Walking to class a small smile crosses my face. I think I will be able to get through this after all. This is my last thought before the bell ring and I start running, hoping that maybe Mrs. Jones will actually show up late today.

Walking into class I am relieved to see Mrs. Jones not in the room yet. I start to nonchalantly walk toward my table, when suddenly I trip over a backpack on the way there. Way to go Claire, you are such a klutz.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Looking up I see that I have tripped over Charlie’s back pack, and he now is trying to help me up. I push his hand away and mumble, “I can get up by myself.”

“Sorry, just trying to help.”

“Next time just put your back pack under your table, not in the aisle.”

“I’ll consider that next time,” he says with a wink.

Did he really just wink at me? Who does he think he is? Thinking these things I head back to my seat, head down, hoping no one can see my tomato red face. Taking a quick glance up I see Taylor silently laughing in her seat. I give her a death glare and she attempts to stop laughing, but it doesn’t work so well. She gives me a stupid look and I start laughing. Now I know people are looking, but I don’t care anymore I’m actually in a good mood. I reach my seat and am about to sit down when Taylor bursts with questions.

“What was that? What did you say? What did he say? Claire tell me everything!”

“Tay it was nothing, I just tripped over his backpack, as you probably saw.”

Her laughter starts all over again.

“Tay, Shush!”

“Sorry, but that was hilarious. Your face was the best.” She proceeds to show me and I can’t help, but laugh too.

“It’s okay, and if that’s how I looked I would’ve laughed too.”

Just then Mrs. Jones walks into the room. “Ms. Timlin, Ms. Williams, do you care to share your conversation with the rest of the class.”

With that everyone turns to look at us and snickers.

“Uh no, we’re okay.”

“Okay, then may I begin my class?”

“Isn’t that what their paying you for?” Everyone laughs at Taylor’s comment, but I am petrified.

“Taylor! What was that?” I whisper sharply.

“Cool it Claire, sometimes Mrs. Jones needs to be put in her place.”

“Yeah, but not by you!”

“Ladies, can you please be silent!”

“Yeah, sorry Mrs. Jones,.”

“Good, now I am going to hand out the test, and you may begin when you receive it.”

Finished, Finally! Why are her tests always so hard?!? I think about theses things as I walk up to the front and turn my paper in. Then, I grab my backpack and head outside. Walking out, I end up bumping into none other, than you guessed it, Charlie. Ugh again, really? Why does it have to be him? I know he’s cute and everything, but just no.

“Sorry,” I mumble under my breath.

“It’s alright.” He says a little louder than necessary. “Where are you heading?”

“Outside to the bench.”

“Can I come with you?”

Now everyone is staring, so I put my head down and whisper “Yeah,” hoping with all that I am that I am not red again. As I walk out of the room Charlie follows. Turning his paper in as we go We enter the hall and Charlie decides it’s his turn and he starts the conversation.

“So what did you think of that killer test?”

“It was fine.”

“I thought it was pretty tough.”

“Chemistry isn’t that hard for me.”

“Oh, sometimes I have troubles, but usually I get it.”

“That’s good for you.”

“Yeah I guess it is. So how is your day going?”

“Fine.”

“And…”

“Just fine okay?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

I notice his steps have quieted and come to a stop, we’re in the middle of the cafeteria when I turn to face him. He is quite a few feet behind me now, I’m not exactly sure how he got so far behind, but it might possibly be due to my overly fast, inhuman walking pace. He is standing arms crossed, and staring at me, eyes bluer than blue and a puzzle of emotions that I can't read.

“What?”

“Why?”

“What? You’re not making sense.”

“Why don’t you like me?”

“Oh, I am sorry! I didn’t know that everyone had to be in love with you.” Sarcasm drips from every word.

“Wow, I thought you were cool, nice even, and you want to know what.”

“What? Spit it out already.”

“You aren’t any of those things. I had big hopes for you Claire, but you crushed them all.”

I turn from him. Wow, what's that suppose to mean. The boy has hopes for me? I barely know him; we only have one class together. I mean really? What is he going to gain from any of this? He already knows I don’t like him and this conversation is just making me all the angrier and irritated with him, but now I do need to cool it. I turn back to face him and with a deep breath I apologize.

