Someone Like You (Chenry)

Chapter Seventeen

Henry finally slowed down as they got a few blocks away from the school. The longer he ran, the more he looked relieved. The color was slowly returning to his face, and his eyes weren't glassy and watery anymore. In the soft sunset, he finally looked like himself again. Charlotte knew that he was still thinking about everything she had told him, but she hoped that he was feeling a little better. She didn't want him to not be able to go home after this mission. Yet she didn't know how to find Seymour Butts to finish the mission. It was like Seymour Butts was biding his time until absolutely necessary.

"Are you okay?" Charlotte asked him softly. She squeezed his hand, trying not to focus on her aching feet or racing heart. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm just thinking about running away from everything." Henry glanced at her before taking his hand out of hers, and continuing to walk forward. She hated how cold it got without his hand to warm it up. "But I know I can't run away. I'm just going to have to end this mission and figure something else out to help Captain Man."

"I'll definitely help you with that."

He didn't respond to her. She knew that he was doing a little better than he had at the dance, but he was still stiff and very quiet. At least she was also feeling better now that she was out of the school cafeteria. Now, it was just her and Henry alone together without any pressure from their classmates or the people of Swellview. It was just them now, and she didn't have to worry about anything else. She hoped he felt the same way.

"I'm starving," Charlotte announced. She didn't care that they were ditching the dance because it was full of people trying to get to Henry, and he was running from all the pain in the world. As much as it pained her to admit it, tonight was supposed to be their night, not anyone else's. "I can't believe the school wouldn't provide any type of food for us, even if it was just snacks."

"I know," Henry said, laughing. She glanced at him and found a small smile on his face, one that was real and true instead of being weighed down by his problems. "We could hit up Nacho Ball before you go home if you wanted."

"Yes!" She gripped his arm excitedly, glad that he suggested that. She didn't want to go home just yet, though. Charlotte didn't want Henry to leave, especially with how strange he was acting tonight with all the news she told him. She wanted to distract him from his thoughts. "I would love that. Are you thinking of the nice Nacho Ball or the one closest to us?"

"The nice one."

"Good choice. I don't like anything but the best."

"And fast food is the best?"

"Of course."

The two of them laughed softly together. The sun was slowly going down around them, casting an orange glow across his eyes, making them glitter. Their laughter echoed around them against the houses close by. At that moment, Charlotte was happy. Nothing could take her happiness away from her, not anymore. She was the only one in charge of it, and it was time for her to take ownership of it. She was glad that she finally realized that.

"You have that contemplative look on your face," Henry said, interrupting her thoughts. She glanced over at him to find him already looking at her as they walked toward the nice Nacho Ball. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm happy."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I don't think I've been this happy in a long time."

"Me either."

"Did you know that I love watching the sunset?"

"Wow, you're thinking about a lot of different things tonight, aren't you, Char?"