Sure enough the poor bugger was fawning and fussing over us like we were the king and queen of France or something. He sat us in a quiet corner, next to a gilded sculpture of cupid. There was a bubbling fountain at his feet and it looked very romantic. The table had a vase full of fresh-cut roses in its center with a red candle floating in ornate glass bowls of water. The table cloths were red satin and the napkins were silk. The menus had no prices on them. I felt way out of my league, but I was loving it at the same time.

We sat down and grinned at each other commenting quietly on the posh surroundings we found ourselves in. Finally the waiter brought us two menus and scurried away as quickly as he'd come.

"What will you have, my dear?" Charlotte asked.

I could only stare at her happily, trying to shake myself out of the daze I was in, but not really wanting to. She flicked her eyes up at me from her menu and smiled.

"I'll have steak. Do they have steak here?"

"They have steak. How do you like it?"

"Medium rare, please."

"I think I'll have the lamb," she said, raising one eyebrow at the menu. "It looks to die for."

The waiter came, and looked at me expectantly. Charlotte handed me her menu and looked at me as well.

"Well," I said, realizing that I was to order for us. "My stunning companion here will have the lamb, and I believe I'll have a steak, medium rare, sir, if you please."

"You do not care for an appetizer before you begin?"

I looked at Charlotte and she shook her head in negation. She was famished.

"No. I think we'll get right down to the meal. Thanks."

"Very good. And to drink?"

"Can we get some wine?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not, sir," the waiter said in a rather condescending tone.

"Why don't you ask Maurice if it would be okay," Charlotte told him.

"Very well then," he said. He went away and we saw him talking with Maurice, the maitre d' who had seated us. Maurice nodded and they strode into the kitchen. Moments later Maurice returned to our table with a bottle of the restaurant's finest. He poured us each a glass with a polite bow and hurried away again.

"You sure know how to get things your way, don't you?" I said.

Charlotte nodded. Her eyes were very sexy, sparkling with the happiness she felt being with me for our first romantic dinner. We clinked glasses and sipped at the wine. It was fairly dry, but had fullness to the flavor that I liked. I wasn't much of a wine drinker, but it seemed appropriate for a romantic evening.

Charlotte had her chin on her hand and was softly stroking her cheek with her fingers. The candle light refracting through her wine was casting a reddish hue onto her face. I don't know why, but I can still see that image in my mind's eye to this day. I wish I'd taken a picture of it.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"I feel good," she said. "Starving though."

"Your mom liked my love letter."

"I was just thinking about that," Charlotte smiled. "You read my mind."

"What were you thinking about it?"

"I was wishing I could feel the 'zero-gravity of being at the center of the universe with you' right now."

I lifted her hand to mine and kissed it.

"Soon enough," I said. "If there's one thing Sheila won't have a problem with, it'll be us being able to love one another for three days straight without getting sick of each other."

"I hear that, baby."

"Have you even sprung this whole thing on Steve yet?" I asked.

"Yeah. I talked to him at school today. He wanted to make out with me in the hallway, and I turned him down. He started to get a little pissed off at me, but I told him about the project we were doing and asked him if we wanted in. He was drooling like a dog over the idea. 'Fuck, yeah! I'm so there!' he said. I told him not to say anything to anyone about it, or it would be called off and he promised he'd keep it zipped. So he's in for the next production meeting."

"Cool," I said. "But is he gonna wanna fuck you while he's at it?"

"I told him what's what with you and me. I think he gets it. He's gonna be cool. He mostly excited about making a real live porno movie."

"Does he know about your parent's business?"

"Nope. I told him they make B-movies and documentaries, and he seemed to buy that."

"We'll have to tell Sheila not to mention anything about it around him."

"Yeah."

"So everything's ready then. I just gotta write it."

"No pressure or anything."

"No. I'll definitely keep it simple. It's our first try, and it'll be better not to aim too high. Just a whole lotta sex, and a little bit of dialog to prop up the story."

Charlotte looked down at the table and twiddled the corner of her napkin between her fingertips.

"I wish I could do you right now, Anthony," she said, with all seriousness.

"Really?" I smiled.

"What you think you're the only one who's hard up?"

"Well no, but-"

"You know I absolutely love your body, right? You know I adore every inch of you? You know I'd love nothing better than to lay naked with you and touch you in every place for the rest of my life, don't you? You know I'm a horny little slut to begin with, never mind being this close to you and not being able to jump you whenever I want it."

"I never thought about that actually. Sorry."

"No problem. I just don't want you to think you're the only one who's struggling with doing without here."