Say My Name [ Teacher-Student Romance -- Robert Downey Jr ]

Ch.14 - Not So Bad

She came to, finding she had written a bit more of her paper unconsciously. "Yeah Dad?"

"Come down stairs for a second!"

Breathing out tiredly, already having a sense on where this was going. "Okay, one sec." She calls back.

She wiggles from her spot, pressing a quick kiss to Molly's head who was about to get up with wide eyes and follow. "I'll be right back Moll. I can't wait to see that orange dragon when return."

The little girl nods, a small smile as she settles back down, grabbing at her crayons.

As she slid her hand down the railing staircase, she kept wondering, where's the tacos? What is it?

Well, obviously it had something to do with the two cut off conversations she had shared with her mom at school. The ones where she very specifically didn't want to answer the nagging questions of why she was down.

As much as she wanted to share the whole truth (but she felt a little better lately with the distraction of school and all) she could only share the part about missing Miami, exempting the fact that she was having nightmares often because of a haunting experience. Thankfully though, they hadn't notice her lack in contact with them, hadn't noticed why she no longer hugged them (or anyone but Molly), but they were probably concerned on why she talked less (not the fact she was just quiet because for the first three weeks she had been trying not to cry and shiver).

Whatever the matter, she was pretty sure she was ready to handle it. She wasn't like a piece of shattered glass on the verge on breaking into shards, not today. Today she was neutral, content only when Molly was there to fill the gap of her aching chest. Or lately, during the week for five hours a day, it was school that helped distract her distracted mind. Like Mr.Downey.

For some reason that reminded her that after this she would need to call CJ as promised.

Right after, she'd do that.

She came to see the view of her parents, hand in hand, sitting at the dining room table. Talking amongst themselves until she walked in, both them coming to look at her.

Her dad speaking again, "Take a seat, Charlie."

"I, uh, yeah, but please don't call me that."

"What?"

She couldn't even say her own name. Everyone used to call her Charlie, but it stemmed from Him.

Brandon.

They had met in third grade by a shoulder bump basically and he thought her name was Charlie not Charlotte, then it stuck and everyone had called her that, for a long time. Up until all she could hear when that nickname was called, was the tinge of his voice when he used it, sickening her even now.

"She doesn't like to be named as Charlie." Her mom fills in as Charlotte seats herself.

"Okay, what is it? I don't mean to rush but I have to get back to Molly."

"Don't use that tone with me young lady." Her father voices, and when he voiced something, it meant yeah, she had actually crossed the line. Even though she hadn't intended on any kind of 'tone' at all. She was just being honest.

She apologizes anyway. "Sorry, sorry."

"Honey, we just want to connect with you, check bases. Your father and I have noticed your...change, in behaviour."

She shifts uneasily, looking between the two in front of her with furrowed brows, trying to seem like she hadn't seen this coming--that she was fine. "I'm just missing--"