I am pushing people around looking down to find a head with black hair. The crowd nust think I am going mad. "Charlie?" I started screaming making everyone turn. "Charlie?!" I could feel my heart beats getting quicker. "Charlie?!" again no answer.

I walked back to the electric cars still calling out her name. My phone started ringing making me jump from how scared I was. I read Charlie on the screen which made me answer as fast as possible.

"Charlie?" I exclaimed.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" she sounded ammused. "W-What?" I stuttered.

"Turn around." she sighed. I did as I was told and saw her with a little girl waving at me. I rushed to her panting.

"Where were you?" I asked confused. "I noticed she was lost then I noticed you were lost so we kind of wandered around." she shrugged her shoulders explaining everything as though it was nothing. "You scared the crap out of me!" I said angrily.

The little girl covered her mouth in embarrasment. Charlie gave me a look. "It's okay, Tess. He didn't mean it." she patted the little girls head.

I exhaled while rubbing my face. For a moment there I thought something bad had happened. "Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, I am." I nodded looking at her feeling a little tired.

"Tess, this is Julian. He is a little annoying but he's my friend. And Julian, this is Tess." Charlie introduced us with a smile. Tess waved at me with a smile. I waved back. "Hi." I said smiling letting the anger go.

"Do you love Charlie?" asked the girl. Charlie giggled holding her gaze. I kneeled before her. "Sure, I do. She is annoying but she is my friend." I patred her head. She hid behind Charlie's leg.

"We should look for her parents." Charlie suggested as I stood up. "Yeah." I nodded.

After fifteen minutes or so, Tess' parents finally showed up. They were separated by the acrobats who created that huge crowd. After they thanked us for finding Tess, she hugged Charlie as tight as she could. Then waved at me.

Charlie's POV

"So, how about that shwarmma?" I asked as soon as Tess and her family were out of our sight.

He looked at me while shaking his head.

"What?" I asked confused. "You are really, really stupid and immature, Charlie." he said.

"I told you, I saw her crying so I helped her." I explained.

"I thought something bad happened to you." he looked genuinly worried.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." I said honestly. He sighed then, to my surprise, he hugged me. "Don't do that when you're with me." he said still hugging me. As his arms held me, I realized it's all I needed all day long. Just a hug from someone who didn't know me well enough to judge me. I allowed my arms to crawl around his waist and simply closed my eyes.

"I won't." I said. After a second or so, I had realised what I was doing. Maybe this was enough. I cleared my throat as I slowly parted from him. He did the same then smiled at me.

"Let's eat some shwarmma."

The restaurant was ten blocks away. It was more like a family thing then anything, really. These weren't the places someone like Julian would go to. Which is one of the reasons I liked Julian. He was sort of different, I guess.

"Oh, my God." I took the second bite of the chicken shwarmma. "This is..." I rolled my eyes in satisfaction. He nodded smiling while eating himself.

"Told you." he said.

"Why didn't you bring us here earlier?" I asked smiling. "Never crossed my mind." he shrugged his shoulders.

I took another bite. It was heaven.

"Hey, where's the pinguin?" he asked.

"I gave it to Tess but then it fell into a big pile of mudd." I explained.

"Shame." he curved his lips.

We ate in silence for a minute. "Did you talk to Brad at all?" he asked making me groan.

"I know, I know. But he is your best friend. You can't just not talk to him." he said. "Watch me." I winked making him roll his eyes.

He is way too interessted in my life. I on the other hand haven't even mentioned Tobias at all.

"Why do you want to know so badly about my past?" I asked. He looked thoughtful for a second.

"Maybe I just want to understand you. The way you understand me." he said lookinh at his shwarmma then back at me.

"I know nothing about you!" I scoffed. "I just know the scarches but not the things that matter so there is no way I understand you." I explained. He grinned.

"Fine. I was 16 and rich and spoiled and a brat. Tobias was THE guy to be around with and so was I. We started hanging out and everything seemed fine. When I got 17, that's when I realized something wasn't right. Brad tried to warn me from the beggining about Tobias but I didn't listen. And by the time I knew I should run away, it was already too late. I started using drugs, stealing, fighting and all that crap.

One day..." he stopped to take a deep breath. "Tobias called me for some new products. I went gladly because that day I had a big fight with my dad. When I got there, I saw Brad bloody and beat up.

