WHERE ARE YOU CHARLIE?

NOW - CHAPTER 3

What is love? I wondered the day after as I slowly made my way to the lunch room. As promised, Cole was walking next to me, and he was currently discussing some football play with Sam.

The two of them hadn't mentioned the incident of the night before, which I was grateful for. I'd spent a peaceful night after my chat with Mrs. Fields and so far, the day hadn't been too bad.

Except that I was still stuck on the love question.

An old memory had resurfaced before I drifted off to sleep but Charlie had starred in it, and Jim was mentioned so it was a big NO.

A hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Zoe?" Cole's deep voice would need some time getting used to. I raised an eyebrow questioningly. "This is Jenny Heiden, Sam's girl."

"Hi, Zoe." She said uneasily.

"Nice to meet you." I answered, ignoring the usual reaction I got from most popular girls.

"So you're with Cole..." Her furrowed eyebrows betrayed her disapproval.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one to notice.

"What the hell, Jen?!" Sam exclaimed while Cole's answer was to take my hand.

I was holding hands with a boy. Me!?

Zoe! I chided myself, the two of you are only pretending, remember?!

I instantly tried to let go of his hand but he tightened his grip.

"I guess I'm being rude." The pretty brunette said. "I'm sorry, Zoe." She added for good measure. "It's just that so many girls are after Cole..." She paused, probably unsure on how to finish her sentence without being rude again. Knowing that it was nearly impossible, I tilted my head and arched an eyebrow daring her to succeed without losing any more points with Sam.

"I didn't know you were one of them..." She finally muttered her awkwardly.

"You bet I was." I interjected with a purposefully vulgar voice. "I've been lusting after this fine piece of ass for as long as I can remember..." I slapped his bum playfully, earning a genuine smile, the first one, and well, let's just say that I had trouble looking away from his dark green eyes when he was flashing his cute dimples at me.

Jenny didn't even try to mask her disapproving look from then on.

"I see..." She said with her nose crinkled. "And mind telling me how you managed to get his attention?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it?" I went on with my charade. "I simply showed him what I had to offer..."

"Obviously! I wasn't expecting any less from a girl like you!" She stated pompously, finally showing her true colors. Sam however, seemed flabbergasted. "What I want to know is how you managed to keep him for more than one day?!"

I sighed, fed up with this little game.

"Why? You're interested?" I asked her with my normal voice.

"Don't be silly!" She exclaimed, her cheeks flustered.

"Girls like me are usually pretty silly, you know!" I shot back sarcastically. "I'll wait for you guys in the lunch room." I added before hurrying away from them.

I wasn't expecting any less from a girl like you! What a bitch!

You did provoke her, though. I did, yeah, but I couldn't stand the way she was looking at me, like it was a disgrace for her to have to tolerate my presence.

Like I didn't belong.

She was right, though.

I didn't belong with the likes of Sam and Cole.