See right through you | Lynn Loud Jr

Chapter 4: Misudertood

Cleo arrived home, her thoughts still swirling from the day she just had at the Loud house. Needing to talk about everything that happened, she picked up her phone and called Natalie.

Natalie picked up after a few rings. "Hey Cleo, how was your day?" she asked.

"Hey, Natalie. It was... a lot," Cleo replied, settling into her room. She took a deep breath, trying to process everything. "I just got back from Lynn's place."

"Lynn's? Seriously? What happened there?" Natalie asks genuinely interested.

Cleo launched into her story, describing the crazy day she just had  "They're all so close, Natalie. Even though it was chaotic, they have so much love for each other," Cleo paused, her voice softening. "It felt nice."

"So, what's the problem?" Natalie asked, not really sure what Cleo's frustration was about but she knew it could only be about two things.

"That's the point" Cleo groans dramatically "Lynn acted the same...but different and looked different. Like, I don't know..." Cleo's voice trailed off, clearly frustrated.

"What did I tell you?" Natalie says.

"Maybe that's just Lynn. Maybe she's just a jerk and nothing bad is actually going on," Natalie replied, her tone matter-of-fact.

"Look you're just stressing yourself out, Cleo," She added.

"Then why was she so nice at her house? And all her siblings seem to love her, even if she's a lot to handle," Cleo countered, her confusion evident.

"Because her parents are there, silly" Natalie chuckled. "It's all an act," Natalie said, as if stating the obvious.

"Maybe it's the other way around?" Cleo mumbled.

She heard Natalie sighing tiredly. "What are you talking about?" She could have sworn that she heard Natalie roll her eyes.

"Maybe she acts out in school because the problem IS AT school," Cleo suggested.

"I don't..." Natalie began, not really sure what Cleo is suggesting.

"Listen," Cleo says clearly

"I'm not sure yet, but I'm pretty sure the only problem the Louds are dealing with right now is the line to their one bathroom," Cleo said.

There was a seconds of silence before "Oh my Gosh Cleo" Natalie exclaimed.

"What?" Cleo let out a snappy reply.

"Fine,let's say you're right," she began. "What's your endgame here, Cleo? Mhmm?  What do you hope to achieve by here"

Cleo hesitated, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. "I... I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I just want to understand her, to help her if I can, maybe she'll stop with her bullying" She sounded hopeful.

"Cleo..." Natalie voice sounded petty.

"Honestly, I don't know what to tell you" Natalie adds.

"Nat, please, If I could just figure out what's going on with her maybe she'll stop..." Celo sounded desperate now.

She heard Natalie sighs disappointedly "Just please be careful," Natalie cautioned, She knew deep down nothing she say will stop Cleo.

"I promise," Cleo assures the topic soons then changes after that.

As their phone call ended Cleo sat her phone aside and layed down in her bed deep in thought she needed to find a way to get close to Lynn without messing everything up.