Beautiful Silence- Chenry

■~22~■

Henry's POV-

The next day I told my mom I wasn't feeling well. She made me take a shower and get out of bed anyway.

But at least I didn't have to go to school.

I was too worried about Charlotte to do much of anything but lay around the house and feel like a horrible friend.

"Hey Hen."

Piper marched down the stairs to the living room, looking as glum as I felt.

"Hey Piper."

I replied with little to no energy.

"Henry?"

Piper sat down on the couch next toe and slouched down to my level.

"Yeah?"

Piper blinked at her hands before looking over at me.

"I heard what happened last night."

Hearing her say that brought the look on Charlotte's face before she left back to my mind.

That was another pang my heart didn't need to feel right now.

"I don't wanna talk about it, Piper."

I sighed, running a stressed hand through my messy hair.

"I just wanna know something."

Piper sat up. Her big blue eyes were filled with curiosity.

"What's that?"

I glanced at her.

"Why didn't Charlotte want to back to her foster mom's house?... Doesn't she like it there?"

I hadn't expected Piper to get this heavy. I sat up to fully acknowledge her.

"Sometimes Piper... Grown ups do things that are bad. Charlotte's foster mom was hurting, like physically hurting her, so she ran away and I let her stay in my room because she's my friend and I care about her."

My eyes trailed away from Piper's gaze. And I had to realize just how much it hurt to admit that. Even though she didn't feel the same.

She probably did care about me... But not in the way that I wanted her to.

Piper scooted closer to me and placed her head on my shoulder. I was surprised at first but then I rested my cheek against her hair.

"Why do you care about her? Is it because she can't hear?"

I chuckled at Piper and took a small breath.

"No... I care about her because she's smart, she's beautiful and she makes me feel like anything is possible because she always has a smile on her face."

I swallowed. Lately that smile has been missing. That smile was the only thing that kept me going.

Piper lifted her head and made a face at me. The kind that indicated she was kinda grossed out.

"Blech! It sounds like you love her!"

She replied.

I stared at Piper for a moment,  then I looked away and I had smiled to myself.

"Yeah, I guess it does."

.....

Later that day after work I made Ray drive me over to Charlotte's house. I haven't heard from her all day. She hasn't returned my texts either.