Strings

My (Sort Of) Disaster Family

“Hey, Charlotte.” Sam says, Sam’s my step-dad, has been since I was ten. We aren’t exactly close, I’m not sure how many people are close to their step-parents, though. It’s not like we hate each other or anything, we just aren’t close, things are a little awkward. But he doesn’t try to replace my dad which is nice. Not that I really have a dad for him to replace.
My parents split when I was seven, my mom got custody of me, and a few years later she married Sam. My dad hasn’t remarried. Yet. He has a fiancee though (they do have a string), I actually like her a lot. She’s an artist, she does pottery. She’s got a studio downtown and teaches at a rec-center. But my dad and I aren’t all the close.
And yet, I’m going to be a bridesmaid at the wedding. Now had it been my dad’s idea I might be happier, I mean I probably would’ve said no if he had been the one to ask, but it would at least make it seem like he might care even a little bit about me. But no, the fiancee, Riley asked, so I said yes.
I’m about ninety-five percent sure that the world hates me. Like hey, as if your life wont be hard enough, what with the divorce, the remarrying, the awkward conversations at the dinner table between you and your actual dad, and the whole falling for your best friend thing, have strings that tell you if you’re meant to be! Oh yeah, and that’ll make the the whole falling for the best friend thing even more fun!
Thanks universe, message received. I hate you too.
“Hey.” I say back.
I head up to my room and through my backpack onto my bed. I sit down at my desk and open my laptop. I’ve got a message, yay me.
Hey Charlotte, do you go by Charlie?
No.
Oh well I guess it doesn’t really matter.
Actually it kinda does.
Anyways, it’s Liam, I was kinda wondering if maybe you wanted to go to the Halloween dance together? That is if you aren’t already going with someone else, uh but yeah, respond when you get the chance.
I sigh. Liam isn’t a bad guy, quite the opposite really, he’s incredibly nice. But I was kinda hoping to be dateless this dance, but I don’t want to say no, it just seems kinda rude, I don’t exactly know why. Sometimes I wish I could tell people they have soul mates, it would make life incredibly easier. For instance, Liam has a string connecting him to Ruby. Now if I were to tell them I know for a fact that they’re soul mates I run the risk of people considering me insane, and being locked up in a mental hospital. See the issue? Because it is a giant, staring me in the face each day, elephant sized, issue.
Sure, I’d love to go with you :) I type back, I know we’re not soul mates so we probably wont hit it off or anything. Chances are we’ll go out, dance to a few songs, and will have a decent time, then continue on with our lives in awkward sidewalk-tangos in the school halls..
There’s a beep and I open the IM I have with Ruby.
Mile’s just broke up with me!
Oh I’m sorry, Ruby! I reply, not surprised at all.
Can we go to the dance together? You, me, and Leo? I don’t want him to see me there alone. Ruby says.
Leo’s going with Cadence Thompson. I reply.
Oh, are you okay? Ruby asks.
I may not have told her about the strings but she is the only person I have ever told about my crush on Leo.
Yeah, I’m fine. Are you? I’ll go to the dance with you, though. I say.
Thanks! You’re a lifesaver! And try not to worry, Cadence Thompson is Leo’s type. Ruby says.
I wasn’t aware that Leo had a type. I say.
I’m trying to comfort you, stupid. Ruby types back.
I know, I know. :) I reply.
Well I gotta go, thanks for agreeing to go to the dance with me. And remember, you and Leo are meant to be, Cadence Thompson doesn’t stand a chance against you, you two are soul mates.
I know Ruby’s just trying to comfort me but those words sting like salt in an open wound. ‘Meant to be’ ‘soul mates’ ‘with Leo’. I wish.