Disclaimer: I D O N O T O W N O N E T R E E H I L L!
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"Britney!" Whitey called. As he waited for her to answer, he tried to plan what he was to say to her when she came down.
Whitey heard a muffled 'What?' through loud sobs. Cautiously, he walked up the stairs, every footstep feeling like his shoes were made of lead. The house went suddenly quiet, so quiet that the wind rustling outside seemed to be echoing through the upstairs hallway. Whitey heard each of his steps pound on the old carpet and echo around him.
Britney held her face in a pillow and lay in a ball on the floor. She could almost hear her uncle's breath drive in and out. "Britney?" he asked peeping in through a crack between the door and the wall.
"We need to talk." His voice was tender and gentle but Britney still felt a chill quiver up her spine. She nodded her head lightly as she forced herself to stand. Her hand shook as she reached to open to doorknob. She looked at her uncle and was surprised to see a pink glossy coat over his squinted eyes.
Britney walked back to her bed and sat down with a stuffed dog held up against her chest. Whitey opened his mouth but no words came out. He sighed deeply as he set his hand on Britney's shoulder.
"Brit, I… I'm sorry for yelling at you, but you had no right to go around doing that. They're good kids and… well so are you." Whitey took her small hands and held them tightly. "I don't want you to leave… I love you kid."
Wrapping her arms around him, she laughed and thanked him. "I love you too Uncle Brian." She said as she dug her head into his shoulder. "I promise it won't happen again."
Whitey held her against him and kissed her head. "I know… I know."
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As she walked through the hallways at school the next day, she felt like everyone was staring at her. She felt like yelling at all of them to ask what the hell they were looking at. But she held it back. Brit just tried to ignore them. She wasn't there for them anyway; she was looking for one person. Haley James.
When she found Haley, she tried to come up unnoticed because she feared that if Haley saw her that she would run off. So she approached slowly.
"Haley?" she said putting her hand on Haley's shoulder.
Haley turned briskly. She didn't recognize the voice and it caught her off guard. When she saw Britney's face she tried to walk away but Brit caught her shoulder.
"Just wait a sec." She said in annoyance. She wasn't doing this for Haley but for Nathan. At least that's what she told herself. "I'm sorry if things are… messed up between you Nate because of me. But he's an awesome guy and he's real, real sorry that you're mad at him.
"He just wants you to forgive him. It's my fault and… I'm sorry." Brit tried to make her apology sound as real as it was even though saying 'sorry' was far from being her specialty.
Haley just looked at Brit. She could see how hard this was for her and she respected Brit for apologizing. It was hard for Haley to accept it though, because Nathan had betrayed her. "Thanks." She said lightly.
"Well my job here is down." Brit laughed thinly. "I hope you and Nate get back together." Brit patted Haley's shoulder and began to walk away.
Haley smiled as she watched Brit walk down the crowded hallway. She seemed to glow as she slid between people. Haley couldn't help herself from wondering where she came from and what could have happened to her to make such a beautiful person.
"Wow." Slipped out of her mouth.
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"Lucas!" Brit yelled as she hurried to catch up to him. School had just let out and Lucas didn't have basketball practice that day. Brit jumped onto his back before he got the chance to look back. Brit slid off his back and took his hands in hers.
"I didn't see you today." She said disappointedly. She made that lost puppy dog look and Lucas looked away as he chuckled.
"I had to study. I was in the library practically all day." Lucas smiled and brought Brit into his arms. "But I'm here now."
He smiled and went down to kiss her, but she pulled away. A look of both confusion and disappointment filled his eyes. Brit reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "I promised my uncle I'd be home right after school. Everyday. For a real long time."
Lucas nodded understandingly. "Can I come?" he asked innocently. "Maybe we can study, if you know what I mean."
"I guess we could do that." Brit stood up in front off him then linked her arm through his. "Let's go." She giggled and dragged him behind her.
When they got to Brit's house, they stood out front, gazing into each other's eyes. "You're beautiful you know that?"
Brit smiled and reached up to kiss Lucas. Their lips met and it was like the whole world had stopped for them, for that moment. Everything around them slipped away until the only thing in their world was them. Together.
No one really knows how long they stood outside or how long it was before they let go. But some how they never really did let go of each other.
In a way, they're still holding each other and standing together in that beautiful time where nothing mattered but them.
THE END…
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Please review I'd really like to know what YOU thought.
I've got strength of the soul and no one's gonna bend or break me I can reach any star
-Russell Watson (Faith of the heart)
