The Zuckermans have officially made it a routine to invade our house on Friday nights.
My conclusion: it's an experience.
"So how was school?" Dad asks, passing me the bowl of salad. He has always been a lame conversation starter.
"It was boring as usual." I shrug.
"Have you told him about your project?" Zuckerman offers. Dad looks between him and I, picking up his fork.
"What project?"
"Just a stupid partner project for AP Lit." I stab my meatloaf. "Nothing interesting."
Cherié pads around my feet underneath the table, whining for food. I slip her a crumb of cornbread, scratching her ears.
"If you ever need help, Sweetheart, I'm always here."
I nod my thanks, knowing for a fact he's always too busy keeping up with his own work to help with some 'kiddy homework'. "It's no big deal. My partner's a slight pain in the ass, but he works."
Dad raises a brow, "He?"
I internally groan, "Yes, Dad. Someone from the male gender."
"Oh, I see." He smirks subtly, popping a cherry tomato into his mouth.
Zuckerman must be begging for death as he chuckles in his seat.
"Don't worry, Nick. He's a good boy." He smirks into his glass as I blink.
"He's got a motorcycle though." Mom tsks disappointingly.
Brenda gasps dramatically. "My gosh, what a crime."
"No criminals under this roof, young lady." Dad teases.
I face palm, waiting for the torture to end. How did we end up talking about my love life...one that's nonexistent?
And I plan on keeping it that way. The past can sometimes define you, and I'm okay with that.
"At this point, school is just an elaborate scheme to see who can cheat the fastest." Leo joins in, thankfully diverting the attention. I shoot him a grateful look as happily eating his cornbread.
Mom smacks him upside the head as we all laugh. I lean across the table, giving him a high five. "I taught him that."
"Charli Briar." Mom mutters, exhaustedly.
"Are you going to tell me I'm wrong? You were a principal and Cole's a teacher." I pull my legs onto the chair, sitting crisscrossed. "I've seen more kids use Quizlet for answers than their actual brain cells."
Cole stops mid bite as Mom shoots him a warning glare, advising him to pick his side wisely. He stuffs his mouth with lettuce, grumbling about how he can't talk with his mouth full.
Smart.
"We rest our case." Leo and I say in unison.
"Even if it is an 'elaborate scheme', I expect you to do your work with integrity, young lady." She eyes me before scolding Leo. "That goes for you too, Mister."
"Integrity was so 90s though, Zoe." Brenda argues cheekily, dodging the napkin chucked at her. "It has been more than twenty years and you still miss."
Mom seethes, fixing her beanie. I never see her without it these days. "I was a cheerleader, not a softball player."
"How you were so coordinated back then never ceases to amaze me." Brenda winks, taking a sip of wine from her glass.
"She wasn't." Dad nudges Zuckerman who snorts, covering it with a cough.
"Zoe, you know how much I love you," Zuckerman starts.
"Saving face, huh?" Brenda mutters under her breath, receiving a glare from her trying husband.
"But you were a klutz." He concludes, raising his hands in defense. "Graceful and elegant as a swan until they basket tossed you into the air."
Mom gapes, "Cole, you traitorous snake. I was a good flyer."
Leo leans back in his seat, enjoying the show. Honestly, all we're missing is a bucket of stale popcorn and an overly air conditioned room.
"Hey woman, I said I love yo-"
"Snake." Mom chimes, drumming her fingers along the table. Zuckerman blows her a kiss before returning to his food.
"Oh my gosh," Brenda chokes on her wine. "That reminds me of your senior quote, Zoe. Oh what was it?" Brenda snaps her fingers, trying to remember the exact line.
Mom groans, burying her face in her hands. "Bren, no."
Leo leans forward, intrigued. "Bren, share?"
"Bren..." Mom warns, but of course, Brenda happily ignores her. Dad stifles his laugh, biting his fist as Mom narrows her eyes.
