Today In History

I stood outside of the building and just looked around. I had no clue where I was or how I got here. I heard footsteps following behind me and as soon as they reached my side they had stopped.

"Can you help me back?" I said softly, not looking at him. He grabbed my hand and we were running again. Down the street, over a fence, through some allies and soon we were back in the ally he had found me in. I still didn't know my way back but I told Joey the hotel name and he lead me.

I didn't even need to go inside the hotel. Chris was sitting in a lump on the ground in front of it, obviously guarding the door. As soon as he saw me walking up, he sprang to his feet and came towards me, suffocating me in a hug.

"Charlie, those pictures aren't what they seem." He whispered in my ear. We were both on the verge of tears so I barely noticed Joey now, but he stayed.

"What were they?" My voice was barely even a whisper. I struggled to get those words out and now I didn't regret it one bit.

"At that party," he pulled away from me to look into my eyes, "I was drunk. A girl asked me to dance so I did, but she started kissing me and I was taken by surprise. I couldn't stop. Those pictures were sent by Valerie, so you know that she was intending for you to see them and get angry at me." He looked at his shoes and back at me expectantly then finally noticed Joey who was standing behind me.

"Hey Mr. Spencer." Joey smiled and waved. I froze and turned to face the boy who had a smirk on his face.

"Hey Joey, how's life treating ya?" I looked between the two and deducted that Joey was a former student of Chris's.

"Pretty good. How's your life treating you?" He looked in my direction when he said this. Oh god, he knows.

"That's none of your fucking business." Chris snapped at him, making Joey grin.

I was fully confused by now. I didn't know what I had to do with anything the two said but I wasn't comfortable standing here between them. Chris wrapped a protective arm around my waist and Joey sneered.

"So did you meet her at a party like the rest of em?" He spat at Chris. Chris was taken aback by his words and was silently hoping that I didn't know what he was talking about. I didn't, so his hope was fine.

"No I didn't. Joey, what do you want from me? Money? I'll give you some. Whatever you want, just go and leave us alone." Chris was pleading now. This must be really bad, I've never heard Chris plead with anyone except me and the school.

"No. I think she should hear the truth. If you don't tell her, I will." Joey walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. Chris wretched me back from him and I swear I was now suffering from whiplash from how fast he pulled me away.

"Tell her what Joey? Nothing happened between the two of us and once I found out, I broke it off. I love Charlie, so it's not like that anyways." Chris's voice was calmer now.

"Well let's see what she thinks eh? Charlie-"

"Charlie," Chris cut him off, "I'd rather you hear this from me than from that scumbag." He let go of me so I could see him fully. He was struggling with the words to use.

"Come on now Mr. Spencer. Grow some balls and do it all ready." Joey was laughing now at Chris's torment. I thought about what they were talking about. The same words kept running through my head Nothing happened between the two of us and once I found out, I broke it off. I knew what this meant and I knew what he was going to tell me.

"Chris." I spoke softly. He looked into my eyes and he knew that I knew. He was waiting for a reaction that I didn't give him. "Just tell me. Give Joey the satisfaction." I wanted Joey to be angry on how I would react about the news that I already knew. Make him feel bad for how he was treating Chris.

"Charlie," he ran a hand through his hair, "you're not the first student I've dated." Though I already knew this, it was like a hard slap on the face anyway. Chris would explain more when we were inside the hotel and without Joey. I only nodded and looked to the boy who looked too satisfied for his own good.

"Thank you Joey, for everything." These were not the words he was expecting from my mouth. He looked at me puzzled and then remembered when he comforted me when I was crying.

"No problem," he gave me a smile then a wave, "see you around Charlie." He walked away with that. I turned back to Chris as soon as Joey was out of sight. His breathing was hard and he looked like tired and irritated.

"Charlie-" I held a finger up and he quieted. I took a glance at the man before me, taking everything in and took a deep breath. His hair was a mess, which I loved. His eyes were red from crying and he had a really tired look on his face. He probably had chased me for blocks until I disappeared earlier. I knew how he felt about me and how I felt about him. It's just one of those things that you can tell from other people, and I got the vibe perfectly.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." I told him.