CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Part 1. THE BEGINNING…………………………………...1
1. Part 2. DREAMS………………………………………….....2
1. Part 3. COUNTRY DANCING…………………………….13
PART 1
The Beginning
"Oh!" I gasped. I fell on my backside after stepping off the plane and sliding on a patch of ice. Fabulous. Now, I still didn't have a car, and my butt was soaked. Wonder when this will happen in front of someone I have a crush on. Bound to happen somehow, sometime, somewhere. Typical first moment for a total klutz as myself. My mom had to live in the state with the most ice. Alaska.
"You okay?" My mom chuckled, more amused than was good for her.
"Yeah," Kym was a pilot, so she flew me to her home city, Anchorage, Alaska. I got into her Ford pickup to wait whiles she flirted with the guy at the counter. When she came in the car, finally, I was irritated, impatient, embarrassed, and overexcited. Stupid PMS. Being a teenager sucked. Out loud. Literally.
"How much longer to your house?" I asked, really getting peeved now.
"Right up this road, pushy. No need to get impatient. We've only been in the car for what, five minutes? You're beginning to act just like your father…." She mumbled. I tuned her out soon enough, but I think she kept grumbling something along the lines of "dad" and "impatience" and "seventeen year old whiner"…
She stopped the car in front of this two story house, yellow with green roof shingles. Terrible color combination. I stepped out, and, again, I slipped. This time I hit a brick. Fabulous. My first day in Alaska and already the doctors will know me. Just my luck. Now my head was bleeding and I would have to get stitches. Damn it. "Mom, drive me to the hospital. I've already got a head wound."
Kym drove me to the hospital, mumbling again about something like "needs to watch her feet" and "gonna kill herself one of these days"…
We got to the hospital, and, of course, a REALLY hot guy stifled a laugh when I walked by. Didn't I say this was going to happen sometime? I thought so. Now, I flushed to a deep crimson color, walking a little faster, which was an enormous mistake. I tripped on a cord. Apparently I can't work in any hospital. Human or otherwise.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Knight. You're Katherine, correct? I am your doctor today." A warm, friendly voice interrogated and informed me. I looked up to see a youthful, dishwater-blonde-haired face eyeing me. Next to him, the boy that laughed at me. "Today is bring your kid to work day, and this is Robert, my son. I hope you don't mind."
"Uhhh…….Of course not. Does Kym know……" I trailed off, wondering if Kym knew he was my doctor. I didn't want to ask that question, so I asked a different one. "it's bring your kid to work day? I hope not. I don't want to spend a day at an airport, no matter where she flies. I wouldn't go anywhere in a plane for the life of me. I'll take a boat or car, but no aircrafts. Kym works at the Anchorage City Airport."
"Why don't you like planes? I love going on planes." Was Robert actually talking to me? Wow.
"I'm…scared of heights and can get sick very easy. My carry-on bag usually contains a doggie bag." I was flushing a deep red now, the blood burning my cheeks and neck. I turned toward Dr. Knight. "Can we get the x-ray done now? I have to get home to unpack my things."
"Of course. Robert, show Katherine to room 4 and I'll be there in about 10 minutes while I get the information I need."
"Just call me Kate." I rebuked the name Katherine. It was too…..uptight. Robert led the way to room four and showed me where to sit. I sat down and curled up into a ball and put my head between my knees. I felt strangely…dizzy. As if I just got off a tilt-a-whirl going 50 miles per hour. Very dizzy.
"You okay? You look… green." Did I imagine the hint of anxiety in his tone? I didn't answer him. Everything was too black. I couldn't find my voice. I listened to his instead. His was warm and inviting. "Kate? Answer me!" he demanded. He sounded far away now.
Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital bed, with Dr. Knight and Robert nearby. My eyes had way too much moisture in them, so when my eyelids fluttered, everything was blurry. I pulled my arm up to rub my eyes, but something tugged on my arm. I tried the other arm. Same Results. So I opened my eyes, and looked at them. My right arm had an IV. My left was only bandaged. I found I couldn't even lift it. I winced.
"Kate? Can you hear me?" A warm voice was talking to me. "Kate, talk, move a finger, something." I realized my eyes were closed again. I tried talking.
"Robert?" Why was he here? "What happened?" I was very confused. My voice was coarse. I cleared my throat. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"You weren't sleeping, Kate. You slipped into a coma. And scared the living heck out of me."
"Really? How strange. I had a dream, though."
"What was it about?" Wait, I felt pressure in my left hand. I opened my eyes and saw he was holding my hand. Was I still dreaming?
