The Notebook He Stole

Chapter Two

(Has been edited and revised) *I do not own that drawing*

Chapter Two: Warrior

During her whole first period, Charlotte kept feeling eyes watching her the whole time. In class, when she would feel somebody looking at her, she would look to her left and see nobody but Eli sitting next to her, looking anywhere but at her. She would sigh to herself and write in her notebook. Not notes, but feelings, short poems, lyric ideas; things of the like. She wrote everything in that notebook, always having a spare one in case she ran out of space in the one she was currently writing in. She never let anybody touch it or read its contents, not even Catherine.

Her teacher decided that since it was the first day of school, they were going to do an ice-breaker partner project. She had already set up the partners, much to everyone's dismay. She only laughed softly and shook her head and called out the partners. The list had went on, Charlotte scribbling in her book until she heard her name being called.

"Charlotte Cunnings... Elijah Patterson..." Charlotte's eyes widened slightly as she looked to her left, only to see Eli smirking at her. She groaned internally and rubbed her forehead before continuing to write in her notebook. "Now," their teacher started. "I want all of you and your partners do get to know each other. Make something to display the things you did together. A PowerPoint, a poster board, even a short movie. I want all of you to spend time together out of school. Go to the park, the movies, or even just get some ice cream. In two to three weeks, I'm going to ask you to present what you have made and say a few things about what you've learned about your partner. Any questions?" Nobody raised their hand. "Good. You may talk for the last few minutes." And then the classroom erupted, people talking to their friends, listening to music in their headphones, others resting their heads on their desks to get a little shut eye. Charlotte, though, simply put her headphones on and played City Lights by Motionless In White as she scribbled in her notebook; not aware that Eli was watching her the whole time.

Sometimes she thought of why she wouldn't let anybody take a peek in her journal, then remembered she had written very person things inside it. Her crushes, past, of course, her thoughts, her feelings, the things the little voices inside her head were constantly telling her. She never got tired of it, though, never once regretting writing down everything that came to mind. Though, she did live in fear that somebody, one day, might take it and expose her secrets.

As she walked down the hallway, she was tripped. All of her textbooks, notebooks and materials skidded across the floor. She looked up when she heard laughter, only to see her older twin brothers, Ethan and Eric, laughing at her. Their shaggy brown hair hung slightly over their silver eyes, Eric's eyes having gold specks in them. That's pretty much the only way one could tell them apart, other than the small scar on Ethan's left cheek from when they were younger. Like all of her brothers, the twins were taller than her, meaning they had to crouch down to get to her eye level.

"Watch where you're going, Charlie," Ethan sneered in her face after he bent to get to her eyes. Eric simply laughed at her scared and kicked some of her notebooks farther before walking away.

"See you later, bitch!" He called over his shoulder as Ethan trailed behind him. Charlotte sat there on the floor with tears in her eyes. People took no notice to her, though, stepping on her book bog, notebooks, and textbooks. She sat there for a couple minutes until the late bell rang, causing her to sigh and stand up to collect her things. Though, she didn't really care about how beaten and battered her other notebooks may be, all she cared about was he journal. The one with all of her feelings, and drawings, and poems and such. She looked around the floor, not seeing it which caused her to panic. Had someone taken it? Did one of the twins get it? That book was her only sense of security, the only thing that she could trust, and now she couldn't find it. She slumped against the lockers and put her head in her hands, bawling into them. The hallway was now clear of people, but honestly wasn't scared if people saw her crying, she just didn't want people to see her as weak, even though, in her mind, she was.

She needed that notebook.

She heard footsteps coming toward her but didn't look up, thinking that it was a teacher coming out of their classroom to scold her on being late to class.

"Aw, what's wrong, Charlotte?" A deep voice asked her. It had a hint of a Spanish accent, which immediately told her who it was. She stopped crying. "Are you looking for something?"

Eli looked down at the crying girl in front of him. His hands were behind his back as he leaned against the lockers. He forced a smirk onto his face that usually would've immediately formed, but something was different, he had to force it on. He couldn't help but stare at the brown-haired beauty in front of him, wanting nothing more than to go to her and hold her and comfort her. But he couldn't. It wasn't in his nature to do that.

"M-my notebook," she stuttered, not looking up into his eyes, but at his black Vans. He raised an eyebrow.

"And what color is said notebook?" He questioned, crossing his feet.

"It's just a really composition book," she said, wiping her face. "I need it." He chuckled lowly and stood up straight, walking over to her and bending his knees to come down to her level.

"Aw. Well, I just so happened to find this baby," he said, pulling his hands from behind his back and holding out her notebook. "Is this it?" She looked up and her eyes brightened. She tried to reach for it, but he clicked his tongue and stood up, holding it over his head. "Not so fast, Charlotte."

"P-please, give me my notebook back." He chuckled again and shook his head.

"I want something in return." She glared at him, her distress clearly forgotten as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"What could you possibly want? I'm already your partner for Mrs. Graham's class. What more could you want?"

"Be my girlfriend."

"I beg your pardon?" She coughed, having choked on her spit, her eyes wide. Eli couldn't help but find her confused and taken-back face adorable. No, he thought to himself. Don't think like that. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not trying to get caught up in your games, Eli. Go get one of your sluts to do it."

"No, that's the whole point. I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend so that they'll quit bothering me. It's so fucking annoying!" He groaned, rubbing his face. Charlotte rolled her eyes and picked up her bag, throwing her strap over her shoulder.

"No. That's what you get for being a man-slut." He smiled maliciously.

"Then you wouldn't mind me reading your dear journal and telling everybody what's in it, now, would you?" Her eyes widened in fear.

"Please don't!" He laughed.

"Agree, and I won't." She shook her head to herself, Eli slightly tipping to his right as he waited. "I'm waiting, CharBear." She groaned.

"Fine. Just... Give me my notebook."

"Tsk, tsk. No can do. Not until this agreement is over." Charlotte forcefully rubbed her forehead and turned to walk down the hallway.

"Read that notebook, Elijah Patterson, you will regret that day you were born." And then she left, leaving Eli there smirking.