Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter Three
"Eggs?" my mom asked as she circled the newly cleaned kitchen table, ladling out breakfast. I glanced at the pan held in her hands and my stomach turned at the thought. I smiled graciously and shook my head. This made her frown and look at my plate that held only a piece of toast.
"Amy, you have to eat something." I held up the toast in her face, then took a bite.
"I am." she shook her head, giving up, before plunking a large amount of eggs in front of my dad. I internally cheered, knowing I had only skimmed out of that one.
I knew I had to eat, and I planned on it. I just wasn't hungry and the thought of certain foods made me sick to my stomach. Why force something when it obviously isn't going to work?
"Mom?" Conner spoke up as eggs were placed on his plate. "What are we doing today?"
"Well," she sat down at her own place at the table. She took a bite of a biscuit before speaking again. "Your dad and I have to go into town and run some errands." Conner and I both looked at her in question. She was being super vague by saying 'errands'.
"We're, uh, setting up the arrangement for grandpa's funeral and going to the store and a few other things." She glanced at me quickly and I knew what 'other things' were. They hadn't gotten my birthday present yet, thinking they had time, but it was only a few weeks away and now they would be busy till then with all of Jack's arrangements. Including his will and most likely a sale of some sort for the things not stated and not wanted.
"Oh, well, what about Ollie?" I asked, still mulling over what things we wouldn't keep when I remembered the phone call. I looked up, fast, as I said this and saw my parents looking at me with worry in their eyes. They clearly thought I was about to go into super-depressed-mode and start freaking out like the other night.
"Ty Baldwin," I looked at my mom with a small smile, "not Bry, called last night while everyone was sleeping. I told him to bring Ollie over here today sometime, so someone has to be here and I planned on maybe taking a hike..." I paused. I planned on saying 'to mine and grandpas place', but that seemed to personal to share. "in the woods."
"Can't you wait until he brings him over?" my dad asked, finishing off his breakfast.
"Well, I'd really rather not. I was looking forward to being on my own today," I stopped dramatically before throwing out the clincher I knew would seal the deal. I had to act sad, which wasn't too hard. "to think."
"Oh!" my mom cried in a whisper of shock. I looked around the table and noticed everyone had the same look. I was sad and needed time to think and cry and mourn by myself. They understood. I felt bad deceiving them. I mean, all of that was true but the absolute main reason was so I wouldn't see Ty. It would make everything too real.
"Well, if you must. Conner, your going to be here right?" Conner only nodded. He had taken on a confused look and was staring at me. He was good at reading people and no doubt had figured out that mourning wasn't the only reason behind the hike. I started to blush under his scrutiny and jolted up out of my seat.
"Well, I'm done, so I'm going to go get ready and then leave. I'll see you guys later." I kissed my dads cheek and started up the stairs.
"Amy," I stopped and turned. "Take your cell phone just incase we need to call you for any reason."
" Okay, mom. Love you." I began to climb the stairs again and when I got to the top I walked towards my room. I gathered my bathing suit, a pair of jeans and an american eagle t-shirt, and headed towards the bathroom.
After I took a shower I dressed, pulled on a pair of sneakers, grabbed up a hoodie, a towel, and my cell phone, stuffed them into a handbag, and headed downstairs. Conner was sitting in the living room watching t.v.
"Mom and dad leave already?" he only nodded, totally engrossed in his show. I rolled my eyes and went into the kitchen to make a water bottle for the hike. When I was done I stood in the doorway of the living room again, "Con, I'm leaving." No response. "Conner, I'm leaving." When he still didn't answer me I walked up and palm slapped the back of his head, "I'm leaving, call my cell if you need me."
"Ow, God damn it Amy." he nursed the back of his head like a wounded animal. I slapped it again.
"Don't curse, you're too young." he looked up at me and winced.
"I'm thirteen, I can do whatever I want."
"Not if I tell mom." this was a major threat in my household. My mom had given us both a speech about it the first time I let a swear word slip in front of her. She told us she knew we would at some point, if we weren't already, begin to swear. She just didn't want it in her house, because it isn't 'nice'.
"If you tell mom then I'll tell her about the fact that the other night wasn't the only time you've snuck out before." he smiled at me as my eyes grew wide in astonishment and fear.
"Fine, curse if you want." I poked the back of his head, "See you later, loser. Ty should probably be here soon." It was almost 12:30, he'd want it out of the way, right?
The thought that he may very well be on his way now made me hurry out into the yard. I passed quickly by the barns, promising to myself that I would appreciate them more later, after Ty was gone. I made my way across the pasture and towards the woods, spotting the horse trail not far away. I finally got to it and headed into the woods.
I walked for about thirty minutes before finally finding the spot grandpa and I had adorned ours. It was right off of the main trail, so I knew I wouldn't get lost. I stepped around a tree and saw what I had just begun to hear.
The large stream was steady and calm to my left and then it gradually became rougher as it fell over rocks and such. I ignored most of it and walked towards my favorite part. It was near the end of the stream and acted as a small swimming pool, about the size of three jacuzzi's put together, and was calmer there. It was constantly full from the stream but also constantly flowing out as the stream picked up again.
I sighed and smiled. I had wanted to swim the last time I had come, but grandpa didn't want me swimming with no suit and nothing to dry off with. I had promised that I would swim next time we came, and he had agreed to swimming also. The promise made me close my eyes with the same pain as the night before.
