I Love You More

1. You Kissed Me!

CHAPTER ONE: RUIN MY LIFE.
[baby, come bring me hell.]

          "Are you okay?" Those were the three words Charlotte had struggled to completely respond to. Her emerald eyes darted across the hall, looking at anything other than the person who had asked her the question. She cleared her throat and bit her lip, knowing that the only thing she could muster at the time was a soft shake of her head.

She let out a heavy sigh but pretended she hadn't been affected at all. Mila, her closest friend, reached out her hand to tuck Charlotte's stray brown hairs behind her ear, knowing full well that Charlotte was heartbroken and also knowing that she was the only one Charlotte would ever admit it to, "It's perfectly natural to be sad about it, okay? It's going to take a little time to get better."

Charlotte nodded, stumbling over her words as she nervously said, "I think I just expected myself to move on from it faster, you know? Why does it still affect me if I'm the one who broke it off? Maybe there's something wrong with me," she inquired, slightly agitated. Mila shook her head reassuringly as she moved nearer, tenderly touching Charlotte's right upper arm. She was certain there was nothing wrong with Charlotte's feelings and made sure to let her know.

"It's natural, especially after a breakup. I promise you that there is nothing wrong with you. You made a decision that you believed would benefit you, and that is perfectly okay." Charlotte didn't nod, instead staring blankly into Mila's dark brown eyes, which had broadened as Mila concluded her sentence with emphasis, "Okay?" Mila inquired, lifting her eyebrows as she waited for Charlotte to respond.

Charlotte groaned and nodded, resting against the lockers. "You know, he asked whether I was breaking it off because of what he did at your birthday a few months ago?" She raised her head gently back against the metal locker doors, her gaze travelling over the ceiling in utter disbelief. She instantly drew Mila's attention as the brown eyed girl locked her brother's locker, which she was borrowing because it was closer to her class, and then glanced at Charlotte with her mouth agape.

"He did?"

"Yeah, he said he didn't mean it. He apologized and said that he got help. Mila, he's going to therapy," Charlotte mumbled, her eyes wide but her voice weary. Mila could tell that the girl hadn't slept since her voice had deepened and gained a little roughness, "He - He asked if we could still be friends, and when I told him it wouldn't be the greatest idea, he got angry and left."

"At least he's putting his mental health first," Mila shrugged. "Hopefully now that you're not with him, he'll quit this co-dependency nonsense." Charlotte shook her head disapprovingly at Mila's comments, and though Mila couldn't care less, she quietly apologized because it was Charlotte she was speaking to, "Sorry. I know he did his very best for you. I just hope that he will be more self-reliant in the future and spare himself some headache." Charlotte agreed with a silent nod before sighing and asked Mila how much time they had till her lesson began, "Five more minutes."

"Will you meet me at the tree after school?" Mila mumbled, referring to their school tree, which was located directly outside their school building, near to the football grounds. Charlotte nodded before bringing up her misfortune of not being able to attend any of Mila's classes this year. Mila chuckled and grinned, "Maybe this is a good thing. Our grades have both improved since last year." Charlotte agreed.

When they were in class together, they were chaotic, rarely focused on the material and instead chatting or talking. It really was like they couldn't be in the same room together and sit in silence unless they were going through something very heartbreaking or horrific. Most of the time, they would converse on the phone or face-to-face until their voices gave out. Then there were times, like when Mila's mother died of sickness, when they would sit in peace for the longest amount of time, both knowing the need for serenity in their hearts.