CHARLIE ZUKO

9 | Valedictorian?

I wake up before my alarm sounds, as there's a knock on my door.
As I groggily get up, everything that happened to Rizzo over the last few days comes flooding back. Thank god she's okay, at least physically. I think it might take a while for her emotions to fix. I practically sleepwalk over to the door and open it, leaning against the frame.
Danny's there, with messy hair and huge bags under his eyes.
"Oh you," I say, "what is it?" I tie my hair up in a bun.
"I need your help," he says, almost pleading.
"What for?"
"Sandy-"
"Oh, honey-" I say, patting his arm and moving away from the door to open my wardrobe.
"Charlie, I need her."
I sigh and roll my eyes.
"How do you want me to help you?"
"You're a girl, right? Well if you were in this situation, what would you want the guy to do?"
"Danny, you like her. She likes you. Just suck it up and get together!"
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"It's that easy?"
"It's that easy," I say, somewhat regretfully. If it was that easy, why was I not with Rodriguez? "And you're going to get a letterman sweater, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then isn't that enough? Show up to the carnival, impress her with your sweater, and that's that."
"Yeah. Yeah, okay"
I nod and go to shut my door.
"You coming to Thunder Road tomorrow?" Danny says as I push it closed.
"No. No, I'm not."
"Aw, come on."
"No, I can't."
"It'll be fun!"
"It's too complicated, I can't."
"You don't have to be with Kenickie or Rodriguez, just stay with the girls."
"Maybe, I'll think about it"
I shut the door.

As the bell goes and we begin to leave homeroom, Miss White calls me back.
"You've applied to colleges, I believe, Charlotte?"
I nod apprehensively.
"Well, you may wish to contact any that haven't given you an offer, and any that have, and tell them that there's a high chance you could be valedictorian."
"What? Me?" I'm shocked. After everything that's happened this year, I definitely didn't think I'd get this.
"Yes, Charlotte. I have to say, there's a lot of teachers at this school that really like you."
"Wow," I smile, still shocked, "thank you so, so much."
"Don't thank me Charlotte, thank yourself!"
"I'm just..."
"I know how you feel, you remind me so much of myself when I was your age."
"I do?"
"Yes," she says, "I see you with your friends and you're laughing and dancing and flirting but recently you've been less close. Don't drift apart, and hold onto these years of your life. Everything changes when you turn twenty - or at least it did for me. Now you wish and dream for independence and freedom and for your life to start, but when it does, you'll wish you were here. You'll wish you were 17 and the biggest worry in your life was your friends. Cherish this time, Charlotte. God, I wish I had. You never know what'll happen tomorrow. Now is the most important time."
I stand, slightly shocked in front of her.
"Oh my, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- you may go to your lesson now, Charlotte."
"O-okay," I stutter, slowly walking away.
And it's true, I think. I've let months slip away without Rizzo and Rodriguez and how things were before. I don't know what'll happen tomorrow, so I need to make up with everyone. As soon as possible.
I've messed up, big time.
I'll go to Thunder Road, and I'll make up with Rodriguez.
And shit, I'm going to go to college.

Words: 610
Authors note: I'm not that happy with this but I really wanted to update it! I'll try and get another part done soon...