"Well, someone was in a hospital bed and was screaming. You were there, saying 'It's almost over, sweetheart. It's almost out. Breathe deeply and evenly.' The picture came in closer. You were holding her right hand, and your left hand and her's had wedding rings on. Then the doctor, your father, who was standing at the end of the bed, was holding something small and bloody. A baby. He shouted, 'It's a girl!'" I described the dream to him without telling who the girl was.
"Who was the girl on the hospital bed? Don't lie, please." He asked, casual but real curiosity burning like open flames behind the casualness.
I gulped. I was a terrible liar. So I told the truth, while blushing deep crimson now, of course. I waited a long moment to answer. "Me." I whispered, looking away at the wall, not seeing it at all. He was so quiet that I had to look at him. His gaze was scorching me the moment our eyes met, and, yet, I was instantly sure of on thing. I loved him.
"Oh," was all he answered. He blinked several times in shock. Next when I looked into his eyes, there was….happiness? "Really?....Wow. You're right. How strange, and freaky in a strange kind of way, and disturbing. Wow."
Why was he happy about my dream? Then again, why was he holding my hand? And sitting by my hospital bed? Did he like me the way I liked him, sort of like love at first sight? The thought made my heart beat frantically. The heart monitor went wild. "That's embarrassing." Then I remembered Kym. And realized Dr. Knight wasn't in the hospital room. It was just Robert and me. "Damn it! Where's Kym? I probably scared the living hell out of her and George as well." I started to hyperventilate. I was scaring everyone today.
"Kym went home, since you were crying in your 'sleep'. Apparently she doesn't like emotional outbursts. My father called Kim for you. He got the number from your father. You should probably call her when you get out tomorrow. You'll always have me and my father in the room. Well, my father sometimes. He's with another patient right now."
. "Okay." The nurse came in to give me some medicine to sedate me. "What are those for?"
"You need some rest. You've been through a lot. Though, you 'slept' for two days." Robert said, a smile threatening at the corners of his mouth.
"Two days?" Wow. The nurse gave me an anxious glance and put a needle in some tubes going through my arms. My eyelids started drooping, and I saw the nurse leave and Robert rest his chin on the corner of my pillow and continued holding my hand. He started humming a pleasant but unfamiliar tune while my eyesight went black.
PART 2
DREAMS
A red Jeep starts slowing as it comes down the countryside road as it approaches me. It halted to a stop in front of me, while I'm too scared to move or scream. A masked man grabbed my arm and yanked me into car. Another man put his hand over my mouth and wrapped something black over my eyes so I couldn't see.
I was being abducted.
Now the man that blinded me tied a rope around my hands and feet. He also put a rag in my mouth. I could feel that we were speeding down some road. The driver halted the Jeep to a stop and someone lifted me out of the car. Next thing I knew, the rag was out of my mouth and I could see. I was in a room, with a wooden door shut tight. I looked around and saw there were four other girls there, two huddled in a corner like me, curled up in a ball. The other two girls were lying down and were crying. I saw that my vision was getting blurry, and I could feel moisture pouring out of my eyes. I pulled my knees tighter to my chest and scooted closer into the darkness of my corner. I rested my head in my knees and closed my eyes. After what seemed like seconds, the wooden door creped open, and six men were standing in the doorway. Five looked my age. I looked at one boy in particular; I would know those green eyes and reddish-brown hair anywhere. Robert. The last man spoke. I guessed he was in his early forties.
"Take your pick of these girls." He turned to the boys and pointed to each in turn.
"Monica." Said the blonde boy.
"Alanna" Said the brown-haired boy.
"Dakota." Said the red-headed boy.
"Haley." Said another blonde boy.
The older man pointed to Robert last and, instead of speaking, came and sat next to me. The other girls and boys and the old man left the room. Robert draped his arm over me. He could tell I was tired.
I rested my head on his shoulder. "What's happening?" I choked out, a sob breaking my voice. Tears kept flowing.
"Shh, everything's okay. I won't let them hurt you. You and I are getting out of here. Tomorrow. Get some sleep. You'll need it. Calm down, Kate. Shh." He whispered, rocking me back and forth in a soothing gesture. I took a deep breath to help me calm down. Robert started humming the unfamiliar lullaby to me.
"What's the lullaby you're singing?" I asked drowsily.
"I wrote it for you, Kate. After your first visit to the hospital." He chuckled.
"Mmmm" I sighed, too tired to talk again. He started humming again and laid his head on mine.
