You, Me, and Video Games (Charlie)

[Eddie Smith]

There were few people Eddie truly considered his friend here at Hammel. The few people that really seemed to understand him and accept him for who he was. But so far, there was only one person that was very close and dear to his heart. Charlie Stone. She was his best friend away from home. The one person he could really reach out to and just talk to about everything. And she liked playing video games too, which was always a bonus for Eddie.

Eddie may not remember when or exactly how they became friends anymore, or what it was that Charlie saw in him to stick around and deal with his crap, but he was grateful for Charlie. More than she would ever know.

You may ask why Eddie has never tried being more than just friends with Charlie, and that's because he has never really seen Charlie like that. They had always just been friends, best friends to be exact, but he never thought of it being anything more. Plus the red head was gorgeous, and Eddie didn't think he even had a chance with her. So, he was okay with the two just being friends.

Eddie was alone, sitting in his room, and playing video games like he would any other day, but today it was quiet. His phone wasn't ringing from texts from Charlie, and there was no one online he knew that he could play with. So Eddie picked up his phone, and scrolled down to Charlie's name.

Opening a new texting page Eddie smiled as he began typing a text to Charlie,

"Yo Phoenix, it's Shadowlion. What's up? You down for some vids?"

With that he hit send. Most people didn't understand the way Eddie talked, but he knew Charlie would. She always seemed to understand. Eddie talked like they did back home in Port Colborne, it was a bit different and weird to what people in Pilot Ridge were used to, but he seemed to manage well enough. Eddie's attention returned to his game as he waited for Charlie to message him back, he wondered what she was doing, and if she was okay. He hadn't heard from her all day and was beginning to worry.

[Charlie-Jay Stone]

"I'm serious Chucky, you need to take it easy."
Sigh. "I know. I will."
"Really? Good!"
Smirk."But not right now."
She frowned,"Charlie-Jay Vivian Stone...you will work yourself to death! As your mother I order you to take a break! Go hang out with that cute boy.....you know...the one I like? What's his name again?"
Blush."Moooom! Alright, alright. I'll break. Okay? I promise, as soon as we hang up I wiiiiiill."

Mrs. Stone gave her a flat stare through the computer screen, "You'd better, or else I'll get your dad on you. And you KNOW how he can be...."
Charlie sighed, "I know right? Listen I'll...finish up this paper and then I'm off to go play dodgeball or somethin'. I PROMISE, k?Tell everybody I said hi, especially Kor and Dee okay? Love ya! Mwuah!" She blew a kiss and waved; after her mother said her goodbyes Charlie closed the window and planted her head on the desk. She peeked from under her arm and shivered from the shadow of the mountainous stacks of papers.

She beat her head against the keyboard.

"I...am never going to finish this research. There is no way I will."A moment passed and Charlie blinked at the stack of papers.

"Well, who says I can't try?"

~*ooOOoo*~

".............I AM GETTING NOWHERE, AND FAST!"

~*ooOOoo*~

There was a loud thunk as, for the fiftieth time that afternoon, the red-head had done another head desk. She sighed and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, curling her fingers up slightly and breathing deeply. A contrail of steam escaped her nostrils when she glanced up at her wall clock. Charlie sighed.

It was 5:00pm.
5:00pm.....and she'd hardly even scratched the surface of her research.
"You mean to tell me that I wasted 2 hours and didn't even get anywhere? This is EXTREMELY unfortunate."
'She was right. I hate it when she's right. I have whole 2 weeks to turn this thing in; I should just go down to the training area or find Eddie and beat him up.'

A smile knifed her lips and she folded her arms across her chest,'OH yea. Harassing Eddie usually makes the day. Come to think of it, why hasn't that bonehead phased in here unannounced yet?'

Charlie rolled her eyes and grinned slightly, because popping in unannounced was typical Eddie. They'd been bestfriends for so long that she was used to it. 'Though if he accidentally phases in on me while I'm in the shower I'll kill 'em.' The first time it happened hadn't been so funny. She'd been in the middle of an art project and he just phased through the wall and popped up right behind her. Charlie had been beyond scared. 'That weasel gave me a heart attack!' Though she'd wanted to fry him then,and sometimes she still does, Charlie couldn't deny the fact that he was a good friend. A bestfriend, a....

-Record scratch and the embarrassing thought stops there.-

Her dark-red brows furrowed and she stared at nothing in particular, trying to process the oddness of that thought. It was weird,'Especially when I know him.....like clockwork. He'd usually crash in here by now.' Charlie tapped her fingers and drummed them alongside the wall, 'Guess I'll have to bounce over there and shake him up.'

Charlie's hand barely brushed the doorknob when her cellphone rang. She dove for her desk drawer and fished it out, when she saw the name she merely rolled her eyes.

"Should've known, bonehead."She slid up the keyboard and began to text rapidly......

Why not? B over N a sec. Need me 2 bring NE VGs? We nvr finished the campaign on L4D2!!!

She grabbed her empty satchel and absentmindedly tossed in a few games before dropping her phone in her pocket. Charlie closed the door and shuffled down the hallway, taking her time and whistling.
Her thoughts floated back to the 3 hour long SKYPE chat with her mother, and the inadvertent hints she kept shelling out to trip her up. Charlie shook her head and grimaced, her mother was too clever for her own good. The worst part was that she liked to tease her about it. 'How can she even know what I'm thinking nearly half the time? I'm beginning to think she's not normal....'

Her feet halted in front of a familiar door; Charlie took a deep breath, held it and then knocked 3 times.

"Hey! Bonehead open up! S'matter you have molasses in your muscles?"