Page 11 of Fractured Fate

A smile crossed his face. He was thankful for her distraction now more than ever.

3

DISCONTENT

Entering the classroom at the end of the hallway, Charlotte rubbed at her tired eyes. She must have looked a mess having not applied makeup when her alarm failed to wake her. With minimal time to spare, she threw a few cosmetics into her purse to apply after her first class, grabbed a banana and her morning dose of medication, and barely made it to the bus stop.

“You look hungover,” Rachel said, holding out a bottle of water as Charlotte trudged up the steps beside the stadium style seating overlooking the teaching area. “Where did you go after you left last night?”

“Good morning to you too.” She took the offered water, collapsing into her chair next to Rachel behind the long, curved desk on the third platform designed to sit six students on either side of the wide stairs. She opened the water and took a long drink. “Thanks.”

“Seriously. What happened? You look wiped.” Rachel pulled another bottle from her bag and set it on the desk.

“I stayed up a while last night. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Why not?” Noah asked as he lowered himself into the seat on her other side. “Are you sick?” He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead.

“No. I’m fine. Nothing major.” She offered a reassuring smile before pulling her supplies from her bag and placing them in front of her, trying not to dwell on the physical contact. Her conversation with Rachel the night before last heightened her awareness of Noah’s frequent touches. He barely made physical contact with their other friends. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

Noah eyed her for a long moment and turned his attention to pulling out his own supplies.

Thankful to be out from under scrutiny, she sniffed and faced the front of the class. She didn’t feel comfortable sharing with people she hadn’t known long about the recent events occurring in her life.

Her phone buzzed on the desk. Checking the screen, she smiled.

“What’s up, Buttercup?”

She looked over at Rachel. “What? Nothing.” She tucked her phone into her bag and put it between her feet on the floor; she’d reply to Aiden later.

“You sure look happy all of a sudden.”

She shrugged.

“Come on, spill. Is the sender the reason you didn’t sleep?” Rachel gasped, raising her voice and grabbing Charlotte’s arm. “Oh my god, did you spend the night with someone?” She covered her mouth with her hands and winced when a couple of guys on the platform below them looked back.

Charlotte’s face flamed. “No. I mean, we were talking on the phone, but I didn’t spend the night with him.”

“Okay, I need details. Who is he? What program is he in?”

“Just a friend. And he’s from back home. He doesn’t go here.”

Rachel deflated. “Oh.” Pursing her lips, she twisted in her seat. “Do you have a picture?”

“I do…”

Tilting her head, Rachel stared.

Charlotte sighed. “Hang on.” Pulling out her phone, she opened her photo gallery, scrolling to a photo of Aiden and his little sister Riley sitting together on the floor of her mom’s clothing boutique in the back room.

“Lord have mercy.”

“What?”

“Tell me he’s single. That isn’t his girlfriend, is it?”

Charlotte laughed. “As far as I know, he’s single. That’s his sister.”

“You gotta introduce us. He’s huge! Look how tiny she is next to him!”