Neither Linus or Pat were actually looking forward to going to school the next day, Melody certainly didn't want to go; she tried to hide the fact she was beat up, with makeup, but the rumors spread quickly in school about what she did, guys that once may have liked her, ignored her, the girls that are typically much nicer, including Patty, Frieda, and Tapioca, treated her like a pariah. Linus was depressed, carried his blanket with him, sometimes he would see her, and she would see him, but she would do her best to ignore him, Linus just didn't have the energy to get angry. Pat was equally hurt, knowing how it involved a close friend of his, he felt like he betrayed Linus, and owed him an apology.
"Is that her," Tapioca asked.
"Oh yeah, that's her," Patty pointed out.
"Hey, Melody, right," Tapioca asked.
"Yes, that's me."
"How many more boys are you going to hurt," Tapioca asked.
"You know that's kinda slutty, right," Patty asked.
"I heard Lucy gave you a pounding, Linus is a good guy, he didn't deserve that," Tapioca said.
"Yeah, I screwed up and got caught," she sighed.
"And you're never going to hear the end of it," Patty teased, "screwing up is an understatement, I've never seen Lucy fight for her brother."
Pat ran in to Linus in the hallway, "hey Linus."
"Oh… Pat."
"I need to tell you I'm so sorry about Mel… I didn't know, I hope you aren't mad at me," he lowered his head.
"You couldn't have known I was dating her, you weren't even here "
"But I feel so bad about it."
"It's her fault, she was so fake, she took advantage of both of us, like eating and breathing. At least everything was brought to light before you got in too deep."
"Me? You were with her a whole summer!"
"I know."
"Why are you worried about me?"
"You're my friend… and it pains me to see my friends hurt."
"Did Lucy tell you what we did?"
"No, she didn't."
"I don't want my friends hurt either."
"It's been so crazy, hopefully everything calms down," Charlie spoke to Lucy before class started.
"I think it will, especially if Melody keeps quiet."
"How's Linus doing?"
"He's hurt, so is… the… other guy- so I've heard. Did you know your sister comforted him nearly all night?"
"She's crazy about him," he rolled his eyes.
"I think he should give her a chance. I think that if he did, Sally just might surprise him, like she surprised me- I at least hope that what she did, meant something to him, because she was there for him."
"Speaking of stuff like that; I haven't seen Pat yet, I think… I think I miss her."
"Pats around," she exhaled, "I've seen Pat."
"How was the summer break?"
"Fairly uneventful… other than Linus and Melody. Pat left for summer camp after you left, wasn't the same, Charlie."
Between classes Charlie was looking for Pat, but ran in to Lamar and Schroder.
"Hi Charlie," Schroder greeted.
"Looking for somebody, dude?"
"Yeah, I've been looking for Pat."
"Pats around," Schroder replied.
"That's what Lucy said.
"I will pass along the message for Pat to call you- new phone I believe."
"Good. I still need to come out to her. Did we figure out who that guy was, that was in that Melody situation?"
"Yeah, we did, just got done talking to him… and Charlie," Lamar wrapped an arm around him, pointing, "he saw you and likes you, too, dude. I think he could use a real friend, and nobody is a better friend, than you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Linus has all the support, but him; not so much."
"I think I'll go over there, right now."
"That's what I'm saying!"
Lamar smiled when Charlie marched right over there.
"Really, honey," Schroder raised an eyebrow.
"Aye, all this dancing around is getting old. If we just outed the both of them to each other, all this coulda been avoided."
"But that would've went against their wishes."
"Thusly… my blond beauty; why I did what I did. A little lie for a good thing."
Charlie walked up to the boy who was playing in his phone, with his locker open.
"Umm… hey… how are you doing?"
"I feel like crap," he hissed.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. It wasn't fair, for you or Linus. Me and another friend are how it was brought to light, and I want you to know that this town can be better than that, the rest of us don't go out of our way to hurt people like that. Schroder and Lamar said they talked to you… and… I know Linus has so much support if he needs it, you just got here; I'm offering my support to you, so you won't be alone."
"Is that so," he spoke just loud enough to be heard, still facing away.
"Of course. I'm a friend if you need it, I'm just going to say it, because friends should be honest with each other; just before, and over the summer, I ended up in a situation where I found out I was bi, and I came to accept it. I saw you before school started near my dads shop, and I thought you were… attractive. I'm not pushing anything, since that stuff with Melody happened, I'd just be okay if we were friends. I-if you're straight, then I'm sorry, I don't mean to assume- I just… I'm trying to say; I'm here if you need me, and not because I think your cute… ugh… why did I say cute. This is a horrible first impression, I'm sorry… for everything… and my name is… is.. umm B-brownie Charles- err Charlie Brown.
