Death by Charlie [discontinued]

Chapter 4

It usually takes the whole world to hate you for someone to finally realize their actions were wrong. I didn't feel that at first, especially with the drive that there was a chance I'd be Kelsey's hero and protector. I expected her to thank me for saving her from expulsion or worse, but instead she slapped me across the face leaving a handprint in my skin.

It burned, making me touch the area that I knew was going to bruise. I drove home that night reflecting on my decisions and ultimately deciding I was the douchebag. I was a bitch to my parents and a bitch to Kelsey. I was the one who got Brienna expelled because I tricked her clueless friends. I was the one who suddenly stopped caring if I was the obedient dog everyone wanted me to be. And what I loved about Kelsey was she saw something in me other than that.

You lost her. You can't get her back. The weekend came leaving me trapped inside while my parents interrogated me about why a student was expelled from school.

"A gun," I said, bored. I sat on the couch, trying to watch the playoffs when my mother stood right in front of the TV.

"And why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Why does one student getting  expelled worry you so much?"

"Charlie." My mother stared at me while I was trying to position myself so I could see the TV. "Please don't make me answer that stupid question."

"Yeah, well most of the stuff that comes out of your mouth is stupid," I mumbled. "But you don't hear me saying that."

"What has gotten into you?" My mother snapped.

"Ugh." I opened the door. "If you're not going to let me watch something then I'll go."

"Charles! Come back!" she called, coming to the door.

"How about hell no!" I yelled back. I climbed into my car, turning on the engine and backing out of the driveway before she stopped me. I may have acted like a dick at that moment, but it was worth any lecture I would be given.

I drove for an hour doing absolutely nothing trying to spend as much time outside as I could. When I finally knew I had to come home, my dad was waiting for me in the livingroom.

"Give me your keys son," my father held out his hand. I knew this was coming so I shoved it in his hand without speaking.

"And you're grounded in this house," he continued. "If you dare so much as leave this place other than school you will get worse punishment."

I didn't reply.

"I'm disappointed in you. This isn't like you at all! I don't know whether it's that Kelsey girl or whatever but I don't like it and I won't tolerate it."

"You don't know the half of it!" I felt my face heat up. "So stop saying it's Kelsey and stop controlling my life because I can't be your damn slave anymore!" Without looking at him, I ran up the stairs to my room where I slammed the door as hard as I could.

I isolated myself from them, because in my mind they weren't my parents anymore, they were complete strangers who happened to live in the same house as me.
▪   ▪   ▪
The next day was rougher than the weekend. I remember trying to talk to Kelsey multiple times, but only getting responded back once. It was fourth period science, where all the crazy shit that usually happened did during that time. Because we were assigned to lab partners the whole semester I was stuck with Haden and his big mouth. He spoke more than Kelsey did on average, so I never got why everyone nicknamed her "Big Mouth" when it really should've been him.

I kept staring at her, feeling the pain rise throughout my body.

"Come on man," Haden interrupted. "Are we gonna do this project or not?"

"Yes," I said annoyed.

"Then stop staring at Big Mouth and let's get to work."

I found that contradicting considering he had never done any projects without the other person doing all or most of the work. We weren't given any time to speak to anybody, so for an hour and a half we worked until it was lunchtime.
Me and Kelsey may have been good friends but we didn't sit next to each other because we both thought people would take it a weird way. Lunch was the only time we kept our distance, but then and there I wanted to leave my loud table and get up and sit next to her.

I was finally able to catch her when she was walking over to her table in the back.

"Kelsey wait," I came up to her. "Please just let me explain why I did what I did. I wasn't trying to hurt you, I was trying to help you so you wouldn't be expelled."

"No," Kelsey said. "You don't get it. You see, I know you gave them the idea to put a gun in the locker because we all know they wouldn't think of that. And don't put any bullshit that you slept with Brienna so she could trust you because you know damn well she was already head over heels for you. And the fact you dissed me and didn't answer my calls already gave me enough reason to not believe you."
I opened my mouth to say something, but Kelsey didn't stop.
"And even though as horrible as Brienna was, you were low enough to get her expelled. Do you know her life is probably ruined because of this? You probably didn't think of that."

"Do you know that your life could have been ruined?" I interjected. "That even though they probably wouldn't do the same idea, they wanted you out of school and they'd do anything to make that happen."

"I - I just don't know what to believe anymore, Charlie." She sighed.

"I'm better than back - stabbing you. I would never do that to you."

"No, you didn't," she agreed. "But I'd rather you back - stab me than get someone expelled from school."

"I did this because I care about you a lot. I love you." I was nervous she would slap me again after what happened last time.

"And I might just have to break your heart for that," she replied boldy. "Just like you did to Brienna."

Kelsey turned around and walked to her lunch table without making eye contact with me. I stood there like idiot, wishing more than anything that the past couple weeks had never happened.

My parents drove me home from school since they took away the keys to my Prius. I locked myself in my room where I said her name over and over again, liking how her name sounded on my lips. But I was relieved that finally all the stress from planning to hiding to lying would finally be over. I could start over with Kelsey, prove to her that I could be trusted and everything would be good again.

Little did I know I was so wrong.

Author's note: Sorry for short chapter, next one will be longer.