Moonhaven 2 (M2): Round 2

Chapter 14: There's Something About Charlie

"Don't be an asshole," Ziro advised Lev. He had placed his lunch tray down onto the picnic table before sliding into a seat across from him.

"I'm not doing anything," Lev retorted through a mouth full of lasagna.

"And that's the problem. Stop avoiding Alex."

"I'm not avoiding him."

"Yet lately you two haven't been close."

"Seriously," Carsyn broke in, emerging next to Lev and setting her tray down next to his. "Could you just make up with him already? You're miserable, Lexy is pretending not to be miserable..."

"Ugh, stupid lunch lineups are getting longer everyday," Evan groaned as she appeared while dragging her tray across the table until she took the spot next to Ziro. "But really Lev, stop dodging Blue. You can't be so upset that he's finding a little enjoyment somewhere outside of us. He's rediscovered an activity that he'd thought he left behind, and he's probably just as confused with how he's feeling about it. He's only human."

"That we know of," Tate added, strolling over with his tray in one hand, then plopping onto the bench just before the space where Carsyn planned to sit. "But in all sincerity Lev, things won't get better if you just keep away from him. That's how a relationship deteriorates."

"He's right," Six concurred, hurrying over with her tray and scooping up a seat next to Evan. "And you especially need to let him explain everything that happened after he left the game. And try to tone down the assholery while you're at it."

"I'm not doing anything!" Lev protested again.

"When Alex gets here, don't be an asshole," Ziro said. Lev grumbled back something incoherent, but didn't say anything more.

"Ahh!"

Heads spun over to the left of the table, where Charlie appeared, slightly hunched forward and hopping on one foot while clutching the other in his hands, his face twisted in agony. A great many books were scattered on the floor by the group's table along with a sole notebook that was among them, and some had glided under the table right in front of Six's feet.

Charlie's glasses had also fallen off, but his eyes were squeezed shut due to the pain, so he hadn't realized. It was a minute before he finally opened them, and the first thing he saw through fuzzy vision was a group of people rising from their seats and moving to surround him.

"Oh, uh, sorry..." he nervously murmured to them.

"For what?" Evan objected. She took Charlie's arm and gently pulled him over so he could lean against the table.

"Don't be sorry, accidents happen," Six assured, crouching to reach for the green notebook beneath the table.

Tate, Lev, and Carsyn had all crouched down as well, collecting the rest of the books, and Charlie grew flustered at the blurry sight, finally realizing that his glasses were missing.

"Oh!" He recoiled a bit when something glided over his face.

"Just be careful," Ziro said as he slid Charlie's glasses back over his eyes.

"Oh...it's you, Ziro, from the party — your party."

"You remembered me," Ziro remarked, his lips curling into a modest grin, flustering Charlie even more.

Tate, Lev and Carsyn had finished gathering the rest of the scattered books and huddled by Charlie to return them. "O-oh, thanks — all of you, thank you," Charlie sputtered.

Evan peered below the table, but she couldn't see all of Six from where she stood. "Six? You good?"

Six quickly flipped the notebook closed before finally standing up. "Um...yeah. These pants were not made for squatting, is all. Here," she handed the notebook back to Charlie, who had something of a relieved expression when he saw it.

"Thank you, again, for the help," Charlie told them all. "I, uh, have to get going. Uh...bye." Charlie held onto all the books as securely as he could within the grip of his arms before scurrying towards the auditorium's exit.

"Wait, wasn't that the kid who you two said was supposedly friends with Nick?" Carsyn questioned both Lev and Ziro. "How can you be so chummy with him? I mean he's probably not a bad guy and all, but still?" she said to Ziro.

"...he's hiding something," Ziro announced in the most benign voice.

"Seriously?" Evan scoffed in shock. "Well what is it?"

"Don't know. Whatever it is, he's pretty good at keeping it a secret." Ziro glanced over, noticing Six looking flustered herself. "Six?"

"...I think..." Six started, voice uneasy. "In his notebook, I saw-"

"Guys! You guys, hey!"

The group, as well as a few other students in the auditorium, all swiveled their heads as Jeremi came storming in. He leaped, twisted and spun his way through a herd of other students and picnic tables, till he finally reached the group.

"Ooh, Remi! Usually the most athletic thing we ever see you do is skating around on Frances, but that circus act just took the cake!" Tate applauded.

Jeremi had hardly heard Tate; he was too frantic. "Okay, shut up. Everyone just shut up — silencio — please. I have to say something."

"Dude, what's with you?" Evan questioned.

Ziro held out his hand signaling for the rest of group to go quiet. "What is it?" he said to Jeremi.

"...okay, so...last week, I ran into Nick when I in the library to do my assignment...And he asked about V-Dust — not if I wanted to deal, but if I wanted any for myself."

A series of disquieting and shocked eyes stretched wide open amongst the group, while a venomous gaze overtook Lev, and Ziro only seemed tense yet calm at the same time.

"Before I even answered him, Alex showed up and basically ended the whole situation. When Nick asked me that, I really wasn't sure what I would've said if Alex hadn't shown up. Before I knew it, we were keeping this secret and I thought the whole thing would just be behind me. But then...this morning I saw Alex and Nick talking by Alex's locker."

"What?" Lev questioned, his gaze instantly vicious.

Jeremi let his eyes wander anywhere else that wasn't where Lev was standing. "It looked like Nick was doing most of the talking, but I was too far away to hear anything. When Nick finally left, I tried asking Alex what was going on, but he just said it was nothing...the look on his face was saying something else though."

"Jeremi," Ziro lowly warned.

"Listen, before you bite my head off, first we have to find Alex."

"What? Remi, what're you talking about right now?" Carsyn questioned.

"Did you go to that math classroom on the second floor? He might just still be in class," Tate offered.

"I checked there just a few minutes ago. Didn't see him. I even asked Mrs. Lorn if she might've known where Alex went, but she said he wasn't even in class."

Six nervously crossed her arms. "W-what? Then where could he be?"

Lev's baleful gaze had mostly cooled down. "I think I might know where he is."