What Happened to Charli

One

     The shrill bell rang signaling class change. I was woken from my day dream, though I don't even know what I was dreaming about. I like to just zone out, not think. Let my brain rest. After a day of learning reading old literature and deciphering it, playing badminton in gym class, learning about the French Revolution and now adding variables to fractions, I was losing it slowly. Math was the second to last class for the day, now I moved through the white and red halls to my red locker, dodging taller, older and more annoying kids. The third floor was mostly for upperclassmen, and as a Junior I was awarded a locker in the smaller hallway that was always packed. I hated it, the locker was a bit too small so I had to bend over to put in my combination and run the risk of bumping into someone who was unfortunate enough to run into my butt. 

     I sighed as I moved passed, not bothering with it just yet. I walked into the curved room with no windows in the middle of the building, my Spanish teacher briefly looking up before turning back to her computer. 

     This was my favorite class. I loved my teacher, I liked the kids well enough in this class, the atmosphere was always pleasant. Sometimes, if it was dark enough in the hallways signaling a storm, we'd be able to tell and smell the scent of oncoming rain. Those were always my favorite days and happened a lot less frequently than I wished. 

     But no, I loved this class the most because I got to see her.

     Charli Williams. 

     She's changed a lot throughout the years, in kindergarten through fifth grade she had long, brown hair. Sixth grade, she got bangs and always wore skirts with knee high socks. In middle school we had a strict uniform, even during the winter she wore her skirts. She ran track with me, played volleyball during the summer and participated in cheerleading. Freshman year she cut her long hair to her shoulders, we now went to a high school that wasn't dress coded. She was more relaxed, something about her changed. There were some rumors about what happened during the summer, her name floated along casually. She got a boyfriend, Daniel. I never liked him much, he was loud and cocky. I was disappointed in her, I thought she could do much better. Not exactly me, but someone who wouldn't embarrass her has often. 

     Sophomore year came, she let her hair grow out and she became more and more reserved. She only stayed with her two friends, at lunch time she was no where to be seen. She was with her boyfriend after school. She was unhappy, sometimes I saw her walking home crying.

     But this year, everything changed. She cut her hair just above her shoulders and dyed underneath of it a fuchsia color, before it faded it was a blue and purplish color. She wore sweaters a lot, I didn't blame her. It was always cold in this building even during the heatwaves of summer. She was still reserved but seemed more open with her friends. Every now and then I would spot her with Daniel, I stopped bothering to keep up if they were together or not. They had officially became that  couple our freshman year, no one knew if they were together or not, and if they were people placed bets on if they would be broken up by the end of the week and together by Sunday night. 

     I know what this might sound like, but I wasn't jealous. I loved Charli, I figured this out all too late. I loved her with such an intensity that it psychically hurt me sometimes. She was always on my mind even when I didn't think she was, an obsession. A platonic one, I must say. I loved her platonically, maybe I could have loved her romantically if the years proved different. 

     She was always kind, always helping. Smart, straight As. Smiling, until she wasn't. 

     I wasn't prepared for what was going to hit me when I sat down in the back row, the class slowly filling up. We were missing two kids today, our teacher talked to us in Spanish and made us recite our own two short stories before the evening announcements came on. 

     It was short, quick and to the point, which was unlike it. Kara came on, I can recognize her high pitched voice anywhere. "Everyday we wake up is a day that we can do differently, think differently, be different. Every waking moment is a blessing that we are able to make a change in the world, to do better for not only ourselves but our peers. Charli was the prime example of doing for others. We ask that we take a moment of silence in her name." I looked around, everyone seemed confused except our teacher who had her head bowed and eyes closed. 

     "Charli Lyn Williams has passed on last night. It's imperative that we hold each other close, talk to one another, and seek counseling. Have a good weekend." 

     I felt my heart drop, my skin went cold and sweat started forming on my back. It was so quiet for a second that we could hear a pin drop on the first story outside. Then, the class erupted into talking to one another about this new gossip. One girl was even crying in the corner, her friends trying to calm her down. The bell rang and everyone got up fast and walked out, I followed the motions just behind everyone else, opening my locker and just throwing everything in. I knew deep down I needed to study for my math exam next week, I just felt so... hollow.

     Alone.

     The hallways of people seemed to move differently. More groups were huddled together talking quietly or crying. Teachers lined the hallways solemnly. I kept my face forward, one foot in front of the other. I walked into the blazing sun, the heat warming me up and making me sweat more. I got my keys out and unlocked my black bike, hopping on and just sitting there, lost.

     She's dead.

     Charli is dead.