"'I used to be jealous of Harry Potter's ability to talk to snakes, but turns out I've been doing it for years.'" Brenda recites.
Mom pulls the beanie over her eyes, "I was such a huge book nerd back then. Parseltongue was hot."
Laughter goes around the room as I cringe. How Tom Riddle managed to glow down I'm not sure.
"What was yours?" I turn to Dad with a wide smile.
"If idiots could fly, this would be an airport." He announces, proudly. Brenda clenches her sides, laughing hysterically.
"At the time, that line was original." She breathes out between laughs. "I remember how you became popular for like a day."
"It was a nice feeling."
"Have you thought about your quote, Sweetpea?" Mom asks, ignoring Dad and Brenda.
I shrug, "Would you kill me if I went with 'if there's a will, there's a way. If there's a quizlet, there's an A."
Leo chokes on his orange juice, sputtering as he coughs. Mom gapes as she abandons her suffering son to condemn me.
"I swear to god, Charli Briar, if you submit that quote I will kill you." Mom threatens over the other laughter.
I bat my eyes innocently. "But am I wrong?"
She points her fork at me. "Stop."
I stick my tongue out like a toddler, digging into my salad. Brenda fans herself, wiping away tears. "Say, where's Haisley? I want to hear hers."
Eyes turn to me as I chew the lettuce in my mouth faster. "Uh, parents anniversary?" I wince as the room's mood shifts.
'Parents anniversary' has always meant getting locked inside her house as her parents scream and throw around expensive vases, leaving her to clean everything up at the end of the night.
But Haisley has always been Haisley. She hides her pain behind her laughter and smiles, despite how cheesy that sounds. She's so damn good at it that she can even fool me, and I know she has been recently.
I notice the small things, but I know better than to point them out. She picks at the skin around her nails, she bites her lip too hard, she pushes Ryder away and plasters on a smile.
She pushes me away.
But Haisley has always been Haisley. She needs space, she needs time, she needs herself.
Brenda nods solemnly. "Poor girl. I can't believe her parents. They've pulled so much shit throughout the years."
Mom's lips press into a grim frown. "She's our baby though, and we'll always be here to protect her."
I reach across the table, squeezing Mom's hand. She meets my eyes and offers the smallest smile, and I know she's worried–beyond worried.
The doorbell rings, ending the silence.
"It's open." We all holler.
Zayden scrambles into the house, kicking off his shoes with a bouquet of flowers in hand.
"Sorry I'm late." He greets, setting the flowers down. "Lydia had some homework issues."
I pray that it wasn't Algebra because the last time there were 'homework issues', Zayden had to call me over.
"It's okay, honey," Mom waves off understandingly. "Come help yourself."
Zayden grabs a plate sheepishly, taking the empty seat next to me. I smile, "It's just you today, brave one. You face the lion's den alone."
"Great." He quips sarcastically, fist bumping my brother.
"It's been a while since we've seen you, Zay-Zay." Brenda smirks, leaning back in her seat.
"Correction," Zuckerman interrupts. "Since you've seen him. This kid loiters around my room all the time."
I swear Zayden blushes beside me.
Brenda rolls her eyes. "Fine, since I've seen you. How are you, Honey?"
Zayden smiles back. "I've been okay. Nothing wild ever happens to me."
I cover my snicker with a cough, patting my chest, the same time Mom gives Zayden a pointed look. "Wrong pipe."
Mr. I Skip Numbers must be hidden deep, deep, deep, deep down inside.
Zayden pinches my leg underneath the table, confirming our shared thoughts. I suppress my grin, pinching him back.
Brenda chuckles. "I bet you have something going on. No ladies in that department?"
Zayden chokes on the orange juice Mom hands him. I pat his back, glaring at Brenda.
"Don't embarrass him." I mouth. Her smirk widens.
"Um no, Bren. No lady." Zayden clears his throat, clearly still dying.
