Charlie
At lunch on Tuesday, I found myself sat at my usual lunch table. Joe was stressing about some history essay he had and Taylor was helping him figure out what to write. I was barely paying attention to my friends as I found myself lost in my thoughts about the result of my English test. I hardly slept on Monday night because the single thought that I had failed my English test kept going around in my head.
"It's going to be fine, Char." Joe said, clearly aware I hadn't been paying attention to anything they'd been saying.
Joe had cut off their stream of conversation to reassure me. I'd caught the odd snippet of what they were saying. Joe was telling us about his big history assignment that seemed to be taking over his life and Taylor was complaining about being home alone with Jason. I couldn't blame either of them, I wouldn't want to have to deal with living with Jason or a history assignment right now.
"Sorry," I said trying to refocus my attention on my friends. "I got zoned out for a second."
"Are we boring you, Char?" Taylor teased, "You're not thinking about anyone in particular are you? Like I don't know, maybe a boy?"
I felt my eyebrows raise up in surprise at Taylor. I hadn't expressly mentioned anything to them about Billy or any boys.
"Come on, Charlie. Don't think I didn't notice how you both left together on Saturday." Joe stated, reminding me of the short time Billy and I spent chatting on the pier.
I shrugged, "And?"
I wasn't one to start talking to my friends about a boy I could potentially liked unless something happened. I wasn't sure if it stemmed from a place of pride or privacy. I could waste all my energy filling our conversations about a boy and he may not even know I exist. What a waste of time.
I glanced between the two of them and I realised they'd shared their thoughts on the idea of me and Billy between themselves before they let me in on it.
"So, do you like him?" Taylor questioned, "Joe said you hung out with him for quite some time."
I turned to Joe, raising my eyebrow. "Seriously? What were you doing? Spying on us?"
Joe looked at me smugly, but shook his head. "No, of course not. Billy took a longer break than he usually would. I figured it was because of you." He said, pausing. "And the fact he came back and started asking questions about you."
"Huh? Really?" I asked, surprised. I didn't expect Billy to show much interest in me. I thought he'd be more of the type to keep himself to himself. "What did he ask about me?"
I felt my heart rate slowly increase at the thought of Billy asking about me.
Joe shrugged, "you know, what your deal is and shit."
I stared at Joe blankly, trying to make it clear to him that I had no idea what he meant by that.
"Basically," Taylor butted in. "He asked Joe whether you were seeing anyone and long story short, well, it ended with Joe giving Billy your number."
"What?" I said, surprised.
I knew Billy had shown the slightest bit of interest in seeing me again when I saw him on Saturday, but I hadn't thought he'd try and make it happen on his own. I figured if I had any contact with Billy it would because through Joe or some social situation.
"So do you like him?" Taylor questioned, her wide blue eyes looking at me with hopefulness. "I bet It's only a matter of time before he texts you, asking you out."
I shrugged, "I don't know. I still hardly know him, but he seems nice so far."
Taylor narrowed her eyes at me like she was trying to figure out what I was thinking.
"Okay, well what about what they say about him... you know, the rumours about him?" She questioned.
I thought about it for a moment and realised I didn't know the substance of any rumour about him. Everything that was supposed to deter me from Billy stemmed from my stepbrothers and their friends. It seemed the only reason I should stay away from him was because of the rivalry and my stepbrother's hatred for him. Alone, that reason wasn't convincing enough. I mean, they hate me.
"What do the rumours actually say about Billy?" I questioned, looking at Taylor curiously.
Taylor raised her eyebrows in surprise like she couldn't believe I didn't already know. Taylor wasn't chatty to other people, besides us. People were always friendly with Taylor. Mostly because everyone knew her brother was Jason Thornton, Sebastian's predecessor. But, it wasn't just that. Taylor always came across as sweet and trustworthy. That made her approachable. And although, Taylor wasn't much for gossiping to people that weren't me or Joe, she was a good listener.
She sighed and leaned forwards a bit like she'd be embarrassed if anyone heard what she was about to say.
