Jenga

Chapter Sixteen- A Jewish Turkey Day

Charlie walked in the club room without another word to me. I didn't say another word to him, either.

"Noa! Charlie! You're back!" Wisty exclaims happily.

Having gone to the nurse before coming, I'm able to stand on my feet, but I have to walk slowly.

I glance at Wisty's elated face and smile. "I'll see you all tomorrow, Charlie's taking me home," I say and grab my bag and jacket.

"What?!" Julia shouts as we exit the room.

When we leave the school, I let the stiffness I had to keep a smile on my face leave and start shaking. It's not fair. It's not. I can't do anything; I'm usless. I can't help him in any way, all I can do is yell at him. Why can't I help him? He's been enduring this for a large part of his life and I couldn't do anything. I didn't even notice he was suffering.

"You couldn't tell me earlier that, to get back at you, he pursued Civa? You couldn't tell me that he once put you in the hospital? You couldn't tell me, that you used to date Cassandra?!" I say, not controlling myself, like I usually do. But now, for some reason, I can't.

Charlie stiffened. "I'm sorry, OK? Why do you even care?"

Now, I'm not angry with him. I've stopped my anger. Now, oddly enough, I feel compassion. My eyes do that quivering thing again when I'm about to cry. "Are you stupid? Why do you think I called your name out so many times? Why do you think I act the way I do towards you? Are you that much of an idiot? Why do I even care? I--"

"Wait," Charlie says, to my relief, because I was about to say something I'd regret later. "Don't say what I think your going to."

Wait . . . he figured me out? Already? Oh, no. Oh, God, no. I haven't even liked him for long enough. Have I? I don't even know anymore.

"W-what did you think I w-was going to say?" I ask.

"That you . . . care about me."

When Charlie says this my heart drops. I am so lucky that he's an idiot! "Well, of course I do, " I say to him joyfully, "Why can't I? Aren't we friends?"

"Whoever classified us as friends?"

"We . . . aren't?" 

"No! Just, well, you're a girl . . . Ah, why're women so complicated?"

"We like to complicate things, deal with it. And don't be sexist, can I care about you or not?"

Charlie, like usual, scoffs.

OK, now I have to resort to this, which I don't want to do, but he's being difficult. "Then, what was all that at Julia's place about Reynie will be around 'her' so much now that you'll kill him?" I ask.

Charlie clears his throat and says, "You remember every word of that?" I nod. "I said it on impulse. I wasn't even talking about you."

I raise my eyebrows. What does he mean, not about me? He and Cyan both can't like Julia. Well maybe it makes more sense. I'd be scared if he meant me. I wouldn't know how to handle it. But I'll ask anyway. "So you meant Julia?"

"Woah. No way I meant her. Cyan likes her."

"You noticed it? I guess you're not as stupid as I once thought."

"Heh. I'm not stupid at all."

"Who was it directed to? Wisty?"

"W-why do you want to know so badly?"

"You studdered! Is it her?"

"No! Not al all! It was no one! Just leave me alone about it!"

I take that back. He really is stupid.