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Charlotte's POV
"So this would be 89 right?" Henry's hand brushed against the sheet of paper as he leaned in ever so lightly, trying to see if he had found the correct answer to his math equation. I leaned back on the tree and smiled proudly. I nodded my head and made a small humming sound in response. The small reply came out softly and calmly planting a nice smile on Henry's face.
I watched as he wrote things down. The fall breeze was hitting every side of our faces in a swift motion. I'll admit, it was quite cold but at least it'll prevent me from having an awkward conversation with his parents. I hugged myself in attempt to keep myself warm, pushing my legs towards my chest and wrapped my arms around it. Because my green hoodie most certainly really wasn't doing the job at keeping me at a comfortable temperature. I saw Henry's eyes linger from his paper to my eyes, it stayed there for a second as his face went from proud to concerned in a second. Almost as if he seemed bad for me. His eyebrows were now furrowed together and his face formed a small pout.
"You cold?" He finally spoke out. I nodded my head slowly but not vigorously. He quickly bit his bottom lip and I couldn't help but admire him. The way the wind was blowing his long dirty blonde hair in every direction. And his light brown eyes that were shining in the windy afternoon. I instantly shook my head grabbing me out of my thoughts. Of course I remember that I have a boyfriend. An interesting one to be exact, but I couldn't lie and not say that this boy is attractive.
But that's all he is! Attractive.
Henry's eyes were still gazing on me making me a little uncomfortable. As he caught on his eyes slightly widen and looked away almost immediately. I heard him clear his throat as he turned his head around to look at the dozens of kids playing around us. Some were on their own, seemed about 10 to 13 years old. I watched as they were making little vapour coming out of their mouths holding their index and middle finger out in a peace sign. Bringing it close to their mouths every now and again. I practically rolled my eyes as I caught on to what they were doing. I couldn't help but to look back at Henry to witness his reaction. But instead of an expected reaction, a reaction of disgust, disappointment or even despair! His eyes were instead focused on something else.
I tried my best to follow them as I came across a family. A family of 3. The mom and dad were holding their little girl in each hand as they swung her as they walked. I smiled at the sight feeling a bit giddy at the adorable view. Despite our distance, you could hear the little girls giggles from far away. Lightly echoing around its surrounding areas. I turned my head around to notice Henry's gaze never left theirs. He seemed as if he were deep in thought but I couldn't tell all that much. On his face held a small smile as his face followed the movements of the family. I leaned in, now only a few inches away from his face. I connected my middle finger with my thumb and snapped them together causing Henry to shake his head and turn his face around now paying attention to me.
He looked at me a bit confused before finally nodding his head in understanding. "Right, sorry." He apologized as I couldn't help but to let a small chuckle escape from my lips.
Henry's head bent down to his paper once again as he moved on to the next question. "352." he whispered mostly to himself as he reached in to write it down.
I scrunched my eyebrows together and tapped on his leg gently. He lifted his face slowly and answered with a small hum. Indicating that he was now paying attention. "Can I see your paper for a sec?" I asked him as he nodded his head. He reached his arm out with his binder and I grabbed it in an instant with no hesitation. I placed the binder on my lap and scrolled threw all the multiple choice questions. My eyes widen as I realized
the boy got it all right.
Without even asking for my help? And trust me when I say this, but these math questions, are hard. The only reason why I know all the answers is because I already finished my pair of homework. Or else, I would've just been nodding my head away in confusion. I reached my arm out to give the binder back to the boy. He smiled thankfully and reached his arm in taking it softly from my hands. As he did so his fingers lightly brushed against mine and I couldn't help but feel a small electrical spark. It almost felt like a little buzz that spread around my entire hand. I retread and massaged it gently against the cold wet leaves on the floor letting all of its stuff sink in to my hand as I tried to cool it down.
Henry's POV
I couldn't concentrate. After witnessing that little family all I could think about is how much I missed my family. I'm homesick. I want to go home. I want to be able to hold Stacy in my arms again. Have Charlotte telling me she loves me right as she leaves for work. Being able to take care of my kid as Charlotte's gone.
But all that is just old memories now. All because of my dumb mistake and now I'm stuck in the freaking past.
I placed my binder on the grass gently. Closing it as I lost all motivation to continue my school work. I looked down to my side and breathed in gently not knowing what to do now. I relaxed my hand on the ground, letting it smooth threw the healthy green grass and suddenly I had the urge to pull on it. The way the wind was blowing against it making it swing to the side every second I just had to.
I connected the side of my index finger with my thumb together and slowly started to rip out the small pieces of grass. At first I started off slow, pulling it out one by one. But then as the thoughts started to take its way towards my mind, my movements started to quicken and I was now pulling out giant piles of grass from both hands.
My breathing started to accelerate and I was now surrounded with awful thoughts. My chest started to get more heavy and I was now loosing all control of my body.
