Let's Fix This

Chapter 4

"Henry, Charlotte! I'm really sorry and I will help in any way I can. If you need anything let me know. Don't tell anyone," Skip says but then moves closer to us, probably to keep this info classified," but you two don't have to perform in the talent show if you don't want to. It's no longer a requirement however, you do need to come up with a performance of some kind and show me. You have an extra week to do so. If you need access to the theater or practice room, let me know." Skip finishes. I sigh, sort of relieved. I'd hate to perform knowing that Uncle Rosco won't be there. I nod, thankful and Henry manages to smile. They share a look before Skips walks away. What the actual fuck? That's two times where I don't know what a shared look is about. I'm not always nosy but when you're right in front of me, hellooo I'm going to want to know. We start to walk down the aisle to join the rest of the class and hang around the stage. 

"So what do you think we should do for this project?" I ask as we're walking. Henry doesn't answer and I'm gonna take that as he's thinking. We reach the stage and I jump up to sit on it. Henry stands next to me, still towering over me even though I'm sitting on the stage. I hate tall people.

"I don't really know. Can you sing?" Henry asks me. I burst out with laughter.

"Me? Sing? Boy, you funny, real funny." I say after finishing my laugh. Henry looks at me dejectedly. Wrong time Charlotte, wrong time! 

"Sorry but no, I can't sing for my life. I'm a pretty good dancer though." I say, taking this slightly more serious. It's keeping my emotions distracted so for that I'm thankful.

"Okay uh, I can play a song and you can dance to it." Henry suggests. Hmm, not bad.

"What are you going to play?" I ask. He looks at the ground and starts rubbing his foot on the floor. 

"Pnmm" He says. Okay clearly that sounds like piano but why does that bother him?

"Piano? What's so bad about that?" I ask. 

"The only reason I know how to play it is because I got punished if I didn't learn how to play. Every time I skipped a lesson or practice, it was horrible. It's the only instrument I'm allowed to bring with me and I don't have the money to buy any of the others I know how to play. I used to hate it but now it's soothing." Henry whispers. I gasp, shocked. I know my eyes are glossing, why the hell am I being so emotional?

"I'm sorry that happened to you. But if we're sharing, my mom pressured me into being a dancer. If I did something wrong, I literally did it over and over until it was performed flawlessly. I used to have blisters on my feet at the end of every practice. I didn't rest until I was perfect. I guess that's punishment too." I say, mulling over my past. I don't know how I never realized it before but Mom isn't who I thought she was. How did I not see this before? A dispirited look must have overtook my face. 

"Hey, it's okay. Our past makes us who we are now, right? You're a damn amazing person, don't mull over the past." Henry says in a light tone. I nod and rub my temple. 

"Okay, so what song do you want to dance to?" Henry asks me. I sit and think on this one, oh man. That's a good questions. 

"Come onnn, just pick something" Henry says impatiently. If this boy, ooooo!

"Am I gonna have to slap a boy?" I ask sassily. 

"How did you just change from being all low spirited to being bold and badass?" Henry asks with his face scrunched up in confusion. 

"It just kind of happens, I prefer the term sassy but badass works too." I say, feeling sort of proud. Being unpredictable is  a good thing to me, woo!

"No you won't have to slap me but just hurry up!" Henry groans out. I roll my eyes and lift my arm.

"Don't make me do it." I say, threatening him. His eyes go wide and he nods, holding his hands out in a 'chill' position. 

"Okay okay sorry, go on think." He says politely. I smile, things haven't gone my way in a while. Aw shit, why'd I have to think that? I guess that statement is true, a little too true. 

"You ever heard the song Slipped Away?" I ask. I doubt he'd know it, I don't even know I stumbled across it. I just know that now,  it's so much more meaningful to me.

"Actually yeah, don't laugh or anything but when my grandmother died I was really depressed, and that's really when my family started breaking apart. Anyways, I came across the song a year after and now I just kinda visit her grave every year and sing it to her." He mutters out and his face flushes. Aww, that is so cute. I smile and I guess Henry takes it the wrong way cause he clenches his jaw.

"I knew it, you're just like everyone else. No one takes me fucking serious at all anymore!" Henry growls out and then slams his fist on the stage, right next to my thigh. I jump, scared. Shit! Damn, guess I'll make note not to get him mad. He storms out the auditorium and luckily or maybe unluckily the bell rings. I feel bad, why do I always have to go on and mess things up? I jump off the stage and find that everyone's eyes were on me. Oh great, they all must think I'm the cause of Henry's outburst.

I dash after Henry, once I get through the doors though, it's pointless, the hallway is filled with students. Well we have every class together right? I'll see him sooner or later. I just head straight for my 6th period class, AP World History. I enter to find I'm early, I take my usual spot by the window in the 5th row. That's when I look up to see Mr.Carrus isn't there.

"Uh, excuse me Ms. Fray where is Mr. Carrus?" I ask, I rather enjoy this class. 

"You must be Charlotte," she says and smiles, which I politely give an eyebrow raise," Carrus left early. There was an emergency with his daughter." She says with a solemn look. I frown, I guess it just isn't anyone's day. Just then, the minute bell rings and the classroom floods with my classmates. Among them just happens to be Bianca, which is strange. I've never seen her in here but then again I've never seen Henry either. I just keep to myself and turn my head to look out the window. Someone is staring at me pretty hard. I'm starting to feel uneasy. I take a look around to see that Bianca is staring right at me from across the room. I raise my eyebrow to question her and she looks behind me then humphs. I don't want to look directly behind me because I know that all the nosy classmates just watched our exchange. I look back to the window but instead of looking out, I see who sits behind me. Of course, it's no other than Henry with his hood on, fist clenched on his desk and looking at his desk. 

"Alright, Mr.Carrus didn't leave behind any work so you guys are free to do whatever you like." Ms. Fray says and then chatter erupts all over. She doesn't bother taking attendance.

"Bianca's not in this class. She saw me storm out angrily and now she wants to know why but I'm not telling her." Henry mutters. He must be talking out of clenched teeth, his angry voice is kinda scary.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I smiled because it's cute that you do something like that. Most guys aren't so expressive of their sensitive side so the fact that you sing, I admired it. I wasn't mocking you." I say softly, to the window so no one knows that I'm talking to him. He looks up and meets my eye in the window. He sends a quick wink my eye, oh boy that's embarrassing. I choke on air and he covers his laugh with a cough.

"I'm sorry for blowing up on you Char, I forgive you but I'll understand if you don't forgive me." He says in a gentler tone. I smile on the inside. I stretch my arms and slyly send him a thumbs up letting him know we're cool. He must have stretched in front of himself because I feel a friendly tap on my shoulder.

"Oh sorry." He says out loud.

"That's okay." I say out loud as well. Well out loud as in at an audible tone for everyone else. 

"So babe care to explain why you were mad earlier?" Bianca's voice asks from across the room. All chatter stops.

"It was nothing, drop it." Henry replies blandly.

"You always dismiss me when I try to help you." Bianca cries out. What the hell? She was literally just fine a few seconds ago. Henry groans and plops his head on his desk. Bianca screeches exasperatedly and walks out the class. Everyone looks at Henry and then start up their chatter again. I just pat Henry's head and we sit silently for the remainder of the period.