two years ago

"I swear on my life!" Romeo yelled as him and Charlie headed up from the sand, hot on their feet.

"There is absolutely no way you saw a blue stark tooth!" Charlie yelled in disbelief, high stepping to avoid the sand as much as possible. "My feet feel like they were set on fire."

"We should run." Romeo suggested with a nod, giving Charlie a harsh shove before taking off up the sandy hill. Even with the shove, Charlie managed to catch up with him, making it to the beach house well before. Romeo panted as he made it there, holding his heart. "Seriously?"

"Your fault for trying to cheat." Charlie shrugged dramatically.

"Your fault for picking the bullet in Mario Cart." he said in return, the pair heading up to the steps. "I wish I lived here."

"By the ocean?" Charlie was close behind him, a bit more tired after that run.

"Yeah." he shoved some curls out of his eyes, hair a lot longer back then. "I'd just wake up, run on the beach, showing, then stare at the ocean and contemplate my meaning in life."

"Your meaning is to lie about blue shark teeth and be my friend." the Spring boy hummed with a nod as they made it to the top.

"One, I was not lying." he spun back to hold one hand up. "And two, I think if me being on this earth to be your friend is my true meaning, i'll be okay with that."

"Honored." Charlie pulled on the door, only for it not the budge. He gave Romeo an alarming look, tugging on it again. "It's locked."

"It was unlocked when we left." he knocked harshly. "Grandma Spring! It's us!"

"I did tell her I had a key." Charlie sighed loudly.

Romeo rose one eyebrow. "And do you?"

"No." he stated, getting a look of disbelief. "If I said no she's have looked for one for hours and we'd have been late for the beach."

"Well then we wouldn't be locked outside, Charlie." he said in return, looking through the windows. "I don't think anyones home anymore."

"She should be home soon. I mean, you know her." Charlie shrugged, sitting down on one of the chairs. "Perfect opportunity to stare at the ocean and contemplate your meaning in life."

Romeo had to smile, sitting in the other chair. "You know, I really don't even know what I want to do with my life."

"I thought you wanted to do business? Like your Dad." he looked over at him.

"I don't think I do though." he shook his head. "I mean, Lily is doing business. It just doesn't call for me."

"Well, what does?" Charlie gave a questionable look.

"Not sure." he admitted. "Surfing?"

"Yeah, you did do pretty good out there." Charlie nodded his head. "Well, maybe you can still do business and surfing. So, you can make money like your Dad, but still do what you love."

"Until a shark comes up and eats my leg off!" he smacked his hands together, making Charlie jump as he laughed. "What do you wanna do with your life?"

"I don't know." he exclaimed. "Be happy with my friends and a boyfriend."

"Sounds decent." Romeo nodded his head. "What about that boy with the green eyes you were talking to?"

"That was just a friend. Are you gonna assume every guy I talk to is a potential boyfriend?" Charlie gapped at him.

"Is that homophobic of me to do so?" Romeo looked over in an alarming manor. "I mean, if I saw you and Henry Maddox were talking, should I assume it's only friends?"

"That's different, you know I love Henry Maddox!" Charlie laughed, speaking of his long term celebrity crush. "Just for that, when you and Margot Robbie get married, i'll assume you're just friends."

"Oh, ouch." he placed a hand on his heart. "Margot Robbie has no clue I exist. I'm not even sure if she exist outside of my dreams."

"Probably not. She's just animated into all her films." he looked over with a nod. "What is it you like about her? Or, just in general, I guess."

"I don't know. She's very pretty." he pointed out. "But, she seems really comfortable with everyone. I guess I like that in a person. Like, I'm pretty open, even if it's embarrassing most of the time, but if someone else is also open, it likely won't be so embarrassing."

"Right." Charlie nodded his head.

"And you?" Romeo gave him a questionable look. "What do you like so much about Henry Maddox?"

"Oh, I don't know." he admitted. "I like that he's smart and cool at the same time. How he can be a nerd but also one of the cool lads. Suppose that's why."

"Right." Romeo nodded. "I guess that's a pretty good trait to have too."

"Henry Maddox will likely be the only guy i'll ever be with. In my head, that is." Charlie admitted. "I wish guys came as easy as they did to girls."

"There will be guys, you're just in a smaller community right now." Romeo reassured him. "Bet if we went round to London you'd meet loads of gay guys."

"Yes but they'd all likely have been very experienced and i'd look like a...like a knob." Charlie explained with a shake of his head. "It's true people don't like inexperienced people."

"Do you honestly think anyones gonna be able to tell you've never kissed a guy?" Romeo gave a questionable look. "I highly doubt it."

"You know i'll have to say it." Charlie put his hands over his face in embarrassment. "I say everything!"

"God, don't I know it." Romeo turned to him again with a sigh. "Right then, i'll be your first kiss so you can get it over with."

"What?" Charlie dropped his hands from his face with wide eyes.

"Then when you meet gay London guys you can tell them you've kissed a boy before." Romeo nodded, motioning to himself. "After kissing Hillary Beaumont, i'm 100% convinced no kiss could be that bad."

"Romeo, that's so mean." Charlie scolded him.

"Yeah, and so it drawing blood to my bottom lip." he said back in disbelief. "She didn't even let go, just bit down."

"Oh my god, okay." Charlie waved him off with a huff. "This is stupid."

"You're the one that said you didn't like not having experience." Romeo rose his hands in surrender.

"Not with a straight guy." he said in return. "What do you think potential boyfriend would say if I said my first kiss was with a straight guy?"

"How do you know if i'm straight? You don't know my alphabet." he argued with a point of his finger.

Charlie have a questionable look. "I feel like i've made you think like you have to do this."

"I offered it and you think you are making me?" Romeo gave a small snort. "Charlie, i'm starting to get offended that I don't get to be your undecided alphabet kiss."

"Would you please stop calling LGBT the alphabet?" he laughed, sitting up some. "This is stupid."

"Yeah." Romeo agreed with a questionable look. "Wanna do it anyways?"

Charlie hesitated, shutting his eyes. He didn't move, making Romeo hold back a laugh as he leaned over his chair, pressing a quick kiss onto Charlie's lips before returned. Charlie opened his eyes with wide pupils. Romeo nodded. "See, no more judgmental gay london guys."

"Right." Charlie swallowed at how casual it was.

"Wanna order some food while we wait?" Romeo suggested, pulling his phone from his bag. "I was just thinking about a coke."

•

kylie speaks

i wanted to give you
guys this little flashback
in honor of explaining
last chapter a little more.
not at all bc i'm stalling bc
we're on the final episode and
i don't wanna end this book or
anything