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[sub]A Flashback Collaboration between [@BrutalBx] & [@metanoia] || featuring [color=D3D3D3]Charlie Decker[/color] & [color=e62020]Jade Taylor[/color][/sub][hr][/center]
[indent][indent]The unease which Charlie felt in that moment was palpable and could easily be cut with a knife. Not only was he in [i]enemy[/i] territory in Pinehurst with an eye out for Fear Gorda. Not only was he running Decky’s corner for him and the terrifying Rey Rey Gonzalez. Not only was he trying to find the courage to [i]finally[/i] express how his heart only beats for one Penelope James. He was getting his photo taken by some little geek on the other side of the Monarchs gym and it was pissing him off.

[color=D3D3D3]”I swear if that curly haired little fuck takes one more photo of me I’m gonna shove that camera up his ass”[/color]

Charlie hissed. It wasn’t rocket science to understand why pictures were being taken of the southsider. Even at the tender age of fourteen he stood out with his tall, lanky frame, sleepless face and decked out in gang colours and a flannel shirt. Plus he had the added benefit of sitting next to the bombshell that was Jade Taylor, which really was an excuse for anyone to take photos.

[color=e62020]“Yeah.”[/color]

Jade had barely registered Charlie’s comment. She heard his voice and it sounded like he was complaining. Truth be told, the blonde was trying not to speak because she was still pretty frustrated at not only the dumbass, whose head was thicker than a milkshake, sitting next to her, but also at Poppy not going further. Maybe it was a mix of both. Or maybe Jade was just impatient overall. 

All of it were valid possibilities, but she liked putting the blame on her sister and brother.

Jade turned to face Charlie, practically ignoring anything that wasn’t in front of her blue-green gaze. [color=e62020]“Be straight with me: everything good?”[/color] The blonde asked. She was never known for her scalpel approach and, honestly, if he wasn’t suffering from some bad, life-ending disease, she was going to lose it, even with someone as close to her that Charlie Decker was.

[color=D3D3D3]”Besides that twerp taking pictures of me and the fact that ReyRey Gonzalez may murder me if I fuck up tonight? I’m copacetic baby”[/color]

Jade was one of the extreme few that Charlie was able to let his guard down with. A lot of the time he felt like multiple different people being pulled in multiple different directions. Somewhere between school, home, the southies and the serpents, there was a real Charlie Decker, he just wasn’t sure who that was. He felt however that the closest version was the one he was when he was with Jade, Poppy and Decky. 

[color=D3D3D3]”The way you’re looking at me, I’m guessing I’ve already fucked up somehow?”[/color]

[color=e62020][i]What was your first clue?[/i][/color] 

Jade couldn’t help but allow a chuckle escape through her cherry lips, one that was admittedly proud in the way her lips curled into an almost-smirk. [color=e62020]“Fucked up is such a harsh way of putting it.”[/color] One moment of looking at each other and Jade just nodded. [color=e62020]“But yeah, you might’ve. But unlike with most things, you’re not out of the match just yet, Charlie.”[/color] 

Sure, Jade might be known for her brutal honesty and even bitchier personality, but when it came to two of her closest friends, she wasn’t like that. She was supportive of what she knew would be an amazing thing to happen, but since neither were willing to take that first step, she’d have to shove them into the deep end and hoped they wouldn’t drown. Like stated, Jade never knew the meaning of careful scalpel. It was best she just took a mace or a warhammer to their face.

[color=e62020]“You got knocked out, but it’s only the first round, Charlie.”[/color] Jade blames her uncle for her recent obsession with boxing. [color=e62020]“Where do you think you went wrong?”[/color]

[color=D3D3D3]”Did I not pay her outfit enough attention? I mean she looks, I mean she’s amazing. How else do I even say it?”[/color] For someone who loved the written word, Charlie was pretty useless at using words of his own volition. He was not well versed in the ways of the woman and it showed quite obviously. He had seen how the jocks like O’Hara and Belmonte played hearts like fiddles and all Charlie could play was his PlayStation. [color=D3D3D3]”Help me out here JT”[/color]

[color=e62020]"Well just because you asked so nicely."[/color] Jade half smirked at Charlie. 

