In The Gray..... Chapter 6

I hurry and put out my cell phone and dial Julian's number, which I already programmed into my phone. It rings twice and he picks up. "Julian Bain." Damn it! What do I say?!?! "Hello?" he says. "Hi Julian. It's Charlotte," I say finding my voice. "Oh, hey! Are you off work already?" I pull out my car keys and get in my Charger. "Yeah. My boss gave some time off." I hear him mumble something. "Do what?" "Nothing," he says very quickly and almost sounding panicked. "Is everything okay?" I ask as I head home. "Yeah... Where do you live?" He catches me off guard. "What?" "Where do you live?" "In the apartments on eastfifty-fourth." There's a pause. I hear a car start in the background and then some beeping. "Okay," he says, "I'll meet you there at one." I look at the clock. 12:40 "Okay. See you then. Bye." "Later, Charlotte,"he says and then hangs up.I love the way he says my name. Holy shit, I sound pitiful. I turn up the radio to drown him out of my mind.
Angel of mercy
How did you find me
How did you pick me up again
Angel of mercy
How did you move me
How am I on my feet again
And I see you
Iturn off the radioquickly, but I really don't know why. I don't really feel like listening to music, I guess. I drive in silence until I reach my apartment. "I still gota fewminutes," I say looking at the clock again. I park my car in the parking gargage and walk across the street. I am about to unlock the door when I see Jace through the glass talking to other residents.Oh no... I turn around blindly and bump into to what feels like a wall. "I'm so sor-" I say and look up to see Julian smirking down at me. "Hey there, Charlotte," he says. Relief rushes over me. "Thank God you're here." He looks confused. He's so cute. No I take that back. He's so hot when he does that. "I need you to come to my apartment. Right now." He then smirks evilly at me. "Well, Charlotte, I didn't know you were like that." I roll my eyes. "That's not what I mean, jeez.There'sjust thisguy... I'll explain morewhen we get up there. Come on, now." I unlock the door and walk through. Jace looks at the door and he smiles brightly when he sees me. Please let this work... "Hey Jace," I say. The people Jacewas once talking to have left so it's just us. "Hey! How's-" Jace stops when he sees Julian walk in behind me. "Uh, Charlotte, who's this?" Jace says nervously. I look up at Julian since he is almost a head taller than my-five foot seven inch-self. "Oh, Jace this is Julian." Julian slips his arm around my waist and pulls me to him. "I'm her boyfriend." Julian says with a very superior voice. Jace is practically shaking. "Uh, um, boyfr-friend?" Jace says.Hahahahaha!!!!!!!! He's terrified! If I didn't have any self-control I would be rolling in the floor right now. "Yeah. Is there a problem... Jace? You look a little pale." "N-no. Not at-at all," Jace stuttered. "If you say so, Charlotte, you were about to show me your apartment?" I flash a big smile. "Yes, I was. Bye Jace," I say and wave at the petrified cheese-head. Hahaha... Cheese-head... I lead Julian the up the stairs as Jace watches us in, I know, jealousy.
Once we round the first flight, Julian removes his arm. My side aches for his arm to go back but of course I don't say anything. "Do you think it worked?" he says stiffling a laugh. I bite my lip. "Yeah, it worked great." "So," Julian says, "What's the story there?" I roll my eyes. "When I first moved here, he helped me settle in since his dad owns the place. Then he just got possessive. I didn't say anything about it because he convinced his dad to let me pay half what everyone else does. I really hope he'll stop bothering menow." Julian laughes. "I think he will. He clearly doesn't want to mess with me." I laugh too. "Obviously." We walk in silence until thefourth flight. "My God! How high do you live?" Julian says suddenly. "Five flights up," I laugh. "Why five?" he says shaking his head. I shrug. "It was the only one open. Last few steps." "Thank heavens..." I laugh loudly and unlock my apartment door. "Make yourself at home," I say taking off my coat and hanging it up in my small coat closet by the door. I look over at Julian as he starts across the way to the living room. "STOP!" I yell. Julian freezes. "What's wrong?!?!" "Sorry. Shoes off please. I just cleaned yesterday," I say already bare-foot. I bet I just ruined everything...Stupid Charlotte! He just laughes and pulls off his shoes. "No problem." Phew... I flip on the lights. "Do you want anything?"I ask. Julianstands in the middle of my living room looking at me. He looks deep in thought. Iwalk up tohim. "Julian? You okay?" I wave my hand in front of his face. "Earth to Julian. Julian?" He shakes his head. "Sorry," he says, "Just thinking." I laugh and sit on the couch. "That was some pretty heavy thinking." He sits beside me. "Yeah," he says still kind of spaced out. "Like I asked before, do you want anything?" He gives that smirk again. "Sure. Can I get some of you?" "That's not what I meant," I say. His voice gets lower and starts sounding seductive. "Then you need to specify what you mean, Charlotte." I suddenly notice that Julian is very close to me. So close that I can feel his sweet breath on my lips. I look in his eyes searching him. "What are you trying to do, Julian?" I say to him. "Isn't it obvious, Charlotte? I'm trying to seduce you..." "Hmm... Don't you know suppose to wait until the third date at the earliest? And speaking of dates, you haven't even taken me on our first one. So let's go."I say and get upwalking to the door. I hear Julian curse quietly to himself before he hurries to follow me. That was so hard... But I have rules I follow. Hehe that was fun though. I slip on my heels and coat and wait for Julian. "So," I say after I lock my door, "Where are we going?"