Disclaimer: I do not own Charlie Brown but the idea is mine. Chapter Ten!!!! Super excited about this guys! I hope y'all enjoy.

School Carnivals and Honesty

Franklin felt glued to his front seat as he watched Violet Grey pull Charlie Brown into her house.

He had pulled up to the house to see Charlie walking down the steps. Franklin was surprised his childhood friend hadn't seen his car, he felt like the Pizza Hut sign attached to his car would draw anyone's attention. Charlie seemed to be lost in his thoughts though and didn't notice the other boy's car.

He was about to get out of his car and deliver the pizza when Violet opened her front door. Franklin could see she looked confused at seeing Charlie instead of Franklin. But Franklin had been the confused one as he watched Charlie run back up the steps and start kissing Violet. Now, as Charlie kicked the door closed, Franklin didn't know what to do. He was in pure shock at the turn of events.

In the ten minutes that passed he got out of his car three separate times and even pulled out of the drive way once. When Charlie Brown came back outside Franklin was back in the driveway in his car. He watched the two exchange a quick conversation and then he watched Charlie drive away.

He counted to twenty, then he got out of his car, walked up the steps, knocked on the door, gave Violet her pizza, and then left. On the outside he was calm but on the inside he was working out a way to break the news to Lucy. He had to tell her her boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend... right?

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(Two days later)

Lucy wouldn't stop eating his' fries. Charlie had offered to buy her some, but she claimed she didn't want any. So, here they sat in the high school cafeteria "sharing" fries. Charlie had bearly had any and Lucy didn't even seem to notice; she was too busy trying to talk him into meeting her at the annual end-of-the-year carnival.

"It will be a lot of fun." She claimed in between a mouthful of french fries.

Charlie wasn't so sure, he wanted to like the carnival, but like all things in his life, it found a way to screw him over. In ninth grade, his date no-showed on him. In tenth grade, the ride he was most excited about broke down when he got in line. In eleventh grade, he got food poisoning. The reasons for his dislike were endless. He didn't think it was wise to try again.

"Listen, Lu. I don't think..."

Lucy reached up and covered his mouth with her hand. Like always, her touch made his mind go foggy. Charlie knew that he would feel this way for the rest of his life. No one else would ever compare to Lucy Van Pelt.

"None of your woe-is-me, Char. We are going to have fun. Plus, we are going to do all sorts of couple things. Also, we are graduating in a few months. This will be the last one we will get to go to."

Lucy looked all serious and determined. So, of course, Charlie licked her hand. She shrieked and pulled away from him. They both laughed as she wiped her hand on his shirt. After the laughing stopped, Lucy started pouting. He hated it when she pouted because it meant he had lost.

"Fine." He told her with a sigh.

He couldn't deny her, that's why he no longer had any fries. She smiled at him and leaned over to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed her in, she was also the reason he was no longer the owner of his heart. After they separated, Lucy went back to eating his fries. A few minutes later, Violet came up to their table and sat down. She started talking but all Charlie saw was her fries. Reaching over the table, he took a few off of her plate. Violet tried to grab them back, but Charlie was faster.

"Charlie Brown." Violet glared at him.

"Do you hear something, Lucy?" He didn't even look at Violet.

He reached over again and grabbed more fries. This time Violet smacked his hand, and Charlie lost a french fry.

"Do that again, Brown, and I will harm you violently." She told him.

"Promises, promises. Grey, you are all talk and no action." He smirked at her.

He leaned over and gave Lucy a quick kiss on the cheek. He knew he would be scolded later, but he was at the point of not caring. Charlie got up from the table.

"See you later, Lu. Grey." Charlie told the girls.

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Ever since that kiss all those months ago, Lucy was hyper-aware of Charlie. She noticed everything he did, how he carried himself, the way his clothes fit him, how he interacted with her brothers or his sister. Lucy drooled over him a little when she would sneak glances at him in class. She found his look of concentration sexy. It was the face he was making now, as he tried to win a price in the ring toss game.

Of course, she didn't want to think anything about him was sexy. That's why she was also hyper-aware of the distance between them, always being mindful of any contact. As soon as she had hugged him during lunch she scolded herself, and the quick kiss on the check Charlie had given her didn't help matters.

The feelings that were growing for her best friend scared Lucy. She had always been so sure of Schroeder, until recently and that made her feel unsteady. Like she couldn't find her footing. If she didn't end up with Schroeder she would have to rethink her whole childhood, and what she had planned for the future. The thought sent a wave of panic through her, but then her always adorable, sometime full on sexy, fake boyfriend/best friend in the whole world succeed in tossing the ring onto the bottle. As he jumped into the air and gave a whoop, she realized excitement was mixed in with the panic, maybe she could have a different future.

After Pig-Pen gave Charlie his prize, a stuffed unicorn, he turned to Lucy with a look of triumph on his face. He handed it to her before pulling her into a hug.

"I told you I could win." Charlie said into her hair.

Lucy pulled away smiling up at him.

