One Pack of Smokes from Broke.

"Freaking hurry up, I'm dying for a smoke!" Charlie yelled at Winter and Eric, pushing them towards Winter' shitty whit pick-up truck, as Charlie would put it.

They both laughed at the short girl, getting in the truck and driving away from the highschool building. Once off school property, both Charlie and Winter pulled out cigarettes, hastily lighting them and taking a long drag. Eric, who did not smoke (except for on occasions), rolled his eyes at them.

Charlie groaned, "Fucking hell! This year is going to suck!" She threw her head back and hit the seat.

Both boys nodded in response.

"Want me to drop you off at John's?" Winter asked Charlie, smirking.

She smiled, thinking of her absolute closest friend. "Yes,"

Once in front of the oh-so familiar big house, she hopped out of the truck happily.

"Coming over for dinner?" Erc asked her, sticking his head out the window.

'"Yeah," she nodded sheepishly.

They all said they're goodbyes and Charlie skipped to the front door, knocking on it softly.

John opened the door and grinned down at his short best friend. "Hey, doll." he said.

"Hey," she grinned back, wrapping her arms around his skinny waist. He laughed, hugging her back.

They walked through his house together, eventually ending up in his room. They sat together on the bed, John putting in some Indie record.

He studied her for a moment before asking. "So, how was it? I mean, like, school without him for the first time-"

"John," she warned.

"Hey, I'm just trying to help. I miss him, too, y'know."

"Can we not talk about this?" she practically begged, already getting emotional.

"Well, I mean, we gotta sometime. It'll help-"

"No. Please, I don't want to, John."

He pressed his lips together in a tight line, looking out his window instead of her. "It's been 3 months, 2 since you tried to off yourself. I... I can't let that happen again." he looked at her now with sadness in his green-hazel eyes.

She shook her head, not trusting her voice.

This was what happened when she was with John. She became the old Charlie again. When she was around John, it was like being around him. Not matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stay away. John was her rock.

He reached over now, wiping away a tear that had fallen from her eyes.

John sighed, moving closer to her and wrapped his skinny arms around her small body.

Charlie leaned into his body gratefully, sighing contently as he rubbed his hand up and down her back softly. John knew that that was a very easy way to calm her down. It always worked. It was a Charlie-thing, he'd call it.

"I'm just not ready yet, John. I can't go there yet." she whispered into his chest. She could feel him nod as he whispered back.

"I'm just scared. I don't wanna lose you, too."

Charlie shook her head. "No, I'm done with that. Don't worry," it hurt her to lie to him, but she knew it was the best for John.

After a few minutes of silence, John leaned away to grin at her. "Do you have any new pictures on your camera? I could drive you to the store to get some prints."

Charlie beamed up at him and nodded eagerly, crawling out of his arms and grabbing her bag from the floor. John laughed and stood from his bed.

With that the two best friends left, trying hard to leave the ghost of the boy they both once loved immensely behind them, too.