Chapter 9

A/N:

Sweet Merlin, I have had a hard time getting inspiration the last many weeks and reading other people's amazing fanfictions doesn't help the slightest… There's so many talented people in here, it's crazy xD Anyway… here's the next chapter.

Thanks a lot for the alerts, reviews and adding me to your favorites btw… I can't explain (without sounding cheesy and weird) how happy it makes me, so really… Thank you ^-

Hope you'll enjoy ^-^

"Is it true?" Charlie seemed frustrated. He had showed up at my workplace and had decided to keep me company while I was putting the merchandises on the shelves. I sent him a confused look.

"Is what true?"

Charlie sighed still with frustration written across his face.

"That you're hanging with those biker-dudes?"

I stopped dead, but then sent him a playful smile. Oh, how stupid of me to forget about the fact, that information like that gets around quickly in a small town.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because… well, I… uhm…" he put his hands in his pockets and looked awkwardly at his feet. I sent him another confused look. What was he trying to say? Whatever it was, he thought I wouldn't like it or he would have spilled already.

"Just say it" I had a hunch about what he might want to say and if I was right…. I wouldn't like it.

"I just don't think you should… you know…" he sighed and looked me in the eyes as he rephrased.

"I don't think it's such a good idea to be around them. They are not good company and… I don't want to see you get into any trouble because of… them" he said a little uneasy, still with his hands deeply hidden in his pockets and rubbing on an invincible spot on the floor with his snickers.

I crossed my arms. I loved this naïve boy like a brother, but sometimes his company made him so prejudice and it was freaking annoying – especially because I could just hear his friends say it in a much meaner and more arrogant tone. It wasn't really his fault and I couldn't really preach about prejudice to him, because I wasn't perfect either, but still…

"Do you really want to start the conversation about good and bad company again?"

"I get it. You don't like my friends, but they're not that bad once…"

"… you get to know them" I joined in as he finished the very familiar sentence. He sighed and took his hands out of his pockets.

"They don't like me and I honestly couldn't care less. I'm just saying that I barely have any friends besides you, and these guys are really nice to me. With that said I might as well tell you, that I've only seen them once and I don't know if they are interested in me coming into their little group" I joked, knowing that my words were very true. They might just have been polite to me because I knew Lloyd and such, but then again. They didn't seem like the kind of people who was polite if they didn't like someone or even let outsiders in. Chances for me to become their friend was very slim.

"They don't hate you" Charlie tried. He knew just as well as I did, that his friends would prefer to be without my company and if it wasn't for Charlie I would gladly grant that wish, but someone had to make sure that kid didn't get completely ruined. I would hate to see him as some stuck up douche – knowing Charlie that would be very unlikely, but I didn't want to lose my best friend, especially not to the likes of Violet Summers and the lot. Would you give up your best friend, just because you don't like his other friends? No!

"I know this will be difficult to comprehend, Charlie, but not everyone is nice with good intentions… like you" I smiled at him and patted him teasingly on the head. He blushed slightly, but it was quickly gone and he pouted.

"I know that! I'm not that naïve" he defended himself, and I was just about to make a teasing comment, but his gaze went over my left shoulder and his mood seemed to drop.

"Geez, just what we need" he murmured and I turned around to see Sarah and Josh walk hand in hand laughing, followed by Kyle and Winston.

"Ey, Cailyn!" Josh exclaimed as he was the first to see me. I smiled to them, giving the frowning Charlie an elbow in the arm. He really was too old to sulk like that – even if it made him look just as adorable as it did when we were kids.

"Hi" I greeted and to my surprise received a hug from a very enthusiastic Sarah.

"This is Charlie, and this is Sarah, Josh, Winston and Kyle" I presented them to each other.

"I know" Charlie said promptly without taking his eyes of them. He was probably trying to be intimidating, and it would probably have worked on everyone else, but not these four. I rolled my eyes at my best friend's big-brother-act.

"Nice to meet you" Sarah said not sounding convincing at all. Well, at least I knew that their feelings were mutual.

"Cailyn, when do you get off from work?" Kyle asked ignoring the tension.

"In…" I looked down at my watch.

"… about an hour. Did you come in here to ask me that, 'cause you could've called, you know?" I asked playfully.

"Winston was short on cola, and…" he explained, but stopped.

"We were wondering if you would care to join us, when your shift is over. We're just hanging out at Kyle's place, but it's usually nice" Sarah took over and gave me an expectant look.

"Yeah, and it's even more 'nice' when Kyle have cleaned his place, which I don't know if you noticed when you where there" Winston added teasingly and immediately got hit on the shoulder by a slightly blushing Kyle.

"Wait, what? When have you been at his place?" Charlie cut in and looked at me with a slight bit of betrayal because I haven't mentioned it, which was completely unnecessary seeing at it was really none of his business. Telling him would mean telling him why I ended up at Kyle's and that would mean telling Charlie of the whole me-being-drugged-thingy, which I really wanted to keep Charlie in the dark about.

"Sounds great, I'll come by when I've been home changing after my shift" I ignored Charlie's question, which made him rather annoyed, but I didn't feel like discussing that matter in front of an audience.

"Great, see you then" Sarah smiled happily and gave me another hug, before she started pulling Josh towards the counter.

"See ya" Winston followed the couple seeing as it was him who wanted to buy something. Kyle looked at Charlie in a split second and then turned his gaze at me.

"See you soon, Cailyn" he said in a warm – and a bit uncertain – voice. I couldn't help but smile, at the way he always seemed to linger just a bit when he pronounced my name. Oh dear god, that made me seem so pathetic, didn't it? I blushed almost unnoticeable.

"See you soon" I returned. When the four of them were gone I turned to Charlie, but continued my work as I did so.

"Are you aware of how obvious you are?" he asked calmly, but didn't give me room to answer, as he quickly returned to another question.

"So tell me, dear friend I don't seem to know anymore, when where you with that guy?" he folded his arms across his chest and got the look on his face he always got, when he was determined to get answers and not leave the subject alone before he was satisfied with the answers.

"Don't make it sound like Kyle and I did it. I passed out to Brady's party and he brought me to his place, as he doesn't know where I live and you where nowhere to be found" I didn't want to sound accusingly, because Charlie had no fault in the matter. I just wanted him of my back, so I wouldn't have to tell the whole truth and make him upset.

His determination faltered as guilt and worry crossed his face.

"Passed out? What happened?" his voice thick with concern. I good-naturedly rolled my eyes as a sign for him not to worry.

"Don't worry, mother bear, your cub is alright" I teased, which made him annoyed again.

"I'm serious. And why didn't you tell me, you passed out? As your best friend I have the right to be worried about you and…"

I cut him off.

"I know. I'm sorry. I should've told you. Sorry" I said sincerely.

"And know your associating with the towns outcasts. Should I be worried that I might have to fight to keep you as a friend?" he said playfully and in a whole better mood than just moments ago. I smiled.

"No, you dimwit and I thought you didn't like them" I retorted.

"I don't, but they seem to be nice to you and I think you need and deserve more than one friend" he was haft serious, haft teasing and I hit him on the shoulder playfully.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I do have more than one friend" I laughed.

"Oh really, who?" he teased.

"You're kind of a friend" I shot back with a smile, which made him laugh.