Getting Over Charlie Miller

Chapter Five - Blackmail Isn't Funny

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Adam removed his arm from around my shoulder, probably remembering our last encounter with my ex-boyfriend. That’s right, I reminded myself. He was my ex-boyfriend. I had nothing to feel guilty about. And yet something about seeing him stood, laughing with the guy I’d kissed just the other day made me feel uneasy. Would he be mad at me if he found out? Would he have a right to be mad? I didn’t know.

Both Aaron and Charlie were now staring at me. Looking at them next to each other, it dawned on me how similar looking they really were. The same muscular build, the same brown slightly curly hair, albeit Charlie’s was a shade lighter. In fact the only large difference was their eye-colour. Charlie’s familiar blue eyes stared into my own as I approached them. Their conversation was clearly over.

‘Hey, Lou.’ Aaron greeted me, throwing a confused glance at Charlie whose fists were clenched. ‘We were just discussing the game…’

‘Did you get any of my texts?’ Charlie interrupted abruptly. ‘At all?’

I looked at him and nodded slowly. Adam spoke up. ‘She’s had a lot on her mind.’

Aaron started looking between me and Charlie, slowly working out the situation. I could almost see the penny dropping in front of him. Charlie glared at Adam. ‘She can speak for herself.’

‘I know she can.’ Adam stated calmly. ‘But she’s my best friend and I can stand up for her.’

I shot him a grateful look. This was why he was my closest friend by far. He was never afraid to speak up for his friends, and I’d do the same for him in a heartbeat. In fact, I had done on several occasions. Ad used to get bullied after Monica and her posse ditched him, they used to make his life a living hell. I was pretty sure that I could still be friends with Monica, had I not taken Adam’s side that time when they tossed his books into the fountain in front of school. It was almost cringe worthy that my act of defiance was reporting Monica to the head, but then it was year eight. I was thirteen. What else was I going to do?

‘What exactly has she had on her mind?’ Charlie’s voice brought me back to the present.

‘Lay off her.’ Aaron unexpectedly interjected. ‘She’s confused right now.’

With that, Charlie stormed off, giving us all a dark look. Adam squeezed my arm and Aaron gave me a sympathetic glance before turning to his friends. My ex-boyfriend’s figure walked further and further into the distance, furiously marching away from me. Out of my reach. I fought the urge to chase after him. It was no good. I turned to Adam and asked him to tell Matthew of my whereabouts. Then, I set off.

***

I caught up with him just as he reached his car. He shook my hand off where it had made contact with his arm, not even bothering to turn around. Charlie reached into his black trouser pocket and unlocked his car with the key, before throwing the door open and sinking into the torn leather seat.

‘Charlie!’ I yelled, bending down to the glass window and rapping on it. ‘Talk to me!’

He paused before rolling down the window a fraction. ‘Why should I talk to you, when all you’ve done is ignore me?’

‘It’s not like that.’ I pleaded. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

Charlie sighed deeply, running his hands roughly through his hair. ‘Look Louise, one moment you’re done with me and I should stay away from you, and the next you need me. Make up your mind.’

I watched helplessly as he rolled the window back up, started the car engine and drove away from me. All around me, people continued with their journeys, walking home on the first day of the Christmas holidays. But all I could do was stand motionlessly, watching my whole life growing further and further out of my grasp. There was nothing I could do about it.