"You did what!?" a well-dressed man demanded of the two people in front of him.
The two looked at each other, both clearly uneasy about the turn of events neither had expected to occur.
"I went in and got the heart of the forest," the one to the left of the well-dressed man started.
"And in the process, you not only attacked the unicorn and started to lay waste to the forest in your search," the well-dressed man finished for him.
"I made a process of making sure I wouldn't have to search again in the areas I'd already searched."
The well-dressed man sighed. "I guess I shouldn't have trusted anyone but myself to get the heart of the forest."
"What's the problem, Heathcliff?" The other in front of him asked. "We were told to get the heart of the forest and that's what we did."
"And that's why I should have gone myself. You made yourselves an enemy of the unicorn and jeopardized any chance for being on friendly terms with it."
"But what else could we have done?" the one to Heathcliff's left asked.
"Maybe you could have asked the unicorn. They aren't unintelligent, you know."
"And why would it listen to us. Weren't the unicorns the ones who closed the gates and hid away in their forests?"
Heathcliff nodded. "They were, but that doesn't mean they're hostile towards us now. They may have retreated to their forests, but remember, they were the primary targets during that war." Heathcliff paused before continuing. "I believe that most, if not all unicorns fled into their forests because they were afraid. They could seal their forests for a short period and anchor a new one if their old one was released. From what I've read, they didn't like to do that, but when they were being hunted in that war, I'm sure those that survived mostly did so by relocating their forests. They might have even taken other precautions or measures that we don't even know about."
"So, wouldn't this unicorn hold us as potential enemies?" The man on Heathcliff's left asked.
"Let me put it this way," Heathcliff replied, sighing, his patience clearly spent. "Unicorns are not human. They do not think the way you and I do. Do not presume to know what a unicorn would think. Unless you talk with one, you have no way of knowing what a unicorn might think of you. In addition, Unicorns are peaceful creature by nature. They do not seek out conflict. They would rather avoid conflict if they can. However, if they see someone they consider an enemy, I have yet to hear of them not attacking. When they attack, they use their magic and it can be rather potent. Nether of you have the power necessary to survive an angry unicorn's attack when it is in the mood to fight."
Both men in front of Heathcliff looked very uneasy. Heathcliff waited for either to say more, but when it was apparent neither had anything more to say, he moved on. "So, what's done is done. We have the Heart of the Forest, so we might as well try to use it. I'll want both of you to go to Berthoud Pass tomorrow and try to open the gate. If you can't let me know. If it doesn't open we'll see if there's something the records we have just don't contain. If it works, look through the gate to see what there is before letting me know. Depending on what you see will let us know what we should do with that gate." Heathcliff paused a moment when a thought occurred to him. "Under no circumstances should you open more than that one gate. We have no idea what effects that would have on the world. We don't need to create more problems than we already have. I'll speak with both of you when you've accomplished that."
"Are you just experimenting or are you really dating Beth?"
Charlie was stunned at the question. Her day had started as usual and nothing had occurred to make her expect anything to happen that wasn't typical. Even her math class with Mr. Samuels was uneventful. However, when she sat down at her usual spot at lunch, the cheerleaders stopped their conversation and focused on her. It even took Charlie a moment to register what the question was.
"We're not letting you go until you answer," another cheerleader, Alice Rogers told her, when she hadn't replied after a few seconds of her silence. Alice had pure white hair and Charlie knew it wasn't dyed given how often that topic had come up at the table, blue eyes, and was supposed to get her braces removed in a month or two.
Charlie swallowed, a lump having suddenly appeared in her throat, before she could answer. "I really have no idea what you're talking about."
"Puh-lease," Allison Smith replied. Allison was pretty much the one who struck Charlie as the leader of the group, even if she wasn't the head cheerleader; at least as far as Charlie knew. "Your trip out of the school with Beth yesterday was noticed. Given what we all know about you, it's clear that you're doing Beth. So, are you experimenting with her or are you actually dating her?"
Charlie went from stunned to appalled, and more than a little mortified, at hearing that. "Yesterday as I was leaving school, Beth attached herself to me and wouldn't let go. I would have been happy if she'd let me leave in peace. You'll have to ask her what it was about, because I still don't understand what she really wanted from me."
"What were you doing in that hallway anyway?" Alice asked, motioning another of her group to stay quiet. "We all know you've never been seen in that hallway after school before, so clearly you meant to meet up with Beth."
Charlie sighed, wondering how much of her lunch she'd be able to eat before the end of lunch, if she was able to touch it at all. "I left that way because I was avoiding Mr. Samuels just in case he wanted me to have detention because of him catching me sleeping in his class."
