Crows and Doves (Draft Title)

Chapter Two: Didn't Think Twice

Friday came quickly. Charlie hadn't slept great, but he was sleeping for the most part. He slept from 11 pm to 3 am last night, so he was alright. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Jason would be picking Charlie up in ten minutes. He could survive ten minutes of coding class with Raymond. Besides, Serenity Spring would be there and Serenity's name was very fitting.

"What are you doing, Charlie?" Serenity chirped from behind him.

He spun around, leaning back. "Hacking the CIA."

"Charles, quit that," the teacher chided, "you said you were hacking them yesterday."

"Right, silly me, it's the NSA, today."

Serenity blinked. "Well, I hope you have fun with whatever it is you're doing!"

He grinned. "I am hacking! Sort of."

The teacher, Ms. Lindholm, rolled her eyes. "No, he's not. He's testing my website's security for me."

Serenity smiled softly, blue eyes focused on Charlie. "Oh, That sounds really cool." She sat next to him. "Can I watch?"

Charlie shrugged. "Yeah, sure. You're pretty chill."

"Thank you, Charlie."

"No problem."

Riley cleared his throat from where he was sitting on Charlie's other side. "Hi, yes, I'm here too."

Serenity frowned. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't notice you– wait, that sounds bad. I didn't realize you were there, Riley, I'm so sorry."

He waved her off. "Nah, you're fine. I was bugging Char. I thought I was the love of your life?'

Charlie shrugged, glancing briefly at Raymond as he sat next to Serenity. "Man, that was yesterday when you brought me sugar."

Riley wiggled his brows. "I can think- Ow!"

"Whoops," Maiya said slowly, "Looks like I dropped this pinecone on complete and utter accident. How clumsy."

Charlie sniggered. "Good one, Mai." He schooled his face into being as serious as he could manage (it wasn't very serious). "Riley, that was so immature of you. I truly w- stop laughing, Riley- wonder where you get– Maiya! –ideas like these- okay, now you're both doing it." He giggled, then started cackling.

"And now we're all doing it!" Riley said.

Maiya none-too-gently moved Riley's chair, with Riley in it, and pulled on in its place, sitting in it promptly. "So, moving past Riley and his immature humor and inability to stop flirting with people, how are you?"

"I'm great, a solid 10/10," he told her, still out of breath from the laughing. Serenity was also giggling a little, though Raymond was oddly quiet. Charlie didn't pay that much mind, instead continuing the conversation with his friends and Serenity.

Jason dropped him and Marianne off at home around eleven-forty. Charlie set her up in the living room with paper and crayons while he started on lunch– grilled ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches and leftover potato soup.

After they ate, Charlie helped Marianne clean up her drawing things and picked her up. "Ready for nap time, Mari Annie Bo-Bannie?"

She scrunched up her little nose. "But... I'm not tired!"

"You'll be tired later when it's all nice outside and then you won't be able to play outside while it's super awesome because you'll be too sleepy," he explained reasonably.