Sincerely, Charli Day

Chapter 8

My phone buzzes for the fifth time in a row, finally drawing me away from the lunch I'm prepping for Leo.

I wipe my hands against my pj pants, picking up my phone. It's too early for it to be blowing up like this. I groan as I see Caden's name appear on my screen.

It's been five days since we were assigned the project, and three days since I was forced to give him my number. He had DMed me twelve times that night before I finally picked up the phone, then another twenty before I gave him my number. He promised he would shut up if I did.

Obviously, by my mistake, I was wrong.

My finger hovers over his name as my phone begins to ring. Letting out a frustrated growl, I pick it up.

"Hello?" I chime through gritted teeth.

"Hey, Sugar. How are you?" He asks, politely. Wonder where his manners have been all along.

"Lovely."

"Great, I've been amazing too. How about we meet up before school today?" He continues, chastely.

"Can't." Haisley picking me up means we're going to pay Mrs. Young a visit again. Her and her frowning face.

"But-"

"Listen, I have to go." I interrupt, pressing my phone between my ear and shoulder as I struggle to finish making the sandwich. "I've got something else to deal with right now."

I don't wait for his answer before dropping the line. I shove Leo's sandwich into his lunch bag, leaving it on the counter for him to pick up. I run back into my room, making a mad dash for my makeup bag and closest.

I settle on a natural look, because that's all I've ever got time for, and a black crop top with mom jeans and doc martens. Simple and sweet. My motto.

I glance at the clock as I shove my rings on and prick myself with my earring.

Five minutes to go.

I grab my camera bag on my way out, stopping in the kitchen to grab the matcha latte I made earlier. A honk comes from outside, nearly causing me to choke on my drink in surprise. Haisley's never early.

"Bye, Leo." I call out, not knowing where my brother is. I really hope he has a ride to school.

Haisley's leaning against her car, in good spirits, when I make it out of the house. Looks like someone finally woke up on the right side of the bed. "Get in loser, we got school to catch."

"What's gotten you in a good mood?" I question, raising a brow.

She slides back into the car, "Nothing much. Just excited to see Mrs. Young's face."

"Mhm." I hum, taking ahold of her chin to examine her eyes to make sure she's not high or drunk. No, she doesn't do drugs or drink, but at this point it kind of seems like she does.

She swats my arm, starting the ignition. "Stop it, Char. That's just insulting."

I immediately feel guilty as I press my back into the seat. There's a reason for everything Haisley does; her life is an elaborate scheme.

She doesn't do drugs or drink because her mother was an alcoholic for four years, and her uncle was sent to jail for dealing drugs. She swore she would do neither, except for an occasional beer or sip of wine. That's all you'll ever find in her hand. 

Four years was a long time. Maybe not compared to others, but for her it was an eternity of lessons. One after another.

"Let's go kick some ass, shall we?" I agree as my phone buzzes against my leg.