On My Way To Mr. Right

Chapter 33

I wake up in the morning, grouchy from the lack of sleep. I did not get enough sleep last night and although I appreciated my talk with Ross– and I don’t even remember how it ended, I still need my precious rest.

But alas, it was time for school. Mom drags my curtains open and pulls my blanket away to try to get me out of bed.

“Five more minutes,” I begged, grabbing the blanket back.

“Charlotte, get up. Your father and I have something to talk to you about.” She says with a serious voice, yanking the blanket from my hands.

I was mentally awake the moment she said she needed to talk. That is never a good sign. I’ve rarely had ‘something to talk to them about.’ The first time was when I threw the neighbor’s cat over the fence, which unfortunately resulted in some injured pets. The second talk occurred when I slapped Jennifer from third grade. She was a mean bully.

I was always pretty violent. I try not to be. But man, people keep on testing me every day.

But I have gone years without forcefully or intentionally being violent towards anyone. What did they want to talk to me about?

“We’ll be waiting for you in the dining room. School starts in an hour, by the way.”

Annoyed by their parental antics, I trudge out of bed and head to the bathroom to get ready for school.

I finished my routine feeling more awake, but still felt like I was on a short fuse. I got down to have some breakfast, finding mom and dad in the dining room. Dad was sipping a cup of coffee while mom was whispering something serious to him. Their somber faces were not giving me anything to work with.

“Good morning,” I greeted them, calling their attention. They snap their heads to me and, as if they had rehearsed years before, sat on the opposite ends of the table.

“Sit down, Charlotte,” Dad instructs, motioning to the chair in the middle.

“What is this? An intervention?” I replied dryly.

“No, this is us talking to our daughter about serious matters.”

Dad’s response was deathly grave and he didn’t even show signs of the opposite emotion. What the hell did I do? I have good grades. I don’t do anything too stupid. I’m not addicted to anything other than Netflix.

“Alexander filled us up about last night,” Mom starts and, in an instant, my eyes widened at the thought of what this was going to be about.

“He said a man dropped you off,” I almost chuckle at the word man. James wasn’t even mentally developed to be a boy. “He mentioned that you two stayed in the car for a while, talking, it seems. Or maybe more.”

Ugh.

I was mentally disgusted and triggered at the same time. The gall of Alex to rat me out when he was his own drunk on the lawn at 1 am. But I wait for them to finish talking before correcting them.

“He never would have told us if he wasn’t just genuinely concerned about his sister, Charlotte. And so, we want to talk to you about the effects of, um, dating,” Dad’s eyes stray from me to mom. Mom was obviously coaching him on what to say next.

How long did they rehearse this?

“Okay, stop. Before you go into detail with what I know will be a gross undertaking of the ‘effects of dating’ or whatever, please know that: one, James drove me home last night, as he was also the one who picked me up; two, we were talking about, it took mere seconds. It must have been longer for Alex because number three, he was drunk and vaping on the lawn.” I refrain from showing the cause of reprimand. I refuse to be the victim of their lack of verification. Had they asked me first for clarification, they wouldn’t have had to set up this stern and awkward situation for all of us. Moreso, if that drunken bastard had gone to sleep in his room as I instructed, he wouldn’t have had to wake up mom and dad and rat me out using the most absurd stories.

“Oh,” was mom and dad’s united response.

I got up to fetch myself a glass of orange juice and continue breakfast. The egg and ham spread they made for breakfast were being spoiled by their incessant yapping of impossible things that would happen. I was barely 15. I knew better than to lead an irresponsible life.

“Well, in that case, sweetheart, I hope you have a great day at school. Here are some extra dollars for your allowance today.” Dad says, getting up from the chair and handing me a thick roll of money.

I looked at him shocked. It was a roll of ones. But it was thicker than my palm. I looked at mom to see she was surprised as well, but she looked for me to take it anyway.

Shaking my head at the weird idea of affection my parents had, I took the money and my orange juice back to my room.

“I have to prepare some stuff,” I tell them, leaving them to their own realizations.

I checked my phone, but unfortunately, it ran low on battery after my call with Ross last night. I must have dozed off before saying goodbye because I certainly don’t remember hanging up on her.

