Chapter 10 : In Sync

CHAPTER 10 : in sync

CHARLOTTE'S POV

My head was clouded with so many thoughts as I walked down the stairs leading to the exit.

I wasn't supposed to feel guilt for kissing Max, I was supposed to enjoy every last minute of it because he's my boyfriend. But why did I feel like I was cheating?

He laughed at something on his phone, oblivious to how my chest felt tight. My hand brushed against his as I reached for a door knob… and then I froze.

Why was this so hard?

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A loud bang on the door causes me to wake up and roll flat on my soft rug.

I was supposed to be back home by midnight, but because of the situation that happened yesterday, I had to sneak back into my room by 2 AM in the morning.

I barely had enough sleep and I had a very bad ache. Flashes of me and Max kissing clouded my head, but the sound of my mum screaming from the kitchen shoved the thought right out of my mind.

“I’ll be done in a bit!” I shouted back, rubbing my face.

Does today really have to be Saturday? I hated anything that had “sat” and “day” together because that means we have to “bond” or whatever Mum calls it.

I picked the scrunchie I must have thrown on the floor last night and packed my hair behind.

“How was the game? I’m sorry I slept early yesterday,” Mum says while stirring the chili pepper stew.

Ding ding ding — the sound of my phone messages.

It's probably Maya checking to know if I'm okay. Maya is such an overprotective bff.

I remember the day I slept over at Max's house. That night Maya sent me a list of a hundred things I should not do with Max.

Come to think of it, it was really funny to read.

One of them stated: no pressing, exchanging fluids, peeing on each other, vaginal or any other thing like that, BJ, VJ, or any other J thing in this world.

“What?” I screamed, almost dropping my phone on the dark brown rug.

“Why did you scream?” Mum turned around with confusion written all over her face.

“I saw something unbelievable on my school gossip page.”

“Your school has a gossip page?” Now she was more confused.

“No, Mum,” I sighed. “You probably won’t get it because you’re like 90 something.”

Nobody knows who runs the gossip page. Some say the owner is a student, some say the person doesn’t even go to Bridgehall, some even think it’s a group of gossipers.

“Charl, can you grab the hand towel beside you?” Mum stretches her hand.

I hand her the yellow old handkerchief she calls a “hand towel,” scrolling through my phone again.

“The queen herself, or should I say the liar… yesterday at the football game, Nia was caught with Jayden Ortiz, the sexiest senior in Bridgehall. What is going on between those two??”

Of course there was a picture of their hands brushing.

I always knew I wasn't the only one that thought Jayden was sexy.

I quickly dial Maya’s number — 9135677. I’ve memorized it since year 9 when she left me stranded at the mall.

“Girl, did you see what I saw?” Maya says immediately.

“Yeah, I was going to say the same. Do you think Jayden likes her?”

“Nia? Hell no. That boy is such a flirt. Do you remember when he used to disturb me?”

“He’s so obsessed,” I laughed. “Homecoming is next week.”

“Oh yes! Finally something good is happening in this trash hole called school.”

“I can’t wait to see what the management committee is planning.”

Maya suddenly went quiet.

“Hold on, Charl… someone is calling me, wait! Why is Jayden texting me?”

My eyebrows shot up then after a while she clicked back on the line.

“Guess who just called me?”

“Your father? Beyoncé? The president?”

“No, dummy. JAYDEN ORTIZ.”

I sat up straighter. “What does he want?”

“He asked if I’m free after school on Monday.”

I almost choked. “What? Why? What else did he say?”

Maya groaned. “He also asked if I wanted to get coffee next week. Coffee,as in a date or whatever you straight people call it.”

I widened my eyes. “Maya, why does that boy still think he has a chance with you?”

“I don’t know! It's obsessed. He said he ‘misses talking to me’… like we ever talked.”

I bit my lip trying not to laugh. “So… are you going?”

“No! Obviously not. But I might say yes just to see Nia’s face.”

I burst into laughter loud enough that Mum stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

After the call, I tossed my phone on the counter and dragged myself toward the hallway.

My body felt like cement from the little sleep I had. As I walked past the living room, I caught a glimpse of the mess I’d made sneaking in at 2 a.m, shoes kicked randomly, my jacket thrown on the couch, even my school bag lying open like a crime scene.

Mum shouted from the kitchen, “Charlotte! After you eat, you’re cleaning that living room!”

Of course.

I trudged into my room, rubbing my eyes. My room was no better, clothes everywhere, a half-written homework sheet on the desk, and the dress I’d been considering for homecoming hanging awkwardly on my chair.

I stared at the dress for a moment.

Homecoming.

Am I really going to go with Max?

The kiss.

The guilt.

Why did my chest tighten again?

I sighed and grabbed my toothbrush. While brushing, I kept checking my phone for Maya’s updates because knowing her, she was probably typing a whole paragraph rant about Jayden.

Sure enough, a message popped up:

Maya: “If I go for that coffee date, block me.”

I laughed quietly to myself.

Another notification buzzed group chat:

Class Rep: “Reminder: science assignment due Tuesday. Don’t forget.”

Someone else: “Did y’all see the homecoming theme leak??”

Great. More drama to look forward to.

I sat on my bed, pulling my knees up.

Between Max, Jayden’s nonsense, Maya’s chaos, and the gossip page blowing up every five minutes…

I didn’t even know how to feel.

And somehow, the more the day went on, the more I realized, I wasn’t just tired I was confused.

Confused about Max, confused about myself and definitely confused about whatever this year at Bridgehall was turning into.