"Jason told me about Billy or his teammate pulling out a knife in a fight. Apparently it was against our very own captain of the football team." She whispered to me.
Sebastian?
Taylor looked down at her Tuna salad like she was embarrassed by repeating a rumour. However, I found myself less focused on Taylor gossiping and more focused on how I hadn't heard this rumour and that it sounded like Sebastian was the one that had been threatened with the knife.
"I remember that, the whole school wouldn't shut up about it." Joe said, rolling his eyes.
"How come I don't remember?" I questioned, confused. I couldn't remember anyone talking about a big fight between us and the rival football team.
Taylor and Joe looked to each other hesitantly before turning to me with familiar sad eyes I had seen people look at me with too many times before.
"It was the fall of sophomore year, Char." Joe said softly.
I froze once he told me that. I only heard the talk about my sister back then. Everything else went over my head. Alice died the summer before my sophomore year and she was still the only thing on my mind when the leaves starting falling.
"Oh, that makes sense." I replied, nodding slightly. "My stepbrother's haven't said much to me about why they don't like Billy. All they've really said is that he's bad news and it makes me seem disloyal to them if I'm seen talking with Billy."
Joe scoffed, "yeah because they've earnt your loyalty." Joe shook his head. "They need to grow up and not be so petty."
"Well," Taylor began, twisting their lips. "If Billy did threaten Sebastian with a knife maybe they're right about him being bad news? Maybe all of this isn't about their pride, maybe it's about them being concerned for you? Maybe they just don't know how to show that they care?"
I looked at Taylor suspiciously. "God, you don't really expect me to believe the Lakewood's would try and protect me?"
Taylor shrugged, "Maybe they're being protective? I heard the whole fight was about Freya Calloway. Maybe they care about other people after all?"
"That's a lot of maybe's." Joe commented.
I nodded in agreement with Joe, realising Taylor was purely speculating and trying to get me to see the potential good in them. Although, I had to admit Taylor's speculation may have some truth behind it. Freya was the only girl I'd ever seen Sebastian smile at.
I furrowed my eyebrows and glanced over at my stepbrother's lunch table. It wouldn't have surprised me if that were true. Sebastian and Freya were chuckling at something one of them had said. Harry and Tommy were sat next to them, throwing pieces of popcorn at each other like two pre-schoolers. It made me smile almost at how at ease they all seemed.
I felt the corner of my lips tug downwards when Jack Williams caught my eye. He'd noticed me watching them and stared blankly in my direction like he wanted me to know I'd been caught. It made me realise Jack Williams was someone I didn't understand and that Harry was right about him. Jack's not the sort of person you want to make an enemy out of. I wasn't sure why, but something about him deeply unsettled me.
"What do you think the fight was about?" I questioned, curiously.
"They're boys," Taylor shrugged. "Who knows?"
"Why don't you ask Sebastian or Harry or Tommy?" Joe suggested. "Aren't you and Tommy getting on better now?"
"Tommy and I are okay. I mean, he's the reason I can ride to them to school and back, but it's only progress. We're not friends."
"Well then, why don't you ask Freya Calloway?" Taylor suggested.
Joe nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she seemed sweet that time we played twenty questions at yours."
I sighed, unsure. Despite, having spoken to Freya a couple of times and her being nothing, but nice to me, it didn't change the fact that Freya wasn't my friend and she didn't owe me an explanation for anything.
"I'm not sure if she'd even tell me. This is Freya Calloway we're talking about. She's the most popular girl in school. Do you really think she'll talk to me about any of it?" I doubted.
"Sweetie, you're the stepsister of the most popular boys in schools. There's got to be one good thing that comes out of that, right? Maybe, it's the right of passage to talk to somebody like Freya Calloway?"
I nodded, understanding what Taylor was getting at. Yet, I couldn't shake the doubt that had come creeping in. I was pretty sure Freya Calloway was Sebastian's best friend. That makes it highly likely that Freya Calloway hates me.
What do you think happened between Sebastian and Billy ?