Chapter Five

By Michiko, from Charlie's perspective

I was angry at Joli, to say the least. I was really sick of her. When she slapped me and Dad yelled at her, I was fuming. All I wanted to do was run out of the room and call Willow. But the announcement came on. In an instant, that was all out attention was focused on. Donald was missing. Donald, Joli's boyfriend. One of Northbury's own treasures, a true prep. The boy that we had just seen this morning, who I had driven to school. I could see all of the emotions laid out on Joli's face. First was confusion. I knew what she was thinking, that we had just seen him this morning. And she probably took some advanced class with him later in the day. Then she was upset. Well, obviously. She needed someone to blame. Dad was standing too close, and he got burned. "You... You did this. This is all your fault." she said, trying to stay composed. She then burst in to tears and ran to her room. Dad looked hurt. Exhausted. I was about to say something when Mom walked in. She looked perfect, as always. Dressed nicely, with Joli's delicate features. She must have noticed our spooked faces, because she said, "What's going on, honey? Where's Joli?" My dad did a really strange thing then. He didn't tell Mom that Donald was missing. He smiled, (it was really a phony smile, too), and murmured some nonsense about how "Joli was tired. And Charlie and I were watching a scary movie", which somehow was an answer she accepted. He whisked her out of the room and I was left there, alone and confused. Donald was gone. Possibly hurt or even dead. I don't know why this fact bothered me so much, it wasn't as though I was fond of him. But I have to admit. As mean and cold-hearted as she could be, my heart went out to her. I couldn't even imagine how I would feel if something like this happened to Willow. She had to be dying, not knowing. So I did what any good person might do. I went in her room to comfort her. I stood awkardly in her doorway as she cried in her bed, oblivious to me. I looked around her room. I hadn't been here in awhile. Everything was very neat. Sweaters and skirts hanging in the closet, color coordinated. Walls painted light blue with pink trim. A bookshelf with novels and textbooks stacked on it. I also noticed photos of her and her friends everywhere. And pictures of her and Donald. Everywhere. She finally notices me. She sits up in her bed. Her hair is messed up, her mascara is smeared, and she looks exhausted. "Yeah? What do you want? You think it's funny? Yeah, I look ugly. Take a picture. It will last longer." she says bitterly. I shrug off her sass and sit down next to her. "Listen Joli... I'm just... I mean, I don't know what you're going through, but I can only imagine how you feel right now. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry." I said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Why are you being nice to me?" she asks, genuinely confused. "Because I'm not like you." I say. "I take other people's feelings in to consideration. And no matter what our relationship is like, I want you to know that I'm here." Joli starts crying again. "That's so... Nice." she says. And that's about all she can get out. I just sit there, listening to her cry, silently holding her.