Chapter Twenty Six
Things back at the loft were, fun, to say the least. We did have our little bed time together, but after that I hid from him just to piss Charlie off, it really makes him mad when I act like I'm four. It's like he has to babysit me constantly.
"Sadie, come on. I've been looking for you for over twenty minutes, this isn't fair."
I texted him in response, "Oh Charles, don't whine."
"Fuck it, I'm leaving." I heard the front door open.
From behind the curtains, I scampered out and onto his back, once again I was wearing his clothes, "I'm sorry, I will stay in sight for the rest of the day, I swear." I rested my head on his shoulder looking up at him.
His lips quirked into a smirk, "Good, and I never planned on leaving."
Charlie was shirtless and in boxers, I've been tricked! He would never leave without proper clothes on! That lying blanket stealer.
"You lied to me!"
He deadpanned, "You hid behind curtains for a half hour just to annoy me, who's the real bad guy here."
Detaching myself from Charlie and curled myself up on the couch, "No comment."
The whale I am dating sat himself on me, I attempted to push his fat ass off me to no avail, "I love Sadie yes I do, and I know she loves me too." He chuckled at his rhyme.
Gasping for air under the lead blanket known as Charlie, "Charlie you're going to crush me, I can see my life flashing before my eyes. Tell my family I love them." I panted as I reached out to the ceiling.
Charlie's deep, round laughter boomed around me, as he rolled on his back lifting me to sit over him. "I won't let you die. Not like this."
I flicked his nose, "If not like this, then how are you going to let me die?"
His green eyes glinted with another clear smirk, "We could go ziplining over the zoo,"
I interuppted, "And you would cut my rope! How dare you!"
He shook his head, "No way, a bee would sting you on your trip, and you'd find out then you're allergic to bees."
I won't let him win. "You don't know, maybe I've been stung before so I know that I'm not allergic."
"Dee, a bee was on tv once and you turned away from it because you don't like them and you're scared."
"I hate you." I kissed him anyway.
#
The two of us went home later that night because of school the next morning.
Believe it or not, I can be responsible about school. Not that I usually am, but it's possible.
Waking up a few hours before sunrise in a cold sweat, I panicked. My breathing was cut short, was I dying, tears sprung to my eyes, my head raced with mesy, blurred thoughts of tears, dark clothing, two boxes. What was happening to me? I tried to cry out for Alex but my throat felt drier than sand, I lifted my hands thinking I can reach for the door, but they shook like a tree in a hurricane.
What day is it?
My heart stopped.
The anniversary of my parents death. I can't move, I can't see, I can't breathe.
The day was so vivid and sharp in my mind. One second I was on the way to a regular day of freshman year, only to come home with a picture of my dead parents lying on the kitchen counter. Another of my uncle with a twisted and sickly smile, clothes and skin stained with blood. The blood of my parents.
A note was pinned to one of pictures, "To my strong nephew and gorgeous niece, You never needed them, I took them for you, I did it for you two. Your father was a selfish prick, and your mother, she picked the wrong brother. I know they wronged you and I fixed that, I sent them away. Painfully, for you. I love you both." A smiley face was drawn in what I always thought was blood at the bottom.
They never did anything wrong. My parents were amazing people that I loved more than anyone ever loved their parents, both me and Alex. I miss them every single day. When I wake up, I always expect them to be there smiling or throwing food at me, just wishing they were home.
I sobbed until it was time for school, my eyes enflamed from the puff of furious and devestated tears.
After I was able to make my way downstairs, I saw Alex. My brother, the only family other than Sammy and Cas and their parents, left in my world. He sat hunched over on the couch, head in his hands, jeans with random water blots, tears, strewn on his legs. My brother was crying, tears dripped down my face watching him cry.
"Alex," I croaked hurting that he was too, he lifted his head up to see me, "I miss them." My voice cracked remembering their smiles, laughs, hugs.
"Me too." Was all he said as he held me in a protective brotherly hug, shielding me from the memory always in my mind, the picture of their dead mangled bodies and the crushed cars.