* * * * * * * * * *
When I woke up, we were still in the same position, but his breathing was deeper. I looked up at him without moving my head to look at him, and he was smiling in his sleep. His smile fell a little and his eyebrows twitched a tiny bit and his eyelids fluttered as he came back into consciousness.
"Good morning," I muttered as he lifted his head to look at me. "Did you sleep well? You looked… happy then puzzled. Oh, then you woke up."
He looked at me, his emerald eyes appraising my expression. He waited a long moment before he answered slowly, unwillingly. "Yes, I did. And in my dream I was happy and confused. But for reasons you don't need to know right yet. Later." He stood up and gripped the tops of my arms and stood me on my feet. "Here's the plan: I'll create a diversion and you open the third door to the right and run as fast as you possibly can and I'll be right behind you. Do you hear me?" His voice was a whisper in the dim light.
I wasn't sure if I could speak, so I just nodded while the tears spilled over the brims. He pulled me into the enclosure of his arms, murmuring softly in my ear, "It's okay," over and over again, while he rocked me gently. "Ready?" He asked when the tears stopped. I took a deep breath.
"Yes." I replied, my voice barely audible. He released me, keeping only my hand. Then, suddenly, he took my face tenderly between his hands and bent his face to mine. Before he pressed his lips to mine, my heart took off like it was running a marathon. When his lips did touch mine, my heart stuttered. When he parted them slightly, my breath came in a wild gasp. I had to remind myself to breathe. My fingers twisted into his, pulling myself closer to him. He released me – too soon—and disentangled his hands from mine. He started laughing, a very quiet, hushed sound.
"Next time, if there is a next time, which there probably will be, I kiss you, try to remember to control yourself. If possible." He told me with a chuckle.
"If possible." I agreed, too thrilled than rational when he said "next time I kiss you." I think he could see it in my eyes, but he didn't say anything, though.
"Ready to get out of here?" He asked me.
"Let's go." I said, but my voice cracked.
Everything went black.
I sat straight up in bed now, sweat dripping down my face. Wait, I thought, that isn't sweat. It starts under my eyes, not my hairline. Those are tears. I wiped away the betraying tears, only to see Robert's anxious gaze locked on my face. A look of relief washed over his face as soon as I smiled at him widely. He smiled back, only his smile was breathtaking. Mine made me look like an idiot. Figures.
I soon realized I wasn't at the hospital. I was in a bedroom. My bedroom from when I was eight. Wait, why was Robert here? When I asked, he replied, "Kym needed to go to work, but she didn't want to leave you alone. So my dad and I said we'll stay. Carter is downstairs."
After that, I looked down and he was holding my hand again. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Did you have any dreams?" That embarrassed me, though I sucked at lying, so I told the truth and every detail of the dream. Now I was really flushing a deep crimson color. I wonder if Robert could tell in the darkness…….
"You're blushing?" He asked in surprise. His fingertips brushed lightly along my cheekbone.
"Yeah, the dream was really embarrassing. I was hoping you wouldn't ask, but I guess you should know." I flushed deeper.
"You know you talk in your sleep, right?" He asked me.
"Of course, Kym and George used to tease me about it. Except they said that I show emotion in my sleep. What they meant by that is a mystery to me."
Robert started laughing exuberantly, but managed to choke out between guffaws, "Yeah, you cry, laugh, blush, shout, shout, scream, and even calculate in your sleep. But you said, not showed, something that caught me off guard."
"Oh no, what did I say?" Please, please let me not have said that I loved him.
"You said you loved me." His voice and eyes were very soft.
Of course. Now, I was flushing an even deeper crimson. "Oh," was all I was able to choke out.
"Was it true, or was only part of your dream?" He murmured to me, trying to hold gaze as I looked away to escape the intensity of his stare.
I really was starting to blush, a deep ruby now. I tried to seem absentminded by playing with his hair, ignoring his eyes. I twisted it through my fingers, again and again. We sat like that for an immeasurable period of time, me all the while internally debating whether or not to tell him the truth. I decided to play fair. I finally answered in a careful voice. "It was and is and will always be the truth. I love you irrevocably and fathomless. I wasn't sure if I could, or should, tell you. I was afraid you would get up and leave without another word," I admitted, feeling completely moronic. His reaction to my confession surprised me; he took my face tenderly between his palms, forcing me to look into his eyes. His eyes bored into mine.
"Why would I leave when I love you the exact same way?" He whispered. Then he lowered his face to murmur in my ear, "You are the most important thing in my life now. It was sort of like love-at-first-sight, wouldn't you agree?" He chuckled once, a low, throaty sound.