“Sorry…”

“Now it’s my turn, what?”

“I’m sorry Charlie, I mean it.”

“Whoa, where is this coming from?”

“I haven’t given you the benefit of the doubt. I know when you talked to me earlier I acted like a total jerk and it wasn’t very kind.”

“You got that right.”

“I know, but may I continue.”

“Yeah, sorry.”

“I was a jerk before because I was nervous and I really did want to finish my book. I am on the last chapter and if you haven’t noticed I’m kinda nerd when it comes to reading. So I am sorry I blew you off and I will try to be nicer.”

“That’s okay.”

“K, so do you still want to go to the bench?”

“Sure, but only if you are willing to listen.”

“Listen to what?”

“You’ll see when we get there.” With this last remark Charlie walks off toward the bench. I slowly follow behind wondering what he is going to tell me.

Once we reach the bench I plop down and wait for him to start talking. He on the other hand takes his time sitting down, not in a hurry for anything. I sit and wait, wondering when I should start listening and if he is actually going to say anything. Just as I am about to open my mouth to ask, he starts talking and when I say talking, I mean talking. He gets out maybe five sentences that I can’t understand at all when I ask him to stop.

“Hey! Slow down! I can’t keep up with what you’re saying and it’s kinda hard to listen when I can’t understand you.”

“Sorry, let me just start over.”

“Okay, shoot.”

He takes a deep breath before he begins and I know this is going to be a long story.

“Well, it all started twelve years ago. I was in an orphanage with my baby sister, she was four and I was five. Our parents had died in a horrible car accident two years prier, and we were content for the most part there. Then something I never would have expected happened. My little baby sister was taken away from me. She was taken by a man and woman. As a child I thought they were the cruelest people ever, but now that I look back on it I am thankful they took her. From that day on though I thought I would never see her again, and I convinced myself of that up until this year...”

“What! what happened?”

“Calm down, I’m getting there.”

How was he so calm? I mean really? He sitting here talking about his life as an orphan and how his little sister is taken from him and he wants me to be calm. Also he hasn’t told me why he convinced himself that he’d never see her again up until this year. How can I be calm? Billions of questions are flying through my head. For one where did she go? Has he actually seen her again? Does he know I was an orphan at one point too, and the biggest one of all, why is he telling me this? I take a deep breath and attempt to calm my racing thoughts.

“Okay… sorry, I’m calm.”

“Good, now continuing on. As I said I thought I’d never see my sister again. Then I came here, and I met her.”

“No way! You must be lying; no ones life is like that.”

“Oh, but mine is.”

“It can’t be.”

“Claire, its how it is.”

“Oh, so who’s your sister?” My hopes are high wondering if it is someone I know. Maybe it’s Brittany. She’s popular, pretty and has close to the same hair color as Charlie, but maybe it’s not because I think Brittany dyes her hair. Many other faces girls I know are flying through my head as I wonder who it could be. Who it ends up being is not one of the girls who I pictured it would be, or one who's name I thought of. The name of the girl was...

“Claire…you’re my baby sister.”

No, this could not be true. The most popular guy in school, the boy my best friend has a crush on and the boy I thought liked me is…my brother. No, I can’t believe this, it can’t be true. I couldn't believe it and neither could my conscious.

“Claire, who does he think he is saying he’s your brother? There is no possible way. You’re an only child that’s been adopted into a loving family. He’s probably just trying to hurt you. Someone probably told him you were an orphan and now he’s being a jerk.

“But who could have possibly told him?”

“Maybe it was Taylor? You know she can’t keep her mouth shut.”

“Yeah, she does have some troubles with keeping her mouth shut, but I don’t think it was her. She has never told anyone that secret.

“Well how do you know? Maybe she was talking to Charlie and couldn’t help it?”

“Well I'm certain that isn't true. Taylor can’t even say hi to the guy without almost passing out, so it was definitely not her.”

“Well maybe you don’t know Taylor as much as you thought?”

“HA! Good one! Taylor and I have been friends since kindergarten and that isn’t the case either. I think someone must have just found out and told him.”

“Hey, um… are you okay?”

“Oh yeah…wait I mean no. I mean I don’t know!”

