Can you keep up?

Chapter 4

Charlie's POV

The food at school really sucks. I always hope for the best, I'm a pretty optimistic person but yeah, it's a disappointment not gonna lie.

I sat down at our usual table with some gross sloppy mess and just played with it for a few minutes half listening to Jess and Casey arguing about the difference between lotion and moisturiser. "Yo, Char, you okay? You seem a bit out of it," my friend Sam asked as she sat down to join us.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine," I replied as I looked up to greet her. "Just kinda tired, ya know."

"Yeah same, sports this morning was a killer."

"Oh you had it already?" I sighed disappointed. Sam is really athletic like me so I always look forward to playing sports and messing around with her. I guess our schedules are different this time. I had it last thing this afternoon and I couldn't wait.

"Yeah, Coach Carlton just made us run track and do some athletics, so it'll be a training sesh for you pretty much."

"Oh okay that's good, Jen's forcing me to go to Stacey's party on Friday so I need an extra practice anyway." I told her.

"Ah you're going to that too? Cool at least you're going, I don't really want to go either but Simon won't take no for an answer." She sighed and stabbed her straw into her juice box. Simon's her gay best friend, I swear he literally is the central hub for all things gossip and celeb and he does not hold back with the bitching. He's basically a stereotypical bitchy gay guy really, like the ones you see on those stupid reality TV shows. I get on pretty well with him though. I only ever had one argument with him in like 8th grade when he started going around telling people rumours that I was doping. Now that made me so mad. I hate when people try to put people down for being good at something.

"OMG you guys! You'll never guess who I just had a conversation with!" A voice squealed loudly, making me cringe and squint my eyes shut. Speak of the Devil, here he is now.

"Who is it now Si?" Sam asked uninterestedly. I looked at him expectantly as he slid onto the bench and sat next to me.

"Oh no one really... just LAUREN FREAKING CIMORELLI!" He yelled with a massive grin on his face. I felt myself get uncomfortably excited hearing her name but I was really interested to hear about this.

"What did you talk about?" I questioned.

"Well she couldn't find her art teacher so she wanted to know if I'd seen her so I just directed her to where she'd gone," he stumbled over his words in his excitement.

Sam snorted, "is that it? That little exchange of words has got you this excited?"

"Why was she looking for Mrs Green?" I interrupted.

"Oh I asked and she just said something about wanting to switch partners with someone else." I froze. Is she serious? This has got to be a joke. Why does she hate me so much? I felt this stab in my heart and a lump grew in the back of my throat. I was so upset about this. We were supposed to paint portraits of each other next class. I stood up and walked over to the bin throwing the rest of my lunch away and slamming my tray down hard on top. I got a few awkward stares from people and my friends looked at me like I'd just killed someone.

"Charlie!" Jess shouted but I just ignored her and stormed out of the cafeteria. I'm so angry. And hurt. And angry. She has no right to hate me, I haven't done anything to her. Heck, I only met her this morning! Whatever.

I was already halfway to the changing rooms when I heard my name being called. I'd decided I would just go and get changed early for sports and skip the rest of lunch.