Charity Moon Read online

  “Technically we’ve already swapped spit. And you’re all acting very immature.”

  “Okay, Charity, sixty bucks says you won’t go over there right now and kiss Levi Drake on the lips,” Toby said, daring me again to meet the challenge.

  “And it has to be an open-mouth kiss with tongue,” Delaney added with a smirk.

  “You know, if you weren’t my friend I’d pop you! On second thought I think I’ll pop you anyway!”

  She laughed and backed away in mock fear. “I’m just trying to help you, Charity. At the rate you’re going you’ll die a grumpy, old maid.”

  “Grumpy old maids don’t get their hearts broken. And you guys need to get a serious life instead of living yours through me.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” Toby asked, straight-faced, drawing my attention back down to the table and the money that lay there.

  I huffed as I looked down at the pile of cash before pulling out my lip balm and saturating my lips. And with a squared jaw, I got up and stared Delaney right in the eyes. “I’d tongue a frog for sixty bucks.”

  Every one of them gasped as I rose and walked with determination across the room and straight toward Levi, sitting unaware, back facing me. I took a deep breath as I stepped beside him. He looked up at me, and I met his gaze boldly.

  “I hope you understand this is nothing personal,” I said, putting my hand in the back of his hair and closing my fist around a handful of silky strands before tilting his head back. I gave no more thought, lest I chicken out, as my lips came down on his. His initial shock was evident but soon faded as his mouth greeted mine with eagerness. The kiss quickly deepened, his scent finding me and threatening my control, but the sudden cheering from his friends brought me back from the brink. I pulled away, and without looking at him, turned and headed back across the room.

  “Oh man! Levi, what did you do to get the hottest girl in school to kiss you like that?” one of the guys asked in amazement.

  “Oh yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! Maybe she likes guys after all,” said another.

  “What did she taste like?” I heard one ask.

  There was silence, then, with wonderment in his strained voice, Levi answered, “Like raspberries.”

  I smiled and purposely strutted back to my seat, feeling Levi’s gaze fixed on me as I walked. “Okay twerps, where’s my money?” I asked, hand open, eyes narrowed.

  They handed it over with stunned faces.

  “Now I know why I idolize you,” Toby said.

  “That was so hot I need a cold shower,” Stacy added.

  Ashley didn’t have to say anything. Her angelic smile said it all.

  “What did he taste like?” Delaney asked, smirking.

  “Like cake.”

  I folded the money, shoved it in my pocket, and walked out of the room without another word. Once I rounded the corner, I pressed my back against the wall and took a few deep breaths, trying to slow my heart rate. I admit I’m not very experienced when it comes to kissing, but even I know that kiss was totally hot. Levi ‘Lava-Hottie’ had once again earned his name.

  Chapter Three

  Every day for the rest of the week, another boy transferred to our school from E. W. High. But that wasn’t the weirdest part; they all seemed to be friends of Levi’s, and by Friday, six boys in all had transferred. All of them were tall, well built, and like Levi, reasonably tanned. It seemed I was the only one puzzled by our new additions. My friends were just enjoying having new boys to look at. But we haven’t had a single person transfer from our rival school in years, if ever. Though I hadn’t spoken to him, or even made eye contact, since the dreadful day of our lip lock, I decided to ask Levi about it in Art class.

  “So, Levi, what’s up with all of your friends transferring here? Are you that influential that they can’t manage at E. W. without you?” I scoffed while finishing up the last touches of his portrait. It was clear by his expression that I caught him off guard.

  “What do you mean?” he asked, looking slightly puzzled.

  “No one transfers here in years and then there are six of you in one week. It sounds a little suspicious if you ask me.”

  “Well, no one’s asking you,” he countered sharply.

  “A little defensive aren’t you? Do you have something to hide?”

  “It’s better if you just mind your own business.” His expression was a little alarming.

  “Hey, it’s public knowledge, so it is my business. Why are you so defensive about it?”

  “Why do you care?” he asked coldly, leaning across the table toward me, so close in fact I caught his scent and was momentarily dazed.

  “Fine,” I said finally, leaning away from him. Then I drew two horns on top of his head without thinking.

  “Erase those,” Mrs. Reed said, peering over my shoulder at my drawing, a long, orange curl falling into my face and poking me in the eye.

  As my eraser worked its magic, I noticed that Levi was definitely more agitated than I’d seen him before. Why did it bother him so much that I asked about his friends, I wondered? Maybe he did have something to hide.

  I pulled out my lip balm, applying it until I was happy with the number of coats before wiping it off and starting over.

  Levi leaned in close and whispered, “You need to leave it alone.” His piercing gaze was slicing through me, sending my heartbeat into overtime. My blood chilled only to warm instantly as his gaze shifted—a deeper emotion swirling in his brilliant eyes. My mind was plunged back to the memory of that kiss. The air was suddenly so thick I couldn’t breathe.

  I jumped as Mrs. Reed spoke. “Please leave your finished work on my desk as you leave,” she said just as the bell rang.

