𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗬 - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗛 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛

•••

I never thought I'd say this, but Charlie is too much.

After the incident at the races, Charlie self diagnosed me with a concussion and wouldn't stop waiting on me, hand and foot.

He ran me a bath, he walked my dogs, he bought me a migraine hat, cooked for me, cleaned for me and even finished my homework for me.

Even now at school, my concussion is gone and I'm fine but i haven't had to carry my books or my bag all day.

I think the sight of Charlie and I together at school is less of a shock to everyone but Scarlet.

She's god awful and I've been doing everything i can to avoid her, even if it means tagging along with the football team during lunch, which was more painful than I originally thought. Every time I sat with them I regretted decision to do so more and more each time.

But today I wasn't so lucky, the coach wanted a team meeting during lunch and I definitely wouldn't be joining since Oliver would be there.

"I'll see you in class after lunch?" Charlie asks, finally handing me my bag for the first time today.

"Obviously" I roll my eyes at his ridiculous question.

"I'll see if i can dip out of the meeting early so we can walk to class together"

Yep, definitely the scary bad boy attitude everyone expects from him.

I smile at his sweet gesture before we part ways.

Decided I would spend my lunch in the art department, away from everyone else, as i walk down the hall away from Charlie, i see Scarlet step out of one of the rooms and walk in my direction.

Fuck.

Its not that I'm scared of her, but my god am I tired of the drama.

The name calling and bitching in the hallways isn't for me. I keep to myself and if i do want to talk about someone, then I wait until the evening when Charlie is climbing through my bedroom window.

"I hope you know i fucking hate you" Scarlet seethes as she nears me.

"Wow, right off the bat with that one, i'll try to not take it to heart" I say.

" i hate you and I hate that you've stolen my man from me" she steps closer.

"That's a little dramatic don't you think?"

"See how you don't even deny it? You deserve everything thats coming to you" by this point, Scarlet is almost all up in my face.

"What does that even mean?" I ask.

Everything thats coming to me

"I've asked you to back off, you didn't and now you'll regret not listening to me" she threatens.

"Whilst that maybe true Scarlet, at least I'll know what it's like to share a bed with Charlie" I smile sweetly before almost whispering " better yet, i'll make sure to tell him about our little conversation tonight once we finish" I wink at her.

If i thought she was fuming before, then she might as well have steam coming out of her eyes now.

After all, i might as well use the rumours of Charlie and I sleeping together to my advantage.

I decided i was done with this conversation and started walking away towards art for the small remainder of my lunch, but before I could take more than two steps, I was pulled back by my shoulder.

"Bitch, I'm not done talking with you" She spits out at me.

"But I was done talking to you" I smile at her.

"Soon Charlie will realise just how disgustingly paunchy and unsightly you are" She says looking me up and down.

I stifle a laugh at her words, never would I ever describe someone as paunchy and unsightly, I'd rather she just cut to the chase and call me fat?

"I mean do you really think he finds you attractive? There is nothing about you that is appealing to anyone" Scarlet steps closer.

"I mean have you ever even noticed that he doesn't look you like how he looks at other women? I mean you have to see yourself every single day, you of all people must know just how fucking foul looking you are Nyx" she continues.

"There is nothing special about you, except maybe your special talent of being both chubby and flat all at the same time and that's just the harsh truth" she drums on about my flaws.

As much as I hated to admit, her words did hurt just as she intended them to, but I wouldn't let her know that.

I actually think she continued spewing a few more insults about how her and everyone else in this god forsaken find me so revolting.

I walk away from her one last time and finally let my tears fall once I lock myself in the bathroom stall

•••

"I still don't know why you do your Christmas shopping so early" Charlie says, his hand resting on my mid thigh as he drives us to the mall.

I lift up my thigh slightly, trying to make it appear thinner.

"It's November fifth? What about that is early" I question.

"Because you've already finished the shopping, we're going to the mall to buy some damn gift bags and wrapping paper"

"I just like to be organised" i shrug.

"I know, its one of the many things I like best about you" he squeezes my thigh.

Charlie starts rubbing circles on my thigh but my appearance in the wing mirror.

Have my eyes always been that close together?

"Nyx? Are you even listening" Charlie asks.

"Sorry what were you saying?" I look to him, but his eyes are focused on the road.

"I asked if you wanted to grab some food before the mall?"

"I'm not too hungry right now"

"Thats fine, we'll grab something once we're done"

"Sure"

Probably not.

Charlie pulls into a random spot in the mall's car park and we head inside, stopping in a few shops that we don't necessarily need to be in.

"You need to get out of your own head Nyx, you're so silent that I can hear you screaming at yourself" Charlie looks down at me, but I can't bring myself to meet his gaze

"I'm okay"

"I didn't ask if you were okay and even if you did, I can tell that you're not"

"I'm sorry" I finally look up at him.

"Stop, what you sorry for?"

I don't even know anymore.

"Come on munchkin, lets go grab you something to eat"

Luckily the food court wasn't busy at all so I felt less guilty about eating the small portion of noodles that Charlie got me.

I said less guilty.

I still feel incredibly guilty overall.

"We should go to the gym after this" i say abruptly.

"No we shouldn't" Charlie counters.

"What? Why?"

"Because i know you, you won't be working out to be healthy if you go there in this mindset"

Curse him.

Maybe Noah will go with me?

"Now, are you going to tell me what you want for Christmas?" Charlie asks.

"A nose job would be pretty nice"

"Shut up, your nose is perfect like the rest of you, now tell me what you really want" he states.

Some confidence and the will to live is what i really want, but Charlie wouldn't like that answer.

" I don't know" I whine, i hate people buying me gifts.

"Lets go home, you're getting tired" Charlie says as he picks up our rubbish, getting read to put it in the bin.

"I don't get tired"

"Munch, you deadass slept for 17 hours once"

"Everyone sleeps for 17 hours at least once in their life Charlie" i say rolling my eyes.

"Right" he drawls out.

Once we get back in the car, i shuffle myself into the corner between the seat and the door so I can kick off my converse and put my feet in Charlie's lap as he drives.

Once we're back on the road, Charlie starts rubbing small circles with his thumb on one of my feet, giving it a small massage.

"God you having a foot fetish is the best thing ever" I say, only half joking.

"Only for you" he winks.

"I'd be sick if it for another girl"

"I think I'd be sick if i had to touch someone else's feet" Charlie states rather matter of factly.

"Yeah they are pretty" i wiggle my toes even though I'm wearing double layered socks because of the cold weather recently.

Not long after that I start to fall asleep, between the soft hum of the radio and the comfort of Charlies touch, it was the perfect recipe for a short nap.

"Goodnight angel" is the last thing i hear