As Cold As Ice // Charlie Gillespie

Chapter 11

"Hey Charlie?" We're about to pull into the schools parking lot. "Yeah?" We didn't talk about the Lukas-thing again. We finished our breakfast and talked about the party on Saturday. "Please don't act different because of what he said, ok?" I really liked the way it was between him and I. It was fun to live with him. I don't want it to be weird for the rest of the time. His lips curve into a smile. "Don't worry, I won't. After all, I need you to teach me elegance, remember?" He playfully nudges me and a bright smile forms on my face. I'm really glad he told me what happened.

"Tomorrow morning? Remember I promised mum I'd do an extra hour?" Falling back into his seat he sighs. "My precious hour of sleep." I can see him looking at me in the corner of his eyes a smirk on his lips. I fumble for my backpack on the back seat. I grab both mine and Charlie and pull them up front. I throw his over at him. "Hey! Stealing my sleep and attacking me!" I can't help but giggle, more than glad it is normal between us again. "Come on you little drama queen." I can hear him catching his breath but I just jump out of the car.

He closely follows behind. "Don't you think I'll let you off that easy." I throw a look over my shoulder. When I see the look on his face I burst into laughter but start sprinting towards the school doors. I don't need to look to know he's following me, more precisely catching up. The door is almost only a hands reach away when I can feel an arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me back. In a low voice Charlie whispers in my ear "Told ya." Another giggle leaves me lips.

Removing his arm from around my waist Charlie steps next to me, reaching for the door. For a second he gestures for me to step through the opened door but as soon as I take a step closer he jumps infront of me and walks in first. I slip through the door after him before it closes, playfully hitting his back. "What a gentleman you are." He's pretending he didn't hear me, walking a few steps but then he throws me a smirk. "See you after school." I quickly wave at him before I make my way to our classroom.

I hardly make it until bells ring so I rush over to my seat right before Mrs. Lewis walks in. She's not only my coach, she's my biology teacher too. I smile over at Sarah as a hi and she smiles back, even though the smile doesn't fully reach her eyes. Right, that's battle number two I have to fight. Our break between first and second period is only 15 minutes which is why we usually don't bother going anywhere but to our next classroom and maybe the bathroom but today Sarah pulls me outside school. We sit down on a bench that is standing right next to the entrance doors for whatever reason.

"Mia..." I place my hand on Sarah's arm. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in the moment and frankly, it really wasn't a big deal." I can hear her catch her breath. I guess that wasn't the right thing to say. "You flirted with him!" Before I can stop myself a laugh escapes my lips. "I did what?" In what universe did I flirt with him? "You did! I saw the way he looked at you." I swallow hard knowing that the second part she isn't entirely wrong about. I turn around a little so my whole body is facing her. "Sarah. I swear I wasn't. I don't like him like that... to be fair you know I don't really like him at all." Especially after this morning, which I obviously can't say.

Thinking about it for a moment Sarah eventually nods. "Sorry. I'm being paranoid. I guess I was just upset I didn't react as smoothly as you did." I softly pat her arm. "You were nervous. Can't blame ya." Even though I wish it was someone else she's nervous about. "Mia Carter!" We both snap our heads into the direction the voice came from. Vanessa comes walking towards us. She uses almost every break to smoke. I have no idea why she's even coming over to talk to us now. It's not like we're friends or anything. We have a few classes and did the occasional group work together but we're just very different.

"What's up Vanessa?" I can tell she's trying to sound casual but she's looking for gossip. That's one of the things that makes us very different. "What's going on between you and the hockey kid?" I tilt my head. "I saw you this morning." I sigh heavily. Not her too. In the corner of my eye I can see she's got Sarah's attention. "Nothing" I try to say as nicely as possible. Vanessa shrugs as she says "Didn't look like nothing to me." I return her shrug before I say "Don't know what to tell you. We're just friends." She seems a little disappointed I didn't give her the gossip she came here for. Suddenly disinterested she starts walking away. "See ya around Carter."

"What was she talking about?" When I look over at Sarah I can almost see the curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "OMG Sarah drop it!" I throw my hands in the air, suddenly very annoyed. Why do they all want to create something between him and I that isn't there? I don't want to continue this conversation so I get up to walk to our next classroom. Sarah catches up seconds later. "Mia, there is something, even if it's not what I'm thinking there is something. You're so jumpy when the topic is Charlie." Am I? I didn't realize I was. I thought I'm just annoyed by her constant teasing.