*it's after 11, and my nephews are a handful, so i'm really tired. & i'm really happy because team edward just beat team jacob! anyway, here's the next piece!*
CHAPTER 3
(UN)FAIR PUNISHMENT
I ran down the stairs as quickly as possible the following morning. Maybe he’d already be at work, I thought to myself. I grabbed my car keys and bolted for the door. I did it! I was outside, ready to drive without my mother noticing first. I love those days when my dad says I can’t drive and leaves for an early meeting. I slid into my little silver car and turned the keys in the ignition. No purr. I tried again. Nothing. I ran to the hood and popped it open. He had unhooked my battery. That evil man! How could he do something so despicable?
“Need a lift?” The male voice startled me and I smacked my head against the car hood. I turned to see Nathaniel in his little yellow car.
“You are my savior, Nathaniel Thomas!” I ran and hurriedly got into his passenger seat. The soft downbeats of a death metal band pulsed quietly as I snapped my buckle into place.
“It’s the least I could do for my best friend. Besides, I wanted to see the look on Benny Boy’s face as we pulled away.” He began to chortle as I looked in his rear view mirror. Sure enough, that shiny red car was behind us, a strong sense of irritation present on Benjamin’s perfect skin. I giggled as we
rounded the corner, a victorious grin on Nathaniel’s face.
Nathaniel leaned against the lockers and talked to me about the events at last night’s skate off when I saw Benjamin stomping our way. I grabbed Nathaniel’s wrist and we headed off for Language. Thankfully, today was a day where the tennis team had first hour practice, so I’d be able to avoid Benjamin entirely. When Lunch finally came around, Nathaniel and I snuck off to the parking lot so we could eat without worrying about Benjamin catching up to us there. I fiddled with the Rubix Cube out of Math class while Nathaniel devoured a sub.
“You know what, Nate? You’ve been here about eight months, and already you’ve succeeded in befriending a total outcast and pissing off the most popular guy in school numerous times.”
“That’s fine with me. As long as that total outcast is you.” He took a long sip out of his forty-two ounce soda while I shook my head at him.
“Tell me, why is that okay?”
“Well, at least I’m not the only one who thinks dazzling vampires are better than the emo-boy-who-lived. Nor am I the only one who loves to rain on the tennis team captain’s constant parade. And it’s completely okay, because said outcast is quite cute under all that make-up.” He winked at me as he said this. I began to laugh, but stopped when I realized it.
“Oh my goats. Your serious, aren’t you, Nate?”
He shrugged innocently. “For once.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that, Nate.” I whispered standing up off the picnic bench. I shoved the cube into my purse and headed back for the dreary gray double doors.
I couldn’t look at Nathaniel all throughout the remainder of the day. In fact, I had already left the building and headed out to the parking lot by the time he finally caught up to me.
“Charlie! Come on. Be reasonable.”
“No. You be the reasonable one. Stop saying stupid things like that.”
“That’s not stupid, Charlie.” I turned to look at him, ready to snap his head off. Something in his gentle blue eyes made me stop though. My words still came out, of course, but they weren’t as harsh as I wanted them to be.
“It’s always stupid to say you like your best friend.”
“I didn’t say that.” He loosened his grip on my wrist. “I just said you were cute.”
“You didn’t have to say it.” I looked to the asphalt, as if maybe something would come out of the ground and give me the opportunity to escape. I felt Nathaniel’s fingers took hold of my chin and he turned my face back to look at him.
“I think it needed to be said.” He brought his lips to my face, and for a moment, time stood still as he kissed my cheek. Then, he released me entirely and headed for his car. “Let’s get out of here. I’ll give you a ride home.”
We had ridden there in an awkward silence, my face burning from where he had kissed it before. Even before we pulled up to the house, I recognized the red car pulling out of my driveway. It was Benjamin Daniel. In unison, both Nathaniel and I uttered an “Oh-no”. As we pulled up to the curb, I could see my disgruntled father next to my mother, with a disappointed look on her face.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Nate.” At least I was hoping I would.
