"Is there a problem here?" he asked.
"No," the girl in front of her said in a snarky voice.
"Yeah, actually there is," Sarah spat out. Charlie had never seen her that wound up before.
"Why don't you enlighten us then?" the girl in front of her snapped.
Don't poke the bear, you should have known better than to poke the bear. Charlie sat back in her seat and watched because she knew there was no stopping Sarah now. The beast had been unleashed.
"Well Mr.Greyson, some of the snarky bitches in here need to be kept on a shorter leash and keep their gap toothed traps shut," Sarah yelled, her face turning red.
"Then maybe some people shouldn't put their problems in other peoples faces," the girl in front of Charlie yelled back.
Sarah's face was crimson and if she hadn't spoken up, Charlie would have just let it go. She didn't care what they had to say, but she wasn't about to sit back and let Sarah fight her battles for her.
"Ladies enough," Sam growled.
"Crack whore," the girl muttered. Charlie was pissed and that little bitch just drilled the last nail in her own coffin.
"Do you have a problem with me that you would like to address directly?" Charlie asked in a hollow tone. The girl whipped around and tried her best to glare at Charlie but she could see the fear in her eyes. It was all a show she was trying to put on for her little friends. Charlie stared her down and she turned back around.
"That's what I thought."
The girl smacked her desk and turned back around. "CiCi is right about you. You just think you're so tough, don't you?"
"If there is any doubt in your mind about what I am capable of, why don't you stand up and find out?"
"I'm not afraid of you. CiCi told us all about your drug problem and how you stole Julian away from her. You're a whore and druggie. Why don't you go overdose again."
Charlie had had enough. She shoved out of her desk and stood over the girl.
The next thing she knew, Sam was between them. The girl jumped out of her desk and pushed against him once she knew she was safe.
"Quinn, knock it off. You... hallway, now. Everyone else get back to work," He snapped.
Charlie stormed out of the classroom and stood in the hall with her arms crossed over her chest. He closed the door and turned to face her.
"I know you've been through a lot, but I can't have you threatening other students."
"First of all, you have no fucking clue what I've been through, and second, I'm not going to sit there while that little twat runs her mouth."
He lowered his voice. "How would I know, you pushed me away remember?"
"This has nothing to do with you. This is about that bitch running her mouth."
"All I heard was Sarah start yelling. What else was said?"
"What the hell does it matter, it's irrelevant." Charlie threw her arms up in the air.
"I need to know what is going on inside of my class."
"Weren't you aware I have a drug problem and I overdosed in your class?"
"That's what she said?" Sam looked like he was pissed that he hadn't heard it.
"I don't need anyone to fight my battles, not Sarah and certainly not you." She tried to shove past him but he grabbed her arm.
"Class is this way."
"Unless you want me beating the hell out of one of your students, you would be smart to just let me walk away."
"I know you are better than this. What is going on with you?"
"You don't know me. You don't know anything about me."
"That's not fair and you know it." Sam looked like she'd just kicked his puppy, except in their situation, he was the puppy she kicked.
"Go to hell."
He didn't try to stop her when she shoved past him. She didn't know why she was so mad at him. It wasn't like he'd done anything wrong. That stupid bitch CiCi was the driving force behind all of the rumors and stares around the school. If she saw her in the hall, she didn't know if she'd be able to stop herself from punching her in the face. Maybe coming back to school wasn't as good of an idea as she thought it was.
♥♥♥♥♥
Charlie hit the doors to the courtyard a little harder than she meant to and they hit the wall with a smack. She found her way to her favorite table and pulled out her iPod. As she scrolled through her play list, she stopped on The Civil Wars "Poison and Wine."
She pressed repeat and closed her eyes. What a way to make a come back. Try to get into a fight. You just had surgery, stupid. When the bell rang, she opened her eyes and Sarah stalked across the courtyard to her on a mission.
"He's such a prick and I hate that stupid bitch," she said, as she slammed their stuff down on the table next to Charlie.
"Dude, chill, it's not that big of a deal."
"Well, it is to me. You almost died and its something you have no control over. Those catty bitches are spreading rumors that you overdosed. I'm not cool with that. I can't believe he yelled at you for standing up for yourself, ugh."
Sarah paced back and forth in front of the table.
"I would have just let it go. I know my truth, but I wasn't about to let her bait you. Then she had to go a step further and call me a crack whore, so thats when I finally blew my top."
"I didn't hear her say that."
"Yeah she was only brave enough to mumble it."
"Yeah but you're in no condition to fight. We should find her in the parking lot, so I can kick her ass."
"Whoa there killer."
"This is still horse shit. I grabbed your stuff. What did you see in him anyway? I can't believe he is treating you like this after everything you've been through."
"Sarah, We can't talk about this here."
"I'm not going into specifics, but I figured it out. I don't need to know the details if you don't want to share, its not my business. I just don't like that he's being a dick."
"It's not his fault."
