𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐲

NINE

——— "WHY ARE YOU SO GLUM?" Charlie piped up at the soft, familiar voice that late-morning as he sat lonely at the usual cafeteria table. Almost all of him was hoping to look up and see the face of the not-so-smiley blonde girl who he grew so fond of the past month but, considering she'd been avoiding him all week, he knew better than to get his hopes up.

Charlie glanced up from where his eyes fixated on the wooden lunch table, peering up to see Guy and Connie take their seats across from him. His shoulders dropped. "Oh," he deadpanned, "hey guys."

Guy Germaine contorted his face slightly. He set his tray of food down and nodded, "thanks for being so excited to see us, Charlie."

Charlie sneered at his obvious sarcasm, "I'm not in the mood, Guy."

"We can see that," Connie snorted, "you haven't been in the mood all week. What's up with you?"

"Nothing," the brunette boy mumbled. But Connie just rolled her eyes.

"Bullshit," she scoffed, "can we just skip the little pity act? Was it Orion?"

Charlie shook his head.

"Varsity?"

He shook his head again.

Connie Moreau watched as the boy sighed. A moment of silence passed, and she analysed his micro-movements. She watched as he scratched his nose lightly with a pout. She watched as she ran a hand through his hair before repeatedly glancing at the large cafeteria doors. And then, she watched as his eyes suddenly froze when the doors swung open to reveal a certain blonde girl with her gaze planted on the ground and a hood covering most of her face.

Charlie's eyes glowed at the sight of her walking in. Her attempt of trying to make her presence seems so small was ultimately failing because of Charlie Conway's gaze.

It was one thing to notice Hayden Burke when she walked into a room. Everyone noticed her because, well, she's a Burke. But it was a whole other thing to see her simply as a girl trying to hide from everyone else.

That was the thing about Charlie that Connie noticed first from the second she watched him light up at the sight of her. While everyone else saw and looked for Hayden Burke, he was looking for Hayden. Just Hayden. Everyone else wanted something from her, but he wanted just her. Almost as if her existence alone made his world a better place.

"Ohhhhh," Connie drew out in realisation, causing Charlie to look back at her smirking face, "it's her isn't it? Miss princess is the one who's been making you so sad."

Charlie pressed his lips together in a thin line and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest with a shrug. "Whatever, so what if it is?" He grumbled, "how would you feel if Guy started ignoring you for absolutely no reason?"

"The world would be so much more peaceful," Connie joked, making her boyfriend slap her arm lightly.

"Shut up," Guy huffed before looking back at Charlie. The boy raised his eyebrows at him, "so you like her?"

"Who?" Charlie tilted his head.

"Burke." Guy nodded inquisitively.

"Hayden, you mean?"

"Yeah. Whatever. Same thing."

Charlie frowned at the way he waved off. "No," he continued, "not the same thing. Her first name is Hayden, Guy. Not Burke. She should be addressed by her first name, not her last."

Guy furrowed his eyebrows, "why does it matter, Charlie? We address everyone by their last names. Like Averman, Bansky, Goldberg — it's just how it is. Why are you being so defensive over it?"