𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡 - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗪𝗢𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘

•••

"So, how longed have you lived here?" Sky asked, clutching a water bottle in one hand as we walked through the mall.

"My whole life" i say, the awkwardness feeling quite heavy. "How about you, i noticed your accent" i smiled at him, his brown eyes shining in the light.

I'd be lying if i said he wasn't attractive, because he is. He's got that 'I'm so cute and look like a puppy' vibe going on, and paired with the blue jeans, white t-shirt and vans, it was a winning combination. However it seemed as though he didn't have the personality to match. Like at all.

"Oh yeah, i moved here from Michigan about a year ago, its a lot warmer here" he smiles back.

"Michigan? I've always wanted to go to the Michigan theatre turned car park" i say, trying to make conversation with the blonde haired boy and happy we might've just found something to talk about. "It looks so pretty in the photos"

"Oh I've been there quite a few times, it's actually quite ugly in person" he shrugged nonchalantly as if what he said didn't just mildly offend me.

"Oh" was all that i managed to get out.

This is actually painful.

I think this was the turning point of the 'date' because it only seemed to get more awkward from there, especially when he said that he didn't like what i was wearing because it showed too much skin and if he was my boyfriend, he wouldn't want me to wear such an outfit.

It was only cycling shorts and an oversized tee with converse, but okay Sky, go off i suppose.

Charlie would never tell me what i can and can't wear.

Speaking of Charlie, would it be wrong to send him an SOS text to come save me from this "date" from hell?

I'm sure sky doesn't think this is going all that grand either. I hope not anyway.

"So is that your natural hair colour?" Sky spoke

"Umm.. yeah i guess? I did bleach it blonde not that long ago but the upkeep was too much so i dyed it back" I said, now analysing the ends of my hair. Damn i need a hair cut, its split end city down there.

"You'd look much better as a blonde, the brown washes you out too much, you know because of your pale skin?"

Who does this guy think he is? Gok won? Where did the shy boy from the diner go?

At this point i was praying that maybe, just maybe i'd run into Charlie, Noah or Alex. Anyone would suffice, i'd even take Oliver whatever the fuck his last name is.

My fingers were itching to text Charlie, tell him to come collect me because i was not having a fun time but when Sky pulled me along to the mall's arcade, i thought maybe now we'd have a little fun. Hopeful thinking on my behalf.

"Want to compete on the basketball one?" I question, knowing it was something i was bound to have fun playing.

"Totally, don't expect me to go easy on you, I'm quite the pro at this one" Sky says with a cheeky smile that i'd love nothing more than to wipe off his face.

We insert the money into a machine each and the game starts. Each machine has three basketballs and you just throw it into the hoop, if you make it to the second round by making enough points then the hoop starts to move. Simple.

Although Sky didn't quite seem to make it to the second round, whilst i got to round 3 with 94 hoops made in total.

I turn to Sky with a sly smile.

"It must be rigged, how did you do that? How did you cheat the game?" He questions, looking between me and my score that was still highlighted on the game.

"You literally seen me throw the ball into the hoop, how the fuck can i cheat?" I ask him incredulously.

"Theres no way, that someone like you could've beaten me" he states simply, crossing him arms.

Now i know theres quite the height difference, but basketball is something i enjoy.

"Wow thanks" i mutter sarcastically to the brown eyed boy who i was liking less as each minutes counted down. I glanced at my phone checking the time. "Well i should get going, i have things to do"

"Oh well then, let me drive you home" he smiled a million dollar smile at me, although it just wasn't as dazzling as Charlie's.

Charlie.

This might be a bad decision but fuck it. "That would be great, you don't have to though" i smile at him, batting my eyelashes.

"No of course, just give me the address"

And so i do, we make our way through the mall to his car, a black Ford Focus.

The car ride was painfully awkward but the folk music radio station filled the silence, although I'd much prefer complete silence than that music. Sky's fingers drummed softly on the steering wheel.

When we pulled up outside the house his eyes glanced at the house and then he smiled at me.

"You live here?"

"Yep" i smile, making sure i have my phone in hand.

"Nice house"

"I know. Well thanks for today, it was nice meeting you" i return the smile, opening the door slightly.

"Will i see you again?" Sky questions, giving me a once over with a sly smile.