"Then why did you leave with Beth?" Amber Wright asked, twirling her waist length brown hair in her fingers, while holding a partially eaten apple in her other hand, her piercing green eyes boring into Charlie's very being.
"She latched herself on to me and wouldn't let go. It wasn't until I relented on her going the same way as I was that she let me go. She even mentioned about not wanting to make Alex jealous, even though I still don't know what she was talking about," Charlie replied, her eyes unconsciously passing over Alex Samuels as she finished. Alex seemed intent on the conversation, but appeared not ready to say anything. Alex was the least talkative of the group, but not by much. She had light brown hair, the ends dyed pink, and dark blue eyes. Charlie had always thought she was cute, but didn't allow her thoughts to go any further than that, especially since she had wanted to just get through high school life without any complications. Like this. Although, a part of her wondered again if she might be the 'Alex' Beth mentioned. Charlie filed that thought away to consider another time. Thinking about that might actually make this whole situation more problematic for her than it already was.
Allison looked so intently at Charlie that Charlie couldn't help but think of her as a firebird peering at Charlie with piercing blue eyes that looked through her, to the point not only could she see through her clothing, but to her very mind and thoughts. Never before had she realized how well Allison's red hair framed her face and how piercing her sky blue eyes could be. Charlie was glad she was being looked at like this for something as trivial as this, she could only imagine how she'd feel if Allison was angry with her with that gaze.
Finally, after what felt like a few minutes, Allison relented. "If that's true, we'll have to talk to Beth about that. But if she says anything different, we'll discuss this again."
Dramatic much? Charlie thought to herself, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She also contemplated asking what they'd do if she was sleeping with or dating Beth, but threw that thought out almost immediately. She certainly didn't want to add fuel to the fire. She just wanted this to go away as quickly as possible. After a moment of silence from the cheerleaders, Charlie ventured a question, hoping that it would put that topic away completely. "So… can I start eating my lunch now?"
Allison shot an offended look at Charlie. "Of course, we can't stop you," she replied, with what Charlie took as insincere empathy.
Charlie didn't wait for any of the others to pursue the subject and started on her lunch, starting with the carrot sticks on her tray. Then, as she ate, she barely noticed any of the food, her mind considering all that had happened between yesterday and today. She hoped it wasn't going to become a pattern. Charlie could only deal with so much at a time, and presently she was fast approaching that limit.
The other cheerleaders seemed to have let the subject go, at least for the time being. However, Charlie did notice Alex sneaking glances at her, a troubled expression on her face each time. Charlie didn't pay it any mind, not only didn't she really care, but it would create more problems, as she had no idea what it was about her that Alex would find so troubling, then there was the fact that she'd agreed with the cheerleaders to not talk to them unless they spoke to her first. While they'd already spoken to her this lunch period, they'd already moved on from that subject, which meant to Charlie that they wouldn't consider it to mean that she'd have leave to talk with them, under their lunch arrangement at least. Lastly, Charlie also didn't really care what was troubling Alex about her. She was sure it wasn't going to be anything that would affect her in the least.
_
Charlie was quick to pack her backpack after her last class ended. She rushed to her locker and made the exchanges she always did at this time of day, especially as it was the last day of the week.
However, as she finished up, she almost ran into Beth as she started to move away from her locker as she slammed it shut. "Geez, Beth," Charlie said, backing up instinctively from Beth.
"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Beth apologized.
Charlie waited, but Beth didn't say anything more. At the very least she could say why she's here, Charlie thought to herself grumpily. "If there's nothing you need, I'm kind of in a hurry," Charlie said instead, starting to leave her locker by going around Beth.
Rather than letting her go, Beth instead appropriated Charlie's arm, again, and just like the previous two times, Charlie struggled to free her arm and was unable to do so. However, Beth didn't say anything as to why she'd confiscated Charlie's arm. Instead, she just started walking the direction Charlie normally took as she left school.
"You realize what this will do about the rumors going on about us, right?" Charlie asked, starting to resign herself to having Beth accompany her on her way out, wondering what other aspects to the rumor this would inspire.
"Don't worry, I spoke with Allison during my last class. I let her know you were my new project," Beth answered, not looking at Charlie, but not showing any signs of needing to not look at her.
Charlie fumed at being a 'project' and wasn't sure how this would end. If it stops the rumor, then it might be better than letting the rumor continue its march around the school, Charlie considered. However, she wasn't going to allow herself to submit to whatever Beth had in mind as being her 'project.'
