Here To Stay

Chapter Seventeen

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- Sam <3

Zach

I clicked on the 'Enter' bar as I completed writing the last line of the report when I heard a thump on the table, followed by a groan. The sound bounced off the walls of the empty library.

"I can't do this anymore," Charlie mumbled, one hand stretched in front of her and her forehead touching the table while a few hair strands fell on the outlines. I chuckled at the girl sitting across me and put my forearms on the desk.

"Yes, you can. We're more than halfway thr-,"

"Uh uh uh," She stopped me. "You are more than halfway through, smart ass." Charlie emphasized 'you' in a mock accusatory tone, narrowing her eyes. "I've been here since morning. Yet, I am barely near touching the halfway mark." The entire day's tiredness was clear as frown lines found comfort on her forehead. She hadn't even eaten half of her breakfast when she left the Yellow Brick house at 9 in the morning.

"Let me see." Reaching over, I turned her laptop towards me to understand how I could help. Promising, but she could dig a little deeper, I thought as I scrolled. Turning the document to suggestion mode, I typed in a few corrections and added some comments that could be helpful. Meanwhile, she got up from her seat and settled next to me. Turning the laptop towards her, I said. "Try now. These sources might help you understand what to do next."

Her eyes lit up as she went through my additions. "Thanks, Zach!"

"Amazing." I grinned. "Now, it's time to get out of here. I am sure you haven't eaten much today." I gave her a pointed look as she looked down sheepishly. When Cassie, Alice, Reece and I moved in with our grandparents, Aunt Thea had recently gotten her divorce and was pushing through the days. Comprehending what was going on then, she had been skipping meals due to stress and had fallen sick a few days later. I knew the signs of an overworked person when I saw one, and Charlie had caught my eye on that.

"You've become such a mother hen in the past month for us – cooking all the meals, making sure everyone gets enough, and there hasn't been a food fight yet!"

My nose scrunched in confusion. "Food fight?"

"Oh yeah. I don't think a week went by when Cam or Lee didn't end up throwing something or the other on each other. One of the reasons we never had enough ingredients most of the time." She shook her head with a smile gracing her lips at what seemed like a fond memory.

"I haven't seen the kitchen this stocked up and the Red Brick House clean since-" she paused to think as we picked our bags and moved towards the exit. "Wow. I don't think I have ever seen that with Cam and Lee blowing things out of proportion time and again. Thanks to you, I can still remember the taste of good food." Charlie chuckled, and I joined in.

I had been cooking for as long as I could remember. With mom and dad never being around, I had been taking care of my siblings and me. Inculcated in my routine and gradually having found relaxation in the chore, I continued making at least a meal per day when we moved to Ashetown. However long that was.

"Did you not live there before Leah moved in?" I asked after a moment, needing to get away from the thoughts in my head. However, I was unsure if it was a topic to be broached. It was her sister I was asking about, after all.

The girl beside me adjusted her backpack's strap, loosened and back. "No. We moved in the Yellow Brick House eleven months back." A hint of sadness slipped in as she mumbled the last part in a way I barely caught as she continued walking without looking at me. "Although it seems like namesake."