Charlie's Hero (#nanowrimo2015)

Chapter 7

     The week came and went. Charlie got used to her routine easily, just like when she locked herself away in her room. This time, she was just locked away at school. She didn't have to talk to anyone, she didn't have to get to know anyone, she didn't have to listen to the whispers that were tainting the halls and lunchroom. She just locked herself away in her head. In her heart. She didn't want the pain. The only way to do that, to survive, was to just shut it down.

     Except in certain classes.

     She tried. She honestly did. But that guy, Cameron, just kept trying to talk to her. He didn't seem to get that she didn't want to talk to anyone at all. 

      It was like she was alert around him. He had her on edge. Each class she was in with him, he made a point to sit by her and talk. Even if it was a one sided conversation, and he seemed okay with it. Why couldn't he just leave her alone like everybody else?

     On Sunday, the doorbell rang. It never rang.

     Charlie was curious. She didn't move but she wanted to know who was at the door. Voices were heard from the front door, but nothing said was clear enough for her to make out. Sighing, she looked back at the window, listening to the rain hit the glass and the wind blow against the seems of the house. It was a stormy day. Much like the funeral... 

     Cameron walked in, Charlottes brother, Austin, leading the way for him. When he entered the living room, his eyes immediately found her figure. She was distant in her head, he could tell form just looking at her, knowing how she was from school. He ran a hand through his brown hair that was going out, getting some of the water drops out, then blew out a nervous breath. 

     He didn't know why he was even here. He knew they had a project together, one that the needed to get done. But with the way she never responds at all to anyone, he figured it might just be easier to do it all himself and put her name on it. 

     Maybe that's what she was expecting him to do. 

"Charlie, your history partner is here to work on your project." Austin voiced. 'So that's what they call her...' Cameron thought to himself. "come on, I know you just want to sit in that chair, but you can't leave a poor guy hanging on a project like this." He tired to make a joke, but the girl didn't move an inch. "I'll go get Carson," he mumbled out before telling Cameron to make himself comfortable on the couch.

     Nervously, he took a couple steps forwards and around the couch, taking his backpack off to set it on the ground.

     She recognized his voice. 

     Her eyebrows crunched together, being the only indication that she was aware of him even being i the room. She had heard what Austin said, vaguely, but didn't care. But it was schoolwork. The one thing she could do that didn't involve feeling. Which is why she was already mostly done with the project. 

     Whenever she get's home from school, she goes straight to the living room and works on school. It was a habit she developed over the week to help time go by fast, and to help block everything else out. She didn't have to feel when she did it. Even back when, before everything, Charlie had great grades. Her and and her sister would work on it and help each other out, getting done within an hour after school. Charlie forced herself not to remember that though.

     When Carson entered the room with Charlie's book bag over his shoulder, she finally turned her head away form the window. He came and sat it down next to her, giving her an encourage smile but not saying anything to her. He left just as quickly as he came, but Charlie knew he wouldn't go far. He never did.