"Absolutely not." I jump out the car and slam the door shut and speed-walk up to the house, ringing the doorbell.

"Hello - oh its you" Charlie says, opening the door wide enough for me to slide in.

He adorned a pair of black sweatpants and a black cotton t-shirt, his hair messily styled.

"Fuck me, i just had the worst date ever, if you could even call it that" i say, slipping off my shoes before making my way up the stairs to Charlies room.

"You went on a date?" Charlie asked, his voice held interest as he trailed behind me.

"Barely, he basically just insulted me for almost two hours" i roll my eyes, throwing myself onto Charlies soft bed.

It was clear Charlie was in the middle of studying, with the note books and school supplies laying around on his desk.

"What happened" Charlie laid in front of me, both of us on our stomachs and our heads propped up into our hands.

"Well i was out with Brooklyn, at the dinner, oh thats right Brooklyns back!" I smile. "Anyway he was the waiter and asked me out after his shift so i was like hmm sure why not. What could go wrong, you know?" i begin the story. "That was probably the worst decision in history after the McCanns going out for dinner without Madeleine."

Charlie just cracked a smile and urged me to continue.

"He deadass said and i quote 'what you're wearing shows a lot of skin, too much skin. If i was your boyfriend i wouldn't want you wearing that' like what the actual fuck? And then he proceeded to call me a cheater because i thrashed him at the basketball game in the arcade" i said whilst cracking my knuckles out of habit. "Oh wait, thats not even the best part. Then he said i was too pale for brown hair? That it washes me out!"

Charlie let out a laugh, running his hand through his hair simultaneously.

"Like what does he want me to do? Start growing a different hair colour and produce more melanin? My bad, i'll get right on it"

"You're so dramatic" Charlie smiled at me " But you are pretty good at basketball, always beating me" he wipes a fake tear, feigning hurt.

"Exactly, and he called me a cheater" i point my fingers at myself. "I've never met someone with such a dry and bland personality before, it was like hanging out with a piece of unbuttered toast" I exaggerate, although it was definitely a fair comparison.

"It was that bad?" Charlie asks, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"Yes"

"What's his name? I can sort him out" Charlie smirked.

"Sky, and thats not necessary, i think he understands that he definitely won't be seeing me anytime soon."

"Good. Anyway Brooklyns here? Why the fuck are you at mine, shouldn't you be with her?" He asks

"Well yeah but I needed to stress how much i disliked that date" i say "hey do you want to invite the boys over and I'll invite Brook over?"

"Sure, my parents are out and we just bought more alcohol" he smirked at me, thinking what i was thinking, although his eyes did have a far-away look.

Charlies POV

Although she didn't have a good time on her date, it made me slightly happy that it was bad enough to put her off seeing him again as bad as that sounds.

She deserved more than a blonde haired boy who can't play a simple game of basketball.

But the fact that he thought he could have an opinion on her clothes, that made me mad. As if he would ever be important enough to her for his opinion on her clothes to matter. He doesn't even know her last name so what made him think he could comment on how she dresses?

I feel this overwhelming desire to protect Nyx, from people like him, people like Connor. Those who think they can control her as if she's some object or a dancing monkey at a circus.

Connor was so controlling and toxic. She wasn't allowed to see me, and he would get pissed if she had plans with Brooklyn, even making an argument because she went on a family holiday and wasn't replying quick enough although her phone barely had service and there was a three hour time difference.

After a while of not seeing one another, she got fed up of it and so the rebellion begun, at least once a week we'd sneak out in the middle of the night to see one another, to just talk, although most of what we spoke about was how bad Connor was beginning to get.

At the time we didn't know how much worse it could get.

He even called her a slut because she expressed how she wanted to get her nipples pierced and to him, if she did do it, it was just 'to show them off' which was insane to think that anyone would say something like that to their own girlfriend.

I believe the final straw came a few weeks later, even now I don't know what had happened to it's entirety but she showed up on my doorstep, with a smile so wide I genuinely believed she was high. She jumped into my arms and screamed about how she's free and then proceeded to drag me to a piercing shop and got her nipples pierced.

I don't know if she knows that i noticed the shadowing of bruises on her neck or the small cut across the top of her head.

But that'll be my secret.

"Great I'll call Brook" she smiled at me, pulling her phone out of her bra.

She'll never change.