Charlotte Cane
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“ᴍᴇʟᴀɴᴄʜᴏʟʏ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀᴘᴘɪɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴏꜰ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ꜱᴀᴅ.”― ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀ ʜᴜɢᴏ
“Jesus, god damn Mormon bitch,” he hisses, cutting his eye to me as he gets into the driver’s seat. “Can we get out of here and ditch her already?” He says to Megan and the others as he slammed the door.
‘Mormon’.
The words punch me.
He doesn’t mean it in a hateful way, though. He can’t. We’re supposed to be friends. He’s just saying those things out of anger. I’m sure. Just like mother. She would say things she didn’t mean.
So he isn’t saying to hurt me.
Right?
“Actually, since we’re at the gas station, I mind as well use the bathroom.” Julie pips, her nails clacking as she texts quickly on her phone.
“Really, Julie? It can’t wait,” Kevin groans.
“Not really.” She shrugs, not looking up from her phone as she saunters into the gas station.
“Freddie? Meg?” Kevin gestures to them.
“Chips.” Freddie says as he walks into the gas station as well.
“Meg?” Kevin asks.
“Huh?” Megan, who was also on her phone, glances up and looks at him. “Hold on, babe.” Her face grows sour the longer she interacts with the phone. “Shit.” She curses under her breath, angrily texting someone back.
“Fine.” Kevin shakes his head, aware he wasn’t going to be getting her attention either. “I guess this is just the perfect time for a snack break.” Annoyed, he rolls his eyes. “And why are you still here?” His eyes meet mine.
I realize I’ve been standing awkwardly watching them so I quickly hurry to grab my backpack and go.
“Hold on! Wait Char!” Megan looks up from her phone. Her commanding voice grabs my attention, so I stop. “Where are you going?”
I knot my tongue.
I didn’t want to look at her.
I didn’t even want to stop and speak.
I was just tired.
“I’m gonna go home now,” I mutter.
“But, wait Char, don’t go yet. I need your help.”
I never know what Megan’s intentions are, and I already have caused so much damage. I just want to go.
“Char?” She says again.
It takes all my strength for me to turn around and face her. “What do you mean?” I ask, in a feeble voice.
“Why don’t you help me out with something before you go?”
I swallow. “I don’t know. I don’t want to do something awful again to you guys. I should just go home. I already feel so bad about throwing up everywhere and—.”
“—Which you should feel bad about.” Kevin blurts from the car.
I glanced back at him, my frown cemented.
“Kevin.” She tosses him a scornful look. “Shut up. She threw up in your car, so what? The car is clean now. Chill.”
“Why are you defending her?” he snaps, his voice traveling as he stuck his head out of the car window. “And didn’t you rush to get to this damn party?”
“Yeah, but you can’t ever be late a party.” She bats her eyes.
“Whatever.” Fuming, he stuck his back inside of the car and rolled up the car windows.
Megan sighed and tucked her phone into her jeans pocket. It came as a surprise to me when she focused her attention and concern to me. “Come over here.” She pulled me to the side all towards the gas station doors. “Listen,” she said, lowering her voice. “I know everyone’s pissed about the car, which was frankly totally gross. But I get it. You know, after what happened to my brother, I got anxious about going to the hospital. I would freak out, and just have bad episodes. Like yours. So I can totally understand why you flipped.”
My weary heart softened. “Really?”
Was I hearing what I wanted to hear?
Was she truly on my side?
Or was she just saying things?
“Yeah. But just like how I was able to forgive you and what your mother did to my brother, I was able to gradually get over my fear.”
I felt my heart sank just quickly as it rose.
How awful was I?
Why do I always doubt Megan? She knows what its like to have these irrational fears like I do, and she has the kidner heart to be friends with me knowing everything about what I’ve done.
“I’m sorry Megan. I didn’t know you would have episodes like me. Listen, I owe you so much, so whatever you need, I’m happy to help out with.” I try to smile.
“You’re an angel, Charlotte. You really are.” Megan gleefully grins at me. “Okay, so here’s the thing.” She pauses to dig into her back pocket. “I just got a text from a friend of mine who was supposed to bring a little something extra to the party for me. But, he’s bailing on me because he decided not to go last minute. That means I need you help.” She plucks out a small plastic card and hands it to me.
It’s an ID with a picture of a woman who looks similar to me. “Is this somebody’s ID?” I question, examining the thin plastic.
She looks around the gas station lot and lowers her voice. “It’s a fake one.”
“What?” I almost drop the card. “What do you need a fake ID for?” I peer at her.
I’ve seen enough shows to know that a fake ID card doesn’t mean anything good when it’s in a teenager’s hands.
“Shh. Lower your voice.” She urges. “Look, I clearly don’t look like the woman in the photo and neither does Julie. Normally, I have a different one on me, but because I wasn’t expecting the dude to bail on me, I just wasn’t prepared.”
“Megan, I don’t know what you want me to do with this I—.”
“—Char I just need you to go in there, get a few beers, and come right back out.”
“But Megan….” Anxiety envelops me. I have to resist shaking like a leaf.
“Char, come on. Just do it. You owe me, remember?”
I want to say no, but I can’t.
Not to her. Not after all I’m guilty for.
“Alright,” I say, eyes falling down again.
I shouldn’t do it. I know that.
“I’ll do it.” My mouth is dry as I accept the offer and step inside of the gas station store. Charlotte Cane
The Indolence of the Filipino
Completed