Telling Charlie

 

Charlie stood still looking at Joshua like he was going to kill her; she was too stunned for words. But even in the most shocking situations where no ordinary person would be able to render the words, Charlie would of course be able to say something, even if very little.

‘Joshua what’s going on?’ She asked.

‘Well there’s something that has been happening to me.’ Joshua began to explain.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know when you looked into my heritage, and you read about the legends of them being skin-walkers?’ Joshua didn’t really know how to say it but he tried the best he could.

‘Yeah but I was just, you know playing around, it was a theory that I never believed was...’

‘Real? Well it was...is.’ Joshua thought he sounded like he was on drugs, and if he was in Charlie’s position he probably wouldn’t believe anything he was saying either.

‘No, you’re lying, you...you’re playing with...’ She sounded a lot more in denial then Joshua had hoped, but he couldn’t blame her.

‘Charlie look around, does this look like I’m lying to you. Hey I know it’s...’ Joshua reached out a hand and stepped towards Charlie but in reaction she stepped away from him. Joshua could handle the fact that she would take this news hard but what he never expected was for her to be afraid of him. ‘Look I know it’s a lot to take in...’

‘A lot to take in! It’s...nonsensical. The evidence is overwhelming but this just, isn’t possible. I can’t be here right now.’ Charlie pushes pass Joshua and forcefully throws open the door.

‘Charlie! You don’t have to be afraid, it’s still me.’ Joshua tries to say. Charlie stops just outside his bedroom and looks back over to Joshua.

‘I’m sorry.’ She replies before running off down the stairs and leaving Joshua alone. All he could think about was the look in Charlie’s eyes before she left. It was a look in which he wished she didn’t have, a look that made Joshua feel like a stranger to her, a freak even.

That morning Joshua drove to school in his truck, the whole trip through town Joshua couldn’t stop thinking about the events that took place in his bedroom not thirty minutes ago. He hoped that if he went to school earlier than he normally would that he might be able to find Charlie, then he could try and talk to her about what happened. Joshua needed to see her as soon as he could; he wanted to make things right because he hated the thought of Charlie being scared of him.

Joshua made it to his school. As soon as he parked his car he went for a stroll around the school building, inside and out. After twenty minutes it came apparent to him that he wouldn’t be able to find her, or maybe she hadn’t come to school at all today. Nevertheless he knew that if Charlie didn’t want to be found, he wouldn’t be able to.

The only thing Joshua could do now is keep an eye out for her until his afternoon class that he usually shared with Charlie; it would be then when he will find out whether Charlie was in today. Maybe then he could speak to her after class.

Sure enough next would be the class Joshua was waiting for, not something that would happen too often. Most of the time Joshua would be praying for his classes to be over. As the bell rang Joshua headed through the halls towards the classroom. When he entered he instantly recognised Charlie sitting with a group of friends somewhere in the middle of the classroom.

Joshua did nothing until the class was over; it wasn’t the best time to bring up the situation in class even if he really wanted to. So when the class ended Joshua hurried to be one of the first out the door, here he hoped to try and corner Charlie. The best tactic Joshua thought was to wait around the corner from Charlie’s locker; she would be going there next so it would be the perfect place.

Joshua was right, he watched Charlie go straight to her locker. After she finished putting her books away she shut her locker and turned, Joshua was standing right behind her waiting. Charlie jumped when she saw him but she didn’t speak, she looked away from Joshua and tried to walk away.

‘Charlie wait!’ Joshua said as he stepped in front of her to stop her. Charlie again said nothing but tried to escape in the other direction, Joshua quickly ran in front of her again. ‘Charlie.’ They both strode back and forth a couple of times like they were marching up and down the school hallway; all the while Charlie was saying nothing.

‘Charlie just stop.’ Joshua tried again.

‘Joshua leave me alone.’ Charlie finally retaliates.

‘Will you just talk to me?’ Joshua pleads still trying to have a conversation with her. Charlie was still trying to escape while Joshua continued running out in front of her to stop her every time.

‘Go away!’ She shouts at him, this time she sounded a little more frightened.

‘Can you just stop a minute?’ Joshua said angrier this time, to the students around them the scene must have looked like Joshua was stalking Charlie or something.

‘Josh please.’ Charlie said more upset; she had even started tearing a little. At that point Joshua felt a hand grab his shoulder.

‘Is there a problem?’ A voice says. Eric the school bully and the same one who Joshua got into a fight with stepped in front of Charlie to face Joshua. This was just what he needed Joshua thought.

