Ch7
"Mom, I don't think it was that subtle," I glared at my mother as we washed the dishes.
"Sweetie, I'm just being optimistic." She gave a smile.
I rolled my eyes. "She said stuff like 'Don't go' and 'You can't.' Any ideas?"
"No Ariella. I wish I knew." She went back to scrubbing a pan. I sighed and dried a couple of bowls.
Once the dishes were done, I went upstairs to check on Shelly and Monny. The dog was at the top of the stairs, tail hanging over the next step down. He barely even moved when I walked up. I rubbed his head and he looked up longingly at me.
"I know. I'll get Shelly and then we'll go for a walk." His head perked up and tail wagged. I smiled and walked into Shelly's room. "I'm about to take Monny for a walk. You wanna tag along?"
She beamed at me. "Let's bring Cork with us!" she exclaimed with enthusiastic jumps.
"Alright, alright," I chuckled. "He can come with us."
She giggled with giddy and grabbed her shoes, pulling them on as she ran toward the stairs. I had to catch her fast before she tumbled down.
"Calm down lil sis! I still need to get his harness and leash." She gave me a doe-eyed look and I just about wanted to drop her. "Fine. They're in the closet by the front door."
Shelly ran downstairs, Monny in tow, almost running over mom in the process. Mom placed her hands on her hips and scowled at me.
"Sorry mom!" I apologized as I came down. "She got a little excited to go out and see Cork." I grabbed my jacket as Shelly finished harnessing Monnny and then we walked out into the winter air.
Monny started barking happily as we walked down the street, Shelly urging him to run with her.
"Shelly!" I shouted over the dog. "I can't control him if you're going to do that."
"Sorry Ari. I'm just excited to see Cork and go to the park for snowball fights!"
Monny tugged at the leash, escaping my grasp and ran toward Cork's house. The only issue was that someone was walking where Monny was running. Shelly and I ran after him, trying to get him to stop. Monny kept running, knocking the other person flat on their back.
"Watch it you stupid mutt!" the person yelled.
"I'm so sorry," I said as Shelly and I ran up. "Are you okay?"
The person glared at me. Then it softened. "Well, I'm not dead so, yeah I'm alright."
"Kale Mattinseth?" I raised an eyebrow at him as he stood up.
"Yeah, who is asking?" he asked sweetly.
"I'm Ariella." I held out my hand. "I'm a freshman at Coralatna High."
He considered me and then took it as he said, "Guess my rep precedes me."
I chuckled. "You are one of the popular ones."
"Heh, right." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ahem." I turned to see Shelly with her arms crossed.
"Oh! Right!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry our dog ran over you."
"Hey it's alright. How about I help you get him?" He smiled genuinely.
"Of course you can." I smiled as we walked to Cork's house.
Luckily we didn't have to walk far. Monny had gone to Cork's house without us. Cork was standing at his front gate, holding Monny's leash.
"Thanks Cork," I said as he handed me the leash.
"No problem." He gave a cool smile.
"Cork, this is Kale Mattinseth. He's the football captain at Coralatna High," I explained.
Kale held out his hand. "Nice to meet ya little guy." Cork took it. "You got some hand there," Kale said with a raised eyebrow. "Are ya gonna join any sports?"
"Maybe. I don't know yet." He glanced quickly at me. "Chip already told me I should."
"But Chip plays soccer," Shelly explained.
"Are you guys talking about the star defense?" Kale asked.
"Yeah," I replied. "He and I are old friends. We also know Daphne Maklee."
"The sweet cheerleader?" Kale looked at me.
"I'm guessing you don't know her too well," I said as we all walked down Mintwee Street.
"I only know her because of the cheerleaders." Kale sighed heavily. "Hailey thinks she owns me. We were supposed to meet up today, but I told her I wasn't feeling well and snuck out before she could find out I lied."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that bad." I looked sullenly at him. "Daphne doesn't tell me anything about the cheerleader meets."
"Good thing too, because it's never good when the football team walks by," Kale explained. "Hailey always spots me and runs up saying, 'Come on baby. Let's go have some fun in the lockers.' I'm sick of it!"