I picked up a couple of photographs from my drawer to give to Adrian today. These were Hailey’s photos taken by Leo, my other older brother, a few years ago when we went to the beach. She meant to pick it up the weekend after it was developed but we both forgot. And here it is still, years later.

She remembered them last night though. She texted and asked for them to be sent over, saying she wanted to use them for a project.

I place them neatly between the pages of a book and leave the room with my bag in tow.

Dad was driving me to school, as he did most days. It was on the way to his work. But on other days, James or Rossalyn would pick me up.

“Are you ready for school?” Mom asks, handing me a sandwich and a lunch pack.

“Yes, where’s dad?”

I heard him start the car and pull out of the driveway and I ran to meet him outside. I cannot wait to get out of this hell house and tell B about all the mad stuff that happened not even 24 hours since we separated.

I stop in my tracks as I remember James.

I dreaded seeing James. Walking slowly, with a frown on my face, I thought about faking a cold. It wouldn’t be too bad to lie, right? Missing school today was essentially useless since tomorrow was the dance and everyone’s too busy to attend classes anyway.

But I thought it was too late. I had already gotten into the car and the second I closed the doors, dad sped off.

He drops me off at school where James had just arrived on his motorcycle as well. I prayed to whoever was up above for dad not to see him and that I’d get out in time when James had gotten way ahead. But my prayers remain unheard as dad beeps James into coming over. The driveway wasn’t too busy as it was a little early.

“Hey, Mr. Smith,” He smiles warmly at my father. I get out of the car to stop further communication between them but James grabs my hand, not even looking back at me before I could walk away.

“Hey, Tucker. I just wanted to say I appreciate you driving Lottie home last night. I always knew I could trust you guys to keep her safe.”

“Oh, no problem, Mr. Smith. I always take extra care of Lottie. I know how she can be very cranky when left to starve or walk for miles,” James chuckles, rubbing my head, playfully.

I shrug him off, visibly annoyed at his antics and at dad for keeping the interaction longer than I wanted. I just want to take a nap in the library before homeroom starts. Is that too much to ask?

“Well, you kids have a great day today,” he says before driving off. We watch his car leave the school property before James lets go of my arm.

I looked at him, with brows crossed, and eyes dark.

“What?” He asks, acting innocent.

“Oh, for you.”

I walk away to go walked in the library. When I said I was feeling restless and tired, I mean I wanted to sleep the whole day off. If I wasn’t planning on attending Columbia for college, I would have slept my days off like Aurora.

I heard James’ footsteps rushing to catch up with me.

“Lottie, wait up,” he calls. “Is this about last night?”

At the mere mention of the atrocious matter, I turned around and glared at him intensely so that he felt the need to back away.

“You know I still like you despite all of this, right?” He motions at my glaring figure. “Your inner little demonita is not going to scare me away. I’ve known you for years, Lottie.”

My heart softens at his sweet sentimental statement. But I was too fatigued to even acknowledge that. Acknowledging that would mean acknowledging last night and talking it out. I was not in the mood to talk it out.

I resume walking away, ignoring the blush subsiding in my cheeks. He follows me still but I ignore him for the rest of the walk to the library.

“Oh,” he gasps in realization as we reached the entryway of the library. As it was thirty minutes before the start of class and no student would ever really be caught dead in the library when they’re not instructed to be there anyway, it was dead silent inside. The old grouchy librarian admits us in and I find a cozy corner to nap.

“I’m sorry for being so giddy with you this morning. You must have been tired from last night,” He apologizes as he sits opposite me in a beanbag.

I position myself in a beanbag and take out my airpods to listen to some music to rest, but James stops me from doing so. I was silent throughout the walk and until now. I thought he got my sleepy phase, but obviously, he was ignorant to how much I needed this nap.

“James, I am tolerant of your cheery and playful behavior. But now is neither the time nor the place to do so. Interrupt me again and I will s***h your tires and forever despise you, okay?” I tried to tell him off as gently as I could, seeing his fragile nature of accepting rejection.

He sinks back in his seat, sulking.