The Hazardous Effect of Love

two

Charlie didn't have any friends. She was an outcast. Not because she was extremely weird or obsessive, or because she was ugly. It wasn't because she was unbearably rude or even a compulsive liar. But rather because she was normal and none of the other girls at her school understood why he had chased so long and so hard to catch her. Or why he stayed with her so long before the accident. She was too nice and too normal.

When Charlie realized she was now Leo's newest conquest, she didn't mind the attention after a year of solitude in high school. It was unnatural though. She wasn't the semi-pretty, outgoing and slightly flirty girl this time.

Leo continuously tried to catch her attention and told her corny jokes and pick-up lines everyday after school for six straight months never missing a day, except for the days when one of them was absent.

The girls in school tried to keep him away. They weren't going to have another glorious human being wasted on her, so they spread rumours and twisted the truth. They lied and told fake stories of her past that was still a mystery to everyone surrounding her. But Leo was still walking with her everyday.

"Did we have a class together? Because I think we have chemistry," was Leo's newest cheesy joke which caused her to blush. She was so pale that she blushed at anything.

"Advanced English actually," she joked and was still holding the journal. He laughed and it was so geniune and nice to listen to, she looked up in surprise with slightly parted lips.

"What?" he asked her with a smile, looking down at her.

"Nothing," she shook her head and they continued to walk together with his strides a lot longer than hers, but slower so he could still walk next to her.

"What's that?" Leo pointed to the journal she held so tightly and protectively in front of her. She held it so tightly that her knuckles paled. "The book." Charlie blushed.

"A journal. Not mine though; I hate navy blue." Leo knit his eyebrows in confusion at her. Flustered, she began to hurriedly mumble. "It was my boyfriend's. We aren't together anym- we didn't break up though. Ugh, I'm weird and awkward and confusing."

"Long distance?" He asked with a smile that didn't get to his eyes. It was heartbreaking to know that he had spent all his time and thoughts on her when she already had a long distance boyfriend. He would be honored if she had chosen him instead, but he couldn't ask that of her.

"You could say that." They both shared fake smiles to fool the other of their sadness. "I'll try to text you later, Leo."

"Alright. Don't ignore me this time," he tried to joke to ease the awkward tension.

She kept walking.