"You imitate her pretty good," I said, trying to lighten the mood.
He grinned mischievously. "I'm Hailey and I'm queen of the school. Bow down or I'll call my daddy to fire your dad!"
I laughed, hearing Cork and Shelly giggling over Kale's 'Hailey voice.' I had to hold my stomach because I laughed so hard. Even Monny was barking and wagging his tail.
"I have to admit. It's fun to crack jokes about her every now and then." Kale chuckled.
"Ha!" I looked ahead of us. "Look guys! Fresh snow!" I exclaimed.
They all looked up and smiled at the fresh snowfall. I smiled, knowing that a snow fight was going to start at any mom—.
"AH!" I screamed as a snowball right at my shoulder. I turned to see Kale smirking and tossing a snowball up and down in his hand. I smirked back as I knelt down and made one.
I stood up as Kale warned, "Oh no. Oh no you are no—!" My snowball hit his face, stopping him mid-sentence.
I laughed as another hit my face. Then it turned into a war. It quickly became a boys verses girls game, Monny with me and Shelly, barking happily. Kale and Cork hid behind a bush while Shelly and I hid behind another. We went back and forth for a while, losing track of time and ending up at Isra Park. At one point I tripped and something fell on top of me. I looked to find Kale lying across my legs on his stomach. I laughed when he lifted his snow covered face. I got a fistful of snow in the face as a response. Kale rolled onto his back, laughing hysterically. I took the opportunity to have Shelly and Cork jump on top of him. Monny ended up licking the snow off Kale's face.
"That was pretty good," Kale said, stilling laughing.
"Thanks." I stood up, helping him up. "But I did have some help." I motioned to Shelly and Cork who happened to be chasing Monny in and around the trees.
"They are great kids," Kale said sweetly.
"Well, one is my sister and the other is our neighbor. But, yes, there are great kids." I looked at Kale and was almost lost in his eyes when he looked at me.
He had a caring expression. Then he shook his head saying, "I think we should head back."
"Yeah," I replied, coming back to reality. "It's been a long day. I better drop off Cork and take Shelly home."
Kale went to collect Shelly, Cork and Monny and then we all headed for home.
Cork had been dropped off and Kale held Monny's leash as he walked me and Shelly home. Shelly grabbed Monny's leash and ran inside when we reached the house.
"Thanks for a great time Kale!" she shouted over her shoulder. Then the door shut.
"She's sweet," Kale said. "I wish I had a sister like her."
"She has her moments." I smiled and looked at Kale. "Thanks for joining us. Even if it was because of Monny." He chuckled. "But thank you."
"Any time," he smiled and gave me hug.
I returned the hug and we parted slowly. Suddenly I found myself giving him a kiss on the cheek. He grinned slowly as I walked inside and shut the door. I leaned against the door and sighed.
I didn't know he was so sweet, I thought as I walked dreamily upstairs to my room. But he's the football captain and I'm just a freshman. There's no way I can be with him. I sat down on my bed. "What am I thinking?! I can't be with a guy like him and I know it will never happen!"
I rolled over and looked out my window, watching the snow dance in the wind. As I lied there, I thought about the day Cork and his family moved here. Although it was almost two months earlier, it was still on my mind. Last week was still on my mind also. I couldn't believe what Cork's father works on.
"Maybe he's working on something to help in a war?" I said to myself and rolled onto my back.
"No. A war won't be happening any time soon." I rolled onto my side, facing my desk that held a picture of me with my dad.
"Maybe it's for the good of mankind?" I sat up, sitting cross-legged, and leaned on my knees.
"That can't be it. Maybe he is working on something for President Roosevelt?" I got off my bed and walked to the window. My mind kept racing over the thought. Then I realized something.
"Wait a minute! The train crashed in the park the day Cork's family moved in. A month later, Chip and I discover Mr. Krulny's laboratory and his experiments. Cork even explained that he never spends time with the family and locks himself in the basement. He even talks to himself, or an invisible something, in there." I looked out the window, seeing Chip's right across the way. "I have to talk to Chip about this!"
