Arch Nemesis [Charlie Conway]

closet

i walk down the rock path leading to hans house. i haven't seen him in a while, so i stopped at the bakery to get him some fresh snickerdoodles. the the smell makes me want to rip open the bag and dig in, but i contain myself.

as i approach closer to hans house, i see charlie through the window. ugh. just my luck!

i duck down below the window, careful to make sure charlie nor hans don't see me. i know its wrong to eavesdrop, but i just couldn't help myself.

"have you ever heard of ted o'ryan?" charlie asks hans.

"yes. he left the north stars when he was still in his prime." hans replies, wiping his hands.

charlie shakes his head, "this guy is no duck."

hans smiles, "perhaps you should show him the way, charlie."

"he doesn't exactly seem open to new learning experiences" charlie laughs, then gets serious, "and he made clara captain."

hans smiles, "i've always thought that girl was captain material. next to you, of course."

"she'a impossible to get along with." charlie says with a scoff.

"or maybe, she is closed off. maybe she's scared for you to get to close." hans raises his eye brows.

"or maybe, she just hates me." charlie says as he crosses his arms. or maybe he's my very own personal bully!

"come on charlie," hans shakes his head, "you need to see the good in her, like you do for everyone else. now, tell me some things you like about her."

i suck in my breathe, waiting for the cruelest answer i could imagine, but charlie suprises me.

"alright, alright. she's a good player. that's for sure. she understands what needs to be done in a game. in fact, she understands everything. she's actually very smart. and she's like really nice to everyone. just not me." charlie shrugs.

"ah, very nice. you hear that clarissa?" hans shouts.

oh shit. he saw me. i slowly stand up, and see a horrified looking charlie staring at me through the window.

hans motions me inside, "come on in, i'm sure it's more comfortable than those bushes!"

i smile a little, and slowly walk into his house, with fresh cookies and a whole lot of awkward feelings.

"mmm for me?" hans asks, pointing to my bakery bag. i just nod, and hand it to him. my eyes meet charlie's for a second, and we both quickly look away.

as hans chomps on his cookies, charlie coughs, "yeah i gotta go. nice talking to you hans."

"wait, wait, wait" hans says, in between bites, "your turn, clarissa."

i choke on air, "sorry?"

hans smiles, "your turn. tell charlie the nice things about him. then, maybe you can see eye to eye and work together as captains."

okay, he has a point. i sigh before speaking, "well... your puck handlings good. you're...getting better at skating every day. you're kinda funny. sometimes. you have a good music taste, i mean if you were a dad with three kids but whatever. and even if you don't see it, our whole team looks up to you."

i look up at charlie and wince, waiting for some witty comeback. but i'm met with a smile. a smile that gives me the warmest feeling i've ever felt. a nostalgic, baking cookies on christmas day feeling.

my cheeks heat up and a smile sneaks out from me as well.

"alright, now i gotta go. bye hans. bye clair." charlie says quickly before running out of hans house.