Sit With Me
Charlie insists on sitting as close as he could to Thandi. He clings to her fiercely, hanging off of her, sometimes with venom and moretimes with fear. First year did a number on him, and the summer between their second and third year has Thandi more annoyed than ever.
“Charlie!! You get in the way!”
“But if I don’t, the–um! The charm!“
“The charm is only a kiss!”
The boy freezes at this, and Thandi covers her mouth as if she just uttered a curse. His face is turning red, an intense red that she had yet to see on him. It spreads to his ears and even down to his neck, and the look on his face is a confusing mix of anger and hurt.
“See if I care! You can go without your dumb charm! You! You can be alone! Forever! Without me!” The tears are already flowing as he storms off, and she hears the front door slam. She flinches at the noise.
It’s only quiet for a moment before Ruth comes in, leaning down to offer Thandi a madeline and a tissue. “Are you all right? I heard you two bickering clear across the house.”
Thandi accepts both, nibbling the sweet cake as she takes a breath. She swallows it down and then starts to bawl. “I just want to be able to use both my arms without him always being in the way! Ms Ruthy, Charlie is such!! Such!!” Instead of words, she lets out a note of frustration.
“It’s all right. He’ll find another way to love you.” Ruth rubs Thandi’s back gently. “Sometimes even he needs time to think, and then he’ll do his best not to be a problem for you.”
Thandi wrings her hands together, frowning. “He doesn’t love me at all. He hates me.”
“Thandi, dear. He doesn’t hate you. He’s only mad. You’re allowed to be mad, too. You did good telling him what your needs are.”
“He got mad…”
“And he’ll get better. Are you going to stay mad forever?”
“I don’t…think so…” Ruth opens her arms, and Thandi pauses, uncertain, before stepping into her and clinging on tight. She won’t stay mad, but what about him?
Charlie haunts Thandi for almost the whole evening. It seems he has an idea, one that makes him red to the tips of his ears. He finds Thandi studying and tugs on her shirt. “My Ravenclaw.”
“Um…”
“Stand up.”
Thandi stands, uncertainty on her face. Charlie slides behind her in the chair and tugs her back down. He holds her steady as she plops into his lap, nervous at this…strange compromise. Thandi adjusts a bit more to lean back and he wraps his arms around her, sighing.
At first she’s uncomfortable, perched there, afraid she might be hurting him. Charlie doesn’t say anything to the effect, though, and he just buries his face into her back. Silent.
“Charlie…?”
“Mm?”
“Do you…hate me?”
There’s a brief moment of silence. He squeezes her harder. “Yes. So I have to keep you with me. I want you to stay right there.”
Thandi swallows and pats his arms around her waist. “Are you my Slytherin…?”
“Unfortunately.” There’s a note of laughter in his voice, though, that makes Thandi smile. She laughs with him. “You are always gonna be stuck with me.”