I'm back! Can you still believe I am doing this? I know right!

Chapter 2

I woke up form my beating, it was hard to see at first. My vision soon cleared; I was in the nurse's office. I looked in the mirror…

A black eye.

Great.

Mom and Dad are going to be more pissed than ever.

"Young man?"

I turned around, it was the principal with the nurse. The principle looked disappointed.

"What were you thinking? What the hell is wrong with your head?" He asked me, rather poignantly. I looked down on the floor, dejection written all over my face.

"Whatever you think I did, I promise you I didn't do anything."

"That isn't what I am asking about, I know you didn't, more so about why did you suddenly fight with her?"

"Because she was trying to get a rise out of me! She was calling me names no stop for the past half hour!" I exclaimed, frustrated at my situation.

"Unbelievable! Violet Gray is one of the kindest students in our class!"

Bull. Shit. I thought. She is nothing other than a mean clandestine witch.

"Now, Charlie, I will give you two options because I like you. One: You can write her an apology and hand deliver it to her. Or two: you can serve two days in school detention with a mark on your permanent record." I stood there frozen, is he really making me apologize to Violet? Really?

…

Sigh, I can't afford a mark on my record. Letter it is then.

"I'll… I'll take the letter." I said, dejected.

"Good, you must turn it in to her tomorrow. I need to run for a mandatory meeting. The school day has ended already so get out of here." The principal ran off to God knows where. The nurse also ran out of sight to.

Great, alone again. Sigh. Could this day get any worse?

…

Probably.

I got out of the nurse's office and went to the parking lot towards my car. A 1973 Chevy Malibu. I couldn't afford anything else. It stood out compared to the other more modern cars, but I didn't care. If anything, me being able to work on it out of school gave me a sort of Zen zone. A place to retreat to when the world got too tough.

I got on and drove home, hoping that Sally or Snoopy wouldn't be mad at me returning late.

AT CHARLIE'S HOUSE

I parked in the driveway and walked to the front door. I got in and checked on snoopy.

He was asleep. Seemingly waiting for me.

"Hey! Snoopy!"

He immediately perked up and ran towards my side excitedly. If anything, I could always rely on my dog. Even if he was a little strange at times.

A small yellow bird also came and perched on my shoulder. Woodstock. Most reliable bird I ever met.

"Nice to see you too, Woodstock." I petted them both. Woodstock whistled happily and snoopy panted happily as well.

"Hungry? Need some food?" I spoke. Snoopy barked with fervor. Time to make some dinner for him.

I went to the living room and poured out some kibble for him in his favorite dish. I went back and put it out near the doghouse for him. He brought it in to the house and started loudly chowing down.

Never change Snoopy, never change.

"HEY! CHARLIE!"

Linus. Of course.

I looked at him stonewalled across the fence. The gall of him to just greet me so casually after what happened. Not even bothering to defend me.

Couldn't really stay mad at him, but I certainly was not happy.

"Hey Linus. Got my homework?"

"Yeah, here." He handed me the sheets of paper. Less than usual. Maybe the teachers felt bad for a blockhead such as me.

"I am sorry for now defending you back there Charlie, I probably should have done something." Linus said looking down on the floor.

"It's fine, nothing I am not used to…" I spoke. The second part I whispered.

Linus cringed; he knew I was hurt bad. "My sister says she didn't think Violet would go as far as cry rape, she also said that you were asking for it though."

Of course. Typical Lucy. Always blaming me for no good reason. From the homecoming game to now she always had a slight hatred towards me. Never malicious, but she would never resist a moment of making me a social laughingstock.

"Need help with any of your homework? Anything at all?" Asked Linus.

"Linus, to be frank, I just want to be left alone right now." I said, depressed.

He nodded "Ok… hope you have a good night, Charlie." He ran off.

I walked back inside the house; Sally was at the table. Doing homework. Probably going too…

"Big brother! Can you help me with homework please!" She begged.

"Sally, come on! You are in middle school now! You should be able to do this all by yourself!"

"Please! If you do… I won't tell mom or dad about the stupid thing you did in school!" She said slyly.

"Fine, but when I help you, please pay attention. It's for your own sake!" I spoke.

She smiled "Sure!"

That was a lie, she always either knocks out or goes and does something else.

Oh well. The bothers of being a big brother.

LINUS'S POINT OF VIEW

I felt like complete shit.

I let my best friend down at his time of need. I did it for my own preservation. No other reason other than pure selfishness.

Sigh, the lord is probably looking down at me with disappointment right now.

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17. And I was certainly no brother to Charlie now.

I SHOULD have said something. But with the three of them there…

I walked back inside my home, I saw Lucy at the TV and scorned.

"Hey Linus." She said causally.

"How could you…?" I said, in an accusatory tone.

"Huh?"

"How could you just join in and not try to stop them?"

"Oh, form bullying Charlie? The blockhead." She said, not even caring how Charlie felt.

"Lucy! I thought he was your friend!"

"Well, he had it coming for him!"

"Tch, excuses are all you can come up with?"

"Well, what about you Mr. Self-Righteous I didn't exactly see you defend him!"

"Yeah, and? I at least tried to comfort him after! You just seem comfortable just sitting here and doing nothing!" I yelled back. Lucy was now visibly ticked.

"You have three seconds…"

"What? Because you know I am right?!"

"Three."

"Because you know in your heart of hearts that what you did was messed up?!"

"Two."

"Because you know that this is fucking up Charlie and he might do something?!"

"One."

"I thought you were my sister! I thought you were his friend! Maybe it was all a façade after all… I… why do you do this to him… why…?" I said weakly. Knowing that an onslaught was coming…

…

…

…

Huh?

I looked at Lucy. She had her fist curled tight, but not aimed at me. She had her head down.

Then I saw something I never thought I would see before from her.

A single tear.

"I did it… because…" She said, shaking.

She then pushed me out of the way. And ran into her room.

I didn't hear form her for the rest of the night.

I only heard a very faint sob…