Thin Line- Charlie Dalton Love Story

Chapter 29: Change Of Plans

3 days earlier. Friday Morning

{Valerie's POV}

"Rebecca! LOOK!" I screamed excitedly.

She had just come into the room after washing up for school Anyways, now that she was here, upon entering the room and witnessing me jump around, she immediately tagged along and jumped around with me.

"Charlie is finally giving me a chance. God bless Marilyn Monroe, she gives good advice." I beamed.

"That's great V. Your attempts worked after all." She chuckled.

Yes. Yes, they did.

"The key to forgiveness is persistence. Ha, I'm so wise." I boasted.

I had been feeling gloomy for days and when this letter showed up, I felt happier than I ever have in a long time. I would talk it out with him tonight and hopefully with the tiniest bit of luck, all will be well and forgiven.

I got ready for school, feeling more excited than usual. Now I got to see Charlie without the feeling that I had ruined everything. Now, there was hope. When I saw him in class, I wanted nothing but to go over to him and press my lips against his like we were the only people on the planet. But the reality differed. The reality was I could only smile, and wait impatiently until tonight at 10pm on the dock, by the river. How romantic it sounds.

When school was over, I didn't even bother attending dinner. I didn't care for eating, when I had a million things to think over. I had even compromised my study group by this important manner. By study group I mean, Becky and I 'studying' in our tiny little dorm room together, which more often than not ended up in us discussing irrelevant matters that would last the entire night. And for today's study group, she was helping me with what to say and what not to say tonight.

Becky figured I should steer clear of mentioning the fact that I didn't receive the promised $300 prize, as a way of asking forgiveness. Understandable. She also advised that I talk from the heart rather than state facts about what I did wrong. That much was obvious to me. But my heart has betrayed me in the past and I don't trust it. After a long discussion, I finally decided that I would just wing it.

At 9:30pm, I changed out of my uniform and into a pair of black sweatpants and a black t-shirt. I grabbed my hoodie and was about to leave when a freshman girl knocked on our door saying that there was a call on hold for me. I threw the hoodie on my bed, I would come back for it later, and went to the telephone booth.

The phone was sitting face up on its cradle when I found it. I put it to my ear, and said, "Hello?"

"You fucking bitch."

"Greetings, papa." I said in monotone.

It was my father, what a gentleman he was. I wonder what he wanted now.

" Explain yourself! Now!" He roared through the phone so fucking loud, one would thing he was actually here.

"I'm gonna say this in the most respectful way possible. What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, bracing myself for the uproar of disrespecting him.

I was genuinely confused. I can't remember the last time I did something wrong that he knew about.

"The hospital bills."

Oh fuck. Oh shit. Oh hell. Of course. Oh this is bad. This is so fucking bad. I'm in deep shit. Four weeks ago when I was at the hospital, I had signed the bills on a payment plan to go to my father. Why? Why did I do that? I was preoccupied with a damn broken bone, a broken heart, and a broken somethingship. I was preoccupied by the fact that Charlie was there, waiting for me. I was too shocked to speak.