It had been a few days since I had last seen Karen. I decided that morning after I finished chores to go see her. I hurriedly did my chores, then walked off down the village road. On my way past the Library, I bumped into a guy. It was Rick.
"Well hey there Rick, haven't seen you for a while." I said.
"Hi Jack, can't talk now, busy." he said, starting to walk.
"Wait," I called out, running next to him, "Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Um...Karen's house, need to uh...pick up some flour." he stuttered. "Riiight," I said, "Well, gotta run bye!"
I ran down the road to Karen's house and knocked on the door.
"Hi Jack!" said Karen smiling as she opened the door.
"Hi Karen," I grinned back.
Just then, Rick ran up.
"JACK. You back stabber! I'll...I'm going to...tell...um..." he started.
"Tell who, your mom?" I joked.
Rick scowled, and I quickly stopped laughing. "Oh Rick, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. We aren't dating! We never have, and never will!" sighed Karen.
"Please Karen, what are you saying? I thought we were friends!" pleaded Rick.
"Yeah we are! Nothing more, nothing less! Now beat it!" she yelled, pointing away from the Supermarket.
Rick walked home, dragging his feet along the way.
"Smooth talking," I murmured in her ear.
"Thank," she giggled, "It's more of a skill I've perfected...every day he gives me practice."
"You'd think he'd give up," I said.
"Yeah, but I sort of like the attention, even if that's all it's good for..." she sighed.
"Yeah, I guess." I said.
"So, come in!" she urged.
I walked into her small yet cozy home. It smelled of sticky buns, and I peered into the Kitchen. I saw Karen's mother I guessed cooking. I looked a little closer and saw she was indeed making sticky buns, and without thinking I started to drool.
"Oh, hello! You must be Jack, oh Karen's been talking about you non stop!" said her mother.
"Mother!" said Karen.
"Oh, excuse me, my name is Sasha." she said, wiping her hand off then holding it out.
I shook her hand, "Pleasure to meet you Sasha," I said as I kissed her hand.
"Oh, he is a nice fellow!" squealed Sasha.
"Yeah.." said Karen.
"He's a keeper!" whispered Sasha to Karen, even though I could hear every word.
"Oh, pardon me for being rude. Would you like a sticky bun? They're fresh out of the oven!" said Sasha, holding out a plate.
"Yes please," I said, taking one and taking a bite, "These are delicious!"
"Yes, they're my moms specialty," piped in Karen.
"Well, my compliments to the chef," I said winking.
Sasha grinned then continued making more sticky buns.
"Uh Jack, let's go...outside!" said Karen.
"But....I want.." I started.
"Ok, so you want to go to my room?" said Karen, dragging me to her room.
We walked into her room and she locked it behind her.
"Sorry, my mom is an eavesdropper, and I wanted to talk to you!" she explained.
"It's ok!" I said.
"Good, soo.." she said.
"Well, what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I might as well say it," she said, biting her fingernail, "Jack, ever since you talked to me in the woods that day, I've sort of had a uh...crush."
This was music to my ears.
"A crush...? On me? Really?" I asked again, to make sure.
"Yeah, don't make it harder than it is!" she said playfully punching my arm.
"Wow.." I said smiling, "I sort of...like you too I guess."
"You guess? Thanks..." she said glumly.
"No! I didn't mean it like that, I like you...a lot." I quickly said.
Karen's face beamed and she hugged me.
"Wow, this never happened to me! I mean, someone I liked liking me!" she squealed.
"Yeah, it's nice isn't it.." I said, suprised this hadn't happened to her.
*Knock Knock Knock* "WHO IS IT?" yelled Karen.
"It's Sasha, please come to dinner, and bring your friend!" said Sasha in a perky voice.
"Ok!" said Karen, dragging me to the table.
I thought to myself, if dinner was anything like the sticky buns, then I'd be in luck. We sat down at the table, and I saw Jeff and Sasha talking. Karen and I held hands under the table. I felt weird, I had just met Karen, yet we were already going out. I felt sorrow for Rick, he was in love with Karen, and in one day I had managed to get her to like me.
After dinner, I was really tired, so I said goodnight to Karen and company and walked home. Walking home I felt a brief chill. I brushed it off and got home safely. I soon was in my house and I fell asleep. The same dream came to me that had when I first met Karen...
I woke up the next morning, glad to be out of that dream. I walked out and did my chores, then walked to Karen's house. I had to tell her.
"Hi Karen," I said, walking in the house.
"Hi Jack! I was just about to come see you!" she said, giving me a kiss.
"Yeah, I need to talk with you." I said.
"Sure, what about?" she asked happily.
"Well, lately, I've been dreaming about you. They aren't good dreams though. I dream we are somehow involved together. Sometimes we are dating, sometimes married, sometimes engaged, it changes. Every time though, I try and talk to you, and you're so...distant. There's a large black cloud around you, and your eyes look...different. Do you know what this could mean?" I explained carefully.
I looked at Karen's face and she looked bewildered.
"Maybe you havn't been sleeping well, it's probably just some bogus dream," she said.
"Yeah...maybe..." I replied.
We went for a walk, then we had lunch at the Inn. I met a girl named Ann, and after she served us, she ran upstairs with a man who looked like a hobo. I assumed he was Cliff, I had heard Karen's parents talking about him and Ann. After lunch, we walked back to the Supermarket. Karen had to help her parents unload some shipments. I said goodbye then walked off.