"Yes, it was sort of like love-at-first-sight. How strange. You know, I always thought, until now, that the love-at-first-sight theory was a load of crap. That it didn't exist, and, if it did, it would be… awkward. Uncomfortable. But it's something different entirely. There aren't words for the way I feel. Love would be an understatement. With the feeling I have, there is no overstatement." I sighed happily, totally content with where I was. Looking into his eyes, him holding my face, all that seemed to dull the throbbing pain in my head. He smiled a small, tranquil smile that seemed to light up his whole face. He leaned in very slowly to press his lips gently against mine, parting them ever so slightly. My hands moved to his hair, and his stroked my face. I started to get a little lightheaded, but that was because I wasn't breathing. When I tried to breathe, the breath came in a half-strangled gasp. It took every ounce of my concentration just to remember to breathe, let alone evenly. How could he breathe so evenly? His breathing was low and even.
His fingers braided themselves into my light brown hair. His lips moving softly—but very earnestly—against mine. One hand slid down my spine, down to the small of my back. Then his lips moved down to the base of my throat. I waited for the wild gasping that was my breathing to slow to a normal speed. The fact that his lips were now moving along my jaw line didn't help at all. But, after the two minutes that seemed like hours, my breathing turned normal, but my heart was still singing in my chest. "Robert, when's your birthday?"
"March 18th. Next Wednesday. Why?"
"Just nice to know."
"Yours?" He asked, seeming somehow mixed between apathetic and curious.
"April 4th. Hopefully Kym and George didn't tell anyone. Well, knowing Kym as I do, she's probably going to announce it to every flight she has that day. George, well, I have to hope for the best. He's so… unpredictable. He usually surprises me, unfortunately." I groaned, thinking about everyone in town will be saying "Happy Birthday, Kate!" or the next day "Happy belated Birthday, Kate!". Then the birthday parties! I winced at that one. I can't even imagine what they'll do for my 18th birthday, after what they did for my 16th. I refuse to return to that memory. No one deserves that mental picture, even if they're a serial killer.
"Don't you want people saying 'Happy Birthday' to you?" Robert asked smirking at the expression on my face. "I know I would. It would be nice to know that someone outside my family knew about my birthday." He said, and then a hint of sadness came into his eyes. "Or cared," he added glumly.
"Someone else cares about your birthday besides your family." I insisted.
"Oh? Who?"
"Me…. And probably every girl at your school." My voice became gloomy at the end, thinking about how many girls like him. There were probably tons of girls prettier than me at his school. "Where do you go to school?"
"Anchorage High. You?"
"Same, I think. Um… let me go check. Be right back." I hopped down from the bed and pretty much flew to the door. But when I got to the doorknob, I whirled around on my heel to face him. "So… Are we like…dating…now?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.
"I…guess so." He answered slowly. But suddenly his emerald-green eyes brightened up with some emotion I wasn't familiar with, and a slow smile spread broadly across his perfect face.
"What are you smiling about?" I asked sarcastically. I already knew the answer. 'Just a good thought.'
I was wrong. I think.
He wouldn't answer my question. All he answered was, "Go see your school name." and smiled wider. That irked me, but I turned to the door and, grumbling intelligibly, opened the door.
My muscles locked in place when I saw the digital clock that was across the hallway.
"Two thirty? In the morning? Holy hell!!!" When did the clock turn to that time?
"Yeah…you've been asleep for twelve hours, Kate." He said slowly, seeming slightly reluctant to answer. Peculiar. I let it go, knowing it was irrelevant.
I sprinted down the stairs, racing to get to the letter that had my schedule that was acting as a bookmark for the book I was reading, Breaking Dawn. The Twilight Series was my favorite series, and people said I was obsessed. At least I don't go around saying I'm a vegetarian vampire. Now that was obsessed and insanity.
I flew up the stairs and into my room, only to stop abruptly when I saw Robert sitting with his head in his hands and his broken. He didn't appear to hear me as I rushed to his side. I locked my hands around his wrists and pulled uselessly. Of course, he was stronger than me, as were other people. Now, my hands, clammy with sweat, slipped a little down his arm.
"Robert! Robert, what's wrong?!" I gasped, meaning to scream, but my mind was so panicked that that's all it could do.
Robert pulled his head up and smirked at me. "Gotcha," He said in a playful tone.