It made her happy that he wanted to right his ignorant wrong. It showed that not everything she and Maxine worked so hard in trying to accomplish went over his head. Sure, it would have been ideal if Charlie realized tonight wasn't some ordinary night and that poppy, of all people, rarely ever put in the effort to look as hot as she did tonight. It wasn't as though she wasn't beautiful, because she was, but for as long as jade had known her, she never went this far.

So maybe that's where most of Jade's frustrations came from.

[color=e62020]"First off, if anyone looks different than they normally do, especially if it's in a way that’s significantly out of the norm for them, throw them a compliment. Maybe 'hey you look nice'. Sure, it might not seem like much, but trust me it will go a long way.[/color] Jade looked at Charlie, holding her gaze on him for a few seconds. [color=e62020]"Also maybe don't ignore her presence? Let her know you acknowledge her. She put in the work so pay attention to her. Really [i]see[/i] her. Coming from a girl, we are pulling double duty. So if we put the effort in, then boys not at least acknowledging us is, like, twice as bad on us, ya know?"[/color] Jade was confident that Charlie knew by now, even when she helped, she didn’t sugar coat it. If she was going to be of any help, better to rip the bandaid than make him suffer.

As Charlie did his best to soak in the info that Jade was giving him, he switched his phone back on and watched it light up with a series of messages that took his anxiety and multiplied it ten fold.

[i]R: Lexington and 5th. 8pm. No Later[/i]

[i]Mom: Love you sweetie, have a nice evening. Be safe[/i]

[i]H: She looks pretty tonight. Don’t fuck it up”[/i]

He exhaled sharply before stuffing the cell back into his jacket pocket and checking the clock on the Monarch’s wall. In that moment, even in a crowded room such as the one he was in, Charlie felt alone. He locked his fingers together across his knees and squeezed his hands together as if he was trying to force the pain out through his palms. [color=D3D3D3]”I really don’t wanna mess this up, JT. Any of it”[/color]

And it was in that moment Jade might’ve realized that her usual blunt force approach to giving advice might not be well suited for Charlie. She couldn’t help it sometimes. It was how she came up. Growing up around hardened bikers who showed as much emotional vulnerability as a porcupine with their pins up, ready to attack. Her uncle was the softest person she knew and even he had trouble opening up when she was around.

Granted, Jade was fourteen and not many thirty-five year olds were willing to open up their deepest, very adult secrets to a teenager.

But the Charlie next to her was a different case and maybe Jade had to use a gentler touch.

As she had been somewhat frowning the entire time that she looked at Charlie, she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, kicking it upside down into a half smirk. [color=e62020]“Now, don’t beat yourself over all of it, alright? You haven’t wrecked anything up. So stop saying you did and put your head in the game, Decker! You still have plenty of time to bring this back around and might even get what both of you want.”[/color] She half-grinned and lightly punched his shoulder.

[color=D3D3D3]”Thanks Jade”[/color]

Some might sit and wonder how anyone could be friends with Jade Taylor? The suicide blonde was a living, breathing smoke show and any man would find it hard to resist succumbing to her charms. Charlie? He had seen the girl behind the makeup and the leather a long time ago. He knew her heart and her soul and that was why he could see past the superficial things that his peers would drool over. Beyond the Courtney Love look, there was a girl whose light was much brighter than maybe she herself thought it was. She was an illuminating presence in the darkness that was the life of Charlie Decker.

He glanced across the court once more and was greeted by the immaculate visage of Penelope James on her way to rejoin them. He looked over to Jade for reassurance and inhaled sharply once again. [color=D3D3D3]”I got this”[/color][/indent][/indent]