The worst person to go to for advice

[Friday, After school]

"So… where has this brought you? All the way back to me." Charley said as she mentally stood on top of Owen who possessed zero emotions of caring but instead felt the urge to jump off a roof.

"I didn't have to talk to you." He said, "You just happened to be here. If it's too much I can leave and ask someone else."

"No no no." She said rapidly stopping him trying to find a reason for him to stay. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing special… just things. How is everything?"

"Ew," Charley said with two fingers down her throat. "What's with the sad shit. What's really happening?"

"Nothing, just a catch-up… you know how it is. How is your sister?"

"Something must be up for you to mention my sister."

Owen and Charley stood opposite each other wielding two opposite expressions. Charley seemed to be serious, casually looking at the person that stood in front of her whilst Owen avoided all eye contact and nervously smiled not able to get any words out.

"I just want to know-"

"Stop talking." Charley interrupted. "We will get nowhere if you keep doing this. Tell me what's wrong or I'll kick you."

Owen had felt that force before and after experiencing it several times already, anyone would be smart to not want to experience it again.

"I just don't know what to do about the future." He said as he slumped into a random chair in the empty classroom.

"Well. What are you good at?" Charley replied trying to be useful.

"Don't know." He said falling lower in his chair.

"What do you enjoy doing?"

"I don't know." He collapsed even further.

"ARE YOU GOING TO TRY!" Charley said kicking the chair away from under him causing Owen to break into a slime-like substance and spread across the floor.

"I'm trying, Ok?" Owen responded, unable to get the energy to fight.

"You really are worried about this? That's not like you. If anything, I thought you would be all about the future."

"I had hoped a millionaire would hit me with his car so I could sue him and never work."

"I don't think there are many millionaires where we live," Charley said as she fully grasped how serious the situation was.

"Ethan plans to go overseas to study in some fancy university that he applied for as a joke because he was sure he wouldn't get it," Owen said out of spite that he wasn't consulted about the decision even though he was aware that he shouldn't have been a factor in the first place.

"Well, why don't you study somewhere else? Move away from this shit hole." Charley suggested.

"Hmmm… I'll pass. I will probably move away but I don't want to leave the country."

"Ok," Charley said getting ever so more annoyed at Owen who refused every idea she came up with.

"What are the others planning on doing?"

"Don't really know. Sean said Lily wanted to be a primary school teacher so kids didn't end up like her."

"Tsk. how can he not love that girl when she wants to do things like that." Charley said as she frantically bit her nails.

"Alright," Owen said. "Move on that was years ago. What are you going to do?"

"Don't know. I have a year to decide so why should I think about it all now. I'm not forced to cry every night when I realise I won't pass my exams and end up being disowned by my family."

"R-right… well, thanks for nothing I guess."

Owen attempted to leave for the fourth time in this one conversation. This was the first time Charley had caught him trying to leave as he announced it to the world. Causing him to be forced back down by the neck and punched in the gut in hopes that he would stay.

"I have one more thing to say," Charley said as Owen slowly woke up after being knocked out. "I think no matter what you do. You should try every opportunity you get. At least, that's what I would do. You are smart and talented and kind and nice. If you worked hard you'll be great at anything you do. You could take a year off to think or travel or you could go into work. No matter what you pick, I'm sure everyone would support you."

"Ew, that's gross," Owen said without missing a heartbeat. "But thanks."

Charley started at Owen resisting the urge to punch him one last time.

"You're a good guy." She said gently hitting him in the arm with a childish grin on her face.

"Thanks," Owen said as he was about to leave. "I'll make sure to keep in touch after graduation."

"Don't bother!" Charley shouted as Owen turned the corner, watching through the window as he left the school grounds. "What a weirdo," she said to herself twirling her hair.