Picking Up The Pieces {Shawn Mendes}

Chapter 3: Headaches Lead To Downfalls

WORD COUNT: 2164

>> CHARLIE'S POV <<

The sound of Styrofoam hitting the floor stopped everyone's conversation, all of us turning our head to see what was going on.

My eyes trailed from the box up to the boy's eyes from earlier. He was staring right at me. I felt my breath hitch as he looked my body over.

"Charlotte?" I cringed, suddenly feeling self conscious sitting here. I felt everyone's gaze train on me, causing me to collapse my shoulders ever farther. I really wish I could disappear right now.

Lloyd slowly crept from behind the counter, standing behind the boy. I felt movement across the room. Jackson who had came in here with Shawn in the first place, grabbed his arm. "There's some things we need to talk about, now I guess."

Shawn's eyes slowly looked at Jackson, and his shoulders slumped. He made eye contact with me once again. "What happened to you." I watched Jackson's grip tighten as he pulled Shawn towards the door, shock preventing Shawn from doing so himself.

As the door to the restaurant closed, I felt tension build up between everyone here. Charlotte. He remembered me.

Lloyd silently picked up the box of the ground, looking at me as we stood back up. He held a pained expression as he turned around, discarding the box behind the counter and making his way back into the kitchen.

"Charlie?" Rebecca held a hand out, stopping just short of touching me. My body shuddered, hearing Shawn's words in my head again. "What happened to you." Scott's arm wrapped around me, attempting to comfort me, but really, it felt like I was being smothered.

"You okay Char?" Miles addressed me, but it only caused anxiety to build up in me. I shook myself loose of Scott's grip, speaking for the first time in a while.

"I need to go." My voice cracked at the end and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "I'll give you a rid-," Scott stood up, letting me out, but I cut him off before he could finish.

"No, don't do that. Just eat." He opened his mouth to respond, but I started walking away before he could.

I flung the door opened, stopping just outside. I looked at the car whose headlights we on, seeing Shawn and Jackson's eyes trained on me. A tear slipped from my eye, causing me to turn and take of down the street running full speed.

I didn't stop until I got home, jerking the door to my house open and running inside. The door slammed behind me as I made my was to my room, tears had spilled down my face, causing mascara to stain my cheek.

I desperately tried to wipe them away, only making my makeup smudge more.

Why did he have to come home? Why did he have to eat there? I looked towards the mirror, disgust filling my thoughts. I pull Scott's flannel off, looking at myself.

My collarbones protruded from my body, making my neck look sunk in. My arms looked small and frail in front of me, and I knew if I were to lift my shirt up, some of my ribs and hip bones would be showing.

I collapsed to the floor, sobs escaped my lips, filling the empty house up.

I stayed that way forever, until my tears dried up. I slowly pushed myself off the floor, feeling lightheaded as I gained my balance. I pulled the drawer to my nightstand open, and dug through it, looking for a picture.

My finger's finally found it, and I felt the tears coming back to my eyes. Homecoming 2013, Slowly I turned the picture over, seeing Shawn and I wrapped up in the pose.