We cried togeteher then cleaned ourselves up. I felt embarrassed, I wasn't wearing her bracelet, my mom made me a custom gold bracelet, she was a jewler, with my name engraved and my birthstone. I treasured and fucking idolized that thing. I slid it onto my wrist feeling a little better like they were with me.
Alex and I drove to school the next morning, I wore my hair down in its red waves with dark jean shorts and a white tshirt with pink vans.
"Should I ask Abby to prom?" Alex blurted.
I threw a bag at his head, "Of course you should, you dummy, I know you want to ask her so don't be a bitch and ask her or I will shit on your bed."
"Why do I let you live in the house? You should be locked in an insane asylum, I don't think you're safe to be around." My brother snickered scooting closer to the window, farther from me.
"Oh Alexa," I pouted, "don't be like that! I'm so safe to be around and I'm a genuinely a nice person."
"No way Dee, you're insane." We both laughed as we arrived at school.
Mitchell found us and walked with us, "Good morning children, Alex, have you asked Abby to prom yet? She's been really fucking nervous. I've even asked Matt already. I'm gay and people are mean about that so you'd think I'd be the nervous idiot about asking about prom. And dude, step up, it's in two weeks."
"Alex is a wimp." I sang pinching his cheek.
"I hate both of you. But Sadie, has Charlie asked you yet?"
As a girl you'd think I'd be pissed the fuck off that my boyfriend hasn't ask me to prom yet but unless he asks I'm not going to care. Why? Because for prom, I can't wear sweatpants or running shorts. I have to get hair and makeup done, its not acceptable to swear or burp, I have to wear a really fancy dress and eat at a fancy retaurant. And shoes, I would probably have to wear stripper heels thats how high they would be. Plus pictures, I am not a fan of those.
I'm not a fancy girl, I'm down for the beach or hugging, and ice cream, alwayss ice cream.
Charlie stood by my locker, very unhappy, I rolled my eyes, I haven't done anything today, how could I have pissed him off?
"Good morning Charles, what happened?" I handed him the coffee I had and he took a sip and handed it back, he grimaced when he tasted it, he always forgets that I don't put anything in it, but he always tries it anyway.
He showed me a paper of the four prom king contestants and the four prom queen contestants, at the top it was me? Me? That's refreshing. It read, Sadie, Abby, Leah, and Bridget. Gross. For the boys, it was Luke, Charlie, Alex, and Mitchell. Fuck I don't want to be prom queen.
"The nominations for prom king and queen have been up and the top two contenders are up too. Its you and Luke, he thinks you'll say yes if he asks you to prom." He had a sour expression on his face.
I groaned, "Are you giving me a promposal now?"
Charlie made the same face, "Do I have to?"
I shook my head, "Just ask."
Another hand grabbed my wrist, "Hello gorgeous." Luke's slimy voice spoke.
God he's annoying, I want to go home, I've been near school people for more than two minutes so I want to go home.
"You can't go home." Charlie cracked a smile, then hardened again.
"So babe," Luke smirked, "I know we've taken a break,"
"Sophmore year, asswipe, we haven't dated in two years."
He waved me off, "So who cares, I think we should get the spark going again starting with prom, so what do you say? Nice clothes, fun party, " He got closer, "And then some fun afterward. Ditch your boy toy and come back to me, I know you want to."
Why do boys like me this much? Charlie, CJ, kind of, and this loser.
"I'll pass." I shrugged as I sat myself on the floor.
"Get up." Both Luke and Charlie said at the same time, Charlie said it annoyed like I was that four year old child he was forced to babysit, while Luke seemed frustrated with the rejection.
"Charlie, I'm tired make the odd thing go away." I gestured to Luke.
Charlie walked in front of me protectively, he always does that, I stood behind him. Poop, I can't see over his shoulder even if I stood on my toes. "Luke, just go, my girlfriend is going with me to prom."
"What girlfriend? I think she's single, and she wants to go with me." Luke smirked again.
Oh great, something to piss Charlie off more than he already was with this, he rarely gets mad but I hate it when he does. I don't like seeing him mad, I'm the one who gets mad and pissy, he's the one who always fixes everything. Long story short, I should never be the rational and responsible one, it feels, odd.
