Just in Fifteen Days

10. It Was Charlotte

Did you see this beauty? Oh, goodness, how do they do that?

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Natalie's POV

"Where is Char? And where the heck is my phone!" I stomped my foot in front of Steve, who was leaning on his bike with his arms flexed giving quite a view to the half-naked girls fluttering around him like some evil butterflies.

Steve looked around when he steadied his gaze at some direction. He craned his neck up, raising his feet by mere inches and tiredly sighed, relaxing his feet back.

"What happened?" I said as I tried to get a look when I saw Char looking like she was aimlessly walking with her eyes glued to her phone.

Wait. It was my phone. God! What was she up to? I wondered.

"Char, you gonna get yourself hit someday!" Steve reprimanded as he snatched the phone from her hand taking her aback.

She rolled her eyes even when she knew that Steve should be listened to. No sooner did she open her mouth to say something in defence than I held my hand up as a red signal.

"Can you please provide me with all the great messages that you have exchanged with Ashton?" I asked as I kept an overly calmed look on my face and put up an exaggerated smile with my eyelashes batting a little too fast.

Her lips broke into the most childish grin of the century and retreated her steps towards her car.

"Let's go to Starbucks. I have so much to tell!" She probably danced internally as she gestured Steve to get on his bike.

"I swear I would kill you if you have embarrassed me any more in front of him," I whispered as she feigned panic and chortled seeing the unease written on every feature of my face.

***

I failed miserably to take my phone back from her after pleasing her for like hundred times. I was not even kidding.

Char could be such a pain in ass! I sighed internally.

"Could you please open that mouth of yours and tell me what you finally want me to do?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her crossed-leg self, sipping up her Macchiato.

Char looked absolutely like a model whenever she positioned herself like that. She looked no less than beautiful even in a simple white tank top. Her hair were always set in the perfect style that suited her face. And honestly, everything suited Charlotte Warner!

I noticed Steve staring at Char more than usual, today. And now we know why.

"Look! Promise to agree to whatever I say," Char said with an uncomfortable demeanour, while Steve's gaze changed into an assessing one.

"No, she won't. Tell us what you talked to him about?" Steve knitted his brows as he put his arm around my neck like some best buddies do. He was, of course!

She rolled her eyes at Steve and held my hands lightly. Steve and I had our eyes fixed on Char's.

"Ashton has asked us to hangout with him. He has called us for his boxing match today in some fight club. And I said yes!" Char said a little too fast and ignored her witty boyfriend's eyes as much as she could.

I slumped back on the chair as I slapped my head and huffed. It wasn't like I wasn't excited. Internally, I was dancing and wanted to pat Char's back but I was nervous and way too more conscious of my appearance than usual. After all, he was one of the hottest guys I had ever laid my eyes on.

Looks hadn't really mattered to me anytime. It was just that, I had seen people bullying other girls only because they wore big glasses, never showed skin, always had their hair badly tied up, and not so good at their choice of clothes. Students here laughed and made fun of those who hadn't lost their virginity yet. I hadn't understood what did they laugh on? Was it because they chose to make their own choice? Or was it because they didn't give in for some stupid, immature flings?

I had realised, not all, but some were illogical in most of the things, along with being popular, and the others, they just followed them because they wanted to be on their good side, because they feared them.

The arguments going on between Steve and Char brought me back to the present situation. As usual, I had to be the one to stop them.

"Guys, stop it. You ain't looking like any civilised citizens, arguing like that in the middle of Starbucks," I upbraided the apparent kids sitting in front of me.

"She was the one who asked to hangout. It sounds desperate, Char!" Steve said as he looked between Char and I.

"You didn't!" I popped my eyes out at what Steve just said. Anyway, the look on her face gave away the answer to my astonished words.

I covered my face with my palms contemplating what Ashton would have thought about me, while Steve sarcastically applauded with slow claps.

"Nat! Don't act like you didn't want this, okay!" Char whispered as she leaned closer and I could sense her smirk.

Ugh! Why did she know every damn thing every time? I smiled a little underneath my palms as I felt myself blushing. What?

I heard Steve giggling as he high-fived Char. I didn't understand what he found funny in my reaction.

"So, we are going, right? And by what time do we have to reach?" Steve asked Char as she slipped her fingers inside her jeans pocket to remove her phone.

"Hey, wait. This is an illegal fighting club. I have heard about this. I don't think it would be a good idea to be there. Not at least for you two." Steve sounded serious, and I contemplated arguing with him over this.

"Oh, come on. You'll be there with us. Don't be a dad, okay. We're going. And you have to say yes." Char spoke as she shook Steve's hand like a kid.

Poor, innocent Steve had to give in. But, he did warn us and I was genuinely getting the vibes that he wasn't wrong anywhere. I had heard about them from many of the school's 'bad boys'. I just hoped that we won't regret our decision later. I didn't want silent treatment from Steve.

We made haste as we paid the bill when Char informed us that we had to reach the club by five and it was already four. I surely didn't want to cast a bad impression on Ashton, at least now, after uncomfortably bumping into him and acting like a maniac and after giving him the feeling of being a creep by Char.

As we three jumped into Char's car, I, sitting on the back seat as usual, secretly took a look into my phone, into the chat window of mine and Ashton's, specifically. My cheeks burned as soon as I saw a heart sent by Ashton, and probably smiled involuntarily as I heard Steve cough and Char chortle glancing me through the rearview mirror of the car.

Ashton was hot, hands down, and he surely would be having girls drooling over him. I was nervous. No! That was an understatement. And, no! I was just fantasizing over him. I didn't like him, not yet. And what if he already had a girlfriend? Not that it really would affect me.

It would, liar.

Yeah, maybe. I just waited to let the things unfold all by themselves and just enjoy my scenes without adding anything on my own. I was a mindless actor in the play written by my Karma.

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