Chapter 3
She's thinner. I can tell that already. Her pants have always bagged a bit, but that's how she likes them. But her pants bag too much, especially in the thighs.
I want to say something but I'm scared she'll get angry and shut me out completely.
She suddenly seems so fragile now, mentally and physically.
I don't like thinking of her as fragile because she isn't. She's always been so strong. She's been the person I usually complain to and cry to when stuff like this happens. She's supposed to be independent and know exactly what to do to fix the problem.
If she can't help herself, why do I think I can help her?
I'm not even nearly as levelheaded as she is.
Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. Maybe Charlotte's being too hard on herself, too.
I cross my arms on the table, in the Man Cave, and put my head on them. I close my eyes and try to think.
I try to think of how to help Charlotte. I try to think of what to write about for my paper in English.
"What's up with you?"
I hear Charlotte slide in next to me.
"I'm trying to think."
"Think about what?"
She was sitting closer than normal but I didn't mind. I almost wanted to lean closer to her.
"I don't know what to write about for English."
I feel her hand on my head. She runs her fingers through my hair a bit.
"I'm sorry."
I lean into the touch, silently telling her to continue playing with my hair.
"I don't mean to put any more stuff on your plate but,"
I groan into my arms. "What?"
"Bianca was asking about you."
I sigh, wanting to fall asleep.
"What did she have to say?"
"She asked me why you haven't been talking to her, why you haven't been responding to her text messages, and not waving at her when she waves at you."
I don't say anything.
"So why don't you do any of those things?" She asks me.
"I don't feel like it. Also, I don't have to." I say. "We aren't a thing."
"You could tell her that. So she doesn't feel like she is being lead on. It'll just hurt her feelings if you do that."
"Okay," I say. "I'll do that later."
"Are you really okay?" She asks.
"Yeah," I turn my head around to look at her.
She looked a little happier than yesterday. She looked pretty.
"I'm fine."
"You don't act it." Her voice was quiet and sweet.
This is where I should tell her she doesn't act like she's fine and we need acting lessons. But I don't. I just stare at her.
She looks behind her, then back at me. "What are you staring at?"
"You,"
"Why?"
"You're pretty."
Charlotte blushes and looks away from me. "Henry,"
"I mean it, Charlotte. You do."
"Well thank you."
The alarm for bad guys begins to ring.
She runs her fingers through my hair one last time before going to check on it.
I sigh and force myself to stand up.
"Tomorrow is Friday. Right?" I ask Charlotte.
"Well today is Thursday, so yes. Tomorrow is Friday."
"No need to be sassy."
She laughs. "Hurry, we need to get to Junk-n-Stuff."
"Calm down," I say waving her off. "I just need to find my math worksheet."
"You know if you put it in your binder, we wouldn't be standing here."
"Well if you had reminded me to put the worksheet in my binder, we really wouldn't be here. So technically this is your fault."
"Henry, it's-" Charlotte groans.
I look from my locker to her. She had stepped back a couple of steps. She was rubbing her right shoulder with her left hand.
"Stay out of my way," A male voice tells her.
"Sorry,"
The boy continues to walk away.
I step from my locker and starts walking towards him.
"Hey," I say loudly.
The boy turns around. He was about my size.
"What do you want?" He asks me, knowing exactly who I was speaking to.
"Apologize to the lady," I say gesturing to Charlotte.
"Why?" He asks me. "That girl was in my way."
I look over at Charlotte. She had wide eyes.
"There is no one in this hallway. How could she possibly be in your way?" I ask him, using hand gestures. "Now, please, apologize for being an asshole and we'll be finished with this."
The boy seemed to get angry at me calling him a name. He flares his nose. I gave him the I'm-tired-of-your-poop expression.
He sighs. "I apologize for bumping into you."
"Call her 'miss'," I tell him.
"I apologize for bumping into you, miss."
"Thank you," Charlotte says.
"You may go now."
He turns around and leaves.
I go back to my locker, finding the worksheet, and closing my locker. I start walking towards the main doors. When I notice Charlotte isn't walking beside me, I turn around.
"Charlotte, come on, dude. We wouldn't want to be late."
Charlotte looks at me with a smile and catches up. "Of course, we wouldn't."
This is a crap chapter but I just needed to get past a certain point.
The next chapter will be totally better.
Please review, follow, and/or favorite.
Thank you for reading this crappy chapter.
