Re-written 05/2022

****

"No."

"No?" he looks stunned. "You really aren't going to come back down to help?"

"No. See Chase, I was really hoping you would be a lot nicer. I know back then you weren't such an asshole. I have another class in about an hour or so and I need to wash up. Is that all you wanted to talk about?" My hands tighten on the doorknob.

"I was right about you and the guys will see that too." He takes a step closer to me. "You will regret it."

"Are you threatening me, Chase?" I close the tiny space between us. The air around me feels suffocating me.

"Not a threat Charles but a promise." He takes a step back and goes downstairs. I need to call Martha from the administrative building and see if they got any new openings. Whatever Chase has in store for me will definitely leave me in tears for sure. Closing and locking my door, I strip out my clothes and take a nice long shower. Getting dressed and strolling around my room, I finally make my way downstairs. The guys are still in the living room as I walk in.

"Hey, Everett can we talk?"

He looks over at me and then turns back to his book. Figures, I wonder what lies Chase has told them.

"Please, Everett? I want to talk it won't take more than a minute."

He sighs and stands up, walking my way. Rude much?

"What?" He is being rude; I shouldn't have thought he was going to be any other way but this.

"I'm sorry. I-I don't think I should he-"

"It's cool Charley no worries. Like Austin said no rush, but how you went about it wasn't cool. I gotta get back."

I didn't think me not helping would cause such a huge problem. I wanted to say, but some things are better left unsaid. I look over to Chase who I know is staring at me. A smirk tugs at his lips and then his eyes are back in his book. Vincent cleared his throat, catching my attention.

"Where are you headed?"

"The Albert building."

"I'll walk with you; I am not needed here right now anyway." He stands. "Catch you guys at football practice."

He and I walk out of the house in silence.

"I want to apologize on behalf of the guys." He said once we were a few feet away from the house. "I know you don't mean any harm, Chase can do that to a person. You have to grow a thick skin and toughen it out. I like you, Charlotte," I stop walking to look at him. "Shit, not like that. You aren't my type, but as a person I like you. You clean the house and cook dinner for us. Like a mother would do-I'm not trying to call you our mother because we have moms bu-"

"I get what you are trying to say," I chuckle. "Thank you. Earlier Darren mentioned you not wanting to focus on business after graduation, what are you thinking about doing then? If you don't mind me asking," I began to walk again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I want to be a photographer."

"Really?" My face lit up. "That's so cool."

"Yeah? Thanks. I love to take pictures and I am really great at it too. The guys want to be billionaires. Don't get me wrong I want that too, but I don't want to be cooped up in an office for the rest of my life doing so." He looks down at me. "You feel me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Do you feel me? Like, do you get what I am saying?"

"Sorry, that totally went over my head."

"It's all good." He places his arms around my shoulder, pulling me into his side. "So tell me Charlotte, what is it that you want out of this thing called life?"

"PRCA which stands for The Prestigious Ramona Culinary Academy. That's my first step towards my career and then from there I want to own my own restaurant, to be head Chef." I sigh dreamily, just picturing myself years from now.

"Alright. So do you want one of those star thingys?"

"A Michelin Star? No way. Too much pressure to get one and keep it. I rather not want to add more stress onto my plate."

"But that star thing means a lot to Chefs, right?"

"Some. I want to be the greatest Chef I can be, that's all. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Makes sense. I think you should work on the project with us."

"Vincent, did you just want to walk with me, to talk me into helping with the project?" I try to shrug his arm off but he wasn't budging. "What is the big deal about the project anyway?"

"No, like I said this is their business, not mine, I'm just part of it because we always do group projects together. That has always been our thing."

"So what is it about?"

"Food." He deadpans. "I mean it's more than just food, but the part the guys would like your help on involves food. I think they were going to go with Natalie, but a girl Everett was messing with the other night mentioned you are one of the top students in the culinary department."

"Ok go on?" Now he has my undivided attention. Anything food-related I'm down.

"If you want to know so much about it, just help us out."