"Well that's a shame." She takes a sip of her wine. "I think you'd be very good at certa-"
"Woah, woah, woah, this is a family friendly show." Dad and Cole stop her in unison at the same time Leo mutters, "PG-13."
Desperately needing to change the subject, Zayden address Mom. "How have you been, Mrs. Day?"
I don't miss the tired smile as she waves him off. "You can call me Zoey, honey. We've talked about this."
"Okay...Zoey." He hesitates. Always one to be polite.
"That's better. I've been okay. Keeping busy and on my feet helps."
"Yeah, but you need more rest." I point out as Zayden opens his mouth. He takes my hand under the table, squeezing it, but I shake him off immediately.
Mom sighs, "Charli, the meds have been helping. I've been feeling better, Sweetpea."
Brenda purses her lips, keeping quiet as her brows furrow. Cole looks down at his plate, suddenly intrigued by a crumb as Dad clears his throat.
"Charli, take your mother's word. We've been careful." He reasons cautiously.
"Careful?" I echo, curtly. "Careful is for people who can eventually escape, who can turn back time magically."
Leo glances between our parents and I. Mom chews on her lip, looking defeated and angry.
"Charli." Mom warns. "That is enough."
"Charli, listen to your mother. Let's finish eating." Dad motions to my half full plate.
"I think I'm done."
I stand from my seat, rushing out of the room. I hear Zayden apologize before he chases after me.
"Char," He calls as I rush out the front door. "Charli."
I continue walking down the street until I burst into a run. I don't know where I'm going, I let me feet lead the way.
Within minutes I stop in front of a large swing set, one that both Zayden and I know too well.
"Why is it that whenever something happens, we always end up here?" Zayden tries to joke, taking the swing next to me.
"Because it was easier then."
"Maybe," He says gently. "But the past had its own problems."
Past. People always criticize their past, but what happens to the moments you crave? The moments that made you who you are today, and the memories you can never get back.
"I said easier, not flawless."
He shrugs, "Maybe so, but your Mom is still with you, Char. And she will be for a while longer."
I shake my head, "We don't know that."
"Then live everyday to the fullest. Take her on adventures. Don't argue, don't fight. For all the years I have known you, Charli, you have always tried to do what's right, what's selfless. I think it's time you put yourself first."
"It's not that easy, Zayden." I kick at the turf beneath my feet.
He meets my eyes. "I know, but as the CEO of waiting too long, I'm telling you to start today and not tomorrow."
I suck in a breath, ignoring my churning stomach. I scan his eyes, fidgeting as his calculating stare intensifies. He leans closer, almost reaching for me.
"Charli-"
I jump off the swing abruptly, turning towards the monkey bars. "I want to play. Last one on top of the bars is a chicken butt."
As we race, I leave him and his words behind. They can wait, just like the damn clock on the wall.
❂ ❂ ❂
By the time I got home, two hours later, the kitchen was clean and my parents and Zuckermans were huddled in the living room. I crept into my bedroom, taking a long shower before starting my homework.
Tapping my pen against the table, I close my anatomy textbook. I pick up my camera, smiling down at Caden's picture.
I begin to scroll through memory after memory.
By the time I look back up, it's already 1am and my eyes are strained from picking apart several pictures. Stretching, I silently make my way to the kitchen.
Dad's sitting on a bar stool, working on his laptop. He looks up surprised.
"Hey there, Sweetheart." He greets. "What's got you up and about?"
"I'm just getting some water." I open to the fridge. He nods, taking a drink from his own mug.
I clear my throat. "I'm sorry about dinner."
He shakes his head. "I'm not the one who you should be apologizing too, Charli."
I hang my head. "I know, I know, I just-I can't-" My voice cracks and my face crumbles—I can feel it.
"Sweetheart," Dad wraps me into a hug, kissing the top of my head. "We've got time."
I wish everyone would stop saying that.