"So, what does it entail? Being your project, I mean," Charlie asked, while still struggling to free her arm from Beth's iron grasp.
At this, Beth looks at Charlie, a smile on her face that caused Charlie's stomach to drop, not sure if she'd like to know anymore, given how unsettling Beth's smile was to her.
"It means that I got bored, so whenever I take on a new project, then that's me finding something to alleviate my boredom," Beth replied, a little too giddily for Charlie's comfort.
"So, in other words, you're bored and decided to do whatever to me, whether I'm interested or not?"
"Wow, you really take things to a dark place, don't you?" Beth asked, her surprise giving Charlie a small amount of pleasure.
"I'm a realist," Charlie answered. "I don't accept that people doing things to others are always to truly help the other person. Especially since I didn't ask for any help with anything, I'm not really interested in accepting what you may or may not have in mind for me. I was fine by myself and don't need others at school to take an interest in my well-being."
Beth regarded Charlie for a moment, not slowing their pace, but also not releasing Charlie's arm. "You might not realize it, but some things require drastic measures and you're one of those things."
Charlie had no idea what to make of that statement, only that whatever Beth was planning, she was going to make it as difficult as she could to keep Charlie from getting out of it. "If you're not going to let me refuse to be your 'project,' could you at least start it Monday? I have to get home for a family function." Not really a family function, but close enough as far as Charlie was concerned.
"What proof do you have that you're not just saying that to keep me from starting the project today?"
"Like there's ever any real proof about stuff like that. All I know about it is that my dad told me and my sister to come straight home from school, and to be ready to go when he and my mom get home from work."
Beth considered that as they neared the exit doors, other students moving around them. Charlie didn't see anyone noticing them, but couldn't rule out that at least someone was watching them closely.
Finally, as they started out the doors, Beth seemed to have come to a decision. "You're right. There's really never any proof, but keep in mind that I'll be near your house when you leave. I'll know if you played me or if you were telling the truth about whatever it is your family is going to be doing." Beth released Charlie's arm as she finished.
As Charlie rubbed her arm to get the sensation of it being in Beth's custody out of it, she asked, while still continuing on her way home, "Didn't you have a meeting at the school newspaper today?"
Beth looked a little sheepish and looked away from Charlie. "Actually the meeting was yesterday. I completely forgot and missed it." Charlie couldn't help but smile in amusement and Beth noticed. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."
"What excuse did you come up with?" Charlie couldn't help but be curious about this.
"I told them the truth. I was looking into where the horse came from. I just didn't explain into what I personally knew about Petals. After all, she's the biggest event at this school in a while."
Charlie nodded. "Well, anyway, I'm heading home, feel free to go wherever it is you normally go at this time."
Beth chuckled. "Yeah, about that. You do remember about us meeting near your house, right?"
Charlie thought about what Beth was talking about, then she remembered about those of Beth's friends who were meeting up to brainstorm ideas of how to get Petals back in her forest home. "So, you're going to follow me as I go home, aren't you?" Charlie asked, scowling at Beth.
"Wow, you're really cute when you scowl," Beth remarked, smirking while she started to rummage through her backpack that hung on her left arm.
Charlie couldn't think for a moment, she was so surprised at the remark. It wasn't until she heard Beth's phone click that she realized Beth just took her picture with her phone and her scowl turned into a full out glare.
Beth merely laughed at Charlie's reaction. "You're just too easy."
Charlie had had enough of Beth at that point, so she started to walk in a different direction, a route Charlie usually took in winter when the faster route was too icy to take. She also was walking faster than she normally did, just to get away from Beth.
"Where're you going?" Beth called after her.
"This way," was all Charlie would reply. She didn't even look back to see what Beth's reaction would be. She really didn't care and just wanted to be left alone right then. Which made it even more aggravating when she heard Beth hurrying to catch up with Charlie.
"First, to answer your question, yeah, I'll be accompanying you as you go back home. Second, I'm sorry I pissed you off, I didn't mean to, it's just that I've never seen you like that and I was sure that Alex would love to see that too," Beth told Charlie when she caught up to her.
"Whatever," Charlie replied. She wasn't going to engage with Beth, as she couldn't do anything about the route Beth took, and she wasn't going to push the matter, since she didn't see what good it would do anyway.
"Why this way? Isn't the other way faster?" Beth asked.