Tobias said he came to rat on us. I believed him. But Brad came to tell Tobias not to call me anymore. Brad got in the hospital barely alive and I didn't bother to visit or call. I just knew he was working with the police. A week later, the police crashed one of our parties. I was waisted, completely. That night I took everything I could get a hold of. They took me to the hospital as fat as they could and said If they were late for two more minutes, I would have died. My mom was a wreck, Adam took care of me while holding back anger and dad just ignored me. He was thinkinh about dissowning me." With that he scoffed. "So, when I was all fine, I spent six months in rehab and another six in jail. When I got out, I talked to my family. They gave me an ultimatum. I will have to get things straight or they'd send me away. I came back here determined to find a job. I made things right with Brad then I moved out. Ever since then I have been trying to please my family in any way possible." he rubbed his hands then took another bite of his food.

The way I saw Julian changed completely. He was like me in a way.

"I think you're doing a grear job." I half smiled. He lifted his head to look at me. "You should be proud." I added. "I wish my family thought that way." he scoffed.

"They will, in time." I assured him.

"Are you still hungry?" he asked. I was done with my food but was still hungry. One of those days I guess.

"I don't know." I shook my head. He laughed.

"Let's get some ice-cream." he suggested while takung out money. I jumped to stop him. "Nope, this is on me." I said taking out my money. I kept what Alison gave me in ny pockets all day. Lucky.

"Yeah right. I got my first pay at my new job today. Today is on me. It's the least I can do." he put the money on the table.

Just outside was an ice-cream stand. He got chocolatte and I got strawberry. We walked to my house talking all the way.

"I don't think I've ever seen you be this nice." he laughed.

"Oh, come on. I'm not that bad." I smiled.

"I like the nice you but the not-so-nice Charlie is not that bad either." he commented.

"I like you better when you're not hitting on anyone." I said making him scoff.

"Thanks, I guess." he smiled.

We finally arrived at my.house. We said goodbye and I walked home.

The next morning I went to school woth the thought of talking to Brad. But he wasn't there. Caroline didn't talk to him nor did Julian. He didn't even pick up his phone.

Once I was done with work at the hospital, I went home glad to know it was Friday and had no reason to do my homework.

Just as I got to my room, my phone started ringing. It was Caroline sobbing. I couldn't make out a single word she said. She hung up on me then Julian called me. He said she was at his apartment and U had to get there quickly.

I rushed downstairs. Dad was home which was odd. I walked to my mother at the kitchen.

"Mom, I need to get to Caroline's." I said. "Okay, don't be too late." she said concentrated on her work. "I won't." I said. "What are you doing home?" I asked my dad who was switching programmes.

"Yep, thought I'd give a day off." he said. "Okay, see you then." I rushed out. By the time I got to Julian's apartment, I couldn't feel my legs.

I opened the door not bothering to knock. Caroline was crying on the couch while Julian was consoling her. They heard me come in and looked at me. As soon as Caroline saw me, she started crying even harder. "What's going on? Why are you crying?" I hugged her. She kept saying something but I didn't understand a thing. "Brad broke up with her." Julian explained.

My eyes widened at the thought. "What?" I exclaimed.

Caroline straightened up. "He called an hour ago and said he wants to break up with me." she said blowing at a napkin. "Did he say why?" I asked still trying to comprehend what was going on.

"No, he hung up right away." she sobbed again. I looked at Julian who was in the same state as I was.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked. He shook his head. "He won't pick up."

What in the world did that idiot do?

"Let's go to his house!" I suggested. "I'll get the car." Julian quickly grabbed his keys and went outside.

"Come on. We're gonna talk to him. I'm sure this is just a missunderstanding." I tried to assure her but I don't think she was able to hear anything I said. I helped her downstairs and we got in the car. During the drive, Caroline got herself together. That's how she was. Always getting herself together no matter how hard everything was.

I wish I was like her.

I walked first to open the front door of Brad's house. "Brad!" I called. His mother showed looking worried. "Charlie, what's going on?" she asked getting a look at all of us.

"Is Brd home?" I asked. "No, he's at a friend's place! Is everything okay?" she asked. "Can you tell us where that friend is?" I asked. "Sure, I-I'll give you the address." she walked to the other room. We heard some scribbling then she came back with a piece of paper. I took it and thanked her.

The address took us to the other side of the town, a house in a small neighbourhood.

