"Hey Charlie," Linus walked in the front door."
"No, I don't want to be a third wheel with you and Roy, Trish… again. No, if-… just… Trish! I'm okay, yes it sucks he's gone, but I can't be sad forever, I've accepted it… I'm being honest, and I don't have a problem with Roy, you know that… right… yeah… mm-hmm… that's what I'm saying. Instead of trying to drag me along, why don't you ask Marce, and Rerun, so you don't have to epically fail at trying not to make your date a date? Alright, have fun, Linus just came over… see ya," he hung up.
"She trying to get you on a date again," he sat on the couch.
"Yeah, you know how she is."
"Can you blame her, it's like we barely hang out, Charlie."
"It's not my fault everybody else is wrapped up in relationships. At least I get to hang out with you, wanna watch this show with me?"
Suddenly they heard a door open and close.
"Yeah… about that," Linus chuckled.
Charlie gave him a look, as they heard Sally run down the steps.
"Sorry."
"My sweet Babboo," she hugged and kissed him, "watching your show again, big bro?"
"Yeah, I'm hooked," he smiled, "have fun, and be safe."
"Always!"
Charlie rolled his eyes when the door shut, going back to his show.

"He's not here, but he always practices around this time."
"Usually he would be, but he decided to take a break this time, Lucy," Schroeder's mom explained.
"Darn… I was looking forward to listening to him practice."
"I know you were… his biggest fan," she smiled.
She knew how Lucy felt, and how he felt, the woman just couldn't tell her what was really going on with her son, all these years, she had known for a while, and she figured it would be best for Lucy to figure it out herself, hoping the girl isn't that dense.
She looked around disappointed, before her face briefly lit up, "I guess I'll catch him next time, let him know I stopped by?"
"I sure will, Lucy."
"See ya later," she walked back home.
This has been happening more, she thought, spending time with her Schroeder is one of the few constants she has left as they get older. At least Charlie is still there for her amusement, and she could use a bit of cheering up. She saw him sitting on the porch of his house, as she walked up.

Charlie was strumming a bit on his guitar, it's been like this a while; slowly people started dating each other, so the most he might see them is at school. When Snoopy was put down, he was hurt, but he knew how he was, and being weak wasn't one of them, he was surprised to see Linus step in and help pick up the pieces with Sally. There was a time where he questioned feeling for a dog that barely respected him, from what he could tell, but he did. Something told him to look up.
"Good Grief," he muttered as Lucy grew closer.
"Hey, loser," she walked up.
"Hi Lucy… why have you cursed me with your presence?"
"Have you seen Schroeder, I went over there, and his mom said he was gone. My brother is on a date with your weirdo sister, so I know he's not with them."
"I haven't seen him, or talked to him," he shrugged.
"You're not hiding him, are you, because if you are…"
"I'm not hiding him. Have you called anybody else, and asked them; Franklin, Frieda… Lamar, Trish?"
"Not yet, you're like his best friend- whatever, guess I'll just see him at school, tomorrow."
"If you're not doing anything," he stood, "then do you wanna hang out?"
"Me… hang out with you‽ Why would I wanna hang with you‽"
"We're friends, that's-"
"Lemme stop you there; we aren't, and haven't been for a long time. I don't understand why you think that, just because I can be civil towards you. Small town… we know the same people… it's out of necessity, fucktard."
"Why can't we be friends like we used to, why do you need to hate- never mind… waste of time," he shook his head.
"Why do try to be my friend?"
"You know me; I never give up," he went to open his door, "I might have an idea about Schroeder… but we aren't friends… so…"
"Tell me, tell me, tell me… I'll give you five bucks," she dug in her pocket.
"Okay," he took the five, "he probably found a girlfriend better than you could ever be."
Lucy's face dropped, he had a big grin on his face, quickly going inside, locked the door, while she recovered.
"Hey! That's not funny!"
He laughed from behind the door.
"Open this door, you'll pay for that repugnant joke," she beat on the door, "gimme my money back!"
Charlie laughed back to his worn bean bag chair, and turned the T.V. up. Lucy with a huff, went back home, turning to look at Charlie's house one last time.

Charlie stepped out of his car, immediately putting his headphones on, knocked on the roof to catch Linus and Sally's attention as they make out in the backseat. What has that girl done to him, he often thinks. He spotted Lucy on her scooter, that brown leather jacket, she likes, Doc Martin's, black jeans that barely hide her curves, then that tale, tale sign she's secretly an anime fan; her Celty helmet she ordered from Japan. He spotted her friends going near her, and opted not to greet her, not that she cared, judging by the look Linus was giving her, they must've been making fun of one of them.
"Look at that dope, how can you live next door to him," Violet asked Lucy.
"It's not like I see him everyday… Sally on the other hand; how can my brother like somebody so dumb‽"
"We're right here," Sally snapped.
"We don't care, keep walking ditz, Linus, you need higher standards."
"Lucy, you need to learn respect, you'll never get Schroeder, or anybody else, being a fuss budget. And stop acting like you don't like Sally, the both of you seemed real buddy buddy when you two were watching that anime movie."
"Ugh… that stuff again? Was it that movie you tried to get us to watch, with that loser deaf girl," Violet asked.
"It was a good movie…"
"Was it? All I heard was you crying most of the time," he smiled.
"You cried over a cartoon, Lucy? Are you turning in to one of those weeboo freaks," Patty asked.
"N-no! And that was Sally crying, I just watched it because I thought it'd get popular- that's why I asked you two. If normal people liked it, I didn't want us left out, is all."
"You were crying too, and maybe you should watch it again and learn something," Sally glared, "never ask me to watch anime again."
"What could I possibly learn from that movie," she scoffed.
"Linus, baby; make sure I never ride with her in a carousel."
"It was a ferris wheel, dummy!"
"I know that, I just wanted to make sure you knew what I was talking about. I don't really even like anime, I just watched all that stuff to extend an Oliver's branch… but you're a bitch through and through," she grabbed Linus hand, "let's go."
"How much anime do you watch," Patty asked.
"All of it," Linus yelled.
"Shut up stupid! I don't watch it like that!"
Charlie had just kept walking, not wanting to deal with it all.