Charlie ignored the question and didn't reply. She'd decided to just endure Beth being there and wasn't going to talk with her, especially with how upset she was. Charlie didn't really know if she was angry or not, just that she had so many emotions going on right then that she needed to sort them out before she could tell what they were. It was rare that she had this happen, but always preferred to be by herself for a while as she sorted out what she was feeling. Especially since what she was feeling was unfamiliar to her, which only unsettled her even more. Then there's the problem that Beth was already working on her last nerve.
So, she endured Beth's company as she made her way home, not even considering going back to her usual path home, as that would involve explaining to Beth why she had started on this path and then decided to go back to the first one.
"Are you going to answer me?" Beth asked, appearing to Charlie as uncertain with Charlie's silence. "Charlie? Hello?"
_
Charlie could hear the shower running in the upstairs bathroom she and Cherie shared as she entered the house. She wasn't surprised that Cherie was already home. She typically was anyway, even when Charlie didn't take a more roundabout route home.
She made her way upstairs and to her room. She began to get her things ready so she could get in the shower after Cherie was done as soon as Cherie was out. Though, Charlie didn't expect it to happen within the next little while.
So, after she'd gotten her dress out so she'd be able to get dressed faster, given when she expected to be able to finish her shower, she started to get undressed. When she'd finished that, she put on her bathrobe and got out her English homework and began working on it. What it was, was an essay about a topic Charlie didn't really care about. So, she was making sure to pay special consideration to her grammar and spelling. As long as it was the required length, Charlie couldn't care less what Mrs. Spencer thought about it.
Charlie finished the second page, which meant she'd added an entire page and a half to what she'd already had, when she heard the shower stop. Hope there's at least some hot water left, she thought to herself as she got up and left her room.
She waited outside the bathroom door wondering how long Cherie would take before she came out of the bathroom. Long showers weren't the only thing Cherie frequently did. She seemed to be able to take an entire class period to dry off, though Charlie assumed she did more than just dry off, given she couldn't imagine that it would take more than five minutes to dry off, if she really wanted to take her time. Charlie wondered if Cherie was going to wear any make-up or jewelry, even though any time she'd attempted to in the past, their parents both adamantly denied the attempt. It wouldn't surprise Charlie to see Cherie make another attempt, with the logic of 'maybe this time.'
Finally, when Charlie was contemplating returning to her room to find something to occupy her mind during her wait, the bathroom opened and Cherie came out, without anything on. Charlie felt her face go beet red as she quickly averted her eyes away from her sister. "Cherie!" she hissed. "You know we're supposed to have at least a robe or towel on when we're going to or from the bathroom."
Cherie laughed. "That's when mom or dad are here. It's just you and you're not going to tell them." Charlie had to admit that Cherie was right, she wasn't going to mention this to their parents, but that didn't make Charlie feel any more comfortable about the situation. "If you really don't want to see me naked, either get home earlier or wait in your room until you hear me go into my room."
Charlie couldn't believe the audacity of her sister about this. It made her wonder if there were other things that Cherie was doing that she wasn't aware of, not to mention how much of that their parents knew. After a moment of contemplating the issues with her sister, Charlie entered the bathroom, locked the door and removed her robe, hanging it on the hook on the back of the door.
Charlie started the shower and was happy that there was at least some hot water left. She was able to at least get it to the temperature that she preferred, which was actually a little colder than her sister preferred.
Her mind wandered as she washed herself by lathering up her loofah after putting a drop of shower gel on it and the incident with Beth after school was in the forefront of her thoughts. The feelings that she felt really weren't completely unfamiliar, but the intensity of them was not at a level she was used to. The difference was from like when she was a little kid and got to have ice cream as opposed to when she was able to tie her shoes on her own. However, there were aspects of it she couldn't really place, which made it feel like maybe she hadn't really felt these emotions before. Thinking about it just merely made her confused. She never had much luck with talking with her parents on problems she'd had in the past, especially when it involved her emotions. She learned that long ago. Any answers she received would always leave her more confused than before.
Maybe that's why I don't care to deal with others, Charlie mused to herself, as she started washing her arms. Part of the emotions she felt were definitely embarrassment, she'd never been comfortable having her picture taken, even on picture day every year in school. Part of it was quite possibly the aggravation of Beth pushing herself onto Charlie's peaceful afternoon. The last part was something that she just couldn't place. Every emotion she thought of just didn't quite fit, no matter how close it came.
When she started washing her honey-brown hair, she finally gave up on it. It wasn't getting any easier, so she decided to leave it for another time. It wasn't going to help her to continue to mull on it and could possibly affect the performance for Heathcliff at dinner that her parents expected from her.