Searching for Love, Found Wealth

Charles was home when I got back. He was sleeping in his car outside our gate.

Honk! Honk!

My driver tried waking him up but he didn’t budge. I thanked my driver and came out of the car to Charles’.

His dreams were so good it had him drooling. I took a good picture. Could be useful in the future. For blackmailing or birthday pics.

“Hey, sir. Are you dreaming of you swimming in a gold lake or something. Wake up cos you’re in your own drool”.

I giggled while massaging his neck. He sleepily asked me to let him be and I laughed louder.

He was really cute. I noticed a new tattoo on his arm. It was written “To love and be loved”. What was that about?

Even lower were more wordings under.

“What’s with you?” he grumbled finally sitting up. He left to wash his face and I began dragging all my books from my bag.

I had two assignments and thanks to my stars that Charles was here. He’d be so useful.

“So how was the first week of school? My phone had been having problems so I couldn’t call you?” he returned from wherever he went.

Maybe a shower cos his shirt was all wet. Did he leave to wash his face or his whole body?

“First week was dramatic. I got into a fight… with Cara” I searched his face to see his reaction but he didn’t look as much surprise as I expected.

It turned out that he had called Cara after I went back inside the school. Cara had rained abuses on him and said she’d show me the kind of devil she can be.

Like I didn’t know.

Charles had said he met Cara during a winter when she got lost around his house. Sending her home, her family invited him for dinner and kept on being nice to him.

Cara was just a typical noisy and adventurous girl to him. When she struck adolescence, she became wild, rude and bossy, but she never evil.

I hated to disagree with him but I agreed with him to some extent. She had a personality disorder. Other words, she was crazy.

She didn’t look like one who had the guts to be really a devil, just a mean I-need-all-the-attention kinda girl.

At Cornfest, I was pushed over a lot. After my dad pestering me and Gladys trouble and everything, I was really glad to be at a new environment.

I’m finding love, friendship and happiness. And if Cara wanted to destroy that dream with her attitude, whether she was Charles’ friend or not, I’d have to step over her and move my way.

“I think you and Cara can still work out. She has a thing for fashion like you” Charles protested.

I wasn’t giving him listening ear and was shoving her physics assignment in his face. He finally dumped Cara as a topic and took the book.

“Tell me about your school?” I asked while drawing.

“Same school with you of course”.

I dropped my pencil. Didn’t he say he’s school was “The” that year or did I hear wrong? He was a senior at my school?

“I know you’re dumb and didn’t catch that time, I was correcting your grammar mistakes. I didn’t live any trace in that school. I barely graduated with my many photoshoots” he grumbled.

No way. “But surely you were popular?” I winked.

He made a face but shrugged, “I guess so”.

This meant a lot. I quickly texted Sheena and asked if she knew Charles James.

She texted back, “Yeah. One of Chloe’s solid crushes. Black American model”.

I laughed inside me and texted that I knew him. She didn’t reply till three minutes later that Chloe just said that she was over him as he left after graduating to be with his lover.

Okay. I looked up to Charles. “By any chance, did you date back at school?”.

He choked on air and looked at me stunned, “Someone said I did?”.

I showed him Sheena’s text and he rolled his eyes.

“Rumors. I was even accused of dating a teacher, please” he went back to my physics assignment.

I texted his work verbatim and waited for Sheena’s reaction.

“Oh but you really know him. Are you with him now?” her text came back.

“Yeah. He’s the one who came over at school. We are good friends” I texted back.

She began gushing about how I always get connected to all the good-looking guys. She added that Jennifer was one of the Charles James fandom.

That was epic.

“Help me with a calculator?” Charles broke my concentration from Sheena and dragged my phone. I wanted to fight back to get it but left instead to get my calculator.

If Charles was really as popular as Sheena was presenting it, then I could get a lead at “Popular Student” or “Nicest Student” by being his friends.

Add good deeds like standing up to Cara when she bullied others. Or buying fried chicken for everyone every Friday. (Okay, the last one can’t be happening).

Maybe I’ll be able to leave a trace in the school and make mom proud.

“I should be teaching you this as I’m solving it” Charles broke my thoughts. I frowned at him.

“You aren’t solving it cos I don’t know it you are solving it because I said so”. I rushed and shut his mouth before he said anything.

He swallowed down his words and looked down at my lips. That was weird. I tried not to be flustered and asked what. He just said nothing and turned away.

I began hearing a thud sound and it wasn’t my Charles ticking on the table.

The door flew open and Mom rushed in and slammed the door behind her. “You guys are here?” she widened her eyes.

I stood up scared. Mom usually had that look whenever she came home to see stones and glasses at our doorsteps, left by the racists.

“Is something wrong? Charles asked.

“Well, I was just surprised to see you home from school” mom gave a queer laughter. And her response wasn’t at all reassuring.

“You looked freaked out because you saw me at home by six? Shouldn’t I be?” I titled my head. She waved the question off and ran upstairs.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“Should I be scared?” Charles muttered to himself.

I pulled him down so he could finish the assignment. I’ll talk to mom later.