"When am I going to learn to listen to you? I will never doubt your ring toss skills again."

"Good." Charlie said through light laughter. "So, what now?"

After having been at the carnival for two hours they had walked around the entire thing, played a few games, and ridden a couple rides. They would save the Ferris Wheel for the end of the night.

"Food?" Lucy asked.

"Okay." Charlie grabbed her hand and they walked to the food stands.

The choices were almost endless. They finally settled on burgers from Joe's, fried pickles from Frieda's family's booth, and a shared funnel cake from one of the endless venders. The food was delicious.

A little while later after their bellies were satisfied, as they were walking around, they ran into Marcie and Franklin. They talked a second before Franklin looked at Lucy seriously. The change startled her and worry pooled in her stomach.

"Can we talk for a second?" He inquired.

"Sure." Lucy responded.

She waited quietly, with Charlie's hand on her waist, for him to start. Finally he spoke.

"Alone?"

Then Franklin turned and walked away from the group. Surprised, Lucy looked at Charlie for a second and then walked after Franklin.

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The Farris Wheel showed the entire carnival and Charlie Brown thought it looked beautiful, with all the lights and people and sounds. This night was going well, best carnival that he had ever been to, or it had been until Franklin messed it all up. He looked at Lucy for the upteenth time. She had been quiet for the past hour, refusing to tell him what Franklin said to her. They had been walking around not talking, not holding hands, acting like complete strangers.

She said it wasn't important but he wasn't so sure, clearly she was upset. Seated beside him Lucy held the unicorn that he had won and avoided his eyes. He couldn't think of what might be upsetting her, especially if it was something she wouldn't share with him. Charlie wished she would just tell him, but he knew he couldn't force it out of her. If Lucy wanted to tell him she would in her own time.

It was almost their turn to get off the ride. Charlie knew he needed to end the night on a positive note, he just didn't know how to make her happy again. As he reached for her hand the Ferris Wheel stopped to let them off. Lucy jerked forward and was almost sprinting away before Charlie knew what was happening.

He chased after her.

"Lucy, wait, please just talk to me." He reached for her arm, stopping her retreat.

"There is nothing to talk about. I'm ready to go home."

He couldn't believe the night was ending like this. He knew he shouldn't have come.

"At least let me walk you to your car."

She hesitated for a brief moment but then agrees. Charlie wants to reach for her hand again but knows that she wouldn't let him hold her hand. Their fun night out felt like a real date at the beginning, it was a stark contrast from their other outings. It was almost like they couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Now they could fit multiple people in the space Lucy created between her and Charlie.

It doesn't take long before they are at her car. She is reaching for her door handle when Charlie stops her. It is what he is always doing, stopping her. Something about this feels final, like if he lets her get in that car he will lose her. It feels like he is on the shore and she is the ocean. Lucy has all the power and so far he has kept himself from drowning. The tide is going back out though and he can't decide if he wants to be pulled in or remain safely on the shore.

She looks at him but he isn't sure what to say. They just stand there looking at each other. Then like a swelling wave Lucy is letting go of the door handle and reaching for him. He knows, even before her lips crash into his, that he will gladly drown in her any day.

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She wasn't sure what had come over her. After talking to Franklin she just didn't want to believe him. Charlie and Violet were not a thing, they hated each other. Then, jealousy worked its way in and all she could think was that she couldn't lose Charlie to Violet. Next, she felt shame about being jealous, they were two of the people she loved the most in the world. She should just want them to be happy. The two emotions fought in her mind for most of the night, but then Sally's voice inside Lucy's head made her decision for her. She would be the selfless one this time. She would make sure her best friend got exactly what he wanted.

So, when Charlie walked her to her car she realized that if she was going to lose him, even if it was to the best choice possible, she wanted one more moment as his "fake" girlfriend. Before she could talk herself out of it she pulled Charlie down to herself. His lips are soft and taste slightly of funnel cake.

He is surprised at first, just like she was in November, but then he is kissing her back. On those rare moments that Lucy allowed herself to think about that kiss at Thanksgiving she remembers liking it. She liked it a lot, but this was different. Maybe it was because this was, in a way, goodbye but this kiss was definitely better.

This kiss made Lucy want to stay forever. Only ever loved by Charlie Brown. As he gave her his full attention, she wondered what a future with this wonderful man would be like, it all flashed before her eyes. It would be a great life. One where she got to kiss him whenever she wanted, they would relax on the couch together, get all dressed up together, live life together. They would have beautiful children that were half him and half her. Finally they would get to grow old together.

It was funny, when she had thought about a future with Schroeder she had thought about all the same things. The difference was, with Schroeder it was always in the future. She wanted to start her life with Charlie now. How could she have been so stupid, wasted so much time? She pulled away and looked at him, truly looked at him.

"I..."

She had been about to say I love you. Which was true but then a thought entered her brain and she stopped herself.

Too bad he will be living his life with Violet.

So instead of being honest about her love for him, she would prove it, even though it meant she ripped open her heart by saying, "I want to break up."