“Yeah, it was load for me too.”

“Wait, what? No! You don’t understand!”

“Claire, I’m actually the only person who does understand.”

“No! It can’t be true!” By now I am screaming at him and tears are starting to form about to flow over onto my cheeks. “You can’t possibly understand! And what gives you the right to bring up something like that?!? That is something from my past not yours! Who even told you?”

“Claire, no one told me.”

“No! You’re lying!”

“Claire, I’m not lying. So please just calm down.”

“How can you ask me to calm down? That isn’t something you just tell a person!”

“I thought you deserved to know…especially since it concerns you and you are my baby sister.”

“NOO!! Charlie just no I’m not yours or anyone’s baby sister! I am an only child who was adopted a long time ago.” I am trembling now, and Charlie reaches over to touch my shoulder trying to be consoling, but I just swat his hand away. I stand up and so does he, I turn away and am about to leave when he grabs my hand. I turn towards him and with reflexes faster than my own I slap him and run away. I don’t even to look back to see if he’s okay. Maybe it hurt him, but maybe it didn’t. For the better I hope it stung.

As I’m running I realize that I left my book on the bench. I could go back and get it, but that would mean an encounter with Charlie and I was definitely not going to do that. I think I’ll just go get it tomorrow, the day after that, or maybe the day after that. Whenever I decide to actually show my face in school again, and who knows when that will be.

For the time being I’m just happy to be running. I haven’t done much running since Cross Country ended and I’ve missed it, I used to go running all time, but this trimester’s work load has been killer and I haven’t been able to get out much. Maybe I should go running more, it would help with the stress from school, and it would keep me in better shape for when track starts. Okay, decision made. I’m going to start running more, and I’m going to start today. I stop running and turn around; it seems I’ve run pretty far, maybe four blocks. I should probably head back to school, but there’s only like a half hour of school left and this is free period, might as well go home.

I walk into the kitchen, kick off my shoes, and then head upstairs to change. When I said I was going to start running I meant it, and while I run I can think over what happened today. I walk into my room and start to look for a sports bra, t-shirt and shorts. I find them and quickly change. Then I head downstairs pulling my hair into a ponytail while looking for my tennis shoes.

“They’ve gotta be here somewhere,” I say to myself.

The phones rings as I search, but I just ignore it deciding the machine can get it.

“Hey Claire, I don’t know if your home, but I was wondering if we could talk. You ran off pretty quick earlier and I was wondering if you were okay. Please call me back as soon as you get this because I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here. Thanks. Oh, and by the way this was Charlie.”

Wow! That boy needs to take a hint. Does he really think I’m going to want to talk to him? I don’t even want to see his face, let alone talk. Hopefully this run helps me cool off.
I head out; my destination, the park. Usually around this time it’s pretty deserted and I’m not in the mood to see anyone I know.

My run starts out as a slow jog, and as I go I start to think. I think about all the things Charlie said. I think about his story, why it shouldn’t be true and why I shouldn’t believe it. I think about him, about who he is, what he’s done. Most of all I think of the possibility of his story being true. Before long my slow jog has turned into a full out sprint. I stop, take a breath and check out my surroundings. I have stopped a top a small hill that looks out over a beautiful lake. Surrounding the lake on all sides are willow trees, all dancing in the slight breeze. The scene is breath taking and I don’t want to leave. I sit down, at peace with the sight before me but the peace doesn’t last long. After a few minutes of a sitting, there is a rustle in the branches behind me. I turn to look. What I see is not pretty sight. Behind me maybe ten yards is Charlie standing and staring at me. I stand up and quickly regret it. My vision blurs and I stumble over myself as I take a step, but before I can go anywhere Charlie rushes over and catches me.

“Whoa there, you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just. A. Head. Rush.”

“Sorry, just trying to help.”

“Well, I don’t need it.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“K, now let me go.”

“Oh yeah, sorry about that.”

“You wouldn’t have to be if you weren’t creeping on me.”

“Excuse me, I was not creeping on you!”

“Oh really? Then what do you call sneaking around and following someone because I call it creeping or we could use a different term. Like, let’s see… Stalking.”

“I was not stalking you!”

“No? because that’s what it looks like to me.”

