Out of My League

{12} Goodbye

Lemon's POV

998 Mississippi... 999 Mississippi....1000 Mississippi. That's it, I was going in. I'd been fighting off the urge to go in with her for over 15 minutes, but I just couldn't stand it anymore. Running up the stairs to the 6th floor, I wondered why bad things always happened to the best people. Getting to know Charlotte better over the past week had made me realize that. She didn't deserve any of this.

I quietly opened the door to the hospital waiting room. There she was. Her brother was on her lap, though her father was nowhere to be seen. Looking at her at that moment, I suddenly wanted to cry. Her eyes, usually bright and playful, just looked... dead. Her shoulders were slumped, and she was looking straight ahead at nothing. At first I could tell she hadn't seen me, but when she finally did, her empty expression transformed into something else: anguish. I was instantly taken aback. Was I bringing her more pain? I slowly approached her, realizing Will was asleep. 

"Lemon," she said quietly.

"Hey. Do you need a ride back? I can give you one," I offered.

She looked down at Will in her lap. "Actually I think I'm going to stay with Will and my dad tonight."

"Is everything okay?" I blurted out. "I mean, did the results get back? You look really-"

"Everything's fine," she said quickly, her voice unnaturally high-pitched. Except I knew that everything wasn't fine. In fact, I was 100% sure it wasn't. But at that moment I felt completely useless. For the thousandth time in my life, I was at a loss for words. I hated being so utterly incapable. Instead, I just stood there in silence.

Charlotte finally gave me a vacant look. "Go home Lemon," she insisted. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," I replied stupidly. Walking out the door of the hospital waiting room, I could feel my entire body telling me to go back. But I fought against it like the coward I was. 

I was the worst girlfriend in the world.

...

She wasn't at school the next day. 

Cathy approached me during chemistry. "Is everything okay?" she asked with worry. "Where's Charlotte?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

"I won't pry, but when you guys left the drive-in it seemed pretty serious," she stated.

"I think it was, but she just pushed me away," I said sadly. "I don't know what to do now. She won't answer any of my texts."

"Listen. This is what you're going to do," Cathy stated with resolve. "You're going to skip the rest of chemistry, you're going to go to Charlotte's house, and you're going to find out what the hell is wrong," she continued. " Because you love her, and something's obviously off."

I nodded, feeling a surge of confidence sweep over me. I was going to help her no matter how many times she pushed me away. I stood up quickly, gathering my stuff and making my way to the door.

Of course I caught Mrs. Beasley's attention in the process. "Where do you think you're going Hatfield?" she demanded.

I had to leave now. I knew it, and for the first time in my life I knew exactly what to say. "Charlotte's in trouble," I stated. Realization crossed the teacher's face.

"Go," she whispered to me, as I opened the classroom door. "Hurry."

I bolted down the hallway passed open classrooms and teachers' offices. I didn't care about the confused glances from students and faculty members as I ran by. It didn't really matter to me now.