𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ²

05

05 . 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 .

     "𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃?" Caroline wiggled her shoulders, a smile on her face.

    Charlotte dug her fork into her plate, picking food up. She couldn't help but smile a little bit at her grandma's enthusiasm, and she did feel a bit better now in the middle of the day. She was sitting in her usual spot, facing the window, and between Caroline and Daryl who always sat opposite to one another. The sun was bright on her face.

    "I guess," she answered, smiling lightly. "I don't really know what to expect."

    "Gee, we never got to really talk about it over the summer," Caroline said.

    Charlotte swallowed a piece of food, but it felt like it was stuck there for a moment.

    "It's not like the movies, that's for sure," Daryl said. "High school is not like the movies." That was his best piece of advice. He poked his fork into the pasta.

    Charlotte laughed airily. "So, I shouldn't be banking on High School Musical," she joked, but not really sounding all enthusiastic, although she was trying her best.

    Daryl narrowed his eyebrows and looked to Caroline for an answer. She shrugged to him.

    "Oh, yeah, you guys don't have a TV." she said, and glanced to the living room where no TV was found, and then looked back down at her plate.

    "We did, but someone tinkered with it last year and now we don't," Caroline looked to Daryl reproachfully. "Just like the truck, huh? Tinkering."

    He made a face. "It was a CRT television," he said, defending himself.

    "Anyways," Caroline switched the topic. "There's not much to know. I bet your friends will get you covered— maybe you'll have classes together, and they'll take you around the school."

    The Pogues had definitely told Charlotte about public school, way back in the beginning of summer when she mentioned she'd be attending with them. She knew most of the basics, but still, she didn't know what it would feel like to be in a real school with hundreds of kids her age.

    "Kildare High has been here for ages," Daryl commented. "Danny went there for high school."

    Charlotte twitched just a little bit at the mention of her father. Danny and Cecile were still somewhere in Europe, filming, completely oblivious to what had happened over the summer.

    "Oh my," Caroline sighed, fondly, while placing her chin on her hand. There was a small smile on her lips. "This is crazy, isn't it, Daryl? Going to the same school as your father did."

    Charlotte smiled tightly, her lips in a thin line.

     "Don't you worry, bug," Caroline tapped Charlotte's arm on the table. "We got your supplies ready in your schoolbag, and I'll help you pick an outfit for tomorrow," she smiled again, this time with genuine excitement.

    Charlotte could tell that Caroline really, and genuinely loved having a granddaughter. Caroline took great appreciation when it came to picking outfits and helping with makeup, and she would do it to the end of time if it was possible. Especially because she'd only ever had a boy, and never had the opportunity to have a girl like she'd always wanted.

    "Thanks, grandma," Charlotte grinned at her.

    "Your friends pickin' you up tomorrow?" Daryl questioned, looking up as he ate.