"Are you sure this is it?" I asked looking at the newly painted but still old looking house. "Yes, number 12." Julian confirmed. We walked out the car. I was the first to knock. A girl with wavy brown hair, big beautiful eyes and pettité body. I knew her from somewhere, I was sure of it.

"Hello, Colson." she said folding her arms looking at me with disgust. "Scary-Stalker-Ashley!" I exclaimed remembering her. She was crazy about Brad. Always on his tail, texting, calling. She had a huge crush on him. But Brad hated her. This couldn't be where he was.

"Where is Brad?" I asked.

"He's here." she said almost sattisfied. I shoved her to get inside the living room. Brad stood up from the couch as soon as he saw me.

"Charlie?" he called surprised.

"Scary-Stalker-Ashley? Really?" I asked holding in the anger that was building inside. His eyes widened at the sight of Caroline.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked after a gulp. "What are you doing here?" I pointed at him.

"I...uh." he stopped talking and looked down.

"You didn't come to school. Is this where you have been all day?" asked Caroline just when Ashley walked in. "With her?" she pointed at Ashley.

Brad looked lost and nervous. "Yes." he finally said. Caroline let out a deep breath. "You're breaking up with Caroline to be with Ashley?" asked Julian.

"It's not like that." Brad deffended himself. "It's not like that." he repeated looking at Caroline.

"Then what is it?" I asked. He looked at Ashley who had a worried face. He turned his look back at me. "Ashley needs me." he said. "Be rational, Brad!" I screamed. "She's crazy, she needs a shrink not you." I exclaimed.

"Let's talk at my apartment. You can explain everything."

I sat behind with Caroline while Brad sat at the passenger seat. Caroline kept her eyes locked on the back of his head. No one said anything. But, in my head I was making speeches on how to make Brad feel like the worst person ever. If anything, I was good at that at least.

I didn't waste my time either.

"Explain, now!" I demanded before Brad even got inside. Caroline sat on the couch all silent, Julian locked his eyes on Brad just like me.

"What's going on, Brad?" Julian asked much more calmly then me.

"Ashley is..." he stopped as if he was searching for words. "She's pregnant, with me!"

My heart exploded. I could feel the pulse on my neck as I started towards him but Julian stopped me.

"A month ago, she called me saying she was sick or something I forgot. I went and somehow we ended up drinking. I don't even remember how it happened, she called me last night saying this." he walked towards Caroline and kneeled before her. "I swear, I didn't mean to!" he sobbed. "Babe, you gotta trust me." he hugged her face. She slapped him hard enough to make the sound echo.

"I believe you." she nodded as tears gathered in her eyes. "Just like the fact that you cheated on me." she added then stood up.

"Baby, wait." he grabbed her hand. "I'm sorry." he said. She pushed his hand away and left.

I walked in front of him. "You talk to me about the right decision and here you are knocking up some crazy chick." I screamed at him. Julian tried to hold me back but I pushed him away. "How dare you?" I said. He just looked at me while tears crawlled down his face. "I am sorry." he whispered. I couldn't stand looking at him anymore.

He could easily erase my name from his life.

That night, I spent talking to Caroline. She was devastated but holding up. Brad had called her all night but she didn't pick up once.

"Thanks for keeping up with my craziness." she sobbed behind the line.

"I just wish I could do something more." I said honestly.

"I know. But I'll be fine, I just thought Brad was sort of different."

"Me too." I said.

"I'll see you when I see you, okay?" she forced a laugh.

"Hey, you can talk to me, you know that." I tried to sound confident.

"I know. Good night." she hung up and possibly cried herself to sleep.

The next day I had to talk to someone for advice. Someone smart and wise. Like Bonnie.

Her flowers had blossomed completely. She was very proud.

"This girl, she says she is pregnant?" she asked.

"Yes and Brad said he didn't remember anything that happened that night but things happened." I waved my finger angrily. "I can't believe that guy. He argues with me about how I acted like a kid and here he is leaving a girl pregnant." I whispered the last word and shook my head.

"This girl sounds like she had it all planned." Bonnie scoffed making me confused. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You said she had a thing for your friend, right?" she asked. I nodded. "She calls him one night, gets him drunk, they do the thing and conviniently she's pregnant. You're dealing with a smart one, Charlie." she tapped her forehead. This all made me think for a while. I had to talk face to face with Ashley.

"I feel as if we're in a soap opera or something." I stood up from her bed.

"Where's your nephew and his car?" I rushed out her room. She said something but I did hear her. I just wanted to kick Ashley's ass.