Abby: That better have been a joke.
Me: Sorry, sorry. Goodnight guys.
Trent: Dream about me ;)
Cole: Night, Charlie girl. Tomorrow we'll make it up to you.
I smile softly and snuggle into the blanket, setting my phone aside. I'd warned Abby about my nightmares and she wasn't afraid, so I can actually relax. She snuggles into my side, knowing I need the comfort. Before she falls asleep, she reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, an unreadable look in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, we won’t let anything happen to you.” Her promise takes my breath away, the intensity behind the words meaning more than she could know. I simply nod and close my eyes, her breaths evening out as she slips into sleep.
Moments later I fall asleep, knowing I've got my friends to keep me safe and sane.
Friday
Lunch
Charlie
The next few weeks fly by as I settle into a routine with my new friends and living with Sophia. Cole and I are still practicing our midterm song. Our class performance is scheduled for next week. I’m finally caught up, so my homework isn’t as brain-melting as before, but we all continue studying at the library with an occasional appearance from Trent and Alice. I appreciate that they join me, and we’re semi productive so their families and Sophia don’t mind.
I still have feelings for them that only seem to grow each day, but like I told Abby, there’s not much I can do about it. The flirting is there, but it hasn’t moved into more, and I have doubts that it will.
“It’s Friday, guys!” Abby announces, joining us at the table. She loves Fridays, but I generally spend my weekends at home studying so I don’t exactly look forward to them. But now that I’m caught up, maybe I can join them more.
‘Sophia wants to meet you guys. Movie night at my place this weekend, sometime?’ I write down and pass the notebook. It makes its way around our round lunch table until it reaches me again. I smile at everyone’s yes.
“Saturday?” Abby suggests and everyone agrees quickly. I’m sure Sophia will be cool with it. She seems happy with the way things are going so far, but a part of me worries she won’t want to keep me if I press too much.
I try my best to push my negative thoughts away lately, but they still pop up occasionally. A bad habit three years in the making.
The conversation topic for the rest of the day is fall break and midterms. We have midterms next week and then get a week off of school for fall break. I’m looking forward to a break since the constant studying has been rough. It’ll be so nice to just relax and have fun for a week. I’ve never had a group of friends like this, ones that I can just be myself with, no judgement.
I text Sophia while I’m sitting at lunch, asking if the movie night will be okay. She still doesn’t answer by the time I’m walking out front to meet her. In fact, I’ve been waiting for twenty minutes and still no sign of her. I call her phone but hang up when it goes to voicemail, planning to text her again and walk when Danielle pulls up. My heart stops.
Danielle only comes by the house for random home visits and to take me out of homes. She doesn’t do school pickups unless I’m moving.
Does Sophia not want me?
Is that why she didn’t answer?
“Hey, Charlie, is everything okay?” Alice asks, walking up behind me. She must’ve had one of her academic clubs after school to just be leaving. I see the look of concern on her face and know she can easily see through my thinly veiled panic, my chest rising and falling rapidly. Not wanting to cause a scene, I give her a fake reassuring smile as Danielle gets out of her car, barely suppressing the tears.
Once we’re in the car, I study her face with narrowed eyes, but nothing in her expression gives away the reason behind her being here.
“Hey, Charlie, I asked Sophia if I could pick you up. We need to talk.” Sh
e has her serious voice, which does nothing to stop the awful dropping feeling in my stomach. I give a feeble nod and push back more tears. I shoot Alice one more small smile in case I don’t see her again. The feeling of dread is so strong, I’m afraid I’ll vomit all over Danielle’s car.
Some of the home exits are swift, and we don’t really get the choice to say goodbye to anyone. The idea of leaving without saying bye to my misfits is unbearable. I try to hold in the tears and panic, but I just can’t push it away this time. Life has finally started to feel worthwhile again which makes the thought of leaving so much worse.
“It’s going to be all right, Charlie. I just have some news for you,” she tries to reassure me, but I just give a feeble nod and she doesn’t try to speak again while she drives. The serious tone of her voice is enough but paired with her actually being quiet, it does nothing to calm me.
She generally takes me to get a snack on these occasions. Which is how I know what’s coming, I’ve just never cared before. This time I don’t want to leave. I like Sophia, and I like my friends. I didn’t even see this one coming. I genuinely thought Sophia and I were doing all right… good, even.
We pull up to the coffee shop, and I’m happy it isn’t a restaurant or café for once. My stomach can’t handle any food right now. Danielle orders us both cappuccinos and sits down at the table I choose. She takes a deep breath and I finally meet her serious gaze.
“Your family’s case has been reopened. I thought it was better I come to explain in person. There’s a new case a few states away that was too similar to theirs to be ignored. When their detectives were researching, they noticed that your father and the woman in this case worked in the same lab in the past. She moved away six months before the men came to your home. When investigating her life here, they happened to make a connection. This means that you may have to talk to Detective Flynn again. They didn’t look too far into your father’s work the first time since nothing stood out as suspicious. He was just a chemist overseeing drug trials, it wasn’t a red flag. But this could change things,” she explains in a calming tone. I stare at her, unblinking as I process it all.