𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 | 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗

After the Pitts episode, the meeting went on as per usual. We did our rounds, and soon, the meeting came to a close. Carla wasn't looking forward to the actual meeting, but now that it was over, I could tell she didn't regret it. Her and Pitts were inseparable—though Pitts looked a bit shell-shocked.

Meeks and I were keeping eachother company—in a platonic way. We were bonding over our past memories as we walked back to Welton. "You were such a geek!" Meeks laughed, reminding me of how I acted as a kid.

"Shut up. Says you." I replied, motioning toward the school he was attending.

"That's not fair. My parents forced me to go here." Although he said that, I think part of him really enjoyed Welton. Well, Welton minus Nolan.

"Mhmm, sure, pal." I nodded along sarcastically.

I felt someone's arm go around my shoulder, and I at first assumed it was Carla. The smell was different, though; cigarettes and oud. I looked over to see Charlie. "What are you doing?" I removed his arm from me, accidently brushing our hands together. Quickly, I stuck them in my coat pockets.

Charlie definitely caught that, smirking to himself. "Enjoying the evening." He replied. "You know, I'm not quite ready to tuck in... would you like to go on a walk with me?"

Meeks looked over at Charlie. "Dalton, quit hitting on her."

"I'm not." He was oddly calm, and it made me actually believe he was telling the truth. Though, he tended to be argumentative just for the sake of it. "We truced. We're friends."

"Uh," I looked between the two boys. I didn't want to give up the conversation I was having with Meeks, but also, I was curious why Dalton wanted to walk with me. Ultimately, I shook my head. "Sorry."

"Maybe later then." He spoke as if it were a statement—no question about it. Before walking back to Welton (without a response back from me), he placed his beret on my head. He was starting to make that a habit.

I guess Meeks noticed the smile on my face and shook his head. "Don't you dare fall for him." He quickly said.

"What?" My face heated up, and I took the beret off my head. It smelt like him. "I'm not!"

"Good." Meeks replied, still smiling somewhat.

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Meeks and I spent some time catching up in his dorm with Pitts and Carla. Pitts was a bashful mess. It was as if he suddenly forgot how to talk. He couldn't believe Carla was into him. Or maybe he wasn't into her, and he didn't know what to do?

"How's Keating's class?" I asked the two, and their faces seemed to light up even more. Clearly, they loved that class and that instructor. "He seems like the only teacher who isn't all high and mighty."

"He isn't! You're right!" Meeks exclaimed. "Cameron doesn't agree with the rest of us,
though. I don't know why he wants teachers who treat us like children but at the same time expect us to be fully grown 60 year old men. We just can't do anything right... except in Keating's class."

It saddened me to hear the news of their other teachers. I understood, somewhat. I've had teachers in the past who did the same—but it was never all at once.

"Keating's like a breath of fresh air." Pitts added, smiling at the thought. The boy finally learned how to talk again.

"Well, I'm glad you boys at least have Keating. He seemed really nice. I mean, he didn't get me in trouble." I laughed, and they nodded.

"Oh, but he did talk about you in the next class." Meeks responded, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "It wasn't anything bad. He just reminded us, that's all."

"Why?" I asked. Meeks shrugged.

"Charlie was pleased to have a lesson about you." I blushed when Meeks said that. I felt him nudge me with his elbow. "You really aren't gonna admit it, huh?"

"What?" I asked, titling my head to the side.

"Come on..." Pitts even was a part of this now. Carla was giggling, too.

"Were not dumb you know." Meeks finally said, not giving me anything. I continued my blank stare. "That you like Charlie. Oh, sorry..  Nuwanda."

"Yeah." I tried to play it cool. "He's my friend. I like all my friends? Isn't that how it's supposed to work?" Meeks rolled his eyes, and Carla laughed even more. I finally caved in, knowing exactly what they were getting at. "Even if I did like him, you already warned me."

"Why?" Carla piped up, looking to Meeks. "Do you not want her to date Dalton?"

"Hey, we were talking about you! Not me!" Meeks said, glancing between the two of us. I had a smug smile on my face. I knew how to get the attention off of me in some cases.

"Answer the question four eyes." Carla teased.

"Damn, okay." Meeks looked to Carla with fake hurt written on his face. "Didn't need to bring my glasses into this." He joked. "But no, seriously. Don't date Dalton. He's..." Meeks didn't know how to out what he was thinking into words, so he sat there for a moment.

"Flirtatious." Pitts helped out Meeks. Clearly, that was a good answer because Meeks nodded along with it.

"I don't think he's a cheater, but his whole personality is made to entertain, and his way of entertaining people is to flirt with them." Meeks shrugged, trying to help me understand.

"Thanks for the heads up, but it's not useful to me." At the time, I believed that. "I like him as a friend, and that's all. I swear."

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The night seemed to get away from the four of us. I had a great time chatting about life, playing stupid games, eating a bunch of snacks... but I ended up crashing. I supposed I fell asleep sitting up on Meeks bed with him.

I eventually woke up to feel someone carrying me away—cigarettes and oud. I opened my eyes to see Charlie, but I was so tired I couldn't say anything. Honestly, he was so soothing that I fell right back to sleep.