Jenga

Chapter Twenty- Without Words ~Reynie~

Charlie's been released from the hospital, again, and hopefully we don't run into a situation like that again. Charlie isn't Iron Man or The Hulk. His body is getting worn out.

My pace is a little faster than usual; I'm restless to see Charlie. He's been in the hospital longer than last time, and I can't visit him everyday, only because I would be followed.

When I get to homeroom, I see that the usual is present, and Arthur is sitting at his desk reading today's paper with coffee in his hand.

"Char--" I say but stop midway because of a familiar face sitting in my seat.

Charlie, Julia and Reynie look up at me. Charlie looks upset, Julia looks annoyed, and Reynie just smiles. "What are you doing here?" I ask him.

"I attend your school now. Be prepared, because I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you mine," he says.

Excuse me? You know, why is he even here? He's a twelveth grader.

Suddenly, Charlie gets up and grabs Reynie by his collar. It's too early for this. Honestly.

"Over my dead body," he says. The class erupts in commotion as I just stand there in awe. Did I just hear that from Charlie's mouth? I look at Julia but she doesn't even seem to be surprised. She seems to be tired of hearing Charlie talk as if he likes me.

"Nothing to get upset about, I haven't done anything yet," Reynie says like he's hiding something. I wouldn't be surprised if he were. He always is.

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"Would you mind explaining to me who the hell this Reynie kid is? His name makes me sick and he looks like he could be related to Neil," Charlie complains during our club session.

"I don't know why you're so bitter, but now that I think about it, I believe Reynie is Neil's half-brother. They have different fathers," I explain, just now remembering it all.

"So he's your half cousin, and he loves you?" Julia asks.

At this question I kind of get defensive, mainly because it's true. "Basically yeah, but I don't think he knows what love really is. When I was young, I got bullied because I looked like a boy."

Julia sarcastically clears her throat. "You still do."

I roll my eyes. ". . . Reynie, whenever he was in town because of his father's job, he'd stay over at my house and go to school with me. He'd defend me whenever I'd get bullied, but one day I overheard when Grandmother asked him if he loved me because he did that, he said he only did it to be popular with the girls. Apparently it made him seem 'cute' and 'sweet'."

"What the hell? That makes no damn sense," Charlie sullenly says.

Wisty jabs him. "Watch your mouth."

"Just hear me out," I continue, "So, we got into a fight and I told him that I never wanted to see him again. A week later, he moved. But, he's back now."

"So there's a reason why he said that, but you don't know it," Arthur implies.

I nod, and Charlie sighs dramatically. He says, annoyed, "Why do you care? Aren't you in love with me?"

Everyone gasps. Oh, great, so now they know he knows.

I quiver angrily, about to choke the life out of Charlie. "Why do you care?! Last time I checked, you're getting married to Wisty!"

Everyone gasps again. Seriously? What's with the dramatics? This is not Shakespeare.

"I told you I don't want to marry her!" he exclaims.

I scoff and cross my arms. What an idiot. Why do I even have feelings for him?

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"Reynie! I'm here, what do you want?"

Walking up to Reynie, meeting him here gives me a bad feeling. It's only out of courtesy to adhere to your older half-cousin's request, right? Nothing bad is happening.

"Good. Let's get a cup of coffee and talk," he says.

We enter a cafe and Reynie pays for me.

"Now what do you want?" I ask.

"Relax. I'm family, why would I hurt you?"

For some reason this makes me laugh. "Neil did. And so did you, five years ago."

"Listen, back then, when you were getting bullied, Max and I were in the same class. Why didn't he do anything?"

"I don't know. He's always said girls younger than him scare him, oddly enough. Why do you think the only girl he's dated was older than him?"

"That shouldn't matter, should it? But I did something, didn't I?"

"Which, was out of pride."

"You don't get it, do you? I overheard you overhearing the conversation, so I lied. I wasn't ready to tell you that I love you. Now, I can." Upon saying this, Reynie lifts my chin up slowly and leans in closer toward me. What's going on? What's happening?

Suddenly, as his lips are very close to mine, I come back to reality and Charlie, out of nowhere, just throws his fist at Reynie's face. "Don't place your filthy hands on her."

"What are you doing here? Don't hurt him," I say to Charlie.

"Oh, you sure you don't like him?" he asks with a tone that makes him sound jealous.

"Cut it out! You didn't have to punch him!"

Reynie rubs his cheek and says childishly, "That hurt."

Charlie wraps his arms around me all of a sudden, and says, "I will let you love me and me only."

I can't say any words right now, because I'm really confused about this situation. But, without saying any words at all, I can tell Reynie has changed; Charlie has, too.