"What if we don't?" I sniffle. "What if-"
He pushes me to an arm length distance, smoothing down my hair. "My child, you should not be worrying about that. I want you to enjoy life–your Mom wants that more than anything for both you and your brother."
"But-"
"No whats, no ifs, and no buts, Charli." He lets me rest my head back against his chest. "We will all be okay, Sweetheart. If not today, then tomorrow. And if not tomorrow, then in eternity."
The nightmares never go away though.
❂ ❂ ❂
On Monday afternoon, Caden and I find ourselves at his parent's abandoned house again. I sit in the large library, pulling out other English homework as Caden and I take a brain break.
We all know that one brain cell is working too hard on that old squeaky hamster wheel.
I barely notice as Caden returns from the kitchen with drinks in his hands, and a smug looking smile on his face. Despite how peaceful and friendly he has been recently, some habits die hard.
"You know," Caden starts, handing me a bottle of lemonade. "This project would've been a whole lot easier if you weren't so stubborn."
I stop typing. "Excuse me?"
"Don't you think it would've been easier to just interview each other?" He leans against the table.
I snort, "Forced to ask each other deep, meaningful, and personal questions?"
Caden shrugs. "I'm an open book."
"Good for you." I cross my arms. "Plus, at least 80% of class will be doing that. Guaranteed. Maybe we'll finally stand out."
"I already do." He corrects.
I scoff, continuing to answer our weekly Lit analysis questions. Then I notice how dark the room has gotten. I shut my laptop, checking my watch. "I think I should head home now."
Caden doesn't say anything as he nods. I swear I see a flicker of disappointment flash across his face, but it's also six pm and I'm exhausted.
He waits patiently as I pick up my things, and follow him out into the hall. As he closes the library doors, I notice a family painting further down the corridor. Before I can stop myself, I gravitate towards it.
The painting is beautiful, consisting of a woman, man, and two little children. Caden couldn't have been more than six years old.
"This is adorable." I giggle as he stands beside me.
He rolls his eyes, "Are you surprised? Of course baby me was adorable."
I cross my arms, "Way to ruin the mood with your ego."
"Someone has to once in a while."
I ignore him, focusing on the girl standing beside him in the painting. "Is this your sister?"
He nods grimly, pursing his lips. "She was nine. Already playing four instruments and studying three grade levels ahead."
There's no doubt that she's gorgeous, but by the look on his face I keep my mouth shut. Instead, I nudge him away from the painting. "Bet she doesn't have your humor."
"No one can match my humor." He states confidently.
I laugh, "You haven't met Haisley and I on a Thursday night."
We almost make it out the door, when a voice stops us. I freeze behind Caden, sweat suddenly dripping down my back.
"When I heard from the butler that you've been running around here, I was honestly surprised." A man I assume is Caden's father descends the large stairwell.
Dressed in an expensive suit, the man looks as if he could be nice, but the cruel look on his face says otherwise. He hasn't aged from what I can tell, if we're not including his collection of gray hair.
Caden stiffens beside me, hand dropping from the door handle. "I just have some business to work on."
"Ah, so I see you're finally addressing woman as objects." He drawls, smirking. He glances at me as I stare intently at my feet.
This is beyond awkward.
"Unlike you, I have actual work to finish." Caden spits. I don't miss the small step he takes to block me as his father approaches us.
His dad doesn't miss it either.
"Careful, son-"
"I'm not your son. You chose your daughter remember?" Caden sneers. Bile rises in my throat as a chill runs down my spine.
I don't particularly like the way his father is looking at me or Caden. Like we're a piece of meat and he's a starving lion.
"Are you Caden's new girlfriend or something?" Mr. James finally addresses me, glancing over Caden's shoulder. Caden opens his mouth, but I place a hand on his arm, stopping him.
Standing straighter, I step out from behind Caden, meeting the set of cruel eyes.