“No, I was just coming out here for a walk, and this just so happens to be the place where I stop.”

“I don’t believe you!”

“Well it’s true, so calm down.”

“Calm down?!? Really? You’re going to do that again? It’s really irritating.”

“Oh I’m sorry, have I disturbed her royal drama queen?”

“No, you’ve just disgusted me.” and with that I turn away from him. I hop I have burned him enough to make him leave, but it doesn't seem to have been enough.

“Wow…”

“You’re still here?”

“Yes, and I’m not leaving.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t need to.”

“I believe you actually do.”

“Who says you can choose, who can stay and who can go?

“I do. Now I’m only go to tell you once. Leave me alone.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then I will find something to do, maybe get a restraining order.”

“Whoa, no need to go that far.”

“I think I may need to. If you aren’t going to leave me alone then I will do it.”

“Okay, Okay. Sorry Claire, but please can we talk.”

“No we can’t, and since you can’t seem to understand leaving I guess I will. Good-bye Charlie.” I take off at run, trying to block Charlie’s last words, but still they ring in my ears.

“I love you Claire, and I’m doing as you ask. I’m leaving tonight.”

He’s leaving? Where’s he going? My worry for him is deep and I don’t know why I am so concerned. Maybe some of what he said is starting to make sense or maybe I’m growing attached, whatever the reason I hope it goes away soon. I don’t want to care for him and I don’t want a sense of guilt to stick around. I think I’ll go home ask my parents. They ought to know something about my past and where I came from. Hopefully what they have to say will help me understand.

I arrive home a little after 5. I step into the kitchen and am met with the smell of cooking and a normal Tuesday night scene, Mom is chopping onions for dinner and Dad in the living room sitting on the couch reading the paper. The normalcy of it all calms me. It nice to see somethings in my life haven’t gone all out of whack.

“Hey darling, how as your day?”

“Pretty good Mom, mostly normal. How about yours?”

“Mine was good, and what do you mean by mostly normal?”

“Well, something weird happened today. Not like normal weird, but weird, weird.”

“Oh, and what was this weird, weird thing that happened today?

“Well, this boy whose in my Chemistry class talked to me for the first time ever during lunch. He was nice about it and all, but the whole matter that I’ve never really talked to him before and he’s one of the most popular guys at school made it kind of awkward. So I kind of ended up blowing him off. Then after lunch I had Chemistry, with said boy. So not that it was awkward enough that I had blown him off earlier, I ended up tripping over his backpack on the way to my seat and he ended up helping me up. It was absolutely horrible Mom and that isn’t even the worst part. After class he walked with me to the bench and we talked. I really didn’t want to, but I didn’t have much of a choice. He asked me in front of the whole class and I couldn’t really say no. So we walked and talked. Once we got to the bench he said he had to tell me something. I told him okay and I would listen. He told me about his childhood about how he was an orphan too ,he told me about how he had to stay in an orphanage and how he had a little sister, and that’s where it got weird. He told me that I was his baby sister. I didn’t think what he said was true and I kind of ended up slapping him. I didn’t mean to, but it scarred me that he might have been lying and that someone had told him about my secret of being an orphan. After I slapped him I ran away. I ran all the way home and kind of skipped last hour… I hope your okay with that.”

“Oh Claire! That is perfectly okay, but where were you these last few hours?”

“Oh! I’ve decided to start up running again, but that’s beyond the point. While I was at the park I ran into said boy again. This time I wasn't to kind and I left before anything happened. Mom, do you think that anything he told me was true?”

“I don't know Claire, maybe. We'd have to look at your birth records and adoption papers. We can do that after dinner if you want.”

“Yeah, that would be great Mom.”

“Okay, now can you and your father help me finish dinner?”

“Of course! Dad get in here and help us finish dinner!”

“Coming Honey.”

“That was delicious Mom! Thank You!”

“Your welcome darling, and I couldn't have done it without the help of you and your father.”

I laugh, “Dad didn't do much, but taste everything!”

“Hey! I was making sure it was alright to eat.” He gave me a wink, “You know it's the most important job.”

“Oh yeah, can't be serving nasty food to ourselves now can we?” I laugh again and return his wink.