What did I ever see in Luke? I can't believe I dated such an idiot, "Can we just go Charlie?" I held onto his arm sighing when I could feel how rigid he was, I could tell he wanted to punch Luke square in the face, but he wouldn't for two reasons. He doesn't like to scare me, which if he started a fight, he would, and also he doesn't want to make a scene. I'm the one who makes the scene, not him.
"You aren't going to prom with him, or anywhere ever with him." Charlie spoke with no emotion while him and Luke had a stare down.
"I wasn't planning on it. Let's go." I quickly launched my fist into Luke's throat making him cry out and cough as I pulled Charles to class.
What? It was a quick punch, he'll be fine, it wasn't that hard.
But our drama for the day had just started, we got to class, Charlie was still being a grump.
The two of us sat down and Leah sat on him, should I have kicked her ass or let it happen?
I let it happen, she didn't pose any threat to me so I don't care.
"So I heard Luke and Sadie are going to prom together, so why don't we go together?" She flirted? I think flirted, I can't tell with sluts like her.
Ok, so I'm a terrible girlfriend, I knew what was about to happen, it made my blood boil a little, but I really wanted to see Charlie's reaction, I kinda feel bad about it, but I can't help it. He's just so adorable and perfect when he's embarrassed, pissed, at someone who is not me, and disgusted.
And it happened.
As Charles tried to reject her, she kissed him, my stomach tightened a little seeing his lips touch someone elses but knowing she is not any competition, I let the events unfold.
Charlie jumped out of his seat making Leah fall on her ass squealing like a pig, the expression on Charlie's amazingly perfect face, shh Dee, no time for ogling, went from nervous, his eyes snapped to mine begging for forgiveness, to green with nausea, then finally anger.
I bit my lip. Here it comes.
He pointed an accusatory finger at me, "You knew she was going to kiss me! You let it happen! Sadie why?" He rambled on about how mad he was, and how annoyed or something, blah blah blah. Thank the lord our teacher is dinosaur age old with hearing like a deaf person.
"Sadie you're dead." Leah snarled.
The word dead got to me but I ignored it, she knew, Charlie didn't know what today was.
"Shut up. Charlie I'm sorry, please, I am." I smiled sweetly.
"I mean it Sadie," Leah continued, "You're dead, just like your parents."
I didn't wait for Alex, Mitchell, Charlie, or anyone else to save me, I slapped her and left.
Not caring about teachers or students or anyone else, I drove out of school grounds, away, far away.
By far, I meant the cemetary.
My phone buzzed as I reached the gates, Charlie, I felt like shit, I bet he's pissed with me. "I'm coming to get you. I know where you are, just stay. It'll be ok."
I ignored it knowing he will come no matter what I say.
My hands were clammy as they pushed the gray gates open.
Before I knew it, my legs led me to my parents graves. Loving parents, siblings, children.
I couldn't stop myself from breaking down, my knees fell from under me as I collapsed onto the soft ground covering my parents. I need them back, my body wracked with sobs filling the silence of the cemetary.
Time flew by, when I arrived it was early morning sunrise, now the mid to late after noon sun shined warm on my back. The solace I looked for was found in the eerie but comforting wind and silence around me.
I held myself curled in a ball, arms around my legs, remembering all the good memories, as a family. Vacations, bullying each other, everything from broken bones to preteen phases and fights were remembered as amazing, because we were together.
Charlie broke through the gates, searching for me, I didn't move, I was too tired.
"Dee," He breathed swooping me up into his arms. I started crying again, sobbing over, and over.
"Can I bring them back? I want them back." I moaned in pain sinking into him.
"Baby, I know, I know, I'm so sorry. I know they can't be here for you, but I'm here, and nothing or no one will take me away from you. I am here forever, you won't lose me, I'll be here for you everyday. Stop crying, please." He cooed in my ear, "Don't cry anymore. I know it hurts, but don't cry."
I sniffled, "Can you take me home?"
"Of course," He kissed me forehead, "Anywhere you want, I'll take you."
No matter how much I miss my parents, I know they can't come back, but Charlie is here, and he isn't leaving.
And in that one sweet moment, everything felt ok. For now. He makes it ok.