"Actually, I'm his partner for our AP Literature class. We're working on a project that focuses on important people in our lives, and your library happens to be a great place for some inspirational quotes." I smile politely, although it doesn't feel right.
Mr. James throws his head back with a bark of laughter. "Partners? That's cute. And let me guess, lil' 'ol Atticus is getting the spotlight again?"
I step in front of Caden this time out of instinct.
"Actually, yes. Atticus has been a very respectable man, and quite helpful. Unlike you, who is harassing not just Caden, but also a guest under your roof."
Any trace of friendliness leaves his face, an angry expression taking over. Caden grabs my arm, but I don't back down.
"Sugar." He warns under his breath, eyeing flickering between his father and I.
"What did you just say?" The asshole deadpans.
"We're leaving now." I push Caden out the door. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. James."
The fresh air hits my face as we come to a stop in front of the large fountain. I run a hand through my hair, groaning.
"I shouldn't have done that." I turn to Caden, eyes wide. "Oh my god, I shouldn't have said that. Is he going to hurt you? Oh-"
Without any warning, Caden bends over laughing like a maniac. He almost wheezes as he pulls me into a tight hug. Not sure what to do or what's happening, I just stand there.
"Thank you, Sugar." He whispers before letting me go. "That was...that was something."
"So you're not mad at me..." I ask, tentatively.
He shakes his head, grinning. "If I wasn't in awe of you before, I am now. That was amazing."
I bite on my lip nervously. "He's not going to come after you for what I said, right?"
Caden shrugs, "If he does, so be it. I'm a big boy."
I shake my head, "No, I'll go back in there and apologize. I'm not going to be the reason he-"
Caden stops me, placing his hands on my shoulders, shaking me. "Charli, it's okay. I promise."
"You promise?" I echo, not looking at him.
He nods, taking three steps back. "I promise. And if he does, I'll send you the hospital bill."
I glare at him. "Ha ha, very fucking funny."
His grin turns into a smile. "I know, what can I say? I'm a funny guy."
Ignoring him I mutter under my breath, "I'm never doing that again."
Caden slings an arm around me, which I try to shove off, but he pulls me into his side. "Sugar, I think you're incredibly sweet."
I snort, finally detaching myself. "I appreciate your kind words, but distance."
"But aren't we friends?" Caden jumps in front of me, giving me puppy dog eyes. "Especially after that."
The corners of my lips twitch upward giving me away. "You're still a pain in the ass." I walk around him.
"Is that a yes?" He calls out as I continue to walk to my car.
"I'll think about." I call over my shoulder.
"For how long?"
"Try again later." I wave, getting into my car.
He yells something back, but ignition muffles his words. I roll down my window.
"Get back to your place safely, okay?" My eyes dart back to the mansion. "Let me know if I have to pick you up."
Caden and I may only be new found friends, but no parent should treat their child poorly. I've dealt with Haisley's parents, which was anything short of pleasant, but I got somewhat through to them.
I'll save him too if I have to.
He blows a kiss causing me to roll up my window quickly. I make a face before driving off.
"Weirdo." I ignore the smile I feel on my face, which quickly fades as I make eye contact with an unexpected person. An unexpected, fuming person.
Pulling down the street, my eyes lock with Kinsley's as I drive past her. I glance in my rearview to catch the grim look on Caden's face as he finally notices her too.
She looks livid...which makes me a satisfied bitch.
❂ ❂ ❂
Hello my beautiful people, how are y'all? Sorry, I know this chapter came out a little late.
But I'd love to hear your current thoughts on Sincerely, Charli Day? honest opinions ofc ;)
Sis just got super busy with two summer college courses...let me just tell y'all, it's not the way to go...
As usual, I hope you'll continue to follow me through this journey, and spread word of SCD :) Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @ universal.boredom.writes (Caden's cast reveal is officially up!) **link's in my bio**
I hope you have an amazing day or night, and hopefully I'll see you in the next chapter ;)
-K ♥︎