Nothing's Fine

• 36: The Sting •

When an elastic band breaks and skin is caught by the flailing rubber, it feels fire lit across whatever part it touched. The sting, the shock, the annoyance all follows. That felt like nothing compared to getting slapped in the face by Irene.

The sting, the shock, but there wasn't any annoyance.

She hit me so hard I staggered back like I'd had some of whatever she'd been drinking. I stared at her, my mouth open in shock as I held my cheek.

It wasn't a feeling of annoyance I felt, but I couldn't place what I did feel.

Suddenly, Mason's arm pulled me behind him and Emery was yelling a string of profanities at Irene. Adam was trying desperately to restrain Emery but I felt frozen in place behind Mason.

"Who the hell do you think you are coming in here and hitting her like that?" Mason's voice boomed. Even I shrank at the sound of it.

"I was speaking with my daughter, so you can mind your damn business," Irene sneered, taking a step towards Mason. I gripped on to the back of his shirt to keep him near me, though I knew he wouldn't put a hand on her. I just wasn't sure what Irene would do.

"This is my house and she is my girlfriend so it is my business," he stated firmly.

That seemed to strike a nerve. All of a sudden, Irene started screaming at him about respect and Mason was yelling back. Emery was still shouting, and Adam was trying – and failing – to keep everyone calm.

"Everyone shut the hell up for a minute!" I heard myself yell it before I realized it came out of my mouth. Everyone froze and looked at me. "Irene, come with me. We'll deal with this outside," I said.

She followed me out through the back door onto the porch. I stood there for a moment, waiting for her to speak.

"Charlotte I –"

"Charlie," I corrected sternly. She nodded in acknowledgement and continued speaking.

"Come with me," she pleaded. I took a deep breath as I stared at her, searching her face for an inch of remorse. It didn't seem to exist.

"Goodbye," I exhaled. I walked inside, slammed the door behind me and locked it. I tried not to look at her, but I didn't miss her shocked expression as I did it. It was as if she never thought her daughter could do something so horrible.

I took a deep breath before turning around to face the audience in the kitchen.

"Sorry you all had to see that," I said before I walked over to the microwave and got the popcorn out.

"Charlie, are you okay?" Emery asked.

"Yeah, she hit you really hard there," Adam added. I could tell he was concerned but it made me uncomfortable that he witnessed my private life.

"Doesn't hurt," I lied with a shrug. My back was to them as I poured the popcorn from the bag to the bowl. "Why don't we finish the movie?" I hoped my voice sounded lighter than I felt.

"Are you sure?" Mason asked.

"If not, it's totally okay," Emery chimed in. "We don't mind leaving early."

"Let's finish the movie." It sounded a little strained, but I didn't care. I just needed to pretend that didn't just happen. I plastered a neutral expression on my face and turned around.

"Okay, movie time then I guess..." Emery nodded. She took the popcorn bowl from me then she and Adam left the kitchen.

I sighed and got a glass of water. Mason was leaning against the counter, watching as I took a sip.

"I'm fine," I said flatly.

"Charlie, you have to stop bottling everything up inside. If you're not fine we can talk about it," he said quietly.

"I. Am. Fine," I said, enunciating every word. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Alright, let's go watch the movie," Mason sighed.

We walked into the living room and sat on the couch in the same places as before. I glared at the screen the whole time, not really seeing what I was watching, despite trying extremely hard to focus on the subtitles so I didn't think.

When the movie was over, Emery and Adam left, but not before Emery checked in one more time to see how I was. She sighed the same way Mason had when the word 'fine' left my lips for the millionth time that day. She gave me a quick hug and told me to call her if I needed anything. She probably thought I'd snap or something.

I grabbed the popcorn bowl and glasses and brought them to the kitchen, while Mason folded the blankets and straightened up the living room. I turned on the tap, took one of the glasses out of the sink and began scrubbing it.

My thoughts began to wander, thinking about how embarrassing it was that Irene had just shown up here like that. My friends witnessing that felt like I'd been seen naked in front of the school. I blinked the thought away and tried to focus on the glass cup in my hand.

Somehow, it slipped out of my hand, glided across the counter and crashed to the floor, shattering. I sighed, rinsing the soap off my hands and turning off the tap. A pair of feet appeared near the shattered glass and I looked up to see Linda standing there.

"It tried to make a break for it?" she teased. I looked at the floor and back at her, biting my lips together in a feeble attempt to hold back tears that threatened to spill over. Linda stepped over the broken cup and walked toward me. I swallowed hard before I spoke.

"Yeah, it slipped," I mumbled. "I'll clean it up."

"Charlie? Did something happen?" Linda asked. I glared down at the floor, biting my lip once again. I refused to let a tear fall, terrified that if I did, they wouldn't stop.

"I just – I-I have to go," I said leaving the room hastily. I narrowly missed bumping into Mason in the hallway as I ran up the stairs.

I could hear my name being called by Linda and Mason but I ignored them and slammed my room door really hard as a 'do not disturb'. Once in my room, I turned on my stereo and blasted music to drown out my mind as I sat on the floor.

Author's Note: The slap heard around the world :o Or at least the kitchen lol! Can you believe Irene hit Charlie? Do we love a feisty Mason and Emery? What do you think will happen next? Like and comment! xo