Life's Not Fair

Chapter 16

Song for the chapter: Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran

I headed straight for my locker after class. Once I had all of my things together, I headed straight for the parking lot.

As I pushed through the doors, the cold December wind slapped my face, sending a shiver down my spine.

I glanced around the parking lot, until I spotted Lance's blue pick-up truck. Even though the bell had rang a few minutes ago, nearly everyone was already gone. The parking lot was a ghost town.

I trotted quickly over to his passengers door and jumped in. "Ahh... Heat" I said, placing my hands over the vent.

"Is someone cold?" Lance said with a chuckle. "Maybe a little" I replied.

"I take it, you want to know what your surprise is" He said reaching below his seat. "Yea" I nodded.

He holds out his hand with a small black box with a little red bow on it. "Lance... I-I..." I started to shake my head.

He laughed at my response, "Relax! It's not a ring!"

"Oh... Ha... Right" I said giving off a nervous laugh. "C'mon! Open it!" he begged, placing the box in my hands.

I carefully opened the little black box in my hands, being careful not to squish the little red bow. "Oh my god Lance! It's beautiful!.. H-how did you even..."

"It's a Christmas gift for you" He quietly responded. I looked down at the sapphire pendant in the little black box.

The sapphire was practically glowing with a smaller line of diamonds around it on a silver chain.

I practically jumped on him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "Thank you... I love it..."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, "I'm glad you do" I pulled away, smiling widely at him.

"Wait... If it was a Christmas gift, why did you give it to me now?" He sighed, "Because my family is going to Maine for winter break... To visit my grandparents"

"Oh..." the smile fell from my face, "When are you leaving?"

"Wednesday, after the last final... And we're getting back the last day of break" He said quietly, looking down.

He continued, "I would've told you sooner..."

"No... Don't feel guilty. Be with your family for the holidays" I lifted his chin as I spoke. "Thanks" he smiled back at me.

"Hey, could you clasp it for me?" I said, removing the necklace from it's box.

He jumped at my reaction "Of course!!!"

. . . . . . . . .

Later that afternoon, all of my friends wanted to get together at Paige's house to study for the chemistry final.

All of us we're spread out across her living room, surrounded by papers.

"So... Charlotte... Any guys you're into lately? You know since..." Chloe said, ending the silence.

"Well... I guess-" was all I managed to get out before Lilly cut me off. "Chloe, if you remember right, she had said a while ago that she was taking a break from guys after Danny"

Paige rolled her eyes, "My god, you guys aren't her mother. If she wants to date, let the poor girl date!"

"Really? This coming from the girl who said she needed to dump Danny, and forget about boys" Chloe said with a bit of a smirk on her face.

Paige narrowed her eyes at her, "Now you're just putting words in my mouth"

"No I'm not" Chloe's smirk widened. "Look, if Charlotte wants a boyfriend so she can go out and party, whatever! And if she wants someone to call bae, then let her!" Paige stood her ground.

Nicole, who had been silent so far, spoke up "Charlotte, you don't need a boyfriend. Go out and party by yourself. Or with us girls!. I'm up for that! If I've learned one thing, it's to stop waiting for a boy, waiting for our knight in shinning armor. I mean we spend out whole life waiting for Fridays, for parties, for plans, for boyfriends; we forget to enjoy the little things life brings us and the things that go unnoticed. Just embrace your awesomeness and stop waiting for a bae..."

The four of us glanced around at each other with straight faces. "Umm thanks Nicole" I responded.

Nicole nodded "Besides... You don't want to call someone bae anyways. In Danish it means poop".

Everyone burst into a laughter fit. I just smiled and looked back at the review guide in front of me.

I reached my hand up to my neck, and held on to that cold stone. They would never know how much he meant to me.

The rest of the girls were too busy laughing to notice the uncomfortable look on my face. "I... Think I'm gonna head home... It's getting late"

They stopped laughing and looked at me. "Charlotte... What do you mean late? It's only six" Lilly said with a bit too much sarcasm.

"My parents are probably going to be making dinner soon, so I should get home to them" I said gathering my things.

"Please... We all know that they don't get home till almost nine" Paige said rolling her eyes.

"They said they would be home early... To make me my favorite" I said standing up.

"Well enjoy your dinner then" Chloe smiled at me. "Thanks" and with that I left.

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  

I sat on my bed, my shoulders resting on my head board, holding the little black box that Lance had given me.

My friends were right. My parents weren't going to be home till late, just like always.

I held the box carefully in my hands, turning it on all of it's sides, just thinking of Lance.

I opened the box and ran my fingers arose the velvety surface. Looking carefully, I noticed something I hadn't seen before.

There was a small string in the corner of the box. I hesitated ever so slightly, then pulled the string.

The whole bottom of the box came up, and underneath it, a small sheet of paper was tucked under.

I carefully unfolded the paper, to see Lance's handwriting all over the page.

'Charlotte,

I've heard this song on the radio a few times, and every time it comes on, it reminds me of you. So, when I got this necklace for you, the lyrics just kept replaying and replaying over and over again in my head. So... Here they are...

"So I'll take you to the beach

And walk along the sand

And I'll make you a heart pendant

With a pebble held in my hand

And I'll carve it like a necklace

So the heart falls where your chest is

And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach

And it falls just where it needs to be

And rests peacefully

So you just need to breathe

To feel my heart against yours now, against yours now..."

I love you and you don't need to hurt anymore... Because I'm here... 

- Lance'

_____________________

A/N

Ahhh!!!! I absolutely love that song!!! And the note!!!

Thanks for commenting, voting, and most importantly, reading!!! Stay beautiful my friends!!!

~emmyspringer