Mom joins in on our laughter. “Now come on we need to clean up so we can get those papers out.”

“Okay Mom, will do.”

Dad and I pick up the table while Mom washes the dishes. In no time we have the kitchen spotless and Mom goes to look for the papers. While she's looking Dad and I sit at the table and wait.

“So Claire what's this boy's name?”

“His name is Charlie Smith.”

“Is he nice?”

“Beyond the circumstances, yes he seems nice. I haven't really talked to him much and were kind of on different ends of the spectrum high school careers. He's up on the popular jock side, and I'm on the lower, nerd, but still kind of a jock side. So I don't see him much, but in Chemistry and he's nice there.”

“So he's not like a bad guy that would try to hurt you?”

“I don't know, like I said Dad I don't hang out with him much and I don't know what his personality is really like. Maybe he's trying to be a jerk and he's going to go tell his buddies all about it and they're going to have or maybe something else...”

“Something else like what?”

“Dad, I don't know!”

“Claire, please calm down.”

“Sorry Dad, it's just I'm starting to believe that maybe what he said was true and maybe he is my brother. I mean you never know. I don't really know anything about my childhood and all I really member from being a kid is living with you and Mom. It was much to long ago for me to know if anything he did say was true. Who knows maybe what he said will turn out to be the truth.”

“Claire, is that I hope I hear in your voice?”

“I don't know... Maybe, it'd be nice to know more about my parents and who they were, and if it is true that means I'll actually have a sibling, an older brother to be exact.

“Well, for your sake I hope what this Charlie boy said is true.”

Just then Mom walked in holding some old look papers that were crinkled on the edges and faded. They looked as if no one had seen them or taken them out in ages. Mom's face was a puzzle of emotions. I couldn't tell if she was happy or sad, angry or concerned, or hopeful or fearful.

“Mom, is everything okay?”

“I'm not sure yet Claire. What was the name of the boy who said he was your brother?”

“His name is Charlie Smith.”

“Okay, well your records say that you weren't an only child. They say that you did have an older brother and his name was Charles Dylan Smith. Claire, I believe Charlie is your older brother.”

Her news bore down on me. I couldn't do anything, but sit and stare at open space. Charlie's actually my brother. I can't believe it. I'm not actually an only child! I have an older brother! I've always wanted a sibling, but I didn't think it would end up being one of my class mates. How weird. Then it hit me.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!”

“What is it Claire? Is everything alright?”

“No, I don't think it is.”

“What is it Claire?”

Both of my parents were looking at me eyes full of concern, but I couldn't get myself to tell them what was wrong. Instead I got up and ran out of the door. They yelled after me as I ran, but I couldn't stop to tell them where I was going or what I was doing. All I knew was I had to find Charlie.

Running to the park, Charlie's words resound in my ears over and over again, “I love you Claire, and I’m doing as you ask. I’m leaving tonight.” I ran faster and faster hoping I can make it before Charlie decides to leave. I don't know exactly what compels me to go to the park, but for some reason it just feels right. Something tells me that Charlie is still there, but it also tells me that he is going to be leaving soon.

By the time I reach the spot where I last saw Charlie, I only have the moon and the glow from the scattered park lights to see. What end up seeing when I reach the spot is a lone figure standing by a willow tree looking out over the small lake. I know this figure is Charlie because there is no one else who would be standing there. Before I have time to think I yell his name and run over to him, He turns, but before he has anytime to respond, I have my arms wrapped around his neck and tears are streaming down my face. My cheek is against his shoulder and I repeat I'm sorry over and over again. He wraps his arms around my back and returns the hug, but instead of saying it's alright and everything else I thought he would say, he surprised me.

“Claire, you were right not to believe. What I told you was hard for you to comprehend and I should have waited to tell you until I had proof, but it was hard having you in my life and not being able to tell you who I was. It was hard for me to see you when you were sad and not console you, it was hard not beat up any guy that made fun of you or broke your heart, it was hard not to yell at any girl who cracked a joke at you or looked at you with disgust. Most of all it was hard for me not to hug you when you looked like you were having a bad day, or just needed some love. Claire, I've loved you from the beginning and still love you now. I forgive you for what you've done and I will always forgive you forever.”