  I put my drawing on her desk and stepped into the hall. Unexpectedly, Levi grabbed my arm gently, but unyielding, and whispered, “We need to talk.” My arm tingled at his touch as he led me down the crowded hallway. As we were exiting the doors, Jeffrey, from my English class, approached me.

  “Charity, I need to ask you something,” he said, ignoring Levi completely.

  “Oh—okay, what is it?” I didn’t know Jeffrey that well. He was a little too cocky for my taste. Just the fact that he was a member of the opposite sex was enough to ignore him.

  “I’d like to take you out tomorrow night,” he stated boldly.

  Okay that was unexpected. I thought all the schoolboys knew I wasn’t interested. Most didn’t even approach me anymore. Must’ve been that dang kiss!

  I was about to tell him no when I turned and glanced at Levi, and remembering my previous irritation with him, answered, “Sure, that’d be great. Here’s my number.” I grabbed his pen from behind his ear and wrote my number on the palm of his hand. “Pick me up at seven?”

  “Seven’s good,” he smiled, turning and leaving as quickly as he’d approached. Levi also turned and left, swiftly and abruptly, without saying another word to me. Okay, that was weird. I’m not quite sure that was the effect I was after.

  “I still can’t believe you’re going on a date with Jeffrey Davis,” Ashley said as she thumbed through my closet. “I mean, he’s cute, don’t get me wrong, but I’m just surprised. He’s not really your type, and you haven’t gone out with anyone all year. Why now?”

  “Well, truth be told, I guess I was trying to agitate Levi, but it didn’t work, and now I’m kind of stuck.”

  “I thought you didn’t like Levi.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Of course you don’t.”

  “I just get a kick out of aggravating him, that’s all.”

  “It’s just as well. You’d have to wear an asbestos suit to touch him anyway.”

  “What?”

  “You know—‘cause ‘Lava-Hottie’s’ too hot to hold.”

  I stared at her for a moment before we both burst into shrilling laughter.

  “Hold the phone! This one’s perfect!” she squealed, pulling out a white button-down dress from my closet. “It’s v
ery flattering on you, classy, yet not too sexy. After all, we don’t want to give Jeffrey the wrong impression. And don’t even think about wearing that old hoodie with it.” It was scary how well she knew me.

  It had been unseasonably warm for March, so a coat was unnecessary. Ashley suggested I wear my white flats so that I wouldn’t be taller than my date. Good advice. Personally, I would’ve preferred jeans, a blouse, and my boots, but in the end I listened to Ashley. For one thing, she has a great sense of style, not to mention she’s bossy.

  He picked me up promptly at seven, and in order to avoid him meeting Frank, I met him at the door. He took me to a fairly nice restaurant where he talked about himself the entire time. Not once did he ask about me. And when he wasn’t talking about himself he was staring at me inappropriately. The date was not what I hoped it would be, though it was what I had come to expect, and once again my opinion of men had not altered one bit.

  After dinner I had hoped he would just take me home, but he said he had something he needed to pick up at a friend’s house first. He drove a little ways past town before turning onto a barely visible dirt road leading into the forest. I instantly became uncomfortable. That’s what I get for trying to make some stupid guy I don’t even like jealous.

  “Um, Jeffrey what do you think you’re doing? This doesn’t look at all like someone’s house.”

  He didn’t answer, suddenly stopping the truck and killing the ignition. “I thought we could talk for a bit.”

  I didn’t like the way he said that.

  “Anything you have to say to me you can say under the light of my front porch. Now, please take me home.”

  “I have to be honest with you, Charity. You’re more appealing than any of the girls in our school. That’s why I chose you to go out with me. It could be the bad girl routine, but whatever it is, you’re quite sexy.”

  My mouth fell open in shock.

  “Oh come on, Charity, don’t act so surprised. It’s not like you’re oblivious to the affect you have on the opposite sex.” His eyes knitted together as he studied my expression. “Or are you?”

  “I want you to take me home now, Jeffrey!”

  “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

  “What do I look like—Luke Skywalker?! I don’t have a sense of adventure! Now take me home!”

  He sighed. “Okay, but I bought you dinner. I think I at least deserve a kiss.” He leaned over quickly and kissed me hard and eagerly. I barely had time to register what he was doing, but once I did, I pushed him back and slapped his face as hard as I could.

  “What do you think you’re doing, you jerk?” Without thinking it through, I jumped out of the truck and began running through the trees. I could hear him calling after me, a name of which I won’t repeat, before getting in his truck and leaving. I stopped and stood there for a moment trying to decide what to do next. I scrambled through my purse until I felt my cell phone—blast—no signal! I decided to go back to where the truck had been and follow the tracks to the road, if I could even see the tracks. Though the moon was almost full, I could barely see my hand in front of my face.

