Sugar Boo

45

Charlie had me spend the last twenty minutes watching a live stream of Elle's birthday party from his phone. The event had been loud and lively with dance and music, everyone chatting and laughing up to the point those noises could be heard clearly from the room we were in.

In the live Elle sported a different curve-hugging dress, taking the podium to welcome the crowd and acknowledging her special guests which were a group of highly adored influencers.

The school's 'it' girl was surely keen to outperform her last year's party by aiming for better social media engagement with influential attendees and a multitude of outfit changes.

I wished I had just gone home instead of hiding in the room of the place where the actual party happened. Yet, I couldn't bear to abandon Charlie. Not after all the kindness he had shown me. He took his time to calm me when I was a nervous wreck and got himself into trouble because of it.

I couldn't pinpoint Ethan in the stream causing my worry and anxiety to intensify. Charlie wouldn't like it if he knew that a certain football player's whereabouts were the only thing keeping me interested in watching.

"Shouldn't you be up there with Elle?" I asked him, dragging his eyes from the small screen to me.

Charlie laughed as he positioned himself properly on his side of the sofa. "Trying to get rid of me already?"

"You know that's not true," I denied in a low tone, "I think she would like one of her best friends on the terrace with her."

"I'm not leaving you to feel blown off," he assured me. "Elle's surrounded by people who worship her. She's fine."

I gave Charlie a thankful smile. His persistence to spend and maximize his time with me made my heart to do a gymnastics routine.

"Thank you for sticking despite how much of an emotional wreck I've been. And I'm sorry about what Ethan did," I said.

Placing his phone down on his chest, Charlie smiled at me with complacency. "Don't worry about it."

"I just didn't expect he would do something like that again," I told him.

His acquisition of the team captain and the QB title on his shoulders had made Ethan feel the necessity to stay out of trouble. Anybody who did not know him a year ago might not believe he was a belligerent.

Back in his brawling days, Ethan would engage in every fight he could get into -- not that he ever instigated one. He was solely there to back his friends up in their feuds.

Charlie wedged his head in his palm to look at me. "I remembered when people in school used to be scared of him and Kaleb," he recalled.

I copied his move. "They're still scared of Kaleb even now. Ethan on the other hand... they're more like healthily fearful? And they also respect him. If that makes sense."

"Yep, you're right," Charlie agreed. "Respect or not, I'm still scared of him."

"Again, I'm sorry. Ethan doesn't usually act like that," I told him, not sure if I was trying to convince myself or Charlie.

"He does it 'cause he's hurt," he asserted.

As the reason for his distress, I was very much aware of that. From questionable choices to upsetting behaviors, the night had been an emotional rollercoaster that showed no signs of improvement for me and Ethan, and to make things worse, he had too much to drink.

"Ethan's cooled down now I think," I told Charlie. There was a slight eye roll but he was quick to appear softer again.

"Okay, I'll come with you," he said, picking himself up from the sofa with a wince before stumbling over to me.