✍︎

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓞𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓭 but not cold enough that it was sharp like in winter. Apart from my breaths the only other sound I could hear was the stream and the leaves crunching under my feet that had began to fall. 

Before I started running I'd noticed the boys come out and Charlie was sat in the boat Infront of Cameron, an annoyed looked etched permanently on his face. His eyes met mine and he winked at me, a small smirk visible on his face. I shook my head, taking off down the path by the lake.

I had been running for fifty minutes and all I could think about was how unfit I was. Okay fifty minutes is a bit of a stretch. I ran for like 15 and then stopped and sat down for half an hour and then started running again.

I stopped for a minute leaning over with my hands on my knees before I stood up shaking my head

'No Soph, if you stop again you'll give up' I thought. I started running again and went towards the woods.

My mind wandered to the conversation I'd had with Hager yesterday. He asked me to stay back after class and told me that the educational board had called and asked for my school records to be sent to them and that my chances of a scholarship had just risen.

What would happen if I got the scholarship. What would father say, how would Neil feel? Would father reprimand Neil for not getting a scholarship.

Would I even take the scholarship. I hadn't ever thought about colleges before, and I knew father wanted me to go to an Ivy League. But Is that what I wanted? Would father care about what I wanted?

Would Neil hate me?. Neil and I never fought, sure we bickered back and forth but we never actually fell out. Would this ruin our relationship?

Did Neil hate me now? He never really said anything about how father treated us different but I suppose I never really asked. I have to ask him.

One thought continued to cross my mind, one I wouldn't listen to until now.

'Was Charlie going to kiss me earlier? Did he want to kiss me? Did I want him to kiss me?' I scoffed out loud surprising myself 'of course I wanted him to kiss me'

Was I stupid for wanting that? I mean it could ruin our friendship.

I've always liked Charlie, but the past year has been different. I gravitate towards him wherever I am.

He's safe, he's familiar, he's like home. I shouldn't have been feeling these things but it was getting harder and harder to push them away

But I'd be lying if I said I didn't love how he would just barge into my room. How his hand would find its way to my back when he walked beside me. He was an addiction I didn't know how to shake, like I couldn't live until he was around.

   But how does someone feel all these for their best friend. I don't feel this way for Meeks, Pitts, Cameron, Todd or Knox. It was like whenever Charlie was around all my problems melted away. Lately it felt like everything in my life was surrounded by water and i was barley floating. But when I saw Charlie  all of that disappeared and when he looked at me...

     I shook my head, trying to get rid of those thoughts as I made my way down a small hill that came back to the school. I looked at the big clock up on the wall. I had been gone for an hour and a half.

    Stick and Russell were fencing at the edge of the forest. I ran by them saying hi before exiting out the side of the woods. Most of the boys were out playing football and some were fencing off to the side.

     The boats were pulled up on the side of the lake so they must've finished up early.

      "Hey Sophie" I turned and saw Knox walking over to me wheeling his bike.

     "Hey Knoxie, where are you off to?" I asked him resting my hand on the bike.

     "I'm going to see Chris" he said as I smiled at him.

    "Are you going to see Chris? Or going to stalk Chris?" I asked him as he shook his head at me

"Stalk is a strong word"

"Is it?"

     "And I can't just go up and talk to her sophie" He told me

    "No, no your right, because that would be weird" I said his face deflating a bit "look Knox, just be careful okay. She's with someone, Chet Danburry to be exact. I can't imagine she's just going to drop him"

    "Obviously not. Sophie. She just has to realise that I'm the better one"

    "Right, but Knox, you know she won't know you're the better one until you talk to her right?" I asked him as he looked down at me nodding "just think about it okay" I said hugging him as he nodded against me before turning and kissing my forehead.

    "Thanks Sophie, I'll talk to you later okay" he said as we pulled away. "Love you" He began wheeling the bike away as I smiled watching his retreating figure.

     "Be safe!" I called suddenly, realising he'd have to go the back way to avoid the roads. He turned and waved before getting on he bike and beginning to cycle away.