'What If I never go back?'
'What'll happen if I never find the time jerker to resolve all my problems?'
'What if-'
"Henry, Henry! Woah what's wrong?" Charlotte immediately called out to me. I turned my face from the ground to the beautiful teenager in front of me. Her face was scrunched up in a worried expression. And in her dark chocolate coloured eyes held sympathy and confusion.
I gazed at her for awhile until I felt some type of wetness hit my right leg. I looked down to see a small circled type of stain that was planted straight on the side of my jeans.
'Was I crying?'
Charlotte reached her arm out and wiped the side of my face gently with the sleeve of her hoodie. In the process I felt to embarrassed to even lay an eye on her. So instead, my eyes were focused on the small lake a few miles away from us. I admired the way the coloured trees were reflecting on the water. And how a couple of the fallen leaves were floating gently on its surface.
A few seconds went by and now I wasn't feeling the nice rubbing sensation anymore and the once hot air that I felt on my cheek was gone. So I decided to grow a pair and turn my head around to look back at the girl sitting right in front of me. She held a small helpless smile. Her eyebrows were slightly raised above her head disguising themselves in her curly bangs. "I'm sorry." I apologized slowly chuckling at the same time as the pit of embarrassment made its way back once again.
"It's cool." Charlotte paused as she leaned back on the tree. Letting her head rest nicely on natures finest creation. I heard her take in a deep breath as she resumed to hug herself. I felt bad to let her stay out here In the cold while we could've went to my place instead where there's nice warm and heat. I watched Charlotte carefully. Her face seemed distracted but I know what she was thinking. I know she wants to know why I had my little panic attack earlier. I know she wants to know why I'm potentially "following her.". And I know damn well she wants to know who the hell am I. But I know that I could never tell her no matter what. Just imagine the way she'll react. She'll probably think I'm crazy and never want to talk to me ever again.
"You hungry? Your stomach keeps rumbling I don't know if you can hear that." Charlotte slightly chuckled as I nodded my head rapidly. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I forgot I ate absolutely nothing today.
"Yeah a little." I smiled awkwardly as Charlotte nodded her head reaching out to her grey backpack.
"I have a left over sandwich that I didn't get the time to eat but you can have it. I'm not that hungry anyways." Charlotte shrugged as she opened her lunch box and picked out a plastic container. I gladly took it out of her hands and opened it in a hurry. I took in my first bite and it was like I was floating in heaven. It felt good to eat something. I swallowed and opened my eyes just to reveal Charlotte looking at me weirdly.
I chuckled awkwardly and rested the sandwich on my lap.
"So uh... Henry. Care to explain what happened earlier?" Charlotte started off slowly as her eyebrows were still unseen. I looked at her hesitantly not really knowing what to say as she still held that look of sympathy. I looked at her for a second and brought my tongue to the side of my cheek poking it gently.
"Can we maybe talk about it another time? It's kind of personal..." I trailed off hesitantly and watched as Charlotte's face went into panic mode. Her eyes were wider than usual and I instantly knew that she was furrowing her eyebrows together.
"I'm so sorry I didn't know." She apologized. I smiled lightly still keeping my lips glued together as I felt a suffocating awkwardness that started to ling around.
Charlotte sighed in heavily and zipped up her back pack. Letting the small zipping sound surround the park. She swung her bag across her back and got up, letting all the current leaves that were beside her fly away from the sudden gush of wind.
"Well, I think we should call it a day-"
I did the unthinkable. To stop her from going any further I grabbed her hand and lightly pulled on it bringing her close to me. The sudden act caused me to feel tingles threw out my whole arm. It felt like an electrical spark. I didn't know if it was because of the friction of the ground we both were in or rather... love? "Could we maybe hang out?- As friends of course. You know, just to get to know each other a little better considering you're my tutor." I started off slowly. Charlotte's face formed a frown and I couldn't help but to frown with her already preparing myself from the act of rejection.
"You know I would love too but I really have to get home." She pleaded as her gaze never left mines.
"Please?"
"I-"
"Pwetty pwease?" I interrupted.
Charlotte paused for a second as her gaze adverted downwards. Looking it's way away from my intense puppy dog eyes. I felt something brush against my hand, it was a light soft brush as if someone was ripping a tiny feather on the back of my hand. I looked down only to realize, that Charlotte's hand was sill interlocked with mine. I stared at it not knowing what to do, cause I had to admit, it felt good. It reminded me of old times, the first time we've held hands when we first started dating. But yet, that was such a long time ago.
I slowly let go of her hand and felt Charlotte relax a bit more as the tip of my fingers were barely hanging on to hers. I finally let go and relaxed my arm on the grass letting it sink in like a soft marshmallow.
"Please?"
I asked one final time. My eyebrows were still raised as Charlotte breathed in heavily and sat back down. "Okay. But only for 10 minutes."
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