Never Say Never (Completed)

Twenty {Rumor Has It}

"Where were you last night?"

I shut my locker at a snails pace to find my brother's worried face. His blue eyes scanned my face for any indication of where I'd disappeared too, but it wasn't too far of a stretch considering I was in one of Bryan's sweatshirts.

      "You were with Grace?" Luke muttered, his eyes finally falling to the 49ers sweatshirt I was sporting. "Why didn't you at least text me back? What happened with Ian? He won't talk to anyone."

        I opened my mouth to respond, but the words quickly dried in my mouth when I caught Ian with his arm around Savannah over my brother's shoulder. My best friend slowed to a stop when he caught sight of me, eyes immediately dropping to what I was wearing, before his face twisted in anger and he disappeared with the cheer captain down the hallway before the bell could ring.

         "Charlie?" Lucas grasped my forearm. "Are you okay? You know you can talk to me, right?"

        I reached out and rested a hand against his cheek. "I'm fine, kid. Don't worry about me. You better get your butt to first period before I have to ground you for having a mark on your attendance."

          And without another word, I left my concerned younger brother in my wake.

**

            I suddenly  wished all attention was back on Ian again. Seems like walking around in a sweatshirt with Bryan's last name stitched into the back of it only added to the stares I was already getting over my black eye and bruised nose. By the end of the day, I wanted to curl into a fetal position and stare off blankly into space. But I couldn't. I had to go get the kids, take them back home to change, then head to Luke's game.

            "This is it then?" a quiet voice sounded behind me. "We're just. . . not friends anymore?"

            I sighed. "I don't want to talk to you right now, Ian."

            "I'm sorry for kissing you last night, Char. I. . . but I don't want to lose you." I felt his hand on my shoulder seconds later and quickly shrugged him off. "Eighteen years can't just go to shit, not like this."

            I finally inhaled deeply and turned to face his bruised face. "I need time, Ian. And you need to stop all of this, if there's any chance of reconciliation there."

            "I need to stop this." He laughed coldly. "But you'll go and let Grace between your legs with ease, right? Because he's nice to you. Because he—"

          "Grow up." I spat. "I spend time with Bryan because he reminds me of my Ian. Not this. . . this piece of shit that wears his face."

          Out of reflex I flinched the minute he lifted his hand a fraction, backing away. He saw the reaction, as small as it was, and squeezed his eyes shut. "I'm so sorry, Char."

           "This. . . this isn't how our lives were supposed to go." He went on, running a hand down his face. "It was always supposed to be just you and me."

            "No." I said with a shake of my head. "There was never just a you and me, Ian. There was a young and me, and Lucas, and William, and Navi. Your little world revolves around you and you only. You throw fits like a child when you don't get what you want, or worse, when someone else has what you want. I need to focus on what's important in my life right now."

          "And I'm not?" he croaked.

           I buried my hands in the pockets of Bryan's sweatshirt. "Not anymore."