     I turned finally getting close to the building when movement on the roof caught my attention. Pitts and Meeks were dancing and I smiled. They got their radio working.

I pulled open the door, and ran up towards the rooms. The sound of bongos from my left told me Charlie was out of the shower. The sound of laughing and running caught my attention as I looked towards Neil's room .

    Confused, I pushed open the door "I'm being chased by Walt Whitman" Neil shouted running from one bed to another while Todd followed him around.

     "What are you guys doing" I laughed looking up at them, the sound of Cameron and Charlie's door clicked open and Cameron came in beside me

    "Guys I'm trying - you see this chemistry" he said making me roll my eyes and grab the book from his hands as I ran up on the bed away from him.

     "Hey give me - sophie, give me, don't be immature" he said chasing me around, as I passed it to Neil. "Come on, I need my-" he cut himself off as Neil threw the book back to me.

     "Cmon Cameron, have a bit of fun" I said as he ran towards me.

     "Give it to me, give it to me" Charlie shouted from the door making me throw it over to him. When he caught it and Cameron had to go get it we all cheered. Somehow Neil had ended up playing the tin whistle.

     The book ended up in Todd's hands, before he flung it over to me. Charlie was playing the bongos and Cameron was still trying to get his book off of us while Todd and I continued throwing it back and forward.

      I stopped and jumped down looking at the others still running around. I laughed and turned on the spot, "excuse me boys" I said pushing through the audience at the door.

     "Wait Soph, where you going?" I had only made it to the hall when Charlie ran up behind me

     "I've been running for the last hour and I'm going to shower Dalton, is that okay with you?" I asked looking back at him just as he put his hand up to his chin acting like he was thinking.

     "Your legs must so tired" he said, pulling me back to him by the arm.

     "What?" Before I knew it I was over his shoulder as he marched towards my room. "Charlie put me down" I said laughing earning a pat on the leg.

     "No can do gorgeous" the sound of my door opening and banging against the wall had me hitting his back

     "Try not to break my door Dalton" I said as he put me down kicking the door shut behind him

     "We could break your bed instead if you'd prefer" he said putting me down and smirking down at me.

     "Oh ha ha very funny" I said walking towards the wardrobe to grab a towel and walking into the bathroom. I showered, and once I got out, I stayed in there to dry my hair since there was a plug by the sink

      Once I'd finished, I readjusted the towel around me and  went out into the room grabbing clothes to change into. Charlie was laying up on my bed scanning through my copy of 'pride and prejudice'

      "How did your run go?" He asked me, not looking up from the book. 

      "Are you finally reading that?" I asked happily, ignoring his question, earning a scoff in return

"As if Soph"

      Pride and prejudice was my favourite classic. I had tried to get Charlie to read it since my first year here. I always wanted to talk about it to someone but no one else would read it and Charlie was one of the easiest people to persuade.

    "Please read it" he gave me an unimpressed look

"Your run?"

     "It was fine" I said walking away, towards the bathroom to change.

     "You clear your head?" He asked as I began to change.

    "Kind of" I said calling out to him through the door.

    "Kind of?" I opened the door and nodded to him as he put the book down "well that's not good. why don't you just tell me? I can try help you"

    "It's not really something you can help with" I told him turning towards him

     "Well not until you tell me I can't" he said patting the bed beside him. I climbed over him plopping down by him in the bed, his arm going around my shoulders pulling me towards him. "just start front the beginning okay"

     "When Hager stopped me in the hall that night he told me that I had a chance at getting a scholarship" I said looking up, Charlie's face immediately brightened.

"What so bad about that?"

      "Well if I take it, father's expectations are going to go through the roof and I don't want him taking it out on Neil. And if father starts reprimanding Neil for not getting one then Neil's going to hate me. And I can't have him hating me because I love him and don't want to lose the relationship he and i have" I told him truthfully, letting out a breath after it. His hand was rubbing circles on my back while his other was joined with mine across his stomach.

