It was only when he was standing outside that he realized what had just happened. And that realization started to sink in, he was sure that what had just happened, hadn't actually happened at all. It was possible that he was still standing inside the clinic, next to Charlie's desk, and talking about some random animal that they needed to take care of for that day. That he wasn't standing here, like an idiot, staring at her like she had grown a third-head.
Because girls didn't just come out and say stuff like that to him. Say that they like liked him. Most girls told he was cute or that he was nice and all but that she was interested in someone else or, in better turn-outs, that sure, she'd go out with him. Charlie coming right out and telling him that she liked him in that way caught him off-guard. Responding was going to take him a minute.
She liked him. That was good, right? That had been the whole point of hanging out with her. Sort of. He had liked her so he wanted to spend more time with her, more time around her. While the thought of her returning any of his affections had seemed like a far-off wish, he had wished it all the same. He ignored the complicated fact that she was human and he wasn't. Not entirely. In truth, he hadn't thought that far. Just far enough to wonder how it would be like to be able to have a normal life with her. A normal life period would have been nice. A life with Charlie would have been icing on the cake. And that ... that was a possibility. She liked him. Like THAT. He suddenly felt light. And a bit goofy. Now to respond.
Blushing, he looked down to the ground, than back up and smiled. "Okay. Yeah, I can do that." He wanted to say that he liked liked liked her too but that was far too simple to express how he felt. How exactly he felt needed ... he didn't know but he needed something more than his stupid brain could come up with right now. There might be a book at the library that could help him. He'd ask one of his friends for advice but since his only friend was Rosemary and her advice usually consisted of bad ideas, the library was his best bet.
Until then, he had to say something to let her know that her feelings were reciprocated. But then, without thinking, he leaned forward and quickly gave her a kiss on her cheek. So quick and light that had her eyes not been open, she might have figured it to be nothing more than the wind. Then, he stepped back and gave her a small wave. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Charlie."