Charlie is avoiding me and it's getting on my nerves to say the least. First, he doesn't answer my texts or calls as frequently as before. Which is somewhat fine. I learnt to understand that. He has his own life like Jay said. However, what irritates me the most is the way he deliberately ignores me on campus. Like right now.
"Charlie!" I call out for the second time, watching as his familiar figure disappears amongst the crowd.
I'm ready to sprint after him when someone stops me. I'm surprised I don't get whiplash as I turn to my friend with a glare.
"What's the hurry? It didn't even seem like Charlie saw you." Louis says with a matter-of-fact tone I'm starting to loathe.
But he did see me and I noticed the way he stiffened when he laid eyes on me. Something is going on with him and I will find out what it is.
"Louis, stay out of this," I grumble with barely restrained irritation. Surprisingly, he has a pretty strong grip on my arm.
"Dude, just chill out! You don't have to be with Charlie every second!"
This guy is getting on my nerves more than usual and not in a playful way. "Stay out of our business."
"Come on, man!" Louis huffs, his tone turning serious. "Even Charlie is doing his part to keep away from you!"
That gets my full attention. "What? Do you have anything to do with this?"
"Does it really matter? I'm just looking out for you, man. And Charlie, of course."
My nostrils flare up, my fists clenched. "What crap are you saying right now? Why is Charlie avoiding me? What stupidity did you tell him??"
Louis takes a step back, feeling my anger rising and holds his hands up. "Whoa! No need to get so worked up! You and Charlie are always together. Some people might get the wrong idea and mistake you two for a couple, dude. And I'm not even exaggerating!"
I step forward, my knuckles white with so much fury I'm holding in. "What gives you the right to say that, Louis?"
"I'm your friend! I'm just looking out for you."
"That's called meddling." I bite out.
Jay lays a hand on my shoulder, his touch light but his expression firm. He was watching this whole thing play out, so he can continue to keep out of it. I turn back to Louis, my gaze sharper now. I've never heard someone utter such nonsense.
"I'm not doing anything bad," Louis starts, running a hand through his hair. "Even outside of campus, you two are practically attached to the hip. That isn't normal, bro. I mean, you've had dinner with Charlie more times than actual dates. People will gossip."
"I don't care what people think or say!" my voice roars, catching the attention of the students around us. But I couldn't care less. "Louis, what I do with Charlie is none of your business!"
Louis right out scowls at me now, looming right in front of my face. "Why are you getting so angry? I'm not in the wrong here! You're acting like a damn homo!"
Oh, he did not.
My hand shoots out and my fist curls around Louis' collar without so much as a warning. I catch Jay stiffening behind me, but he knows better than anyone not to interfere when I'm this livid. The tension in the air is palpable and people have long already gathered around us. Usually, I'd be mature enough not to get into unnecessary or absurd fights. However, this is neither absurd nor unnecessary. Louis needs to know he can't run his mouth like this and if I find out he called Charlie anything stupid, then he'll be sorry for ever prying in our affairs.
"Oh my god," Louis rasps, his expression dropping into something close to disgust. My jaw clenches. "Are you really one? Is that why you're this pissed about it?"
"What if I am? Judge me all you want, but don't drag Charlie into this."
Louis' eyes narrow, his body jerking back as if my touch repulses him. "And here I thought I was doing something nice. Don't worry, I'll keep my distance."
I stiffen at the last sentence.
I'll keep my distance.
It bothers me more than I'd like to admit and I hate the way my chest twists painfully, the one ache I haven't felt in years. But I shove that unpleasant feeling away. I thought I was long done with hateful people like him. Guess not.
"Do whatever you want, Louis." I say in a rather defeated tone.
His scoff leaves a bitter feeling, but what he says next makes me lose all my composure.
"I knew Charlie was a bit on the weirder side, but I didn't think he'd be this weird too."
That's it.
I move before I can even think and shove Louis to the side with a harsh grip. He doesn't back down and gets right up in my face. If it weren't for Jayson stepping in, I would've already landed a fist at Louis' face. Or maybe even vice versa. I watch Louis reluctantly step back now that Jay has made himself present.
"That's enough, Louis." Jay's firm voice cut through the tense air, his hands balled into tight fists. He's restraining himself more than I can.
I catch Louis flinching, rightfully so. Jay has never raised his tone at him before and Jay's fury is not something to take lightly.
Hushed whispers and impending stares get my attention. The crowd from before grew bigger, which is no surprise. However, what does make me halt in my steps is the person I see amongst the people.
Charlie. He's here and he saw everything.
My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach and a sudden anxiety I haven't felt before spikes through my body. I abandon the argument and stride over to Charlie, but my nerves only heighten as he rushes away from the scene.
No! I can't let him get away. Not now. Not ever.