‘Eric not now.’ Joshua speaks calmly; the look on Eric’s face could kill. Joshua couldn’t help but think that the only reason he was being the good citizen was to get back at him. They both had become sworn enemies these days, more so then just over their popularity status.

‘I think we should just leave the girl be, don’t you?’ Eric said in his annoying smug voice.

‘Look Eric, I don’t have time for this. And as much fun as kicking your a*s again would be I have nothing to prove.’

‘You better watch what you say Bekett.’ Eric stepped forward, over towering Joshua some.

‘Or you’ll do what...’ Joshua had got distracted by the great oaf that he hadn’t realised that Charlie was gone. ‘Charlie?’ Joshua said under his breath. He could just see over Eric’s shoulder and noticed that Charlie must have slipped away while he was arguing with him. Joshua gave Eric another glance before walking away; he knew that getting Charlie to stay put long enough to talk to would be a big challenge. Maybe he could try at her house.

Joshua considered waiting after school to try again but he knew that would be a waste of time so instead he drove straight home. Before going to call at Charlie’s house Joshua sat down for dinner at home and then around six o`clock he was out the door.

He rang the bell to the small’s household and waited until someone answered the door. Charlie’s mother was the one to answer. He expected it would be her mother and he greeted her with a ‘Hello, can I speak with Charlie?’ to which the unexpected happened, or maybe not so unexpected.

‘Sorry Josh, she’s really not up to speaking to you.’ Her mother told him, obviously knowing that she was upset with her.

‘Yeah I know, I just really need to talk to her.’

‘Whatever it is that has Charlie so mad at you, I’m sure she will calm down if you give it some time. You two have been friends for so long, there’s nothing you can’t work through.’ Her kind words were kind indeed but Joshua questioned whether she was right, could they really get through this?

‘Ok thanks anyway Mrs Small.’ Joshua smiled and walked away with Charlie’s mother shutting the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed Joshua turned back around and walked around to the side of the house, where he met the same balcony he had climbed many times before. Maybe if she saw him at her balcony it would give her a glimpse that he was still the same Joshua she knew.

At the top Joshua noticed that the double glass doors were closed and the curtains were drawn across. Joshua tried tapping on the glass door, it took a few knocks before the curtains were drawn back and Charlie stood on the other side. They both stood silent for a while; at least Charlie wasn’t running away Joshua thought.

‘Can I come in?’ Joshua said softly and more friendly then he had at school. Charlie did and said nothing. ‘Come on Charlie, please...please.’ By some miracle Charlie reached up to unbolt the door letting one swing open, maybe she had given up trying to ignore him he thought.

Joshua made his way into her bedroom, Charlie did nothing but stand with her arms folded and waiting for Joshua to speak.

‘I know what you must be thinking, well actually I don’t. But whatever it is you have to know it’s still me, I’m the same old Joshua who use to climb up your balcony every night without your mothers knowledge. And who has been your best friend for years. I haven’t changed Charlie, it’s still me.’ Joshua looked into her eyes and hoped she understood him.

‘I know that, but you can’t blame me for freaking out.’

‘I know, if I was you I would have too.’ Both were speaking softly to one another now.

‘Then why were you so desperate to chase me about? You really scared me Joshua; it was like you weren’t you.’ Charlie suddenly sounded so reasonable to Joshua and it made him feel silly.

‘I’m sorry. I guess I got worried when you gave me that look, you looked so scared of me and I just wanted you to know that I wasn’t going to hurt you.’

‘And I’m sorry you felt that way but you got to admit, this is a lot to handle, unbelievable in fact.’ Charlie still didn’t seem too sure of herself. Joshua knew that she was a lot better than she was now, but she also was going to need a lot more time.

‘I know, I know, I still can’t believe it myself. It seems so surreal, that I have this ability to turn into a...but that doesn’t change who I am. Hey look at me.’ Joshua reaches out his right hand and strokes Charlie’s face; his left hand holds her waist. ‘I know it’s going to take time to get used to it but I want you to know, I’m still the same friend you’ve always known. And I don’t plan on being anything less, ok?’ Charlie smiles up at him and they both know that everything is right again.

Joshua pulls her in for a tight and loving hug. She holds on to him with a good grip that let Joshua know he was right in coming here tonight to talk to her. She needed him to say those words, and he needed to say them. They part again and Joshua can see that Charlie is still smiling, her face lit up so beautifully.

‘So do you have any special powers?’ Charlie says so innocently, this made Joshua smile hard and even chuckle.