Say My Name [ Teacher-Student Romance -- Robert Downey Jr ]

Ch.26 - Is This Real

I want to dedicate this chapter to one of my most awesome friends, Elizabeth who's helped me through a hellish week/month, and much more. You're an amazing friend and everyone should check out her book! It's great fun. Seriously.

I'm sorry this is a late update and I'd like to thank my Instagram bud for reminding me :)

Any who's, enjoy! It's loooonngg.
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Being stuffed in the same truck as her uncle was not great but made the reward of getting out even better.

Molly had whined about Charlotte going, showing big puppy blue eyes that almost convinced Charlotte to just stuff the younger one into a bag and bring her along, but as time ticked on and she tucked Molly into bed, promising she would be back to her spot on the floor, Moll let her go.

She was so nervous as the car pulled into the lot. Mind a running muck, swapping wringing her wrists and pulling on the edges of her jacket. Not that that's abnormal for her, it's just showing. Telling of how she's reacting to the busyness around her. So yeah, her hands are a nervous wreck like the rest of her, twitching unconsciously as she fidgets in her leather seated spot.

Dads looking at her in the mirror warily, those glances that are also so telling. She can see that even he is reaching the end of his rope with her--and not in a frustrated way--she can just tell that its hurting him to see her like this like it would hurt Charlotte to see Molly like this. Not that that would ever happen. Not on her watch it wont. Never.

Maybe that's a good reason that what happened to her did, because now she can protect Molly better than Charlottes old self could have.

Old self. God. Her father would have been calming her with a hearty laugh if she was the old Charlotte. The old her would've been jumping and chatting off his ear like she used to. An enthusiastic person she used to be. Quiet, shy, but when she found people she trusted (trusts too easily) she opens right up to them. Quirk and all. You know, it makes her sad. How close her dad and her used to be... and now. Now it seems like they could barely even hold a conversation (her fault).

Though her dad knew all about CJ, all about their chats and how they met and such, but Charlotte had failed to mention that that friend, CJ, is the friend she's meeting up with tonight at the show.

Her dad hadn't questioned her if it was Robert she was seeing, or anything ridiculous like that. Though she could see he wanted to. Wanted to be interested in what Charlottes life looks like. Or if there's any connection between the professor and the student. She likes to think it's because her dad trusts her. Believes her truly that he's nothing more than a confidant. She knows her dad likes Robert, that he had said that he had a nice quick conversation with her teacher, and that's probably why he had been so quiet at the 'Family Meeting'. The trust was still thick between them, even with all thats been going on around them (inflicting upon them), they still saved a sliver of what they use to share. Hopefully can salvage. Hopefully. She believes that could happen.

Uncle Don was talking on and on with her father, occasionally asking creepy questions to her, wondering how she was finding the heat of the car and what not. Apparently he has recovered from whatever beef he remembered them having, now back to his old ways. Slimy ways. Trying to show himself as the great uncle he's not.

She shrugs him off, ignoring his comments as best she can and focuses on the task at hand. Instead, anxiously chewing at the insides of her mouth, eyes darting around the hectic parking lot they pull into for the familiar, yet unknown, face.

They had sent each other a few pictures of what the other looked like over the years but it wasn't really much of interest to them, and CJ was always really nervous about doing that. Something about a catfish or rather. Whatever her reasons, Charlotte didn't push.