Branded For Death

Charlie

    Charlie sat through the last five minutes of class the whole time his leg bounced as he was anxious to just go and start getting ready for the dance. He had his whole outfit planned from the shoes he was going to wear to how many buttons he was going to button on his shirt. This dance had been something he was looking forward to since his first day of highschool. He was snapped from his thoughts when the sudden ringing of a bell carried through his ear drums as he watched everyone start to get up indicating to him that class had ended.

    The boy slowly got up picking up his books from the desk as he heard the obnoxious laugh of the star athlete from the back corner. He saw out of the corner of his eye him and his friends just talking like what? Why just in a classroom? Like of all places? Was all that ran through Charlies head as he continued his way out of the class.

    The boy made his way to his locker where he unlocked it, sighing as he placed the books on the shelf that sat within the locker. He rubbed his eyes gently as he picked his book bag out of the locker, shoving any homework into it before he slammed his locker shut locking it before exiting the school. He helone of the straps of his book bag as only one strap was slung over his right shoulder as the other dangled behind him.

He opened a couple messages replying to them as he walked as he basically knew the way around this city like the back of his hand since he had no way of transportation, like ever. Unless you counted his sister's highschool musical scooter then he basically just had his legs. But hey at least he didn't live very far. The boy soon was in front of the apartment complex in which he lived alone with his younger sister.

    He chose not to complain about the leaky pipes, molded ceilings and other things because it's what he could afford. Living off of a 2 job budget was hard especially when both pay minimum wage. The boy shook the thought as he heard a bus approach turning and smiling as he watched the yellow bus stop in front of the complex. He watched as various children flooded out including his 8 year old sister Penny.

    He watched her smile brightly running over to grab his hand tightly. He laughed a bit as he grabbed hers tightly as well before opening the door to the complex. He had never seen his sister truly happy to come home and he knew the smile she wore was because she knew how bad the last place was.

    "So how was school?" He asked with a gentle smile as his sister grabbed his hand again pushing the button for the elevator as they awaited the elevator to approach the lobby.

    "It was so good, we had chicken nuggets for lunch and french fries!" She said excitedly as I smiled down at her. She was always pleasured by the little things in life and that's what he admired about his little sister.

    "Chicken nuggets AND fries, man your living like a queen" He said with a bright smile towards his younger sister as he heard the elevator ding as it had reached his floor. He checked to make sure nobody was in it before walking in with Penny clicking the third floor button awaiting the old elevator to approach the requested floor.

    "What did you have for lunch?" Penny asked Charlie with an innocent smile as Charlie bit his lip. He honestly never ate much peanut butter and jelly that he packed but other than that it was a very sad lunch compared to hers.

    "I had a nice sandwich" Charlie said with a smile looking down at his little sister before the elevator doors opened to the third floor allowing them to walk out towards the fourth door on the left where they paused pressing the keys into the lock turning it revealing a small apartment consisting of two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a small living room in which doubled as there dining room.

    "Homework time" Charlie said with a small smile as he clapped his hands together as he watched his little sister run over towards the coffee table putting her bookbag down, yanking out papers that she would probably finish before the babysitter showed up.

    As his sister seemed occupied with her homework Charlie fixed a small snack of cheez-itz in a bowl for her, placing it at the table for her along with a glass of water. He smiled at her before he took this opportunity to go change for the dance. He walked into the room in which he had claimed his bedroom, checking the closet and seeing his outfit that he were to throw on.

    He pulled on the button up shirt only buttoning until the top three. He pulled on the black skinny jeans that looked nice enough and a pair of black shoes that truly didn't have a brand but they also had no laces so they looked nice. He looked at himself in the small circular mirror that sat above his dresser tucking in the shirt and fixing the collar. He checked his phone for the time seeing as he truly didn't take up more than thirty minutes to get ready.

    With a quick spritz of cologne he was out of his room to check on his little sister. He watched her turn around as she nodded with an approving look on her face making him chuckle a bit. She spun her finger around indicating him to twirl to show her the full outfit.

     "You clean up nice Charles" She said with a small laugh as Charlie chuckled looking at his little sister who acted as though she was a judge on the got talent shows. Maybe letting her watch Simon Cowels was a bad move on his part.

    He heard a knock at the door of their room pulling him from where his sister sat to run and grab the door. He opened it seeing the elderly women from five B out there with a bright smile. She had been helping them out almost as a second mother to them just making sure everything was running smoothly in their lives.

    "Thank you so much again Winnie" He started as he was pulled into a hug by the lady hugging back gently before she pulled away with a gentle smile before looking past him at Peggy who seemed excited to see her.

    "I love spending time with Penny, no worries love" She said as she smiled patting Charlie on the arm walking past him towards Penny. He watched as Penny hopped up excitedly hugging Winnie with a bright smile warming his heart as he ran his fingers through his poorly styled hair.

    "I should get going, there is a pizza on the way tonight. It should be here in a bit" Charlie said as he grabbed his keys which were his way into the apartment. He waved goodbye to the two who sat at the coffee table looking over Penny's homework. Charlie got truly lucky to have a neighbor like Winnie. He sighed out slowly before making his way down the hall to the elevator and was soon enough on his way to the school where the dance would be held.