FrAcTuReD (Part One) (Completed continued in Part Two)

Chapter. 20

Alex glanced to the empty desk beside her with a look of concern. After what happened with Roza and the small fire Charla looked almost like a living doll, emotionless and unresponsive to anyone and everyone around her.

"Don't..." Charla told her when Alex tried to get close. "Don't get close to me... I don't want to taint you with how I am now. Just... just leave me alone... please Alex... leave me be."

When Alex saw just of devoid of life Charla's eyes were she knew that trying to get close would do no good. After all, Alex had something similar happen to her when her mother died, but instead of becoming emotionally dead, she became enraged, fighting anyone who would so much even looked at her funny.

"Alex," Jason tapped her shoulder to get her attention. Classes had just ended for the day but she didn't really want to move, she just suddenly felt too tired. She looked over her shoulder to him and he said. "I think there's someone who wants to talk to you."

She followed his line of sight to see Sam waving her over to the door.

"What is it?" she asked Sam when reaching the door.

"I heard Charla was taken home not too long ago by her uncle." Sam said. "I... don't think she'll be at school tomorrow ether after what happened to her today."

"Not like you can blame her for that," Alex said as she ran a hand through her hair. "This really did become a big mess... what the hell."

"Yeah, well we were thinking of maybe skipping early tomorrow just to check up on her you know? Besides, even though she won't want people with her I think we'll have to at least see she's okay."

"We?" Sam then stepped aside to reveal Sarah standing behind her looking slightly worried as she offered a slight wave to Alex.

"Hi again... um, thank you for helping me from before and I'm really sorry about what happened too."

Alex frowned. "What do you mean?"

"With the potted plant, and then again with..." she trailed off and glanced away. "I feel like if I hadn't been there, if I just decided to go with you instead of watering those plants then maybe... this wouldn't have happened."

"You couldn't have known that," Alex told her. "None of us could have known it, and there's nothing we can really do about it now though..."

"I know, but I still can't help but feel bad about it though..." Sarah said softly, Alex merely looked at her then glanced at the two guys before saying. "Hey, my friends and I were actually going to be heading out. And I was thinking about heading to the bookstore and maybe getting Charla something that might help her or something, do you both want to come with?"

"Really? are you sure?"

Alex merely shrugged at the first year. "I don't see why not."

"Yeah... but before that," Sam said getting her attention. "I need to head to the bathroom; can you come with me Alex?"

Alex just looked confused. "Huh? Why?"

"Just come on," she persisted, Alex merely shrugged again.

"Okay fine, but this better not be some ploy to get me to join the sports team or some crap like that." she then called out to her friends in class. "Jason, Will, I'm heading to the bathroom, wait with Sarah at the front of the school okay? We'll meet you there."