Sketched Out

Chapter 6

A week, maybe two weeks after the fight with Charlee, was the first day back to school from our Christmas break. I decided that I'd give Charlee some space and alone time, so that she can start to miss me. I still didn't exactly understand why she acted the way she did, but I did have big plans for a belated Christmas gift to her. It was strange, because I never quite shopped for gifts for people I cared about - I suppose Charlee was the first for everything.

The sky were dark and everything outside was wet, making the dead, wintery scenery even more gloomy. I drove with the top of my convertible up and closed tightly, the heat blowing through the car vents and warming me. I normally drove Charlee to school, but she didn't answer my text this morning so I assumed that she drove herself for whatever reason.

I parked in my usual parking space and peered at the Highschool, now only having months left until graduation, which made me feel all fluttery inside. After putting another layer of red lipstick on and fixing my soft red hair in my car mirror, I pulled my backpack onto my shoulder, pulled over my hood and grabbed my purse, and stepped outside. The freezing tempatures bit at my skin like hungry animals, and I could feel soft water droplets hitting the leather jacket I wore, and rolling off the material. I walked towards the school entrance, but something else caught my eye.

It was a school jock, typical party-goer and meathead, with his hair styled in a "messy" appearance, even though everyone knew that all cocky guys spent hours on their hair in the morning to make it look that way. But he wasn't what caught my eye, it was the girl leaning against is classic 1970 camaro; it was her.

Her green eyes looked much more vibrant and saturated in the storm; her hair piled into the unkempt, blonde bun that I knew too well, and she had a pink Victoria's Secret hoodie with soft yoga pants and pink flats hugging her feet. I came to know that this was her idea of a "lazy" day. She held her books while she laughed, and smiled with the schools quarterback, and he had his eyes roaming all over her.

Instantly fire crawled across my skin, and my eyes saw red. Without thinking I stormed over to where they were at, my eyes focused on the giant airhead of a guy she was with. Before saying anything to him, I looked at Charlee, steaming. "So did you drive yourself today or what?"

She blinked innocently and looked at me, green eyes soft. "Oh, no. Jack took me." she looked at the dude, and then back at me.

"Do you think you could've fucking warned me? You only ride with me every other day of the god damn year, it would've been nice to have gotten a heads up."

Jack looked amused, and Charlee looked perplexed. She looked at him, and then me, biting on her pink lip. "Oh.. Well, I thought that not replying to your text was enough warning."

Fuming, and in fear I might break her new friends neck, I promptly turned and entered the building.

My mind wasn't in any books today, nor any lesson or any kind of lecture. I didn't hear a word any teacher said, and all I could think about was Charlee and her oogling new friend. Was he going to have sex with her? Is he going to lie and tell him he loves her? Was he going to get her drunk and take advtange of her?

I didn't care! How dare she do this to me, over a one night stand when me and her were not even dating! The whole idea of it made me fume with anger. I'll don't need her. Fuck her.

"Did you hear about Jack's new girl?" a girl whispered behind me. I shifted slightly, eavesdropping on the conversation behind me.

"Oh, yeah. That girl who's new this year, right?" another girl whispered back.

"Mhmmm. This is like the third girl this month, is it not? When's he going to get tired of having so much sex?" the other girl retorted with a nasally snicker. The other girl giggled softly.

"Well, you know Jack... he'll get what he wants, then dump the hoe." the other girl replied.

"Jack is so sexy. I would be honored if he used my body!" the girl exclaimed as quietly as she could, and the two girls giggled again. I was trying not to break my pencil in my hand, but it was very hard to control the anger that I felt.

"Charlee's not even that pretty," the other girl whined. "I'm prettier than her! She has no ass." the girl said bitterly. 

Charlee had an ass. What losers.

"Right? She isn't that pretty. She doesn't deserve to be used by him, he's too good looking!" 

Before I had a chance to turn around and fight them, the teacher stopped in the middle of a lecture and cleared her throat. "Ladies in the back, please be quiet. This will be your last warning." 

The girls quieted, and mumbled something about the teacher. I calmed down a bit. They were lucky we were in a classroom and not in public. I hated them for spreading gossip about Charlee and Jack, and I hated them for insulting Charlee, when everyone knew damn well that she was the prettiest girl that went to Arcadia Lakes. 

Finally, the bell interrupted my thoughts and I gathered my things and left the school without even glancing back. I just wanted to be out of here.

As I was getting my keys from my purse, and rain still pouring, I heard someone call me name.

"Yo! Joan!"

I turned and looked at Derrick, who was running down the parking lot with a book covering his head from getting wet.

"What?"

"Didn't get a chance to talk to you in school- what's been up with you?"

"Nothing. Oh, but you can have your turn with Charlee like we talked about. I'm done with her now."

"Oh, uh. Sweet. But I think that football guy Jack wants a swing at her."

"Yeah, well."

"Anyways. There's this crazy party happening Friday night, and like everyone's going dude. Take your mind off things and come. It's at Dean Steele's mansion, in downtown."

I looked at him for a long time. I did promise Charlee I'd stop going to these crazy parties, but... I didn't care anymore. Fuck her and the promises we made eachother, it clearly didn't mean anything anymore.

"Sure," I said. "I'll come."

"Sweet! It looks like Joan Ryder is back!" he said with a laugh.

I smiled at him, sheepishly. "Guess so."

He fist bumped me and then took off towards his car. As I was getting my keys out of my purse I looked up to see Jack and Charlee.

Jack carried all of her books, setting it into his car, and then opened the door for Charlee. She slipped in his car and he closed the door, smirking, before he got in, started his engine and peeled out of the parking lot.

I turned to my car hastily, unlocked it, and put my keys in. It took me two tries to start my engine, but the old engine finally kicked and I leaned back into my beat up leather seat. I stared at all the rain drops hitting my windshield, waiting for the inside of my car to get warm. I was still seeing red. My hands balled into fists in my leather pockets, nostrils flaring while I stared. I felt wetness on my cheeks, and realized tears from my eyes were rolling faster than the rain falling from the sky.