(The Mystery of Patrick)

*Author Note: 30 chapters already? I'm impressed to make it this far but I'm hoping that everyone is enjoying my story thus far!*

*April 23rd, 1941*

*12:35 pm*

*Highlands High School*

Anya and her friends were having lunch in the cafeteria as they discussed many things as the lunch hour continued its course.

"Anya, remember when you told me about that guy you met during spring break? Did you encounter him at all this week?" Charlotte had asked her friend as she waited for her answer while Mai was watching with curiosity as she began to speak.

"If I must ask, Who is this man that you and Charlotte are referring to? He seems rather interesting since Charlotte brought him up" Mai had suddenly asked Anya as the young girl also waited for her answer as Anya suddenly began to speak.

"Very good questions, I haven't met him at all after I left Kansas but he seems to be a good friend of your mother so I think he was simply a family friend but regarding Mai's question, I don't think he's anything too major but rather a simple friend to the Smith family.." Anya had answered back as she saw Mai and Charlotte nodding their heads in understandment.

"Do you perhaps happen to have a picture of Patrick, Charlotte? If he's a family friend then I'm sure there is at least one photo of him for time's sake but if not then It's gonna be hard to know if that man is telling the truth" Nancy had asked Charlotte in a tone of curiosity as she hoped that this would shed more light on Patrick.

"I'm afraid not but I don't recall my mother having a friend named Patrick but maybe they were friends when she was my age or something" Charlotte had responded back in a confused tone of voice as her words caused the investigation to become more bleak as this caused Mai to speak.

"Could he perhaps be your father? Most father figures usually try to get information from their child's friend to see how their child is doing?" Mai had asked Charlotte in hopes of getting the investigation somewhere as she waited for an answer.

"I don't know, My father left us when I was a kid so I don't remember much of him and there's no pictures of him as well since my mother basically hates him but I think he could just be a friend" Charlotte had answered back as the young girl was clearly confused due to her not seeing her father during her life as she was met with nods of understandment from her friends.

"Damn, no picture of your father? Do you know his name at least? Maybe we can put the pieces together if Patrick happens to be your father or something" Nancy had asked her friend once more as she was met with Charlotte nodding her head in indication that she knew the name.

"Yes, My father's name is Peter Smith, that's all I know about him.." Charlotte had answered back as it seems that Patrick wasn't related to Charlotte at all but rather a family friend.

"Yup, He's probably some friend but I don't get why he doesn't just visit one of these days? Perhaps he upsetted them?" Mai had spoken to everyone in confusion as she was met with nods of agreement from everyone at the lunch table.

"Yeah, He's probably just some friend but we shouldn't think too much about it, okay? I did have quite the time discussing this with everyone since it's been on my mind ever since my spring trip" Anya had advised her friends as she was met with nods of understandment from her friends as the girls quickly shifted over the topic into something rather more light-hearted.

"Oh yeah, I bumped into Calvin the other day and he was wondering about you since it's been two weeks or so since we last saw him" Charlotte had spoken to Anya as this quickly caught her attention as she looked at her friend with great anticipation.

"Calvin?! That's wonderful! How have things been going for him? I heard he was helping out with his school for some festival that's in May or something" Anya had spoken back to Charlotte in a rather upbeat tone of voice as this sparked Mai's interest.

"A festival? That sounds rather pleasant. If possible, I would love to go" Mai had proposed to Anya as those events made Charlotte's face lit up with joy.

"Mai?! You wanna go to the event in May as well?! That would be WONDERFUL! I know that Carrie, Russell, and Emma are coming as well so that just makes it more wonderful and the location is Jackson Private Academy" Charlotte had spoken to Mai in a rather joyful tone of voice as this simply made Mai smile back as well.

"Oh yeah, you gotta avoid Judith and her little friends since they're very unpleasant but please know that Emma, Carrie, Calvin, and Claudia are very nice people so once you meet them than everything is gonna be alright" Nancy warned Mai as her words were met with Mai nodding her head in understandment.

"Interesting, I've never been to an academy before so this would be quite the treat and I'll do my best to avoid this Judith girl and all other things but I can't wait to have fun with my REAL friends and all of the other wonderful people that I'll be encountering" Mai had responded back in a confident tone of voice as all of this was scene by Anya.

"May? That's two or so weeks away from now but I wonder who that Patrick guy really is? Could he really be Charlotte's father? Nope! I can't worry about that so It's best to put my attention to this festival in a few weeks" Anya had thought to herself as she watched her friends chatting and laughing among themselves as this caused the young girl to smile warmly at the very sight.