𝙎𝘾𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙈: 𝙇𝙊𝙐𝘿𝙀𝙍

Chapter 3 - Personal Talks.

Everyone walks inside the home, Charlie immediately sees his mother standing in the living room. Her arms crossed, he looks down awkwardly. Kara tells her friends, "Okay um, you guys can go into my room.."
Ian gives her one hand squeeze, then walks off with everyone else into Karas room. Mandy, Charlie, and Kara all stand out in the living room. Mandy speaks up, "I'll just be in the kitchen, okay?" Charlie nods, "Okay, baby." Mandy walks off, Charlie and Kara stare back at their mother. Charlie musters up, "Hey, mom."
She replies, "Hi." She walks over to Kara, "Are you okay, sweetheart?" Kara nods, "Yeah, I'll be alright, mom." She looks over to Charlie, "...You came." He nods, "I did." She responds, "Thank you for picking up your sister." Charlie nods, "Yup." She asks, "Are you staying here?" Charlie replies, "If that's okay with you." She nods, "Yeah, it's okay. We have the guest room, theres more room around after your father up and leaving." Charlie swallows a lump in his throat, knowing he feels a bit at fault for that since he only left after Charlie did. Charlie finally replies, "I'm sorry about dad." She shakes her head, "Don't apologize, it's not like we aren't used to people leaving. Right, Kara?" Kara looks down at her feet, "Uhm..." Charlie snaps back, "Look, I did what was best for me. It's not like I ever got along with you guys, did I?" She chuckles, "Oh my God, we argued every now and then. Jesus, are you dramatic.." Charlie scoffs, "Every now and then? More like every single night." Mandy peeks her head out from the kitchen, Kara catches her. She shakes her head and gives her a "Go back" type look. Mandy immediately does, "Charlie, can't you just make my life easier? Just once?" Charlie rolls his eyes, "Pretty sure I did already by leaving." She shrugs, "Maybe you did, I'm not gonna lie." Karas mouth drops, "Mom!" Her mother snaps back, "Kara, I do NOT need your input." Charlie replies, "Oh, talking to her like that right after she was just brutally attacked? Mother of the year, right?" She scoffs, "I'm not doing this with you." She grabs her things, then storms out of the house, slamming the front door behind her.

Justin takes his ear away from listening from Karas bedroom door, "Yeesh, it doesn't sound good..." Brianna scrolls on her phone, "Ah, yeah..arguing with their mom, they'll be fine." Beck nudges her, "Brianna, come on.." She shrugs, "What? I'm sorry, no offense though!" Isla shakes her head, "Kara hasn't been getting along with her mom either lately, unfortunately I've been here to hear some of it." Ian chimes in, "Yeah well, maybe Charlie being here isn't helping." Justin responds, "Man, relax about Charlie already." Ben joins in, "Seriously, the guy just got here." Ian rolls his eyes, "Yeah, Ben you only say that because you're Justins little lapdog." Ben flips off Ian, "Asshole." He mutters. Ruth asks, "Can you guys like NOT argue for once? Not here and not the time." Brianna shrugs, "I mean, I was finding it entertaining."
Beck admits it, "It was pretty entertaining." Justin chuckles, "Beck finds literally anything entertaining though, doesn't he?" Beck smacks Justins arm, "Shut up, man." Isla responds, "Okay, seriously though guys. Karas clearly going through a lot right now, we have to be there for her." Ian nods, "I've never been apposed to that idea, all I want is for her to get better and feel better." Ben sighs, "She will, okay? We aren't trying to say we don't want that, just...lay off Charlie a bit?" Ian sighs also, "Alright, alright." The bedroom door finally opens, making everyone immediately snap back. It's Kara. Isla asks, "Soo..how'd it go?" Kara asks, "How did it sound like it went?" Ian replies, "I'm sorry, Kara. You shouldn't be going through all this." Kara shrugs it off, "I'll be okay, just as soon as they find whoever did it." Isla rubs her shoulder, "Don't worry, they will. Don't they have the security footage?" Kara replies, "Yeah, but their whole body was covered. Theres no way to figure out who it was from there, so I don't know at this point." Brianna asks, "Hey, have you ever thought like..what if it was someone like close around you?" Kara responds, "I don't know, I don't..think I have anything against anybody?" Brianna laughs, "Yeah..you think that!" Kara makes a confused face, Beck shrugs, "It's not a bad thing to think, just to be aware." Isla scoffs, "Okay, you guys are not helping her feel ANY better." Ruth tries to reassure her, "I'm sure it's not, it has to just be some psycho." Ben shrugs, "There aren't many "psychos" around here, Ruth."
Theres a long silence throughout the group, Kara thinks. "But why would someone I'm close to want to kill me-?" Justin replies, "People do a lot of weird shit for weird reasons all the time." Brianna asks, "Just to be safe, is there anyone like HERE that you've ever wronged?" Isla responds, "Brianna, seriou-" Ian cuts her off, "It's not a bad question, it could help us figure out who it is." Kara stammers, "Um...I-I don't think so-?" Ruth asks, "Hey, I mean did you ever think..now don't take this the wrong way, it could be your brother?" Karas eyes widen, "What?" Ruth continues, "He did just happen to quickly decide to come here right after you just happened to be attacked, does it not seem weird to you? What if he's trying to get back at your family." Kara thinks, "I..I really don't wanna talk about this anymore."

Charlie puts his bag down on the guest room bed, Mandy does as well. She sighs, "That didn't sound too good out there." Charlie shakes his head, "I don't get her, I came here after she asked me to. I wanted to be here for Kara, I don't know why her first thought was to degrade me as soon as I brought up my dad." Mandy replies, "That's not your fault, you didn't force him to leave or anything." Charlie responds, "I know, which is why I don't understand why she's holding that grudge against me." Mandy replies, "I think she just needs someone to blame, and shes choosing you." Charlie sighs, "You shouldn't have come, I didn't want you to see this actually happen." Mandy rubs his shoulder, "Babe, I'm glad I came. You shouldn't have to go through this by yourself, as soon as we figure out who did that to Kara, we can go back home." Charlie responds, "I think I'd want Kara to come with us, I don't want her to stay here with her." Mandy nods, "Of course, you might have to fight with your mom some mort about that though.." Charlie chuckles, "It's all I do with her, it's not a big deal at this point." Mandy laughs, "It's all gonna be okay, Charlie." Charlie smiles softly, "I still feel weird about all her friends." Mandy asks, "What do you mean?" Charlie replies, "I feel like one of them, or more know more than what they're letting on." Mandy responds, "I will admit, they did seem like kinda weird when we first saw them." Charlie thinks hard, "If the police are gonna be this slow, we might have to put in our own effort to figure out who it is." Mandy groans, "Work? I thought this was just some super fun getaway." Charlie laughs, "Next time, don't you worry." Mandy smiles, "But again, Charlie. Don't worry about me being here, I just wanna help you and Kara." Charlie squeezes her hand softly, "Thank you, Mandy." She smiles and kisses him on the cheek, "And don't worry about your mom, okay? She'll understand eventually." Charlie sighs, "We can hope, you never know with that woman. I swear." Mandy and Charlie share a small laugh together.