We're Not Strangers Anymore

Chapter Seventeen - Emily Intervenes

He's not here. How can he not be here? He should be better by now.
Emily and Charlie were now standing in the canteen of the academy, staring at an empty room. The bell that signified the start of a lesson, Charlie's science class in this instance, was due to go off any minute; lunchtime was practically over now, and Jamie Manley was still nowhere to be seen.
'What did you need to speak about that was so urgent, then?'
'What?' Charlie asked, completely zoned out at this point. 'Oh, I just needed to speak to him.'
'Yeah, I know that Charlie. It's just that you said it was urgent, and now I'm worried..'
He pulled a face that expressed mock panic in a cheap attempt to try and throw her off the scent.
'Yeah, I was just going to ask if he wanted to meet-'
She placed a hand on his waist.
'Charlie, stop lying to both me and yourself. Something's obviously going on.'
'And how are you so sure of that?'
He felt desperate now. Emily scoffed.
'Because I'm a girl, silly. And girls know everything, don't you ever forget that. So come on, let's just skip our next class. There's clearly something more important on the cards you hold so very close to your chest.'
Wow. Am I really that easy to read? She can't find out. She simply cannot. As soon as she finds out, she'll disappear completely. She'll leave.

Charlie laughed nervously, running everything through his mind tenfold. He supposed that it was his own personal coping mechanism, and that that was okay.
'So, where to start..'
The pair found themselves on the cold grey railings directly outside of the school gates, somewhere that wasn't entirely unfamiliar to Charlie in recent times. In a strange sort of way, it had become his "safe place", the one place he could go to hang out for a short while when things were getting on top of him (other than his own home, that is).
'I just want you to know that you can talk to me, yeah? I don't care what's weighing you down in life, you were there for me with the whole situation to do with my uncle, so I'm here for you in the exact same way.'
She took his hand.
'Alright, well, here goes.. I don't think Jamie is okay. In fact, no, I'm positive. It sort of gets more certain with each growing day.'
'What do you think's up with him?'
'I honestly don't know where to start.. I saw something a few nights ago, something in his basement. It's not normal, what's going on over there.'
'And what is going on over there, do you think? Or to ask a better question, what did you see?'
He threw his head to the floor and gripped her hand tighter, breaking into uncontrollable tears. She wrapped an arm around him as he looked deep into her eyes.
'A little boy. Left for dead.'
Emily's face immediately dropped.
'What? Charlie, if this is some kind of sick joke-'
'No, it's not a joke. I'm dead serious,' he said through eyefuls of tears. 'I'm serious.'
There was a strong sound in his voice, a sound of hopelessness. Emily knew that this wasn't just a joke - this was all very real.
'You saw a dead boy in Jamie's basement?'
'Yes,' he whispered, still crying. 'Well, he wasn't dead exactly, but he was pinned to the wall, just standing there, nails in his hands and face. It's hard to explain.'
Emily grunted and ran her hands through her windswept hair.
'Oh my God. And that's what you were trying to find Jamie?'
Charlie turned and snapped at her: 'Well I wasn't hunting him down to ask for a game of hopscotch, was I?'
The conversation fell silent for a few seconds.
'Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm just.. I don't know, I just don't. I'm speechless, but at the same time I've got about a thousand words.'
'Whatever happens,' Emily said, taking his hand again, 'I'm here for you. Alright? Don't forget that, I'm here. But you need to tell him.'
'I know I do, but he's not here. He's not in school today, and he should be. Something's not right, I'm telling you.'
Emily began to scan her surroundings. Her mind was full of the worst possible images, and now she was sure that she was seeing the same things Charlie had seen.
Finally, she responded.
'We're going over there. I'm coming with you.'
Charlie looked as scared as he had been when he had seen the boy for the very first time.
'No. I'm sorry Emily, but no. There is no way in hell that I'm letting you come over there.
She sighed, and Charlie continued to speak.
'And don't get me wrong, I plan to, I absolutely do, he's my friend. But there's no way whatsoever that I'm letting you come with me. There's clearly something deeper going on.. and I'm going to get to the bottom of it. I'm going to save my friend; it's the right thing to do.'
'Charlie, are you out of your mind? You can't go alone, it's not safe, at least it certainly doesn't sound safe.'
'Emily I don't care, alright? I really don't. I may not have known him two weeks ago but I do know him now, and the present is all that ever matters. I'm not dragging you into this, I'm just not.'
She gripped his shoulder with her fingers even tighter than before, kissing him as she did so.
'Charlie, I wanted to tell you this earlier, but.. well, I was nervous.'
'What? What is it, has something happened?'
'No-'
'Well, what is it then?'
'I.. I love you.'
In that very moment, Charlie thought that his heart was about to explode. And if his heart didn't explode within the next five seconds, well, it was certainly on the verge of an explosion.
'I love you too.'
'You're not alone, you know.'
'I know I'm not Em, you just said "I love you" first?'
'No I don't mean about loving, silly, I mean about this whole situation over at Jamie's. I'm here with you, and you're not on your own with it all. I'm here for you, is what I mean.'
'Oh, well thank you. I think I might need your help after all..'
'And that's fine. Because as I said, Charlie.. we're in this together.'
Emily smiled at him and Charlie reluctantly smiled back.
Yeah, and God help me if we're not.