When I got home from another brutal day of practice, I found a large brown owl outside my window. Curious, I let him in and unattached the piece of parchment attached to his leg. It read:
Ari,
I’ve gotten Friday off, so I’m coming to visit you during practice. I can’t stay long.
-Charlie
My eyes widened in disbelief. I re-read the very short letter (it was more of a note, actually) to make sure I comprehended the message:
Charlie was coming.
He would be here Friday.
He would watch during practice.
He would most likely be gone the same day.
And I was not happy with his plans.
The last part shocked me. He didn’t even ask me if he could come. If he asked, I was pretty sure I could have gotten the day off to spend some time together.
His letter was…simple; too simple. He didn’t have to write me a novel, but something other than “I’m coming” would have been nice. Feeling irked, I crumpled up the note and let it drop to the floor like a piece of trash.
* * *
Friday came quicker than I would have preferred. I may have been annoyed, but there was no denying that it would be good to see Charlie. I had gotten to the stadium extra-early “ earlier that Leo “ and was now sitting in the bleachers.
After waiting a bit longer than I liked, Charlie appeared on the field, though this time, he looked…different. His arms bulged with muscles and were streaked with shining burns. Gone was the eager, boyish face I came to love; it was replaced by a mature, cautious expression.
After a moment’s hesitation, I got up from my seat and went down to the field. “Charlie?” I called out, not because I wasn’t sure who he was, but because I didn’t know what else to say.
He turned around to face me. “Ari,” he welcomed with a smile. “How are you?” He held out his hand.
I stood there, stunned. A handshake? What was this, a business meeting? I loosely grabbed his hand and shook it, feeling splinters and worn skin. “I’m…fine,” I replied slowly. “How about you?”
“I’m well,” he answered simply. We both stood there, silent. We didn’t know how to break the ice of weeks without communication.
Suddenly, Charlie’s newly-acquired sensitive hearing picked up a noise. “What was that?” he demanded, turning to face the locker room, his hand hovering just above his wand.
I opened my mouth to tell him, but he saw for himself when Leo stepped out of the locker room.
“Mimi!” he greeted me with a grin that was soon on my face too.
“Hey Leo!” I cried out as he bent to give me a hug. Remembering that Charlie was there, I introduced the two.
Leo shook Charlie’s hand heartily, but Charlie had a wary look in his eyes.
“Mimi told me a lot about you!” said Leo, keeping the atmosphere cheerful. Charlie’s eyes narrowed at the sound of my nickname.
“Yes, well, can you give us a second?” he asked, gripping my shoulders with a death grip. Without waiting for a reply, he steered me away from Leo.
“Mimi?” he asked with one eyebrow raised. “What is that about?”
My jaw dropped in shock. “It’s a nickname!” I exclaimed. “It used to be his late sister’s. He says I look a lot like her.”
“His sister.” said Charlie, as if it was the most pathetic explanation in the world.
My eyes widened in disbelief. “I can’t believe you were so rude to Leo!”
“Why haven’t I heard about this guy?” demanded Charlie.
“What’s there to hear?!? He’s my friend! And it’s not like you write to me!”
“I have a demanding job!”
“Well, so do I, but a little note now and then wouldn’t hurt! ‘Hi Ari, the dragons haven’t burned me to a crisp yet.’”
“I can’t believe you,” muttered Charlie, obviously disgusted.
“Yes, well, I can’t believe you! You invite yourself over, practically attack Leo, and you don’t trust me!”
“I don’t have time for this,” snapped Charlie, and proceeded to apparate back to Romania.
“Be careful; you don’t want to apparate five miles south of your target again!” I shouted after him in mock concern.
Seething, I trudged back to the bleachers. Suddenly, Leo appeared next to me.
“I’m sorry if I messed up Charlie’s visit,” he said sincerely.
I sighed. “Trust me, it wasn’t your fault.”
Leo hesitated, and said, “But if he’s jealous, then at least you still know that he cares.”