Quite Quitting

All in my Head

"Everything is just perfect. I can't believe you did this all alone, put this all together without the help of my useless son," Sharon said as we walked into the gymnasium of the local New York elementary school.

"Thanks, Sharon," I said to Alex's mother. "We will start as soon as the teachers bring their female students down. Alex said you wanted to talk to the kids before the activities start?"

"Yes, dear. Just a few quick words." She kindly said to me, then waved at the door, where a tall girl with jet black hair hanging perfectly like curtains around her face stood. "Over here, dear." As she got closer, I noticed she looked like she could be a model from her face and body. Her clothes, however, were normal; jeans and a simple black sweater with the word "Love" written in glittering white.

"Hello," She said in her voice, so quiet my brain had to work extra hard to understand the word.

"This is Danielle. Danielle, this is Charlotte." Sharon introduced us.

"Hello," I said.

"Where is Alex?" Sharon asked me.

"I don't think he will be at the event today. He is busy."

"Call him now and tell him to be here before the event starts."

Damn. I had avoided talking to Alex much since we had our blowout a week ago, keeping busy with the PR team and this outreach program, which he had very little to do with. Now it seemed like I had no choice. I dialed his number and silently prayed that he wouldn't answer. But unfortunately, my prayers were not answered. "Hey," Alex said.

"Hi." I curtly said, "Your mother demands you come to the PS 313 Gymnasium before the Outreach event starts."

"I can't. I have a conference call...." He started, but I hung up on him.

"The message has been delivered," I told Sharon.

A few minutes later, a kind man I could only describe as a hot nerd came down to help us set up. He took anything heavy I was carrying out of my hands and began setting up. "Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Mr.Radcliff, sorry force of habit, I mean, Max. I oversee the Science Club here. I think we exchanged emails a few times," he said as he handed me tape for the banner I was hanging up that said "Tribecc Foundation Outreach" on it.

"Ahh...yes... It's nice to meet you in person!" I said. He looked like nothing I'd imagined. Then again, I did not expect an elementary school teacher to look like a gym trainer. He still dressed like a nerd, though. Thick horn-rimmed glasses perfectly framed his face, which was mainly just a sharp jawline. His tweed jacket, black dress slacks, and shiny brown shoes finished the look of a hot nerd.

Once we finished the decorations, Max disappeared. Sharon asked me to look over her speech, like mother, like son, but I didn't mind helping her. Her speech was short and sweet. Somewhere along us setting up, Alex had snuck into the gym. His mother, Danielle, and he were engrossed in conversation. I was thankful for that. It meant we would talk less today.

"Ahh, Danielle is finishing her masters here in New York." I heard Sharon say.

"What are you studying?" Alex asked. His eyes looked like they were going to fall out of their sockets as he glared at her.

"Masters in Fine Arts." She quietly said. This poor girl had no chance of getting an honest conversation out of Alex. He already thought that anyone who went to school for arts, music, and crap like that, was wasting their money-- his words, not mine. So despite her getting a master's and furthering her education, I knew he had written her off as an idiot.

"That's so cool. Do you like it?" I asked, joining their little circle to divert Alex from saying anything condescending to her.

"Not really," she quietly said. "I am actually just trying to get into modeling in the city." I saw Alex lightly chuckle.