       "Well Soph, you can't worry about what Neil is going to say. This is your life. It's not your fault if you get a scholarship and Neil doesn't. You shouldn't feel bad for getting an opportunity like this. Neil would never hate you. There's no remotely possible way he ever could. He loves you Soph, more than anything. Neil can handle your dad" he told me shifting a bit beside me, before pulling me closer to his side.

     It scared me how easy it was for him to calm me. How easy it was for my worries to just float away.

    "When did you get so wise?" I asked, looking up at him yawning.

     "Same time you began getting cheeky, we're really rubbing off on each other" he smiled, leaning and kissing my forehead "Get some rest before dinner Soph" He detached our hands and pushed some hair from my face.

     I nodded and yawned again before closing my eyes. I began drifting off when I could feel him moving from under me before the sound of his shoes hitting the floor got my attention. I could hear rustling of one of the bottom drawers and a few seconds later the warmth from charlie was now being replaced by an extra blanket.

     I opened my eyes to see him going towards the door, his movement slow as he tiptoed "where are you going?" he froze in his spot, slowly turning to me.

"Well you need your sleep"

    I closed my eyes again and lifting my arm out towards him. "Charlie if you don't get back beside me right now, I'll never speak to you again" I told him

"Is that a threat?" He asked laughing a bit

"No it's a promise" I said my eyes still closed

"You wouldn't dare"

      "Try me" I said finally opening my eyes and looking towards him. One side of his mouth quirked up as he crossed the room to my bed again. This time he took off his shoes leaving him in his socks before getting in beside me. He lay on his side facing me.

     "Up" he said. I looked at him confused but realised he was motioning to my head. I lifted it before he slid his arm under my neck his other coming around my waist. I put the blanket over him and them put my leg over his.

     He pulled me closer to his chest and my arm wrapped around him. The feeling of his chest rising and falling had me unintentionally matching him.

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     An hour later, I squinted my eyes, adjusting to the light in the room. I was laying on my back but my legs were facing away from Charlie and my side was flushed against his front while his arm draped itself across my stomach.

His chin was resting by my head and he was still breathing softly. I turned my head towards him and examined his features. My movement resulting in his hold tightening around me.

His mouth was in a straight line and his face was relaxed. He looked peaceful, like all his worries drifted away when he slept. He was beautiful

"It's not polite to stare, gorgeous" he said with his eyes still closed.

"I wasn't staring" I said as one of his eyes opened.

"Please, I could practically sense you drooling" I rolled my eyes and sat up before his arm tightened around my waist pulling me back down

"Charlie, we need to get up" I said looking up at him

"Five more minutes"

"Charlie cmon"

"So who cares if we're not up, no one's gonna miss us" he said as I relaxed into his arms again, my head now tucked under his chin.

"Should we knock?"

"No they're asleep, they're not gonna hear us"

"How do you know there asleep?" I pulled my head away from Charlie as we both listened to the voices outside the door.

"Pitts, it's Charlie and Sophie. When do those two ever stop talking? Especially to each other"

"Well then should we go in?"

"Ew no, what if they're naked" Charlie and I exchanged a look

"Why would they be naked?"

"Like I said before, it's Charlie and Sophie, Pitts" a small shuffle was heard

"Why are you two standing out here? Where's Sophie?" I could recognise Knox's voice from anywhere

"In there with charlie"

"Possibly naked"

"Naked?!"

"We're not naked Meeks" I called out sitting up on the bed with Charlie's hand resting on my back before he moved up leaning against the headboard like he had in Neil's bed on the first day

"You think she heard us?"

"She's just answered you, idiot" the door opened and Knox walked in shaking his head, turning back. "Oh, god, guys cmon, they're not naked"

Pitts and Meeks walked in behind him slowly taking in Charlie and I's position. An embarrassed smile across both their faces.

"Hi" Meeks said shyly looking at me and Charlie.

"You boys okay?" I asked looking between the two.

"We just- wanted to show you our radio, but we can come back later" Pitts said holding up the radio as a result.

"Yeah I can listen to it-"

"In five minutes" Charlie cut me off, making me look down at him, his eyes still adjusting to the brightness of the room.