"What?" Sarah sat down in front of Charlie.
"I don't want to talk about it. Thanks for sticking up for me though."
"Hey I've never had a friendship worth fighting for before."
"Well, I don't know if I'm worth it. This friendship has brought you a lot of unnecessary drama and I can't say I've been a very good friend in return."
"You are a good friend, you've just been down and out for a while. I'll make sure you make it up to me for nursing you back to health and all."
They both laughed and the stress rose from her shoulders for the first time that day.
"Hey not to change the subject, but have you seen Jules today?" Sarah asked. Charlie adjusted her position on the table and pulled out her phone. She didn't have any missed texts or calls from him. She sent him a quick message to see where he was and if he was okay.
"No, I didn't see him this morning either."
"He didn't sleep at your house last night?"
"No, Callie made him stay home for some reason."
The bell rang and disrupted their conversation. Charlie had no idea what time it was or where they were supposed to be and she didn't care.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Charlie stopped over to check on Jules after school the next day and hoped Callie would be home so she could talk to her. Her head felt like it was spinning when it came to Sam and she didn't know what to do about it. She poked her head into Jules room and he was passed out cold on his bed. Poor guy. She headed downstairs and found Callie in the kitchen.
"Hey honey, how are you feeling?"
"Better than him," she said, and nodded her head toward the stairs.
"Aint that the truth." Callie smiled as she filled her Keurig with water. Charlie sat down at the kitchen table. "Can we talk?"
"Sure babe, what's on your mind?"
"I guess I need some advice." She picked at the place mat.
"Okay."
"It's not your favorite topic though."
"Sam?"
Charlie nodded."Yeah."
Callie ma
de two cups of tea and brought them to the table.
"Honey, you know you can talk to me about him. I don't think he's a bad guy. I know he cares for you."
"I broke up with him."
"He told me you guys broke it off at the hospital."
"No, after that."
"Wait, he lied to me?"
"No, we had. Then after I got sick, he told me he didn't care what it cost him, he wasn't going to lose me. So I broke it off with him completely."
"Okay. I'm confused. Why would you do that?"
Charlie couldn't believe the words that just came out of Callie's mouth. She dropped her eyes to her cup and fiddled with her tea bag.
"Nevermind."
"No, not nevermind. Why would you break it off with him like that? Not all guys would stick around in a situation like yours."
"He's in too deep and I don't want him to get stuck like you are."
"I am not stuck. I may not have given birth to you, but I love you like my own daughter. If I could take every ounce of pain and hurt you have ever felt away, I would in a heart beat."
Charlie knew she needed to choose her words carefully.
"I don't know how to explain what I'm trying to say. Just forget I said anything."
"No, I want to understand," Callie said, as she searched her face.
Charlie sighed, exasperated."In the hospital, he told me he loved me. It was the first time he'd ever said it to me. The fact that he's willing to risk his career for me because I'm sick... I can't let someone else suffer because of me. I see how my illness wears on you, Dad and Jules. You guys are stuck. There's no pushing you away but I can push him away and save him all the stress and the hurt."
"Shouldn't that be his choice?"
"No, it's my choice. I don't want him to go through it because of me. He has no idea what its like to go through this time and time again. I need a transplant. You think I want him to go through that when he can have a normal life?"
"I understand where you're coming from. I really do, but you're taking his choices away from him before he even has a chance to make them. Does he know about the transplant?"
"No."
"Look babe, your mom had the same problems you do. What if she would have pushed your dad away before she ever gave him a chance? We never would have been blessed with you."
Charlie rolled her eyes. "You'd all be much better off."
"Oh stop. You are not the pity party of one, kind of girl. We love you, and I know Sam does too. His actions have proved that. But I do think you need to sit down and have a heart to heart with your dad about this. He was Sam twenty years ago. Maybe he can give you a perspective you aren't seeing."
"I guess."
"I don't condone you two having a relationship while you are in his class. I think it is unethical. However, you are of age, and once you graduate that is no longer an issue. With graduation right around the corner, thats not a long time you'd have to wait."
"So, what are you saying? I should tell him we can be together after I get out of school and it'll be all happily ever after? 'Cuz its not and it wont be. Life is bullshit. It's not sunshine and fucking rainbows, it's dark clouds and acid rain."
Callie reached toward Charlie and covered her hand with her own.
"You have a good heart, honey and I know you mean well. I understand you want to protect him from being hurt. I get it. I just don't want you to close a door and nail it shut before you give yourself a chance to walk through it."
Callie was right, but Charlie didn't want to admit it to Callie or Sam. She didn't like to think about the future because she knew deep down, she didn't have one. She'd always had the sick feeling she'd never live past twenty-five and the chance she wouldn't even make it that long now that she needed a transplant. It wasn't enough time left of earth for someone to invest time in her, she was better off alone.
♥♥♥♥♥
They'd been working on original poems in Sam's class and he hadn't mentioned anything about them having to share them with the class. All he said was it was a big part of their grade and they needed to put some effort into it.