The hallway had been growing empty.
"You and your speech is gonna make us late to class."
"I just can't let somebody go through something so emotionally damaging, alone."
"Of course you can't. You've got a heart of gold. I know who you are, and you're the best thing that ever happened to me… and I think you're cute, too," a smile crept in his voice, "I thought you wouldn't like me… you've always been my first choice."
"Really?"
"Yep. Wanna know a secret; all I've been through made me a better person, and I can say what I've always wanted to say to you… and you'd better say it back."
"Umm…"
Before he could say anything else, without looking up; Pat quickly spun around, hugging him tight.
"I love you," he looked up.
"Pat…," he hugged back, "I love you too."
This time Charlie actually made it to the right lunch room, glad to see familiar faces.
"Look who decided to eat in his own lunch room," Lamar joked.
"So how late to class were you two," Lucy asked, "we just found out about it."
"And what were the results, sir?"
"I don't think we were that late, and… yes," Pat said.
"Congratulations," Linus huffed.
"Linus… what happened still hurts me, too."
"But now you're going to rub dating Charlie in all our faces."
"No I'm not, I didn't even say anything when I sat down. They brought it up. I'm here if you need me, I'm sure I'm not the only one, who loves you, Linus, we're like one big family."
"All those times you were there for me, you think I'm going to ignore you?"
"Oh look… the freaks table," Violet walked up, "Charlie, I knew something was wrong with you, when it took Pat trying to be a guy, for you to date her."
"I'm going to interject right here, before you continue that verbal diarrhea; we just went through all that with Melody, Schroder and Lamar have been getting gay bashed since before school started, and you think it's a good idea to pile on top of that? Why? This stuff just happened, we just got our hearts crushed, and you want to come over here and make fun of the ones who aren't straight, or cisgendered. There's a zero tolerance policy for hate speech here- I really don't care if you like any of us, but keep that shit to yourself, now fuck off," Linus spoke calmly.
"Like I care about that. Besides… I don't like what Melody did either."
"What you're doing really isn't much better, Violet. I'm not going to just keep quiet, I have gay people in my family, non binary people, bi people… if this is how it's going to be; I don't want to be friends anymore," Frieda explained.
"I'll give you same business I gave Melody," Lucy threatened, "if I can change, you can change, that's why we're not friends anymore."
Violet strutted off with a huff.
"I think you might've had the right idea, Lucy," Frieda said, "I'm actually sorry Melody did that to both of you, both of you deserve better."
After school, Linus was still upset, choosing to go home versus anything else. Charlie and Pat decided to go on their own, to talk about their summer. The rest went to do their own things.
Lucy was worried about Linus, he didn't want to do anything but be with Sally, after a while, when he thought it was okay, he'd call Sally over, she would follow him to his room, where he would lay under the blanket on her lap. This went on for days, nearing a month, to the point Sally would bring her homework, and often use him as a table, once he fell asleep.
Lucy walked in on Charlie watching t.v., plopping down next to him with a sigh.
"I'm worried about Linus… I've been worried about Sally."
"I'm worried about them, too."
"I'm not sure if he's using your sister, or has built up some sort of codependency with her."
"I'm not sure what her motives are, I've tried to talk to her, and she keeps saying that she's fine, and doesn't mind."
"You think that Sally hopes he'll fall in love with her?"
"The thought crosses my mind, I don't think it would be too bad, she's changed."
"I know, maybe I should talk to him again, maybe we should talk to them together."
"That's a good idea. They both need some sort of boundaries."
Back at the Van Pelt house; Linus and Sally are doing their thing.
"Is that… is that a textbook on my head," he woke up.
"Sorry, I'm just trying to do my homework, are you okay?"
"For the most part."
"I just want you to get back to your old self."
"Why are you actually doing this?"
"Because you wanted me here, there isn't anything I'm personally getting out of sitting here everyday for hours, except slightly better grades. I'm doing it for you."
"Because you love me?"
"No. Out of love, maybe, because friendship, definitely. I'm not doing this for me. I'm here because you want, or need me… I don't know why I'm here, you've asked me every day, why am I here?"
"Hmmm…," he went silent, giving it a long thought, "you have brought me solace."