Jenga

Chapter Three- It's Heavy Material

It's the next day from all that madness.

Max definitely remembered to 'talk to me later', because all last night, he and I played Black Ops II. I mean, there wasn't much conversation involved, but I still enjoyed it.

Day: Tuesday

First Period: English

Oh, how inviting.

The last thing I want to do right now is to be in Arthur's class.

It's like someone is forcing me to fall asleep every time I sit in my seat.

Maybe that someone is Arthur himself, with his tiring lectures. The weird part is that, when I'm awake, I never miss a word he says.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that even though I barely participate in English, I have the highest grade in my class.

Attention all, I need Noa King. Please report Noa King to the principal's office. Thank you, the booming loudspeaker announced.

I'm right under it, too.

I suddenly notice Charlie isn't in class, and rush over to the principal's office.

"What happened? Why is Charlie here?" I ask when I arrive there.

Charlie is standing by the principal's, Ms. Shepard's desk, which is probably too big for the room.

He scowls at Ms. Shepard when I look over at him.

The sleep-deprived principal sighs and says, "I ran into Charlie while entering my office. He was late, as usual, and then I remembered something I had to tell you both."

"Which is. . ., " I begin.

"Don't go crazy, but, Charlie. . . is going to enter the book club."

"What? Say that once more," I say, trying to keep my cool.

"Ahaha, no thank you. I almost got decked by Charlie when I said it the first time."

I look over at him again, and his facial expression hasn't changed since I first looked at him.

"Why? Just, why him, out of everyone in this school?" I ask, my voice raising.

Ms. Shepard leans back in her chair and smiles. "I saw that fight you, Charlie and Neil had yesterday. I noticed something about the two of you, maybe that you're more alike than you think. Plus, if Charlie sticks around with you, Noa, he won't get into so many conflicts."

"So you're not going to disband the club?"

"No, I'd rather keep something fun alive."

"Yes, I guess it is fun, even with only two people. But now, there'll be one more soul to join you."

I don't even know why I'm getting hyped about it. I guess it was pretty lonely with only Arthur and I.

"Ah, Ms. Shepard?" I ask while in the doorway.

"What is it?"

"Who's Neil? Is he Ms. Rosen's son?"

Charlie, almost out of the room, grabs my arm and we both leave. "You don't need to know. It's none of your business," he tells me.

"Oh, please." I stop running and pull my arm away from his grasp. "It's none of my business? I saved you from him, don't you forget that! Then I got caught up in your argument with Ms. Rosen. Now, Ms. Shepard tells me his name is Neil, so she obviously knows him. Why can't I? I already know his name."

"He's Ms. Rosen's son, and a guy I hate," Charlie says, and walks past me.

"Idiot, class is the other way."

"I know that."

"Then come!" I grab his arm this time, and we head to class, though for him it's by force. Muahaha.

But, why? Why do I get myself worked up over him?

With him and Max, I say what I think, but I say it without thinking. With others, I'm more reserved, quiet, and maybe bratty, as Arthur would say.

<> <> <>

"So. . . welcome to the book club, I guess." I get up from my chair and go over to the kitchen to get some juice and cookies.

Yes, there's a kitchen in the club room. I've never understood why, but it's there, and I take advantage of it.

"Don't welcome me if I don't want to be here," Charlie says to me.

I don't really care that Charlie's holding a grudge about this, but I can tell Arthur's anger level is rising.

I come back over with the drinks and cookies, when I hear knocking on the door. Neither one of us move, and the knocking continues.

Seconds later, a pale-skinned boy with an overall alluring face and neat, dirty blonde hair enters the room. Charlie covers his mouth and falls back in his chair.

"I joined," the boy said.

"You are?" I ask, with the slightest bit of joy growing inside me.

"Hmm," he begins, and looks at Charlie, half-dead on the floor.

"It's Cyan. Cyan Armstrong, Charlie's older brother, a senior. Nice to meet you."

"Cyan? Why did you join?" Arthur asks.

"To be amused by Charlie's attitude towards all this."

Meanwhile I'm over here, frozen, and I just want to shout, "WHAT?!"

How could Charlie have a brother who's the total opposite from him? I mean, Max and I are different, but we're also alike. Charlie and Cyan, are just too different.

"Well, anyway, welcome to the book club, Cyan."

"Thank you." He smiled.

Alright, let me point a few of their differences out.

Cyan: Neat hair.

Charlie: Wild hair.

Cyan: Gentle with his words.

Charlie: Doesn't think about his words.

Cyan: Blue eyes.

Charlie: Brown eyes.

So, yeah. I'm not saying that they have to be the same, but it's rather amusing to know that they're brothers in the first place.

But, while going through that, and looking at my fellow members, I come to the conclusion that Ms. Shepard is right.

Charlie and I are quite similar.

That's some heavy material to understand.

"You know, not to be rude, but when I first heard the name Noa King, I thought you were a boy," Cyan says to me.

I almost choke on my juice. ". . . Huh?"

Charlie and Arthur look at each other in amusement, and start to laugh.

The fact that they're laughing in sync pisses me off.

I  just had a great misperception of that guy. Even if he said, 'not to be rude'.

I really did.

Maybe, in a small way, him and Charlie aren't so different after all.