Charlotte woke up to a weak tapping sound on her window. The sound was slow and quiet as if to be careful to not startle her. It went on for a minute until She had finally had enough. Intrigued by the noise She carefully arose from her bed rubbing her eyes. She placed her feet on the cold hard wooden floor and began to make small gentle footsteps to the window ledge. Her floorboards creaked painfully as she cautiously got closer to the window.In the bright light of the moon she saw a dark figure. She took a step back and squealed. The figure came to life and put its fingers over its lips gesturing quiet. finally it came into a light where she could make out out who it was.
"Henry!!" She whispered.
The familiar face staring back at her was tired in expression. She opened her window letting him enter.She had lived in a one storey houses all her life so it really wasn't much struggle for him to climb in, after all he was kid danger.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
She turned on my nightlight he was too quiet for her liking something was wrong. In the dim light of the lamp she was able to make it out his olive skin had red bruises and purple marks all around his cheekbone his eye was swollen shut, his uniform was dirty and tattered.
Her face fell.
Everything felt cold she had never seen him like this. With that she was racing downstairs to get some ice from the freezer. While she was gone Henry sat there tears rolling slowly as he felt his knuckles which had blood all over them. When she had returned he was on Charlottes pink fluffy bed wincing as he touched his face in pain. She held the ice to his face gently as they both sat on the bed. Through the air although unspoken She felt how tense he was.
"What happened?" She asked her face fully of empathy.
"I was working and some guys got the best of me I guess" he mumbled in shame.
"No one saw you come in here right? I whispered.
"I don't think so" he replied.
"Who are they?" charlotte questioned.
He looked down at the floor. His face was full of remorse he had something that he definitely had to tell. Charlotte could see that there was something to tell her. They tell each other everything so this had Charlotte quite perplexed as to what he could possibly say that shock her. Everything clicked into place for Charlotte. There were these specific people that Ray had specifically told Henry not to go after. It was much too dangerous they had been criminals in this town since I can remember. His goons were trained with special martial arts even with Henrys hyper-motility they were a force to be reckoned with. He had seen by the hurt expression on ber face that she had figured it out.
"I thought I was ready" his voice was small and she could hear it start to break as he swallowed the lump resting in his throat.
She pulled him tight into a firm hug. He sunk his chin into her shoulder. Reflecting on his failure sometimes being Henry danger made him feel on top of the world like other times it made him aware of all the corruption and destruction that occurs in the world and for a 16 year old boy that could be hard to handle. Charlotte knew how hard it was to have all this pressure on you especially since my academic side was all her parents seemed to talked to her about.
Charlotte and Jasper where the only people he had to talk about the weight of his job. Not even his parents or his sister sometimes it got a bit much. And at these times he'd crawl through her window and they'd talk about it. It had never been this late before Charlotte looked up at the clock and suddenly became very aware that it was 3am. Their hug was interrupted by the loud footsteps creaking up the wooden steps. They were heavy and deep the sound of her Dad's footsteps were recognisable to anyone.
"Shit that's my dad" She whispered.
If he found Henry in my bedroom at 3am they'd be dead. Henry sprung into action hiding under my bed. They didn't want that to hug end.
"You ok sweetie?" He smiled.
His smile was bright and warm with his toothy smile. It made her feel guilt for lying but alas this was more important.
"Yea Dad , couldn't sleep. I'm fine now though , erm goodnight" She stumbled over her words making them sound awkward. He was bound to tell something was off.
"Well it's very late. I know it's the weekend but you definitely should not be up at this hour " his voice was stern.
If he only he knew about all her late night escapades hacking into highly dangerous criminals data.
"I know I'm sorry but I'm feeling tired now goodnight Dad." She fake yawned as she rushed him out of the room.
She wait until she hears his loud and heavy footsteps and the sound of his army army green flip flops clacking away.
"Covers clear now"she whispers peering under her bed.
Henry slides out of the bed and dusts himself off while coughing.
"Sorry it's kinda dusty under there" she laughs as she dusts off his shirt.
"Well goodbye then thanks for everything" he smiled sadly.
He didn't want to go but he felt like he had been enough to deal with. His brown eyes really looked warmer in the light of her little lamp that twinkled in her dark room. He smiles with that kind smile that always makes her heart beat a little faster than usual and leans in for another hug and before she can stop her mouth from moving the words come out.
"You don't have to go..." She said.