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I slide my hands into my pockets and rock back on my heels. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I didn’t plan it.”
Charlee scoffs. “It doesn’t matter. You don’t want me here. I get it. I’m not thrilled to be here either now that I know who I’ll be spending the next two weeks with. But I’ll do the job I’m getting paid for. Nothing more, nothing less.” She throws her backpack on the table with a loud thump. “Are we done here?”
“It’s not . . . Charlee, listen, I need—”
“I said no thank you, Oliver.”
My name on her lips should have sounded like the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard, yet she said it like she was spewing venom. Like she couldn’t wait to get rid of it.
I take the hit silently.
It’s not going to be an easy couple of weeks, is it? Maybe I should have gone with my first instinct and ask Donna to take me off the project entirely. It was easy to guess that Charlee would react like this, and just the thought of putting her in that situation, of having to endure her loathing, makes my stomach turn.
“Charlee, Oliver!” Donna calls from her office next door. “Can you both please come over here?”
We exchange a look, hers so cold it freezes the blood in my veins.
“What did you do?” she spits.
“Why do you think I’m involved in this?”
“You’re right,” she mumbles and grabs her backpack, grunting as she exits the room. “Not a concept you’re really familiar with.”
I sigh and follow her, hoping that she won’t bring the whole building down when Donna delivers the news.
Toronto, October 27, 2017
Oliver!
God, last week was EXHAUSTING. My midterms are finally over, and I can resume my life and be a functional human being who doesn’t sleep with her head on her books. Thanks for your feedback on my last article, by the way. The change you made in the last paragraph really brings the whole story together.
Wait a second. Did you try to get an old man fired? Oliver! You heartless monster. Tell Emile I will riot with him if you succeed with your little coup. You can’t see me, but know that I’m shaking my head and waving an angry finger in your direction.
My year at college is going okay. It’s been a lot busier than I thought. This program is taking up a big chunk of my time, and that I didn’t expect, haha. I’m happy, though. Getting letters from you is my favorite part of the week. I know I bitched about the program at first, but besides learning considerably on the journalism side, I’ve loved forging this super-special friendship with you. You’re one of my favorite people now.
I don’t spend a lot of time on campus, though. Mostly here for my classes and then I rush to my job. I hate it, but it pays the bills. Have you made any friends? I know you have a hard time with people, but I’m hoping students are more mature in college than in high school.
I could spend hours reading all the stories about your grandparents. I hope that we’ll have the chance sometime to sit down with some hot cocoa so you can share them all with me. I didn’t have the chance to spend time with mine, but your relationship with them sounds so beautiful and gives me major FOMO.
Although now you kind of piqued my curiosity, and I want to see how much you truly know about nature . . . hmm. Down for a quiz? Just ignore this if you’re not. Also, how will I know that you won’t google it before writing it down? We have to find a cheat-proof way for you to answer these questions . . .
Okay, they are:
What is the rarest plant in BC?
What do you do if you come nose to nose with a bear? Yeah, I know, the experts are divided on this one.
Give me three bird species living in the Great Bear Rainforest.
Last and probably most difficult one: What’s the longest river in BC and how long is it? (Two questions in one—it’s a win-it-all or lose-it-all situation.)
Hoping you’ll get at least one right ;)
Talk soon, my favorite little nerd. Xx,
Charlee
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