Chapter 15: Tears
When Terra arrived at the arena, it was packed. There were not many seats left. She should have come sooner, but her mom was drunk and needed someone to hold her hair back while she was puking and then to tuck her into bed. Terra dodged bodies to find a seat. When she found one, she sat down and waited for the game to start. As soon as she put her bag down on the ground beside her, everyone in the stands stood up and started cheering. Terra looked around questioningly. She stood up too and started cheering, but almost as soon as the crowds started cheering they stopped and sat down. So, Terra was left standing and cheering alone. She immediately sat down. The players were out on the ice. They skated around once, twice, three times. Fulton waved to Terra, he nudged Charlie and then pointed Terra out. Charlie skated around and was staring at her, then looked at Fulton with an angry face. He shot out from beside Fulton and gathered around the coach.
"Hello! Aren't you Charlie's friend who came by a few weeks ago? Yes, yes you are. We were never properly introduced. I am Casey, Charlie's mom. And you are..?" Terra turned around to find the middle aged woman who was waving at her. Terra shook her hand and said, "My name's Terra Lowe. Me and Charlie are not really friends...well not good friends."
"Well I don't see why not. He's a good kid, really. Is he giving you a hard time? He is probably still upset about his girlfriend moving away to California. It's a shame really. They were really good friends." The announcer's voice boomed from the speakers. Charlie's mom motioned for Terra to turn around and watch the game. She was much obliged.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Charlie and his teammates were filing out of the rink. They had just won their first game of the season. Everyone was in good spirits, and Charlie was not mad at Fulton anymore. He figured that Terra had a mind of her own and he could not control anyone else's actions. Charlie and his teammates celebrated their first victory, but it was short lived because Coach Orion came in and reminded them that they had 15 minutes for locker rooms and they could celebrate after they take their showers. Charlie was the last one remaining in the locker rooms. He heard the lights shut down in the rink for the night. He was supposed to meet the rest of the team for pizza in ten minutes.
He grabbed his gym bag and walked out the door. He heard voices down the hall. He walked up on them very quietly and peeked around the corner. He saw Fulton with Terra. His jaw dropped open a few inches. He listened in on their conversation.
"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. Why does everyone think something is wrong with me? I am fine! And no, Charlie did not bother me! Nothing is wrong, I am perfectly fine..." She jumped up and started walking away, but Fulton grabbed her. He had a low voice, so Charlie could only understand a few words like, "Sorry," and "Wrong?" And "Charlie is sorry...whatever..did..happened? Sorry. Maybe...you...talk...Charlie...likes.." Then Terra turned around, and there were tears in her eyes. Charlie had never seen her cry. It hurt him to see her cry. He could tel that Fulton did not know what to do. So Charlie made some noises to signal that he was coming and he walked around the corner. Terra turned her back as soon as she saw Charlie. So she didn't want him to see her cry, but it was fine for Fulton to see her cry? That was just too much. He walked right past them without acknowledging either of them. He walked into the cold night air and started for home. He was not in the mood for a celebration pizza or for company. He went home and laid on his back staring up at his ceiling and went over the past few days in his head. He did not fall asleep until early the next morning.