During the following week things seemed to continue on as normal for Charla, though she couldn't help notice that Alex seemed to be preoccupied with something, but found herself unable to ask since Alex would suddenly bring something up and laugh like it was nothing.
It made Charla wonder if she had done something.
"Back here again I see." Charla looked up from her history book to see Mordecai looking down at her. "I thought you'd be eating lunch with your classmates."
After the somewhat awkward moments with Alex and the unease that Charla had felt, she had thought it best to let the girl be with the friends she already had. Even though Alex herself said that it'd be okay for her to stay.
"No it's fine; I'm used to eating alone. You don't have to worry about me it's okay." even though Charla said it with a smile Alex still looked surprised. But Charla noticed how Alex seemed uneasy or worried these past few days even though she didn't know why Charla felt as if somehow she was part of it.
"I like it here," she said. "The weather is good, has been for the past little while, what about you?"
"Me?" he then merely shrugged. "Not sure, though are you alright, being by yourself?"
"I'm fine," she said as he then went and sat down by the tree. "Don't you have anything to eat?" she asked noticing that he had nothing on him. He merely shrugged in response. Charla then got up and handed him the other half of her sandwich. "Here, it's not much but it'll at least it's better than nothing."
Mordecai took the sandwich from her and asked. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, besides sometimes I'm not a big eater. It happens..."
"Is it because of your fainting spell?" he asked taking a bite out of it.
"A little, though it also comes from stress. Which surprised me, I didn't think I'd have much to worry here in this town." She gave a bitter smile. "Guess I was wrong..."
"Is that really a bad thing?" Mordecai asked her. "Stress is just a normal part of life, even more so for people in our age and up. Adults can be stressed but also go claiming that we kids can't understand but we can very easily."
Charla merely looked at him as she took a bite of her half of the sandwich. She remained quiet as she ate waiting to hear more from this young man. But he didn't say more.
"Even adults views can be skewed," Charla said. "Many wishing they had it easier when those who are young wish to grow up fast not knowing what might be there when they do. Before my accident people kept wondering what I'd be doing, what kind of job I'd get, who I'd marry and so on. They wanted to plan out my life but my brother shielded me from it all... and after he died it all just seemed to disappear... like I never seemed to exist."
Mordecai merely looked at her in silence; he could understand what she was getting at.
Just then Charla's cellphone buzzed in her sweater pocket. She looked at the screen, then back to Mordecai. "Sorry, I need to answer this."
He merely nodded in response as Charla got up from the bench and went over to another section of the place to answer the call. With her back turned he smiled slightly as he pushed some of his hair away from his face.
Now wouldn't be the best time to tell her the truth, he'd have to wait. Wait for a better chance to talk to her. Getting up he decided to leave to let her speak to the person in private.
YOU ARE READING
FrAcTuReD (Part One) (Completed continued in Part Two)
Mystery / ThrillerFor two years a killer had been on the loose, murdering people indiscriminately, out of worry and part fear Charla's parents send her to live with her uncle in the town of Sharlton far out away from the main city where all the murders take place. ...