CHASING CHARLIE GRAY

15

It was finally time to present our project. I had assumed that I'd be doing it solo because of how often Charlie Gray was ill but to my surprise she showed up to class, on time might I add.

"Well hello there" She grinned, sitting in the open seat across from me.

"I didn't expect to see you"

"I'm glad I keep shattering your expectations"

We didn't get to talk after that since Mr.Robert's finally showed up and presentations started. When it was our turn, Charlie Gray refused to present from her seat and instead stood at my side at the front of the class occasionally leaning on me slightly when she got too tired to stand on her own.

Since we were the last to present, Mr.Roberts dismissed class and I sat quietly and waited until Charlie Gray had got her strength back before helping her out to the parking lot.

"Did your mom drive you?" I turned slightly to look at her.

"Yeah, I have to call her again to come pick me up, probably should've done that inside"

Without so much as a response, I helped her into the passenger seat of my jeep, only leaving when I had secured her seatbelt.

"What are you-"

"I'm driving you home"

She looked at me for a while as I drove out of the parking lot before settling into the seat and resting her head back.

When we got to her house, much like the last time Charlie had gone to school, Ms. Gray stood in the grass.

" I figured you'd bring her home when she didn't call me back" Ms.Gray spoke through the passenger  window when I pulled up in front of the house.

" It makes sense since I was coming here soon anyway"

Once we had made it inside and up to her room, Charlie laid on her bed with her feet still on the ground and her arm slung across her face.

"Do you need anything?"

"Time" She said quietly so I went to sit at the window seat to give her just that.

When she stirred again, the sun was setting. She didn't say much, just went about taking off her shoes before heading to the bathroom and not too long after, I heard the shower start. She was always like this during episodes, subdued.

I hadn't planned to spend the night, mostly because I had a shit ton of homework I'd been putting off for several days that had turned the backseat of my jeep into a storage facility but it didn't feel right to leave her when she was like this.

"Can you stay over?" She mumbled, face down on her bed with a towel plopped on her wet head.

What's one more night?

"Yeah"

I sat next to her, taking the towel off her head and rubbing it on her hair to dry it.

"How are you feeling?"

"Not so bad yet"

"Then can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah go ahead" She eased up to lay in my lap so she could focus on me.

"Why aren't you friends with Kate anymore?"

She scoffed, shaking her head.

"It's just that you guys seemed so close and now it's like you don't even know each other"

"You're really oblivious you know" She stared up at me.

"What" I crossed my arms defensively.