Charley & Quinn [ON HOLD]

Chapter 3: Violent Stomachs

Photo above is Ethan Portman.

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Charley

My nose was burning with the unappetising food standing just a few feet away from me. The soggy vegetables drowned in source was the chefs special, but to me it just looked like another home-cooked meal.

I was hungry, my stomach forming waves of starvation. But we all know I hate the food here, especially Quinn, so why he didn't question me, well that was odd. I know it's not his place to worry, so I should probably stop being so paranoid before everything spills right before his eyes.

Quinn doesn't get it, he's too caught up in his own world, which isn't always such a bad thing. The thing is, I'm doing such a good job at hiding it that he doesn't even realise. But for a painful second, sometimes I wish he would realise. See that once he leaves, I'm going to be broken. Nothing will be right for me, nothing. Quinn is all I have, as cheesy as it sounds, it's true. And I'm clueless to how empty my life really will be once he realises I'm just some high school crush he had.

The thoughts makes me want to go home and never come back.

I carefully slip out of the canteen line, making sure Quinn doesn't see. I laugh to myself, he's so clueless. I could fly a plane to Africa and he wouldn't even know. He wouldn't notice my disppearance. I try so hard not to think about it, I attempt to believe that we are happy. We're always happy. But that's bullshit, and we both know it. Happines doesn't exist, at least not for me.

I can tell by his smile, Quinn's pure smile, that he's happy. He's happy, but not because of me. I'm just his annoying shadow who never leaves his side, and I bet he even thinks that himself. As much as it hurts to think of myself like that, it's the truth. The truth sucks, but it's better than one big lie.

Then tell him Charley, tell Quinn why your so down all the time.

I slap myself over the head, that thought can never cross my mind again. Never. I can hold it, all of it. It's not like it hurts, if anything it's going to save more drama. So keep it in, keep it all in your head like nothing happened. Like nothing happens.

I step out into the ghost town corridors, only hearing the whirling wind escaping from the doors at either ends. The lockers are rattling, the floors so clean you can see your reflection. Every now and then on the walls, there is graffiti of a name or two. I've thought about putting mine and Quinn's name up, but I know that'll be yet another mistake. I don't want to advertise my relationship, at least not until every perspective of it is perfect. My worst fear is one day, Quinn will see himself with someone better.

Because he deserves better.

He deserves way more than what I'm giving him. And I'm preparing myself for that day when he sees a girl in the hall way, and her sparkling blue eyes will lure him into reality. He'll catch a glimpse of her and then turn to me, only to realise what an ugly, dishonest girlfriend I am. I was.

And I know that day will hurt more than anything, more than Paul, more than every punch I've taken, more than every belt that's landed on my skin, every single hint of pain I've felt won't be as big as that. As Quinn.

I'm dragged back into reality when I see Ethan, the new-comer, sitting on the floor against the cold, metallic lockers. I'm shocked, almost guilty. He turned down my offer to sit on the ground outside of the cafeteria, by himself.

I walk slowly towards him, noticing his head is faced down at the book resting on his lap. His brown, shaggy hair is covered by a black beanie he wasn't wearing before.

"Ethan?"

No response.

"ETHAN?" I yell, the words echoing down the hall of metal lockers.

He immediately pulls out earphones that were pocketed in his ears, which must be the reason he couldn't hear me. Quickly, he tucks the page of the book, closing it. And finally, he looks rather surprised to see me here.

"Charley?"

"Ethan," I reveal a smile.

"Why aren't you in the cafeteria, with those guys?"

"Those guys?" I scoff. "Those guys are my boyfriend's friends, if that makes any sense."

"Narrowly," he admits, adjusting the beanie. It fits him like a puzzle, completing his look with a different vibe altogether. Still holding that cute dweeb look, may I add.

"Anyway, they're all a bit too rowdy for my liking, Quinn included."

He snorts, "your making them sound violent."

As if on queue, my stomach aches of hunger, releasing a rather loud yet embarrassing roar of starvation.

"Speaking of which, my stomach is getting violent. I better go," I bend down to shuffle his beanie roughly. Ethan sends me a smirk, playfully snapping my hand away and immediately adjusting the beanie yet again.

I snatch my car keys out of my pocket and continue walking down the hall to the doors of the school. God, faking a smile is turning into more of an effort each day.

Quinn

Jesus, what's taking her so long?

Between Tyler and Jims conversation about some random nude horse riding competion, l look up and glance at the canteen line. She's not there.

"Dude, seriously. No one in their right mind would go nude horseback riding. Imagine the damage to your balls! Quinn, back me up here," Tyler gives me a desperatly pathetic look, but Charley floods my mind, making it hard to think.

"Yeah, sure. Guys, I'm heading off. I'll see you later."

Staunching out of the caferteria, I make it my mission to find Charley. God, she must think that I'm oblivious to the fact that she's been acting strange lately. She must think l don't care. But l do. l care about Charley more than anything in this world, and l don't deserve her. Not at all.

Lost in my own thoughts, walking down the locker isles, l notice that kid from the caferteria, sitting alone. l actually feel sorry for him. People without friends at this school are the foundation for bullying, and that's why Charley was being so nice to him. Bloody hell, I'm a douche. Jealousy's a bitch.

"Um, hey."

Ethan pulls out one of his earphones and looks up towards me, blank faced.

"Ethan, was it?"

He subtly nods his head, looking at me as if I'm some weird, fungus inhanced hulk.

"Did you happen to see Charley come through here by anychance?"

One mention of Charleys name, and he opens his mouth, willing to talk to me for the first time.

"Uh, yeah. We we're talking earlier and she said something about her stomach being violent, and walked out those doors," he points towards the front doors of the school with his earphone looped around his finger.

"Oh, you we're talking earlier," I spit. Jesus Christ, why am I such a dickhead.

Ethan looks down, messing with the fabric on his jumper.

"Look, I'm sorry. Just, uh, thanks for the help," I walk off, not waiting for a reply. I need to try harder a being a better person. For myself. For Charley.

As I'm walking out the front doors, I reach down into my pants (not what your thinking) and grab my car keys out. I walk over to my beaten up station wagon. Hey, having wealthy parents doesn't mean I get everything on a silver platter.

I think. When Charley's hungry, she really gets hungry, and only one place can satisfy her needs. Burger King.