• 8.
    Diner



    We arrived at Emerald Diner in a matter of minutes, Emmett asked random things, like how was school and if my Mom was okay. I hesitated on that one, "I don't know, she said she was staying over at a friends house and that she would be back home in the morning, I'm pretty sure Zander or Michael left a note but I'll call when I get in the diner..."
    I put on a waist appron and called Lauren, she wasn't home so I called Nick's house it rang a few times then Nick answered, "Hello?," He sounded as if he just woke up.
    "Uh hi...it's Charlotte-" Nick sounded suprised,"Oh hi!...were you looking for your Mom?"
    "Uh...yeah, I wasn't sure where she would be but I was hoping you might know," I was trying to sound like I was curious it seemed I succeeded.
    "Uh...yeah she's here did you want to speak to her?," He sounded really guilty.
    "Yes please!," I hear murmering in the backround,"Lauren? It's Charlotte..."
    "Oh!," She jumped. "Charlotte?"
    "Hi...I was calling to tell you I'm staying at Emmett's for a few days."
    "Oh ok...I'll call you later okay?"
    "Yeah sure." My voice sounded really annoyed.
    "Bye..." The phone went dead
    "Bye," I muttered to the dead phone.
    It was a really long morning, it wasn't busy until lunch time.
    I was really busy I didn't realise Lachie was sitting at a booth.
    As I walk past not noticing he grabs my wrist and pulls me into the booth, he lets go. "Lachie? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" He smiles.
    "Yeah, but when I saw you weren't at school I asked Michael and met that kid Zander they said you were going to be here, so I came, and now I'm here!" He grins. I shake my head, "You have better things to do than worry about me."
    "I wasn't but normally your away only because your sick or upset with someone. I guess you had a fight with Michael....and Zander?"
    He knows I'm no good at lying so I just look down at my hands, "Yeah....Mom also....I'm really pissed off about this.....slept with Nick, Doctor Mattson. Zander really confused me last night and Michael and him had a fight so I took my bike and I'm staying with Emmett."
    "Your editing it tell me everything because I won't leave until you tell me." His look made it certain he wasn't leaving. I sighed and told him the whole story leavin out the others part until I was allowed to tell him by Michael or Zander.
    "So...Zander loves you as well?"
    "Yeah..."
    "Haven't you always loved Zander but?"
    "Yeah I've always loved him, but...he never told me, he never told me he let me think he just wanted to be friends..."
    He thought about that for a moment, "...but you love him now, you can't leave him hanging like he did to you, it wouldn't be right..."
    I was about to argue but he cut me off, "Besides your Michael's he would understand after all Zander is an awesome dude!."
    "Yeah but they're not even friends..."
    Lachie gets that look on his face I know well enough to know he knows something's missing.
    He gets those evil eyes, suspicious ones and speaks, "Why exactly are Zander and Michael not friends?"
    I sigh, I was going to have to tell him soon, "Let's go talk to James he'll-"
    Lachie cut me off before I could finish, "Who's James?"
    "Michael's brother, I'll call him now, so we can meet somewhere without Michael...or Zander."
    When I reach the phone, it rings, so I answer it, "Emmett's Grizzly Diner how may I help you?"
    "Charlotte? I need to speak to you, why you going to James?" I realise I didn't think of not making it permanant so Zander wouldn't know...
    Well that's just great!, but as well as thinking that I panic, so I just hang up the phone, and dial Jame's mobile.
    He picks up after the third ring, "Hello?"
    "James?"
    "Tezz! Where are you? The others feel so bad, and-"
    "James! Hold up! I need to talk to you with Lachie about others..."
    "Oh...I'm guessing you don't want the other's to come either?"
    "You've guessed right, and make sure if they follow you, threaten them I won't come back..."
    As I thought about that it made me feel sad, I didn't want to do that, but I needed space, I needed to breathe until I though it would be okay... maybe it'd be better if I never went back...
    This time I sighed, "Well I'll meet you at Emmett's house, and I promise if they follow I won't come in..."
    "Thanks James I owe you one."
    "You sure do," he laughs.
    "Well I'll see you at noon at Emmett's...?"
    "Sure bye!"
    "Bye!" I hang up the phone and sit down with Lachie back in the booth, "So what's going on?"
    "Meet me at noon at Emmett's I'll be there."
    "Okay then...I guess I'll see you later then..bye Cha!"
    "See you Lachie!"
    I watch him get out of the booth and walk away, I go into a daze until I hear the order up bell, "Order up!"
    It get's to eleven thirty, so I go to tell Emmett I've finished for the day but then I see his office door ajar, and there was arguing, "Jay calm down! She's working at the moment and-"
    "I need to speak to her now!"
    "Well you guys had a fight last night do you think she wants to you?"
    "We never had a fight! It was this Michael guy who thinks he's Charlotte's boyfriend but never was, he's deluded himself into thinking he is, and Charlotte's scared and is just going along with it..."
    I'm shocked to hear such lies, but I guess I shouldn't be suprised.
    Jay has always been like this, "Well Jay she's out there if you want to see her but I think most likely she's not wanting to speak with anyone, she'll run away you know that."
    "Okay, thanks for the warning, but I'll try..."
    I hear him turn, I know I might be too late, but I've got to try, escape.
    Who knows what Jay will do to me, anything is possible.
    As I run out the door I see James, Zander must have warned him, "Tezz hurry up!"
    I start running, "Tezz! HURRY UP! Jay is right behind you!"
    I sprint towards the car and throw myself in, I lock the door and we zoom off...
    I start breathing heavily, I think I'm having another panic attack, "James! Hur-ry! I n-e-e-d to g-get to Emmett's h-he's got my m-me-d-dicine!"
    James drives faster, way over the limit that seems impossible, I'm suprised he doesn't hit anyone or anything!
    But at least we get to Emmett's in five minutes, James gets out of the car and is running at super speed so I don't see him enter the house until I notice the door swing open.
    "Where is it?" James calls.
    "I-i-in the b-a-a-ag o-o-on the c-c-couch."
    "Wait right there!"
    I stop at the front door frame, I hear sounds of tiny movements moving fast around the house. I feel as though the whole world is shaking, this is worse than it's been since I was diagnosed. I feel a breeze of cool air woosh past me.
    "Here, take it now, you look horrible!"
    I tried to grab the medicine but I'm shaking too hard, I swallow and tense my muscles, I'm just strong enough to be able to stop my frame from shaking for a few seconds. I manage to get two tablets out of the bottle, put them into my mouth and swallow. It takes a two minutes for it to kick in, I slowly stop shaking.
    "You alright? You looked fricking freak."
    "Yeah I'm okay, I just had a panic attack."
    "Okay well that's good, Lachie should be here about....now."
    Lachie drove up the drive with his Mom's black toyota, as he got out, he looked abit nervous.
    "Hey, you don't look so good, you okay?"
    I swallow, "Yeah I'm fine, shall we go inside?"
    "Sure."