Pictures Worth a Thousand Words

Chapter Eighteen

The line at Kmart was long. All I wanted to do was print some photos and get a few things to create some collages. I had finally gotten some time to myself after my disappearing act and I was using it stuck in line at the checkout.

Valedictory is tomorrow so we all decided the last photo hunt was our final one. After valedictory everyone would be going the own way, following their own paths. So as a way for all of us to remember our last year together, including the ups and downs, I took it upon myself to get five poster boards to creating a photo mash of all the good ones we took during our photo hunts. I got an album for myself so I can keep every single photo.

I finally make it out the store and am heading to the bus stop to get home when I hear my name being called.

"Charlie!" Kenzie beams at me with a reluctant Sky trailing behind her.

"Ah, hi girls." I give them a small smile. All I wanted to do was go home and make these collages up.

"We were just shopping for dresses for tomorrow since Sky avoided it for so long and then everything else happened." She looks down to her feet, I know she still feels bad about not telling me about Lucas. A part of me still kind of feels betrayed, but she was trying to get him to tell me so I have forgiven her.

"Char, please save me from this torture." Sky grumbles.

"I was just going to wear something I already own." I say with a shrug. Kenzie gasps and then looks as if I just told her that brown is the new black.

"Oh gosh no Char!" She grabs my arm and drags me away from the exit, back into the hustle and bustle of the shopping centre.

"At least I am not alone anymore." Sky whispers to me.

It took Kenzie over an hour to be satisfied with what Skylar and I were going to wear. We made plans to meet at mine the next day to get ready together. Needless to say, Sky and I were both dreading it, knowing Kenzie she would make us to the works of primping.

I shuddered as I walked into my room just by the thought of what Kenzie had planned tomorrow. I sat my supplies on my desk and tried to organise them as best I could. A few hours later when I heard a knock at the front door what I thought was OCD organised was actually more of organised chaos.

I answered the door to see Isaac standing there.

"You haven't been replying to my texts, I just wanted to see if you were okay." He states before I could even say anything.

I step away from the door, gesturing for him to come in. We made our way to my room and I stop short when I realise I have photos scattered everywhere.

"Char? What's all this?"

"I, ah, just wanted to do something for us all so we can remember this last year together. Even if we aren't in each others lives anymore." I bring my hand up to my mouth and start picking at my lip, a nervous habit.

"That's awesome! It would be great to have something to look back on and remember." I hum a response and sit back at my desk.

"Have you seen Miss Pat yet?"

I shake my head.

"No, I am going to see her later this afternoon though." I begin backing up my crafting mess to get back to them later. "At least I can give her an answer."

He chuckles and sits on the edge of my bed.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Suddenly he looks at me and I have to look away.

It's a stupid reason really. After I spent the night at his place and I woke up in his arms, the conversation with Carter that I overheard just kept playing in my mind. I didn't know how I felt anymore. I had just gotten my heart broken by Lucas. I liked Isaac, I really did. I just didn't know if it was the right time to be with someone new.

"I just, needed time to figure things out."

He tilts his head to the side, brow slightly furrowed.

"Figure what out? I thought you had decided on a bachelor of arts for after year 12 and had cut ties with Lucas."

"I have, I did. But something else came up that I needed to process."

Isaac stands up and walks over to me at my desk, he grabs my hand and pulls it away from my lip I was still picking.

"What happened?"

I shouldn't tell him. I wasn't even supposed to hear it, yet I knew if I didn't it would keep eating me up inside.

"I heard what you said to Carter after the Grand Final."

"What I said to Car-" He stops, eyes going wide and he drops my hand and takes a step back. "Charlie, I, ah."

"Isaac it's fine, I know I wasn't meant to hear it. I kind of appreciate that you wanted to put my feelings first before your own."

He rubs the back of his neck and falls back onto the edge of the bed.

"I, I'm sorry Charlie. If I had of known," he trails off and runs and hand through his hair. "I mean it though. I know everything has just sort of happened all at once and I want to be there for you. In whatever way you need me to be."

I walk over to him, sitting next to him on the bed. I reach for his hand and intertwine our fingers.

"I do like you Zac." He looks up, locking eyes with me. "It's just not the right time, I would feel bad starting something new with you when I am still getting over Lucas."

He brings our joined hands up to his lips and kisses the top of mine. I lean forward and meet him halfway. Our lips connect for the briefest of moments and I rest my forehead against his.

"I understand. Just remember I am here for you, always." He lets go of my hand and gets up.

"Mind coming with me to see Miss Pat?"

He nods and we make our way to the school. The walk there is slightly awkward. It's my fault, I mean why would I admit my feelings, tell him I can't be with him and still kiss him? And then on top of that ask him to come with me to the school as if nothing happened?

My hand goes back to pick at my lip. But Isaac bumps me and smiles. I smile back and am glad that even though I didn't want to be with him, yet, he is still here for me.

I walk into Miss Pat's office alone while Isaac waits outside.

"Miss Ashvile-Jones. Have you decided what you plan to do with your life after high school?" Miss Pat asks.

I take a deep breath and nod my head.

'No turning back now.'

************

Authors Note

And that's it. This story is over. Thank you for putting up with my frustrations of this story, I know my cousin and other close Wattpad friends will be happy to know I won't be complaining/ asking for help about this anymore.

I hope you enjoyed it! 

Keep an eye out for updates on my other story Surviving The Dark which I am rewriting. I stopped updating while I concentrated on this story so I will be focusing back on that in the coming days.

Cassandy :)