  As I worked my way back through the dark forest, it began to rain. “Great, what else can go wrong?” I mumbled. Then I heard it—a low, menacing growl. It was in front of me and it was close. I stared out into the dark, squinting against the rain, and that’s when I saw them, a pair of yellow, glowing eyes. They were higher than I expected, much higher, and I froze in fear. After a brief moment, I somehow compelled my legs to move and began backing up slowly, turning and bolting in the opposite direction. Whatever it was I wasn’t going to stand there and wait for it to eat me.

  The rain pelted me in the face as I ran through the trees. Branches were clawing and scraping, tearing my dress as I passed. I heard something behind me, chasing me, and I ordered my legs to run faster, jumping and dodging trees frantically. I could hear it closing in on me. I could almost feel its hot breath on my back. I took a risk and glanced behind me, but saw nothing. Just as I was about to turn back around, I screamed, falling over an overturned tree and hitting the right side of my head on something hard.

  As I lay there, motionless and in pain, I braced myself for the impending attack, but there was nothing. Besides the rain, the forest was quiet and still. I laid there for a moment waiting for my breathing to regulate before trying to move. I moaned as I tried to get up, my arms jello beneath me, but the effort was useless.

  I’m not sure how long I lay there, perhaps only minutes, drifting in and out of consciousness, until I was suddenly aware of two arms sliding under me and lifting me effortlessly from the wet forest floor. In that flicker of a moment, I thought about struggling, but the thought left as quickly as it came. And, without further thought of my own safety, I wrapped my arms around the guy’s neck and held on as he began to run. The rain continued to drench us. It was then that I noticed he was shirtless. I was puzzled but not alarmed—I guess I should’ve been, but—I wasn’t. I rested my head on his shoulder and let him carry me off through the dark forest. As crazy as it might sound, my only concern was that I didn’t want him to put me down. Somehow it felt safe—something I haven’t felt since the last time my dad held me in his arms so many years ago. I lifted my head weakly and tried to make out his face, hidden by dark, wet hair. And, as the moon peeked through the trees, the dim light casting a soft glow, I caught a brief glimpse, and then was unnerved as a strangely familiar scent hit me.

  “Levi?” I asked groggily. There was no answer. Then my consciousness left me and I slipped away into darkness.

  Chapter Four

  I moaned in discomfort as the bright sun greeted me. I sat up painfully slow, peeled my eyes open, and sighed, recognizing my all-too-familiar bedroom. I was laying on top of my bed, wrapped in an afghan, my hair still damp and matted against my head. I glanced across the room and spotted my shoes sitting neatly under my chair, along with my purse.

  As the memories of the previous evening came flooding back, I groaned, laying my head back down and rubbing my aching temples. Questions ran quickly through my mind. How did I get home? Had last night even happened? Was Levi Drake really in the forest with me? How could that be possible? And how could he have gotten me home, and into my bed?

  I got up, but then fell back dizzily onto the bed. Trying again, steadying myself first, I got up and walked over to my chair, picked up my shoes, and turned them over. They were caked in mud. I looked around on the floor for traces of prints or water or mud—nothing. Then I noticed the chair wasn’t secured against my door. What if Frank came in my room while I was sleeping? I was out of it so I wouldn’t have known. I became horrified at the thought, feeling panicked as I sat on the edge of my bed and pondered the events of the previous evening. It all had such a dream-like quality, and yet I could still smell Levi’s scent as strongly as if he were sitting right beside me.

  I felt totally confused and unsure as I called Ashley and enlightened her on everything. She said she tended to believe that after I hit my head I must’ve passed out and dreamed the part about Levi. She also said she thought I probably woke up and walked home, getting into bed on my own. I explained how I woke on top of my bed with the afghan over me, which we keep in the hall closet. Why would I have done that instead of just getting undressed and into my bed? Also, if I had gotten home on my own, I would’ve known to put the chair against my door. I’ve been doing that every night, without fail, for three years. Ashley seemed puzzled by that one too, and as much as she tried to reassure me, it didn’t do much to calm my nerves.

  I laid around the house for the rest of the day, trying to clear my mind of all the questions running through it. I actually picked up my journal and started writing in it again, something I haven’t done in two years. Somehow it helped me sort out my feelings. As a result, I was more convinced than ever that my memories were correct about Levi. He had been in the forest with me, but how? And more importantly, why?

  What I really wanted, to hel
p ease my anxiety, was my favorite butter pecan ice cream from Happy’s Ice Cream Parlor, located just outside of town. Dreading the twenty-minute drive, I decided a bubble bath would have to suffice and headed for the tub with my raspberry scented bubbles in hand.

  When I arrived at school Monday morning, rumors were already circulating about my date with Jeffrey, no doubt started by him.

  “Charity,” Toby called to me as I exited my car. “I just heard about what happened on your date Saturday night. Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little banged up.”

  “Banged up?”

  “I fell in the forest when I thought a wild animal was chasing me.”

  “Oh wow, that’s scary. I meant about Jeffrey getting a good feel of you.”

  “What? He did no such thing!”