Settle Down // Irwin

27

Math class has went really down hill. Jade finds it so hard to concentrate because Charlie and Michael are always bickering and arguing. She started to listen to music whilst she works but that also makes it difficult to concentrate because she is so wrapped up in the songs to actually care what was happening. Jade has realized that not only is she tutoring Ashton she is also revising stuff she should already know to pass this year but is finding it so difficult.

"Forty-two." Michael says bluntly to Jade whilst tapping his pen on the table.

"What?" Jade whispers back.

"What was your answer for forty-two?" Michael rolls his eyes and leans back in his chair like he was done with the work.

"Oh... um..." Jade says unsurely. She knew Michael could be a dick but he had never been that rude to Jade before. She had seen him speak to Calum that way at time, but even then that was more patronizing.

"Don't tell him." Charlie hisses across that table to Jade.

"What?" Jade's eyes now snap to Charlie.

"Don't tell him." Charlie glares at both Michael and Jade.

"Don't tell her what to do." Michael quickly snaps at Charlie, still keeping his voice down.

"Don't be so rude to her." Charlie argued back, both of them speaking like Jade wasn't there. She felt a bit like a kid in the middle of a divorce.

"I wasn't even talking to you." Michael makes a face at Charlie, clearly showing annoyance.

"I don't care." Charlie's voice grows a little louder so the people at the tables on either side of Jade's can hear. "You still don't have to be rude."

"Says you," Michael scoffs. "The person who always shows up at my house on Friday nights and trashes the place."

Charlie's eyes quickly rush to Jade and she looks worriedly at her. Jade feels like Michael has just revealed something about Charlie she doesn't want anyone to know. But Jade already guessed it. She thinks back to the time she went to Calum's house and his room was a tip and his explanation was Charlie. It doesn't surprise Jade that she does the same to Michael.

"I don't do that anymore." Charlie says quickly looking away from Michael.

"Yeah," Michael laughs loudly. "So who is it now? Is it Luke?"

"Stop it." Charlie says still not looking at Michael. Jade can feel Charlie getting madder.

"Do you go to Luke now? Since you two are so close. Do you show up at his house? The mess you are always in?"

"Michael." Charlie looks at Jade quickly, tears forming in her eyes. "Stop."

"You're either drunk or drugged up?" Jade can hear the hatred and disgust in Michael voice. This is not a conversation Jade should be a a part of. She knows half the class can probably hear it as well, Michael is so loud. "You just expect to be let in?"

"Michael," Charlie warns again. "Enough." She blinks away the tears and stares at him.

"You're crying so you think that will make people feel sorry for you." Michael spits at her. "You think I will feel sorry for you."

"Michael, please." Charlie begs. Her face is going red, either out of anger or embarrassment. Jade doesn't think Michael can see it.

"You are a mess Charlie. You expect others to clean you up." Michael shakes her head at her. Jade should say something. She feels like she should say something. Charlie doesn't deserve something like this. Not publicly anyway.