I slapped him, not hard, but I think he got the message, and said angrily, "Robert Knight! Don't you ever scare me like that again!!!" I took his face in between my palms, still clammy. "Do you hear me? You had me believing you were hurt! The very thought of you being hurt scares me have to death, while seeing it would probably do the job fully!" I understood why he was smiling. He planned this. Naughty. I resisted gasping as this thought occurred to me. Of course he would pull a stunt on me like that. Hadn't everyone? I was too gullible for my own good. I'd fallen for every trick in the book a thousand times over, my reaction always just as scared or worried or whatever was intended to happen as the next. Then when I tried to pull some stunts of my own, I just giggled. That took away a lot of the effect. Jake, my cousin, seemed to hear my every sound. He would rat me out.
Robert laughed, then put one of his hands over my right hand, holding it to his cheek. He took my other hand and removed it from his face, but still held it lightly in his own hand. He squeezed it lightly, then said, "You believed that? I've played better tricks on my sister and she didn't even start to fall for my best one." He seemed unrepentant, so I just narrowed my eyes. He released my hand, and curled his hand to the shape of my face, while his thumb rubbed back and forth on my cheek reassuringly.
I couldn't help but laugh at my gullibility. I rolled my eyes at him, knowing that I can't stay angry at him for long. "Okay, so I'm going Anchorage High, too. My bus comes at—"
"I'm driving you to school." Robert interrupted with a smile.
"You have a car?" I asked, my voice full doubt. He had to be bluffing.
"Well, duh! Don't you?" He asked expectantly.
"No, Can't afford one. Kym's lucky she has that ancient Chevy to drive around in." I sighed.
"By the way, have you just moved in with your mom, or do you usually live with her?" Robert asked, merely curious.
"I usually live with my mother, but I had just enough money to buy a ticket to Georgia to see my dad for the summer. My mom used to live in California, but she moved here. California had a lot less snow, and a lot more warmth. I was glad I was a lone on the plane coming here. I don't like to cry in front of people." I confessed. I really didn't want to explain my life to him. "What do you want for your birthday?"
"Nothing," He answered, then added, "except you." with a peculiar glint in his eye I've never seen before.
"Sure. Like I believe that. I may be gullible, but not that gullible." I giggled.
"Ah, Kate. Do you have to be so doubtful on things? He asked, still rubbing my cheek gently with his thumb.
I half smiled, and then sighed. He should probably know why I was so doubtful on life. "Well…as I was growing up in a small town named Casco…there was this group of boys…Brendan, Matt, and Jacob…who would all call me ugly everyday…and…after a while, I….started to believe them because…I found that…it hurt so much less if I believed they were just stating a fact." I confessed, staring at my hand resting on his knee. I was feeling strangely…………………embarrassed. "I mean, look at me! Besides my extreme clumsiness, I am completely average. I'm not musical, top of the class, good-looking, a good dancer—obviously—so I really don't understand how you can love me." I said.
He stared into my eyes for a while. His livid expression had made it hard to finish. "You think you're average and ugly? Those are the most absurd assumptions I've ever heard, Kate! You are beautiful on the inside and out. I love you, and you are the most beautiful sight in my world. I could stare at your face forever and never get bored." He declared. Then asked in an exasperated tone, "How hard is that to understand?"
"Very. It really is difficult to understand how you could love me, of all people."
He sighed. "Kate…here are three words that will be true as long as I live. I love you."
I rolled my eyes and changed the subject. I knew he'd end up winning anyway. "So, look at my classes. Are any the same as yours?" I asked, unable to hide the hope in my voice.
He took my schedule and started mouthing something to himself. Then he smiled and looked up at me. "Yes, we have all the same classes, except for fourth hour. You have literature and I have Bio Chem." He told me, looking a little glum at this fact. I could see why.
"Is your Bio Chem teacher a male?" I asked, knowing my mom would be able to convince the teacher to have Robert switch classes.
"Yes," he answered, skeptical. "Why?"
I think Kym can make us have the same classes together, if you don't mind not having Bio Chem anymore." I said, smirking now.
"I don't mind not having Bio Chem anymore." He told me, finally seeing what I was getting at. "It was a boring class anyway."
I sighed and closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted. "You're tired. Sleep, sweet."
I started dozing off, and I felt Robert lift me up from kneeling on the floor. I fell asleep automatically in his arms, too comfortable.
I was comfortable in my dream, too. I was walking down an isle with George on my elbow. Ahead of me, Robert was standing in a nice tuxedo under a canopy of hydrangeas, with his father at his side. As soon as I saw the person who could only be a priest behind them both did I realize I was at a wedding ceremony. My wedding ceremony. Some girl, I'm guessing someone in relation to Robert because of the eyes, stood to the left and in the back of the priest. I focused again on Robert's face, which had a breathtaking smile across it.
