It had been three weeks.

Three weeks since I had left school.

Three weeks since I had started school back in my hometown at my old high school.

Three weeks since I had heard from my friends and three weeks since I had heard a word from Kent.

"I can't wait for summer, this cold weather is not the move," One of my only friends, Rebecca, complained while we walked home from school. Since we lived next door to each other and Rebecca's car was in the shop, walking home from school had become a regular thing this week.

"We are going to party so much this summer!" Rebecca pulled out her signature, shiny bedazzled pink flask that was usually full of raspberry vodka.

"Want a sip?" She held out her flask and I kindly rejected. Although I loved Rebecca, her drinking had gotten worse since I had just four months ago. It didn't help that her parents basically enabled her, but we always had booze when we needed it.

"I decided to take some tequila this morning instead of the regular," All the more reason to say no. As soon as Rebecca took a big swig I could smell the burning alcohol before she let out a hiss followed by a battle cry to fight off the bite.

"I think I need to get a job," I mentioned, trying not to focus on the thoughts running through my head about Kent and Jackie and Squid and Chunk.

"Oh please, you have the rest of your life to work to death, "Rebecca shoved the flask into my hand and winked, "Live while you're young, baby,"

Rebecca skipped off in front of me and twirled around, small clouds coming from her mouth in the cold air.

Rebecca was a wild child, always has been and probably always will be too. That's why I loved her, she encouraged me to come out of my shell more even when I really didn't want to. I took a tiny sip of the tequila and nearly gagged.

"Such a baby," Rebecca tisked and snatched her flask, taking another hefty swig herself and laughing. Idk how her small stature handled it.

"Hi girls!" My mom called to us from my front porch where she had just come into view. She was sweeping the fresh powder of snow off of our porch and it looked like she was in a good mood.

"Hi, Mrs. Michaels," Rebecca slid his flask into her backpacks side pocket and waved enthusiastically towards my mom, "I'll catch ya later, Sadie,"

I waved goodbye to Rebecca as she ran into her own house and started up the stairs to my own.

"You got a letter in the mail today," My mom announced, keeping her eyes on the beautiful flowers she had worked so hard to maintain this summer, now crisp and brown.

My heart skipped unexpectedly and I dropped my bag on the floor as soon as I walked through the door, sprinting into the kitchen where my mom always left the mail in a pile on the counter.

The address was from the school! It had to be from Kent!

I ripped open the envelope and hurried to unfold the letter so that I could read all about what I had missed these past three weeks.

My heart immediately sank deep down into my stomach when I realized the letter was in fact not from Kent, but from Charlie?

I slowly read the unexpected letter. Why had Charlie been the only one to write to me?

Dear Sadie,

It honestly has not been the same here since you left. Things just aren't as fun or lively anymore. I have to say not seeing your face every day definitely dampens my mood and many others. I hope you're doing well and adjusting to your old/new school. Truly this place is not the same.

Finals are coming up so things have been terribly busy and everyone seems to be running around in chaos. I'm missing our library study sessions with the rest of the group too. I'm sure you've gotten tons of letters from all of your friends here, we all miss you a lot! Hope to hear from you soon, take care!

Love, Charlie

I read the letter over again three more times until finally taking a seat at the kitchen table. Why had Charlie been able to write me a letter but Kent hadn't? With finals coming up I'm sure everyone is busy trying to study but if Charlie had the time to sit down and write me a letter, shouldn't Kent too?

"Who's it from?" My mom asked as she entered the kitchen, startling me.

"My friend, Charlie,"

"Was that the one you were canoodling with?" My mom's choice of words made me cringe.

"No, that was Kent," My mom raised her eyebrows at me in disapproval but I didn't care. If she wanted to think I went around kissing all sorts of boys then I wasn't going to try to change her mind.

My head continued to spin with confusion while I made my way up to my room. My mom called up a few minutes later letting me know dinner would be ready soon but I wasn't hungry anymore. Charlie's letter was still clutched in my hand while I threw myself onto my bed and let out a long, exhausted sigh.

I couldn't expect a phone call, my phone was still being held hostage by my parents and I couldn't bring myself to write Kent another letter when I hadn't even heard back from him after the firs three I had already sent him.

I had sent Kent a total of four letters now and I still hadn't heard from him.

Maybe I wasn't as important to Kent as I believed I was.

I crumpled up the fifth piece of paper so far and chucked it towards the trash can in the corner, missing, again.

"What are you doing in here, man?" Charlie asked, letting himself into my room, a normal thing since I no longer had a girl living with me. It was just my room now and I didn't like it.

"Trying to write to Sadie," I grumbled, not in the mood to socialize right now.

"Have you heard back from her yet?" He sat on the bed that used to be Sadie and I had to fight the urge to kick him off of it.

"Not yet, no,"

Charlie frowned over at me.

"And you're still writing to her?" I turned to look at Charlie who casually shrugged, "I'm just saying, maybe it's a waste of time if she still hasn't gotten back to you in three weeks man,"

I tried to ignore his words but I was already thinking about that.

Sadie hadn't responded to any of my letters and I had sent her two a week since she left. Had I done something wrong or something to upset her?

"She probably just has a lot going on with switching schools and moving back home," I hope that was the case at least. If Sadie really wasn't interested in me anymore I wish she would've at least told me that. I continued to write while Charlie sat on Sadie's old bed and watched me.

"I'm really sorry she's doing this to you," Charlie suddenly blurted out.

"What do you mean by that?" I watched Charlie sigh loudly, run his hand through his hair and stand up.

"Obviously Sadie has no feelings for you since she can't even have enough respect to write back to you. Typical, selfish girl for you," Charlie shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged again, looking as frustrated as I felt.

What if he was right though? What if Sadie didn't have feelings for me after all and moving back home made her realize that? It would make sense then, that she hasn't written me back. Maybe she reconnected with an old crush or found someone new.

"I don't think that's the case," I muttered, trying my best to forget about what Charlie had just said. Sadie wouldn't purposefully hurt me, she wasn't a mean person. There had to be a good reason I hadn't heard from her yet.

Charlie continued to look at me but didn't say anything else.

"I'll try one more letter, it can't hurt anything," I mainly mumbled to myself, signing the end of the letter and folding it neatly to fit into the envelope I already had prepared.

The letter was short, sweet and to the point. I wanted to see Sadie, I had to see her, and I didn't care how long I had to drive to do it.

"No harm in that, right?" Charlie patted me on my back with an encouraging smile, the way he always smiled before we would get into trouble, "I can take that for you, if you want? I'm heading towards the main building,"

"It's okay, I need to stretch my legs anyway," I smiled up at Charlie and he simply shrugged, his expression changing slightly. As we both made our way to the door to head out, Chunk and Squid were rushing into my room, almost hitting Charlie with the door.

"Kent! We need your help," Chunk gasped, bending over to rest his hands on his knees and try to catch his breath.

"It's for senior night," Squid explained since Chunk was having a hard time.

"Can it wait, I was heading to the office-"

"I can take it for you if you need," Charlie suggested again. Squid and Chunk stared at me while I glanced between the guys and the letter in my hand. For some reason I didn't want to give Charlie my letter, I wanted to drop it off myself, but what could it hurt?

"Alright, what do you guys need help with?" I reluctantly handed the letter to Charlie who snatched it with a smile and began backpedaling towards the elevator, "I owe you one, Charlie!"

"Don't worry about it," Charlie waved the letter at me, flashing a grin before the doors closed and I was able to focus on what the boys needed.

Hopefully Sadie would write me back this time.