What Charlie wrote was personal for her, and it didn't take her long to come up with it. She tried to convince herself she was turning it in for a grade and that Sam wasn't going to be the one reading it.
When Sam announced that everyone had to share what they'd been working on, she was mad at herself for not knowing that's what was going to happen... Just about everyone in the class had gone that week and she dreaded being one of the last people to go. She wished she would have written something else. Something that wasn't so personal to her.
"Charlotte, you're up," Sam said, in his teacher voice. Every eye in the class was on her. The last time she was in front of everyone, she was hauled off on a stretcher half dead. She was more vulnerable than she'd been in a long time and she loathed the feeling.
Sarah and Jules both gave her an encouraging nod as she reached the front of the class. She leaned back against the front of his desk and took a deep breath before she began.
"This is untitled
Drowning-Sinking
Fading-Falling
Further
Collapsing-Crumbling
Plunging-Sinking
Deeper
Descending-Diminishing
Dissipating-Disappearing
Alone
Unemotional-Unfeeling
Heartless-Lifeless
Silent"
As soon as she finished, she walked back to her desk and sat down. She refused to look at anyone because she'd laid her soul out there and didn't want to be judged for her most personal thoughts. When the bell rang Sam stopped her at his desk.
"Hey, not to hold you up, but can I talk to you for a moment?"
She stopped and turned toward him as she slung her bag over one shoulder. "Yeah?"
"There is a state wide poetry contest and I think you should enter it. I can print you up the details, if you're interested let me know."
"Thanks, but I'm not."
"Fair enough."
"Is that all?"
"Yeah."
She left his class without another word. Ever since Sarah told her that she was being a hateful bitch toward him, she'd tried to be very aware of how she acted and tried to be a little nicer. No matter how much she was hurting, they'd learned how to coexist somehow.
♥♥♥♥♥
Charlie tossed her bag down on the lunch table and sat down across from Jules, next to Sarah.
"So what did he want?" he asked.
"To know if I wanted to enter my poem in some dumb contest."
"You so should, it was really good, Charlie," Sarah said, before she bit into her apple.
"Nope."
"Why not? It actually was very good." Jules popped the top on his drink.
"No, it was bad enough reading it in front of the class. End of subject."
"Well, someone needs to remove stick from sphincter," Sarah muttered, as she took another bite.
Charlie flipped her the bird as she raised her lip and crinkled her nose.
"Anyway, Sarah, are you thinking about going on the senior trip over spring break?" Jules asked.
Before she could answer Charlie interrupted. "They have a class trip during spring break?"
"Yeah, it's a tradition here. The senior class and like five or six chaperone's go to this resort that's right on the beach. So basically we get to go sit on the beach for a week, eat awesome food and have bonfires every night."
"We definitely need to go, that includes you, Charlie," Jules said, matter of fact.
"I was thinking about it, but I need to come up with the money. My parents can't afford it and I don't know if I'll be able to scrounge up the dough." Sarah shrugged and inspected her apple.
"Why would I want to go with all of these assholes?"
"Don't think of it that way. Think of it as you get to have a parent free vacation with two of your favorite assholes," Sarah said, as she fi
nished off her apple and pulled another one out of her bag, tossing it to Charlie.
"Have I called you an asshole?" Charlie couldn't remember if she had.
"Oh yeah, that's how I knew you loved me. You were recovering and still on your pain meds. Do you remember the walks we had to take up and down your hallway everyday?"
"Vaguely."
"Well, that's usually when you'd cuss me out and call me an asshole."
They couldn't help but laugh. Charlie never had female friends, it just never worked. Sarah was the exception and Charlie knew she was very lucky to have her in her life. She'd never be able to make up for all of the things she'd done for her while she recovered, but there was one thing she could help with.
"How much is the trip?"
"Eight hundred dollars per student. Plus spending money for souvenirs and stuff," Jules said, like it was eight dollars.
"That much for a dumb hotel on the beach?" Charlie asked, and choked on her apple.
"Yeah, but its all inclusive, the price includes food, lodging and the bus ride there and back," Jules said, defensively.
"I guess if you look at it that way, it's not too awful." She shrugged and grabbed for Jules' drink.
"It is if you don't have a job and your parents are going to drop dead from laughter when they see the price."
"Yours is now paid for Sarah, so don't worry about it."
"What? No way, I'm not letting you scrounge up money for me too."
"Hey what about me? You should pay for mine too," Jules whined with a sly smile.
"Jules, seriously? You are so rude." Sarah threw her apple core and nailed him in the head.
"I like her more than I like you." Charlie laughed and stuck her tongue out.
"She can afford it Sarah, trust me."
Jules raised his eyebrows up and down like an idiot and Sarah had no idea what was going on.
"I don't get it." Sarah's face was scrunched and looked back and forth between them.
"She's a filthy rich bitch, have you not seen her house?"
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