Unhinged | S. Harrington| B. Hargrove | Stranger Things

Bruises

Charlie missed everything the principal said. Except his dad is exepted to be at the office tomorrow. He might have seen how distraught the boy was, he let him go, for now.

Charlie felt drained, physically and emotionally. He walked into cafeteria and all eyes turned to him. He raised both middle fingers in the air for everyone to see and they all went back to minding their business.
He walked towards an empty table at the corner and slumped down on the chair, hiding his face in the crook of his elbow.

A few minutes passed as Charlie lay his head on the table seemingly unaware of the whispers around him. He had no energy for them. Not today. He had to go home and deal with his dad.

He felt the chair next him move. He groaned before raising his head to Nancy and Steve.

"Leave me alone." he stated simply and went back to sulking.

"Not happening." Nancy said and placed her hand on his wrist.

"Don't you have your own crowd to mingle with, I'm not the mood for company."

"Charlie-" Steve began.

"Not now, Harrington. Actually, not ever. Shouldn't you be happy that I'm living up to the nick name you gave me?" Charlie said, his every word laced with venom. He felt like he wasn't in control of his tongue anymore.

"So please take your perfect little girlfriend, to your perfect little group bullies, and live your perfect little life and leave me the fuck alone."

He shrugged off Nancy's hand and walked away. The anger in him was so much, it burned. He was sweating and he felt he couldn't breathe. The one place he knew no one could bother him was the library but it was damn far from where he was. So walked to the parking lot.

At the parking lot. He took out a bottle of water and poured it down his face.

"Charlie?" Jonathan's voice came. Charlie sighed and turned around.

"Yes?"

"What - what are you doing here?"

"Trying to find some peace and quiet in this God forsaken place. Apparently I can't."

Jonathan flinched a little and Charlie regreted it immediately.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it. I just..."

"Hey, it's okay. It's not your fault." Jonathan placed hand on his shoulder.

"It is though. I just yelled at Nancy and Steve. I beat up Tommy. H. I don't know what's wrong with me."
Charlie said, miserably. He leaned against his jeep. Jonathan followed suit.

"There is nothing wrong with you, Charlie."

"There is. I'm incredibly fucked up. Maybe I'm the problem. Maybe Steve was right, maybe everyone was right, maybe my mom was right to leave me... "

"Alright stop. " Jonathan held both his shoulders and looked him square in the eyes.
"Just stop, you're panicking. Breathe."

Charlie inhaled and exhaled slowly.
"Thank you." he said. Jonathan pulled him into a hug.

"You can always talk to me. Or Nancy, she's our friend."

Charlie chuckled at the friend part, Jonathan surely didn't consider her just a friend. But then again Steve and Nancy, they were perfect.

"Yeah I know."

A couple of other things happened that day. Tommy. H was already sucking upto newbie Billy Hargrove. Considering how Billy stood and watched Charlie beat the shit out of Tommy, Charlie understood two things. One, the guy was no saint. Two, he was no one's side but himself.