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"Not my pro-"

"Vincent, nice seeing you on this side of the campus," A red-haired female walks up to us, a cheerleader nonetheless. "Who's the tramp?" She eyes me. In all my years at this school, no one has ever called me out of my name, let alone in front of my face. Is this girl serious right now?

"Watch your mouth Dove." he snaps.

"You screw me for an entire semester last year. Then I don't hear from you the whole summer and now you are with a blonde?" She shifts her attention to me. "He is going to screw and leave you too. That's just what he does."

Well, I don't want him. What the hell is going on here? I look up at Vincent and back to Dove. Whatever the hell they got going on I don't want any parts of it. Mental note, steer clear of the guys when I'm outside the Croakington house.

"Dove, that's enough." He drops his arm from my shoulder. "You don't want to get into this right now with me."

"No, I think I do. You haven't returned any of my phone calls since the last party you guys had. What's up? Besides, you finding a new shiny dumb blonde to screw." She folds her arms at her chest. I want to walk away from this situation, but I don't want Vincent to do anything stupid, he seems really pissed at her. It's all in his body language.

"No, Dove I haven't. I stop messing with you when I found you that night bouncing up and down on my brother's dick. You knew it wasn't me and don't use that excuse you were drunk, you weren't. We gotta go." He grabs my hand, walking around her. "And next time you talk about the Charlotte that way, I'll personally make sure your last year here is hell." If looks can kill I would be dead. She didn't like the fact that her ex was defending me. I can see now that Dove wasn't someone you wanted to mess with. The campus is crawling with shit tons of Regina Georges' and I'm pretty sure she is one of them. Dove is going to have it out for me, regardless of what Vincent told her. I'm now enemy number one.

Vincent walks off, pulling me with him and I have to jog a bit to keep up.

"Hey, can we slow down a bit? I'm going to trip and fall flat on my face."

"Sorry," He slows down. "I'm sorry about what you just witnessed back there. Dove is a handful. She just gets under my skin and—fuck..." he stuffs his hands into his pockets. Vincent shifts from one foot to the next and I can see the look of hurt flash across his face. I'm having an internal battle with wanting to know his business and then again not. I won't be at Croakington for long so I shouldn't intrude. But like always, the nosy only child syndrome kicks in.

"Are you ok?" I look up at him.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"I dont know what happened between you two, but I think you still care and are hurting."

"I did care about her, but that's in the past. So where were we?" He changes the topic, clearing his throat.

"Raincheck on the conversation, we have arrived at my destination." I stop and look up at him. "Thank you for walking me. I hope things work out with you and Dove or not." I smile.

"I'll take that rain check." He leans down kissing my cheek. "See you later on, tonight."

"Umm, y-yeah." Why did he kiss me? Maybe it's how he says goodbye to his friends. Are we even friends? Stop overthinking it Charlotte, I tell myself.

"If Dove bothers you again, let me or one of the guys know." His face is serious.

"Ok."

I wave bye and head into the building. I see Raven leaving out of a lecture hall with our mutual friend Kat. I wave at them. "Hey girls."

"Hey, Charley. Raven was telling me that you're playing Charlotte White and the Seven Frat Brothers this semester." I look over at Raven and roll my eyes. I hope she isn't running up and down campus telling people this.

"No one is living out a fairytale here. I just so happened to get stuck with them until the University can find me a place." I say, and the look Kat gives Raven doesn't go unnoticed. Seriously what the hell is their problems.

"Have anyone tried to make a move on you? I hear that Everett is pretty good in bed. Or do you want the head alpha—Chase?" Kat winks at me and I shake my head no, turning my attention back to Raven. "So how was your talk with Professor Duggan?" I ask.

"It was good, she said if I go it will count against me, so I'm not going to go. It sucks, but I'll be fine. There is always next year. How was your meeting with Everett?"

"Good. Look I have to go can't be late." I say, heading into the building. Talking to Raven about anything at the moment might get around campus. I trust her, she is my best friend, but after the stunt, she pulled back in cooking class, I wasn't so sure what was going on with her. I rather have a sit down about what is going on before telling her any more secrets.