Clark and I head inside the building together. I follow her gaze until I see my friends surrounding a table, laughing and talking animatedly. I smile. It's been a while since I've seen them. I missed them.

I follow after Clark and when we reach their table, Jack looks up with a surprised look on his face before he breaks into a large grin. This makes everyone else turn to face me.

"Charlie!" He shoots out of his seat and reaches out to hug me.

I can't see anything, blinded by his tall frame that wraps around me as he lifts me up, making me laugh. Once he sets me down I notice who is sitting right behind him and looking quite anxious. Daniel.

I look away and greet Jack. "Its been a while," I smile.

"Ya think," he says sarcastically, "where the hell have you been, Char?"

"Studying." I purse my lips and shrug lazily when he narrows his eyes at my excuse. I admit, after everything, I had been avoiding people. But I just needed some time alone, I didn't have to have a reason for wanting to be alone, right?

"So have we, but you've disappeared completely," Mary speaks up when I take my seat beside her. I never got to thank her for helping me that day with Alex, she was the most understanding given how weird the situation between Alex and I was.

"Exams are next month," Clark groans in realization. I chuckle.

"Aren't these your last exams?" Jack asks, we weren't in the same year as Clark so it was always hard to catch up with her.

"No," she rolls her eyes. "I'm just one year older than you guys. I'm not that old; how many times do I have to remind you." I tune out of their conversation and take a couple of bites out of my burger.

My God, I'm starving and my attention on the food cancels the noise.

I snap back into focus by Jack's hand literally snapping his fingers to get my attention. I blink and look up at him, setting my burger down. "Hm?" I say through a mouth full.

"We were talking about the party, you coming?" Jack repeats.

"Party? Really? We have exams guys," I say through a sigh once I've swallowed my food.

"Ugh," Clark groans. "Charlie, what the hell happened to you, I get that you're a nerd but come on, the exams are gonna be here in over a month later, have some fun."

"From experience, parties are just drama, not fun," I say truthfully. Especially the ones at this university.

"Come on, Charlie." Mary and Jack plead.

"It's gonna be at Daniel's friend's frat house, it'll be fun," Clark says, throwing an arm around Daniel who's been silent the entire time. Her making that statement doesn't make me feel better in the slightest. Also, when did they become friends; Clark hated Daniel. "Even if uni is up our ass, we shake some ass!"

I roll my eyes at Clark, trying to hide my smile while everyone laughs. I thought it would be easier to say 'no' but I've been avoiding everyone lately so the least I could do is go to the party.

"Fine," I mutter and they all look pretty proud they've managed to convince me. I mean the worst has already come, I'm pretty sure nothing else could go wrong at this party.

Everyone else goes back into some random conversation, and as I stuff a couple of fries into my mouth, I notice Daniel looking at me. He smiles as I quickly try and swallow the food sheepishly.

He leans over to me and I think he wants to say something but before he does, he looks over my shoulder for a split second, and his face drops. Clark is quick to stand.

"What the hell do you want," she says harshly. I turn around to see who she's talking to and when I see Alex, I stand up just as fast.

"Alex," I say in one quick breath. He looks at me briefly before, giving a look of indifference to Clark, who continues to glare at him. She raises her arm to block Alex from me and I touch her to show her it's really not necessary.

"Charlie, this creep has caused you enough problems, I'll handle it."

Even if her intentions were pure, I was so tired of people trying to handle things for me. "It's okay, Alex and I are good. I'll just-"

"Good?"

"Yeah, good," Alex speaks up for the first time and his tone of voice is so cold. He doesn't seem to be in the mood for Clark today. "Mind your fucking business, Clark."

"Excuse me, who do you think you are," Clark laughs dryly. "Charlie is a bit too nice, but let me try and make it clear for you. No one effing' likes you, you obsessive cross-dresser."

"Clark," Daniel says under his breath, looking very uncomfortable. "Just let him talk to Charlie and he'll leave."

"I'll talk to Charlie, but maybe I won't leave," Alex says just to add oil to the fire. I internally facepalm. Alex stares him down and Daniel clenches his fists without meeting his gaze.

"See! Daniel can't even look you in the eye, so why don't you just--"

"Clark. That's enough," I say and she immediately goes quiet, probably not expecting me to speak up. Everyone else at the table and within ear range goes deadly silent. "You don't have to be so rude."

"But Charlie," she tries to defend.

"I get it, but he's my friend. And I can speak for myself," I tell her as kindly as I could. It was a bit hard to speak up for myself, but I needed to. I then physically drag Alex away and once we exit the area, I let go of his arm.

"Why are you still friends with that chick, she's annoying," Alex grumbles.

"Do you really blame her, Alex? Not everyone knows you as I do, nor do they share a similar perspective on the whole Alexandria thing."

"Alexandra," he corrects.

"Seriously," I roll my eyes and he just grins in satisfaction because he's managed to annoy me. "My friends don't really like you right now, I'm sorry, I'll tell them to try and be nicer."

"It's okay, that stuff doesn't affect me," he shrugs. Alex never did care about what people thought, if he did, he never would've dressed up as a girl in the first place. "I just wanted to give you this."

He hands me a pair of gold earrings.

"I was going to give these to Daniel, they were a present he gave me while I was Alexandra, no matter how many times I refused, he insisted." He sighs after he says the last part. "But as Clark said, he can't even look at me so, could you do it for me?"

"Oh." I stare at the earings and suddenly begin to feel bad for Daniel. He was a dick at first but ever since Alex, he hasn't been the same. "Okay, maybe you should apologize Alex. You'll regret it if you don't."

"No, that's weird. What's done is done and I just want to forget about all this. I know I'm being selfish and he deserves one since I started all this, but he'll get over it."

I sigh. Guess he just won't ever apologize won't he, he'll probably never forgive Daniel for kissing me that day.

"He can't even look me in the eye, maybe I've turned that playboy gay," he laughs and I give him a look.

"You can't turn someone gay Alex. Plus, Daniel is straighter than a pole, he just hates you now." I flick his forehead to try and deflate Alex's ego a bit. Sadly, I don't think it works.

I tell him about the party and ask him to come but he declines.

"Since you're studying here, it'll be good to make some friends, you know? As Alexander Higgins."

"I have a friend, I don't really need more." I smile when he says that, pretending I don't hear the sadness in his voice. "What I really need is to get laid." My face immediately changes and I give him a look of disgust before I turn around and walk away from him.

"What, Alexandra was such a cock block, you can't blame me!" He shouts from behind me and I can hear the smirk in his voice.

"I'll see you there, Alex." I roll my eyes as I say this to him without turning to face him. Although I know he's probably looking very smug.

Some thing's never change.

When I reach my friends, they're already headed out, dumping their trash in the trash bin. "What did that creep want?" Clark is the first to ask.

"Clark, what did we just talk about," Jack says, his fingers pinching the skin between his brows.

I look over to Daniel and hand him the earrings. He looks at them with a blank stare. "Alex wanted me to give this to-" and before I can finish he drops them into the trash bin.

"I'm gonna miss my class, I'll see you guys later," and without another word, Daniel leaves. Everyone else is silent as we watch him leave with looks of pure confusion.

They all look at me for an explanation and I just shrug.

"Wait, is that real gold?" Hunter asks in a hushed tone.

"Rich kids," Clark mutters.

"Hey, that could help with my fees-" before Jack and Hunter reach into the trash again I smack their hands away. "Just kidding?"

......

About time I gave you guys this chapter. Sorry for the wait! I've been super busy but there truly are not that many chapters left and I can't wait for you guys to see what I have planned for the ending :)

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