I carefully shed my clothes while fighting back tears. I wanted this to be a happy time, not a sad emotional one. I lightly tipped a toe into the water and smiled. It was almost warm, and felt amazing. I went over to the nearest tree and bent down to pick up my towel, to have it ready.
When I went to stand up I shrieked and jumped approximately five feet in the air as someone spoke behind me.
"Hey." I turned, fast, ready to ward off an attacker. What I saw wasn't what I expected. Standing about ten feet away was a tall guy with dark brown hair that fell messily over his brow. He was dressed in a pair of army shorts and a white wife-beater that clearly outlined his toned body. (My brother has this outfit and I absolutely love it. He wears a shirt over his wife-beater, but I prefer it without.) As my gaze traveled down him I spotted the leash wrapped around his wrist and the dog on the end.
"Ollie!" I smiled brightly as the dog strained against the leash. I scowled, we never put him on a leash. "You can let him go." I tried to sound polite but my voice came out harsh. He didn't seem to notice though and casually flicked the leash off his wrist and Ollie bounded forward. I dropped to my knees on the dirt, and greeted Ollie as he jumped on me and licked my face. After a minute I pushed him off and stood, suddenly noticing my outfit.
I had stripped down to my bikini that didn't leave much to the imagination. Savannah bought it for me for my last birthday because she thought my tasteful one piece was too 'unrevealing for a girl with a body like yours' I'd never worn them and hadn't planned on it until I accidentally grabbed the wrong bathing suit while packing. So now I stood, practically naked, in front of a guy I didn't even know.
"Uh." I looked down my body and noticed as he did also, lingering in certain areas. I glanced down at the towel I had discarded while Ollie bombarded me and internally groaned. It was all dirty where it had dropped on the ground and Ollie had trampled over it. My clothes were past Ty and by the water hole, so I just looked up at him and smiled shyly.
"Hi." I said shyly as he smiled brightly and his eyes traveled to mine. I was surprised at their bright emerald color and blushed.
"Hey, I'm Ty. I think we met a few years ago." he held out his hand to shake mine. As if physical contact weren't a compromising position for me at the moment. I took a deep breath and held out my hand and felt his fingers curl around mine.
"Amy. And to be truthful, I remember you coming over one time but I don't actually remember you at all." I let go of his hand.
"I don't remember you much either, although..." he paused meaningly, "you've definitely changed." I almost hit him. How dare he make a blatant remark about my body and how I've 'changed'.
"Look, if you think you can come at me with those crude remarks, then you better think twice beca..." he stopped me mid-ramble by touching my hair quickly.
"I meant you grew your hair out. It was short last time. Your also taller." he smiled at my surprised expression. I felt bad at making suck a wrong assumption that he was being rude with me. "Although, if you really want to know, you've grown up that way too."
I should have been offended again, but for some reason this remark amused me to great end because I hadn't seen it coming. Without realizing it a burst of surprised laughter escaped me and turned into full fledged hold-your-stomach, burst-a-lung laughter. I vaguely noticed his amused smile and the glint in his eye as I gasped for air. After a few minutes I caught my breath and coughed a few times, then finally stood silent before him. I suddenly crossed my arms in an attempt to cover myself when I realized I had probably just given him some grade-A full frontal boobage.
"Sorry, you surprised me." I dropped my eyes from his, remembering why he had Ollie in the first place.
"No problem." he noticed as I glanced right behind him where my clothes lay in a pile. He swiftly leaned over and picked them up, lightly throwing them to me. "Here."
"Thanks." I slipped on the shirt first, rolling my eyes at how much that helped. I bent forward, glad I'd pulled on my shirt first, and slipped into my jeans, buttoning them while I glanced at him. "Thanks for bringing Ollie over too."
"It's the least I could do." he searched my face, "How are you...and your family?"
"It's hard, but we're doing okay." I looked up at him as I realized something. "Why are you here?"
"Ollie..." he pointed at him, seeming confused at my question.
"No," I corrected myself, "I meant in the woods. I figured you'd drive him over."
"Oh, well Ollie hasn't been for a good walk lately and I felt bad. I only live about a mile through these woods and the trail breaks off into one that leads to my house. So I just figured we'd walk." I just listened and didn't speak as he stopped his explanation. All of the sudden everything was quiet and awkward and I was itching to get away from him. I knew I would let the anger I had just seemed to remember out on him if I didn't get away soon.
"Well, uh, I better go." I picked up my dirty towel and stuck it in my bag, which I then slung over my shoulder, calling Ollie as I did. I made to walk away when he talked.
"Were you going to swim?" I jerked around and stared at him. Needing to get away. "I'll leave if you want me to."
"No," I shook my head almost frantically. "I was going to but it's freezing. I'll come back tomorrow or something." I smacked my self mentally. I'd just told him I might come back, now I couldn't.
"Oh, okay. Well bye." he smiled softly. "It was nice to see you again, and I'm sorry about Jack. He was a good guy." I saw the sadness in his eyes and they threatened to quail my anger, and that in itself angered me. Especially when he looked at me that way.
"Thanks."I answered curtly, startling him. So I took the opening and turned and walked away, calling Ollie as I went. When I was a good distance away I looked back and saw Ty with his foot dipped in the water hole, and a confused look on his face. It was warm.
I know it was really short but I just wanted to get the meeting between Ty and Amy over with. Review please:)