“Bye, Charlie.” We waved as I trudged up to my front door, preparing for battle. My father motioned for me to go in and slammed the front door shut behind us, something he only did if I was in big trouble.
I was not about to cry. I was not going to yell. I was not about to shoot my mouth off. I was not going to pout. I sat there and took his stern lecture, shouts and all, like a responsible adult would do. Until, he dropped the big word. The ‘G’ word.
“I’m grounded?”
“For two weeks! No car, no phone, no TV!” My father yelled at me. I rolled my eyes. “Do not roll your eyes at me, Charlotte! This is a serious matter!” He was being so over-dramatic right now, it was almost comical. Almost.
“So, what? He’s my best friend! I have no interest in him what so ever that way!”
“Just go up to your room right now and think about your actions!” I exhaled dramatically and stood.
“I need my car to get to and from school when you guys aren’t here! I need the TV because of Current Events being on the TV only! You can keep your stupid no phone rule, but the other two things I need!” I shouted and crossed my arms. My mother finally intervened.
“She’s right, dear. Besides, the other punishment is bad enough.”
“What other punishment?” I asked, suddenly horrified.
My father’s face turned amused. “Why don’t you go up to your room and see?”
I sped up the stairs and forced open my door. It was gone. My precious computer was gone. I let loose an earsplitting scream.
“How could you?” I shouted down the stairs.
“Easily. I pay for it, and now, you can’t talk to Nelson outside of school.”
“His name is Nathaniel, and I don’t care what you say! He’s my best friend, and always will be!” I slammed my door and flung myself onto my bed. This was all so stupid. And mean. It’s all Benjamin’s fault. If he hadn’t taken a picture of Nathaniel kissing my cheek in the parking lot on his accursed cell phone, I wouldn’t be punished like this. “This is unfair punishment!” I yelled.
“It’s fair!” Was the reply from somewhere below me. I looked at the empty space on my desk where the monitor once sat. I felt like my entire life source had just been yanked away from me. I needed to talk to Nathaniel now. But, I couldn’t. There was no way to. I began to cry. I wanted someone to talk to. Not my mom who was siding with my father. Not my father who was being a jerk for no reason. Not the idiot boy who got me in trouble. I wanted to talk
to the boy who was at as much fault as I was. Right freaking now.
The rest of the school week was unbearable. I was furious with Benjamin, and found it difficult to speak to Nathaniel without nearly crying. I ignored my father and wouldn’t even try and listen to my mother. On Friday, my mother picked me up and I waved good-bye to Nathaniel.
“Guess what we’re doing tomorrow, Charlotte.”
“Returning my computer?” I looked at her eagerly.
“No. We’re visiting your grandmother.”
The look on my face must’ve told her what I was thinking, because she sighed heavily and motioned for me to start.
“What’s wrong with you? You’re practically throwing me to the wolves! All I ever did was be a good daughter! Then, one time a boy kisses me on my cheek, you take away my life support and sacrifice me to her!”
My mother gripped her steering wheel for support. “Charlotte, please be reasonable. Your father wants you to spend some time with her before she completely forgets you. I think it would be good for you to get to know her. She’s not that bad.” My mother’s faulty smile allowed me to stab at her weak spots when it came to my grandmother and hers relationship.
“At your wedding, she wore an elaborate white dress. When you asked her what she was wearing, she replied, ‘I thought black would fit this depressing event far too well’.”
My mother looked sideways at me. “Keep it up, little girl. I’ll make you move in with her. And she doesn’t even have cable.”
We stared at each other, armed with with comebacks that could keep us going for a good week or two. I knew this was already a lost battle, but it was well worth the fight. I was just reminding her of the Christmas of ‘05 incident, when we pulled into the drive, my father already home. Sharing a ‘not another word’ look, we headed inside.