If it weren't for George's arm interlinked to mine, I would have ran right down the isle and threw my arms around Robert, forgetting the crowd of tear-streaked faces staring at me walk down the isle. I would've forgotten the time completely, the reason, only remembering that I was permanently Robert's and no one else's.
I opened my eyes towards a window and frowned. It was only a dream. I really wanted it to be happening for real. I turned my head slightly and saw Robert asleep in the chair. My frown deepened because it must not be very comfortable there. All of a sudden, I laughed for no particular reason.
Robert opened his eyes too, and gazed curiously at me. "What's so funny?" He asked, his voice still thick with sleep. He yawned involuntarily, and chuckled, probably at the perplexed expression on my face. I just shrugged, not knowing the answer myself.
"I'm not sure. Sometimes I laugh for no particular reason at all."
He took a deep breath, and started towards the door.
"Where are you going?" I asked and the fear in my voice was evident.
"My clothes are downstairs, and I need to help load them into Carter's car." He answered, his eyes seeing the fear that was overruling any other emotion.
I took a deep breath and calmed down. "Will you come back, or are you leaving now?" I asked.
"Well, I'm leaving for now, then coming back to pick you up for school." He smiled at me, and I remembered that he told me he'd pick me up for school.
"See you later."
He chuckled, and came back towards the bed. "Find something to wear for today." He leaned down and kissed my forehead.
Then Carter came in the room. "Ready to go, Robert?" He asked, seeing Robert's slightly uncertain expression.
He composed himself, and answered, "Yeah."
They left the room, and I hopped up from the bed and went to the closet. I found my dark green blouse, and a pair of jeans. I tried to find some regular socks, but all I could find were ankle socks. I threw a pair on and nearly glided down the stairs. I reached up in the cupboard for a bowl and my cereal. I found a spoon and poured some milk in the bowl. I only poured a little cereal in, a trick I learned from my father. You pour the milk in and a little bit of cereal, then eat that fast, add more cereal, eat….over and over again. That way you don't have to eat soggy cereal. After I finished my cereal, I put the bowl in the sink, my eagerness for Robert to get here nearly choking me. I walked up the stairs and grabbed Breaking Dawn. I trudged back down and sat on the lazy boy. I started reading my favorite part, where Bella and Edward go on their honeymoon…………..
I wasn't really paying that much attention, waiting for a car horn or someone knocking. Finally, mercifully, there were three rythmatic raps at the door. I flew to the door and pretty much all but ripped the door off the hinges.
"Are we a little overexcited today?" Robert asked, smirking at me. I wonder what he's so satisfied about………
"Yeah, just a little." I fought back a laugh at how much exactly. I smiled slightly as he took my hand. He towed toward his car. My mouth hung open as I saw his car. His car was brand new silver Chevy Volt. He snickered as he looked back to me.
He raised his hand up to close my mouth. "Keep your mouth closed, Kate; you'll catch flies." He bent his face to mine slowly and pressed his lips softly to mine. His mouth lingered on mine for an immeasurable moment. There were no words to describe how it felt to kiss Robert. Then his lips parted mine slightly and my hands reached up to lock around his neck.
No other experience could compare to the way it felt to have my lips moving with Robert's. Now Robert's fingers braided themselves into my hair, keeping my face against his. I wished his unyielding lips would never leave mine. I felt his lips curve upward as he let my face go. "We'd better get to school before we're late." He said, though I thought I heard just a hint of grief in his tone.
"Fine." I climbed into the passenger side of his car and put my seatbelt on. I stared at him as he put his seatbelt on and shifted the car into reverse. As he turned to pull out of the driveway, he happened to see the gloating expression on my face. He gazed back at me curiously.
"What?"
I smiled a half-smile. "Nothing. Yet. You'll see."
"You are something else, Kate." He said, shaking his head slowly. He pulled out of the driveway and headed to the school. When we got there, a whole bunch of kids watched in what could only be awe while Robert walked around to my side of his Chevy Volt. He opened my door, and, once again, I laughed for no coherent reason I could think of. Yet.
"Ready to get to class?" He asked as we were headed to what looked like building two because of the huge black two on the door.
"Don't I have to go to wherever the main office is?"
"Oh, yeah." He recalled unenthusiastically.
"Is there something the matter with that office?" I asked skeptically, raising one eyebrow.
