Chapter 3

Damn it, I thought. I continued to tap my foot. It was Tuesday after school. I had to basically run down Charlie to talk to him. In ALL of his classes. Like a lightning bolt, in and out. He finally agreed that Tuesday after school, we would go to the coffee shop. He was 15 minutes late. I looked over at Kaliyan for support. She, Janet, and Amanda decided to wait with me for Charlie. I was really worried. Charlie kept on avoiding me before and now........I could almost cry.
Then, I heard a voice,"Don't worry, Principal Jones, I will make sure the Graffiti Team will draw it perfectly. And just on that wall?" Principal Jones answered yes and thanked Charlie. Then he left. Charlie walked up to me.
"Are you ready to go?" I nodded. "Are they coming with us?"
"Oh! No. They were just waiting for their parents. Let's go."
"Okay. See you guys later." We waved and left. He grabbed a skateboard from him backpack. He put it on the ground and started doing tricks while slightly moving forward.
"You skateboard?"
"Yeah, I learned a couple years ago. It was fun making ramps on ice and using that. Totally awesome." There was a long silence as we walked down the street. The coffee shop was only three blocks from school, but it was a long walk if you don't have a conversation.
"So...What's the Graffiti Team?" I prompted.
"Oh that. It's a team of local artists and kids that make art instead of vandalism, by getting jobs around town for wall art. Jones wants us to make some school spirit artwork on one of the sides. It will be really cool. I'm not really good at the art part, but I do okay at helping the different people out. It's really fun and I could you the extra curriculars for college." I sighed. At least he isn't amazing at EVERYTHING. I would feel really stupid. I started to look at him, at his gorgeous eyes. He was staring at me too. Exactly as I realized he should be looking at the ground to coordinate himself, his skateboard tilted forward swiftly. He fell face-first onto the ground.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?!" His lip was cut, cheeks were scraped and the heels of his hands were filled with gravel. Other than that, he looked fine.
"I'm okay." He said to confirm my thoughts. I smiled.
"Why don't you walk from now on? I'd rather not have to use my first aid on you." Then I laughed. Laughing at his pain. Very nice. I stopped immediately, just to save myself from ruining this even more. I had no experience with going out with guys. Yes, if we were friends but this was date going out. Not friends going out. "Sorry. Force of habit. If it helps, I always laugh at my pain too. Weird huh?" Wow, now there was NO chance of dating him at all. I could have slapped myself. He looked a bit creeped out, then he started laughing. I couldn't help but laugh too.
After a bit of this, we started walking again. "So, what's your favorite book?" He asked. I looked at him like he was insane.
"Only one?! That's like finding your favorite drop of water in a sea." He laughed again. I was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard.
"Okay. Top five?"
"Um.. let me think. Hacking Harvard. Great book, love it. The Westing Game. Really, really interesting and Clue-ish like. Harry Potter and Twilight Series. I know, really girly with the Twilight thing, but it is REALLY good and you got to love the classics. And.....Frindle. The best book ever. I still love reading it to this day. I read it in like 3rd grade, but it is like a classic. What about you?"
"Okay, I have to say Harry Potter and Twilight too. I agree on Twilight. A little girly, but still a good read and who doesn't love Harry? All of Shakespeare's work amazing. What's not to love? Eragon Series. Dragons, you've got to love 'em. And Harry the Horrible Series. I remember it so vividly and I couldn't help but like it. " I was so engrossed during the conversation that I smacked into the door of the coffee shop. Real nice Emma, I thought. "Are you okay? " He whispered. I laughed. He really thought I hurt myself! "I'm fine. It'll take a lot more then a door to take me down." He smiled. A nervous smile, but seemed happy I was okay. We walked into the bohemian coffee shop I got an Oregon Chai and got a table and listened to the music playing softly in the background. Joker by Steve Miller Band, I realized. I smiled. He sat across from me with his iced Mocha thing. The conversation started slowly but we talked about almost everything. Likes, dislikes, friends, enemies, and endlessly music and books. It was almost 3 hours later when I looked at my watch again. "Oh shoot. I got to go. But it's been really fun. I guess I'll see you at school?" I didn't guess. I hoped, I dreamed and would plead if I wouldn't see him. "Yeah. I'll see ya." His words seemed nonchalant, but it seemed his green eyes got gray as though being choked and in pain. "Bye!" I said as I proceeded out the door. I raced home to do my homework. I hated putting it off. About three seconds after I logged onto my AIM account I was bombarded with IMs filled with questions. I told the bombardiers (Janet, Amanda and Kaliyan) that how amazing it was. I told them about the whole conversation with the books and music. I also told them about his friends Ludwig Sampson, named after the amazing drum maker company, and James Cullihan. Then I logged off, so not to be attacked with more questions and got to my homework.
I went to be around 10:30. I should have known that I would have dreamed of him. At first it started off at the coffee shop. Repeating the whole conversation. Instead of leaving me alone Charlie came outside with me. All of a sudden it was cold. I was shivering. It started to snow. It seemed Charlie had disappeared. Then I saw him. He was under a old fashioned lamp post. He was bleeding from the stomach, leaving the snow around him colored in red. "Help me Emma, help me. I am dieing. Help me, help me." Was all he said. Over and over. Then I saw a Star Tribune article from January 17, 1943. Soon only the words were in my mind. I heard a gasp of pain. A scream of my name. Then I woke up.