Where is Louise Bauman? + Original, Book 1 ✔

3

"See I'm just too scared to tell you the truth,
'cause my heart it can't take anymore."

"It's half past ten, Charlotte! Where were you?" Carolyn Cooper asked as her daughter walked through the front door, barely making it past the foyer. "I was beginning to get worried, you weren't answering your phone or anything!"

"Sorry mom," Charlie looked to the older woman, who looked a lot like Charlie but slightly older. "Kiya and I got distracted, we got a lot done though."

"That's good, prepared for the rest of the week I'm guessing? You were there all night, you're usually never there that long." Carolyn looked at her daughter, observing her as she shrugged her backpack off and held it in her hands as she walked toward her.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Charlie apologized again, "Today was just an opportunity to get more done since I had a lot more work."

Of course, Charlie was lying to her mother. She hardly ever lied to her mother, but she knew that if she were honest with the woman and said the only reason she stayed so long at Kiya's house was because of the fact that Ren was there, her mother would lecture her. She didn't seem too mad about the fact she was late, and Charlie didn't want to say something wrong and ruin that, causing her to get grounded.

"Who was all there today?" Carolyn asked, beginning to pick her mess up from earlier. "Just you and Kiya?"

"No. Mikey was there also, and another person." Charlie hesitated on saying who. Her mother had no idea of her gigantic crush on Renfrow Hill, so she knew it wouldn't kill her to tell the woman, but she didn't want her mother assuming something was going on between the two because that's just how her mother was. She did that sometimes, and Charlie hated that.

Because in reality, nothing was going on between her and Ren. They were just studying together, that was it.

"Oh yeah?" Carolyn smirked at her daughter, "And who was this other person?"

"His name is Renfrow Hill." Charlie walked over, sitting next to her mom on the couch. "I don't talk to him too much."

"That's Ryan and Jennifer's son, correct?" Carolyn asked, and Charlie nodded. "He sounds like a good boy."

"He's cool, I guess." Charlie tried to hide her smile, but one look at her mother and her face began to turn red, and a giant smile appeared on her face. "Okay, he's amazing."

"Charlotte," Carolyn said sternly. "Should I be concerned with this boy?"

"No!" Charlie exclaimed, "No, I mean. He just- I mean, I have a crush, yeah. But nothing's going to happen with it."

"Why do you think that?" Carolyn frowned, watching as her daughter's smile faded into a frown herself.

"He's popular. Like the most popular guy in our school, mom." Charlie explained, "Like super-smart, too. I embarrassed myself hardcore in front of him today. He probably thinks I'm dumb."

"I highly doubt he thinks that, honey. You're overreacting." Carolyn rolled her eyes.

"No, seriously. I began daydreaming in our last block and then got asked to answer a question and I couldn't even answer it so he answered it for me. That's so embarrassing. It was probably super easy too. Then when we were at Kiya's he offered to help me study for math and science because I stupidly told him I struggle with those classes and that I'm failing those right now and that I've never failed a class before. Why would I tell the cutest guy at school that?" Charlie rambled, "I mean, mom. Girls drool all over him all the time. He could have any girl that he wants, yet he chooses to stay single for some odd reason."