"Okay- perfect. We'll be in our room" they said with childish smiles on their faces as they walked out.

"Why five minutes? I'm awake now" I said looking at Charlie confused who shrugged his shoulders.

"Didn't want you going yet" I turned my attention to Knox who was standing at the door still.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. He looked unsure of what to do before going to leave "Knox, I meant why are you just standing there. Get in here and tell us about Chris" Charlie head leaned back as he hit it against the headboard

"Oh god not Chris" he groaned earning a slap from me as Knox came in and sat at the bottom of the bed

"She was at this pep rally thing for the football team and she was doing that thing with the Pom poms, Ehm, what is it"

"Cheer?" I asked cocking an eyebrow as he clicked his fingers

"That's it"

"And did you talk to her?" I asked him smiling hoping for good news but he made a face

"Not exactly"

"So you just watched her?" Charlie asked him trying to clarify

"I didn't watch her Charlie, it wasn't like I was perched up in a tree with binoculars" he put his arms out to the side.

"So where were you" I asked him, his eyes going to his lap, twiddling with his thumbs

"Behind a car with sunglasses on"

"Oh my god"

"I took them off!"

"I give up" I collapsed back down on the bed. Charlie pulled me towards him as I leaned into his side, both of us looking at Knox

"Look guys it isn't that easy. I cant just walk up to her and tell her I love her"

"Knox you need to talk to her more before you can admit something like that" I told him sympathetically.

"Our girl has a point knoxious, I mean you've talked to her once" Charlie said waving his hand out to the side. Knox stood quickly, pacing back and forth

"Look I dont expect you two to understand. All I ask is that yous back me up" he said looking at us as we both sat up

"And we are Knox. All were saying is you need to talk to her, not us. Telling us isn't going to do anything, you need to tell her" he turned and walked out of the room, earning two sighs from both Charlie and I.

"I better go check on him" I said, feeling bad that we hadn't been more encouraging. I moved across Charlie to get onto the ground but was pulled down onto him in a hug "your very clingy today Charlie, everything okay"

I sat up, moving his hair so it was the way he always had it. "Just missed you" He tapped my thigh letting me move up off him as I walked towards the bathroom to brush my teeth. When I came back out, Charlie was still laying on my bed now facing the bathroom door, falling back asleep as I pulled on my shoes

I went over towards him and pulled the blanket over his shoulders, his eyes opening up a bit "im getting up" he said, his voice horse from sleeping.

"No no your fine, get some sleep. I'll wake you when it's time for diner okay" he nodded and cuddled back into the blanked. I pulled the curtains over so the room was dark before making my way over to the door, leaving and shutting it quietly.

"Hey Sophie"

"Shhh" I said lifting my finger to my mouth moving Meeks away from the door "Charlie's asleep in there" I said walking towards his room with him.

"Sorry" he said, softer this time "I know we wanted to show you the radio but Neil wants to talk to you first"

Guess I'm going to Neil first

I nodded to him in thanks and knocked on my brothers door and walked in, "evening guys" I said shutting the door behind me. Todd was sat at his desk writing and Neil was looking at a piece of paper in admiration.

"Hey Sophie" Todd said looking up to me before looking towards Neil "I'll leave you to it" he stood and made his way out of the room.

"Hey Neil, you okay? Meeks said you wanted to talk to me" he finally looked up from the piece of paper. He held it out towards me, as I took it, sitting on the window.

𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

𝒜 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝒹𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂ℯ𝓇 𝓃𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉𝓈
𝒟𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓂

𝖻𝗒
𝖶𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗆 𝖲𝗁𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖺𝗋𝖾

I read the sheet, confused before looking up at Neil. "You want to go see it?" I asked him as a wide smile spread across his face

"No Phi, I want to be in it"

"In it?"

"Remember when I wanted to go to summer stock auditions last year, But father wouldn't let me? This is my chance to do it" I'd only ever seen my brother so happy like this in his life twice. His smile was almost contagious

"So when are auditions?" I asked, partially surprising him.

"You're  not gonna convince me not to do it?" I shrugged