"No, I just wondered if one of the vile males here would try to be too friendly to you."
I rolled my eyes and said, "Can you just show me the dang office? I might need a map."
"I can show you where all your classes are."
"Let's just go to the office. Lead the way." I wavered with one hand that he should start the way.
"Fine." He wound his arm around my waist and pulled toward a building that was labeled 'Main office'. As we walked into the small little room with a somewhat homey look to it, a little black-haired woman looked up from some papers she was filing and smiled at us with a slight twitch of her lips.
"How may I help you two?" She asked politely.
"I'm Kate, the new girl. Do I need to get some papers?" I grimaced at the words "new girl".
"Yes, dear. Here." She set some yellowed papers in front of me. "Fill these out and return them here at the end of the school day and get them signed by your 6th hour teacher."
"Thanks."
We turned to go to building two when Robert said to me, "You okay?"
"What the crap are you talking about?" I asked, confused. Was my nervous stomach showing on my face?"
"You look…..anxious. Nervous."
I took a deep breath and said, "I'm fine."
PART 3
COUNTRY DANCING
My first day was fine. I wasn't surprised the teachers introduced me to the whole class, and I corrected every single one of them, so they would call me Kate, to my extreme embarrassment, because that just made all the guy in the class listen to my introduction of myself even more intently. The girls glared at me, I'm guessing either because I was dating Robert, or their boyfriends were so absorbed into my 1 minute introduction of my personality.
"Wanna go to Loxton's Family Restaurant tomorrow, Kate? As a date?" Robert asked me as we were walking into my empty house.
"Well…..I was hoping maybe we could go country dancing. That would be fun. My family would go dancing all the time."
"Sure. Now, tell me more about your family." He asked as he pulled me to the couch.
"Well, My Uncle Guy, Papa, Uncle Steve, and other people whose names I don't know, have a band. The Grins. My dad was on two of their cds, playing the drums. They have a small record deal and were offered to be put on the radio, but they turned the radio offer down for some reason I don't know of. They played at the local bar, Adair, and I went sometimes. When they would play at my Nana and Papa's house, near the pond, My Aunt Sharon and Aunt Robin would sing and play, too. They also sang at other events. I usually swam in the pond with Jake and his friend, Austin, but only when I was little. When I got older, I found it…..uncomfortable to be around him. Kind of…….weird, you know? Anyway, we would make up different dives on the big diving board, since the little one sucked. But that stopped when I hit my leg on it and had a black bruise from my knee to my hip. I was sore for a long time! Anyway, when we were little, Jake, Ashley, Erica, and I would put on shows where we would sing and dance and I would try to play the piano. That cracked everyone up. I bet you could hear their guffaws in North Dakota! Especially my version of Twinkle Little Star." I laughed as I remembered how horrible it was. "You probably would have just about choked with laughter. Anyone would've. And then when Jake tried to sing to it….that just made everyone laugh harder.
We would watch Simpsons, too. And to this day on the first day of school, I say 'I'm the government's problem now!' My mom would get a kick out it. I had a few best friends. Alisa Dort, Autumn Williams, and Alanna Jones. And there was Brooke. She was so uptight when I first met. When we became friends with Autumn, she really let loose. I'll tell you what I know of her story later. I'm warning you, it's pretty miserable. Anyway, my friends and I would have a great time. We spent most of the time laughing.
So…that's my story." I concluded. I hesitated and added, "Want to her Brooke's?"
"Sure." He said, a bit wary.
"Well….her little brother, George the third, was the favorite. Even though he absolutely loved her physical and emotional pain, he was the favorite. Brooke could've been upstairs, come down, then Geo walk in from outside crying, he'd say Brooke did something to him, and, no matter where she was, she'd get grounded. And when she was only three, her parents got divorced. Her best friend was a dog named Brandy. Brandy was a chocolate lab who was an inside/outside dog. One day, she came back pregnant. She had a litter of eight puppies. Of course, being Brooke, she always cared emotionally for the animals. One she gravitated towards the most without thinking. The runt, whom she'd named Molly. Her back was opened when she was born. She died after three days of life. As long as I've known her, she's still devastated about it. Her mom sold every last one of the puppies, and then Brandy ran away. She still cries about it. Brooke has always had a special place in her heart for animals. Then, when she was only seven, her dad moved down to Florida. Kind of like my dad, except he's only been in Georgia for six months. So she lives with her emotionally abusive mother. That's all I know. I'm sure there's more she was reluctant to tell me but I won't pry. Oh, and she also doesn't think she has a romantic future. It's all because of the same kids that used to make fun of me. I feel bad for her. The way she worries, she'll be prematurely gray by the time she's twenty." I laughed at that, but I was still a little worried about if she ever found out I broke her promise……again.
"You're right, that was miserable. She must have a hard time coping with all that stress in her life."
"Well, I think that after she became friends with us, it made things easier for her. I know she all but exploded with happiness whenever we said 'Love you sisterly' to her. Probably because she thought it was a nice feeling, knowing and hearing someone loves you, even sisterly."
"Well, I hope her life gets better soon."
"You know, she said that she thinks she's ugly and fat for the same reason I think I'm ugly. It's easier to cope with the teasing if you just think they're stating a fact." I shrugged.
He sighed and changed the subject. "So, where do you want to go dancing?"
"Do you really think I would know when the past three days I've been here I was unconscious?"
"No, but, how about the one club called 'Swing'?"
"'Kay." I stared past him out the window, where it was snowing. I groaned.
"Kate?"
"Snow," was all I said and pointed to the window. Would there never be sun in this freaking state?
He chuckled, "Yeah, it kind of snows in Alaska, Kate."
"I realized. That doesn't mean I like it." I felt my lower lip push out into a pout.
Robert touched my lower lip and said, "Kate, I think that you are the only person I know that can say they don't like snow. What's not to like?"
"Well, for one, it's cold. And for another, it's wet. You have to understand that I come from Michigan, which has barely any snowfall, California, which is only sun, and Georgia, which has a lot of sun. I don't usually live in places with a lot of snow." I just realized he had thought I liked snow, which wasn't exactly the case.
He chuckled, "Kate, don't worry. There are six months here that is sun and daylight 24/7. There is absolutely no nighttime at all."
My eyebrows mashed together. "Really? Dang." I said. I liked the night. It made me feel protected, and the night could be very predictable.
"Didn't you just get done complaining about snow? Why are you disappointed?"
"I like the night." I answered.
"So…you hate snow, but like the night? I like the day. There's sunlight to see your face."
"Do you realize how utterly cheesy and sweet that sounded?"
"Sweet? Really? Never heard that one before."
"Of course it was sweet. Every girl wants to basically be called beautiful by an accomplished waiter."
"I'm accomplished? I serve ill tipping people who don't give a damn about anything except making sure they get their food. How is that accomplished? If accomplished means being an underappreciated waiter, than I'm living large, baby!"
I snickered under my breath. "That's not what I meant. I meant…wait, no. That's what I meant."
He laughed along with me, me feeling a little rueful by not understanding what I meant by my remark.
I heard tires driving along the gravel to my house. I'm guessing that Robert heard it, too. "Should Kym know I'm here?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "She'd have to find out sooner or later." We heard the keys rattle in the open door, then the door swing open.
"Kate? I'm home!" Kym called.
"In the living room!" I answered.
When she came in and spotted us sitting on the couch, holding hands, she looked flabbergasted. She stammered unintelligibly for a moment, but finally she said, "What is a boy doing here without my knowledge?"
"Mom, this is my boyfriend, Robert. Robert this is my mother."
"Hello, Ms. Smith. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Kate has said so many wonderful things about you."
"Just call me Kym. So…are you an ex-felon?"
"Mom!" I said sternly, embarrassed. She has to ask about ex-felons? What is the matter with her head? Maybe Grandma dropped her on her head a lot. That would explain a lot….
"What?! Would you really—"
"I'm no ex-felon, Kym. No need to worry." Robert said politely. I glanced at his face, which was a perfect poker face.
"Well, I'm keeping an eye on you two." Kym said. Apparently she was turning into a supervisor. She turned and sat on the loveseat near the couch.
I turned to Robert, "Want to watch Casablanca?" I was going to say 'Pink Panther', but I wanted to watch a romance film.
"Sure." I got up and opened the DVD case for Casablanca and put the disc into the player. I put the TV on video one, pressed play, and went to sit on the couch by Robert.
When I sat down, he shifted to put his arm around my shoulders. I lain my head on his shoulder and watched as the characters started the film. I really did try to pay attention to the movie, but I felt Robert press his lips against my hair and that was all I could pay attention to. I heard Kym clear her throat, but I didn't pay attention to her. Robert did lift his face from my hair, but kept his arm around me.
When the movie was over, it was already nine p.m. "I should probably get home." Robert said with a resigned sigh. He kissed me lightly on my lips and shook Kym's hand.
"Nice to meet you, Kym." Robert added politely just when his phone went off.