Chapter 6

Day two consists of hiking with the Grey's I was planning to take the opportunity to get some landscape shots. However, nothing I was seeing was motivating me to take one. It was probably my mind was locked away at the house and focused on hazel green eyes. Alex decided to stay at home with my dad, the Ms. Taylor, and the kids. I knew she probably stayed so that she didn't have to deal with me. Mia practically begged Alex to come, but she stuck to her guns. She was going to have to hate me. I was walking behind everyone I really wasn't in the mood to talk either. Honestly I just wanted a redo, I wanted to go back to airport and start over. To make sure that my brain is focused on nothing but business and giving the girl shelter for a few months.

"For eight months," I grumbled. I paused and took a picture it just did it to do it. I was at an angle where I could see the water and the sun shining down making the water look like it was shimmering. I moved closer and took another picture. I planned to come back another at sunset, the picture would have a completely different feel.

Just as I started to walk the path again, I noticed Elliot and Kate coming towards me. I thought they were going to past me and go about their business but apparently they had something to say. I stopped and looked at Elliot and then Kate. "What?"

"I wanted to ask the same question, dear old friend of mine," Kate questioned me with her hands on her hips. "I know you can walk faster than you are. You're being extremely anti-social."

"I'm sorry Mrs. T-Grey, but I'm trying to work," I murmured and she frowned at me.

"How long have I known you? You can talk and work, you do it all the time, but you're acting like you're mad at the world. What happened?" I took a deep breath and allowed my Nikon to rest on my chest.

"It's nothing I'd like to share, Kate, thanks for coming back to check on me though." I make an effort to pick up my face and mood. Kate narrowed her eyes at me she was always trying to read people. It was one her annoying characteristics. It would be best if I just snapped out of my funk and played the role. "You two get together I'll take your picture!" I held up my camera and wiggled it in the air. Kate was easily distracted anything that included her getting close to Elliot caused her to go to mush. After a few shots they were kissing in front of me and I quietly continued my hike.

I could see Ana in Christian in the distance. He was holding her hand, he was always holding her hand, and I was normally jealous of his connection to Ana. However this time I was jealous for a whole new reason. Something as simple as taking the hand of someone you love is beautiful. I wanted that. This hike was long and boring. I was quickly realizing I wasn't where I wanted to be. Why was my urge to be around Ally so severe? I decided that this would be a good time to jog, maybe if the hike was a bit more challenging I would be distracted from my thoughts. My jog quickly became a brisk run, within a few minutes I had caught up to Christian, Ana, Ethan, and Mia.

"Hey," Ana called out and I stopped.

"Sup Grey?" I asked and Christian smirked at his wife. I knew he really like when I called her that.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if you got any good pictures." Her face carried the same concern that Kate's did earlier.

"Not really, I'm really not motivated." I mumbled. "It is peaceful out here though." I was grasping for things to say. I really wanted to be honest with Ana, I needed to talk through some of my thoughts with someone. I needed some clarity from someone that wouldn't judge me. Ana usually gave me that support; it would be hard to pry her away from her husband though.

"Yeah, I love it out here. I told Alex, she'd love it too, but she's pissed about something." Mia glared at me. "She wouldn't give me any details."

"I don't know what biting her either … except the obvious." I shrugged.

"The obvious?" Ana asked confused.

"The death of her father, uprooting her life, and being surrounding by a whole bunch of unfamiliar things." I looked down at my feet. I knew that wasn't the real reason, she was pissed at me.

"I know she's been through a lot. I told her yesterday to think of this as an unexpected vacation before she goes back to college." Mia was getting ready to start ramble about something I really didn't care about so I interrupted her.

"What do you mean go back to college? She's gotta finish high school first." I corrected Mia and she scoffed at me.

"Jose', have you talked to the girl at all? She finished high school when she was fifteen. She's a sophomore in college. If you would actually talk to the girl instead of staring at her like she has two heads." Mia rolled her eyes at me and placed her hands on her hips. "She's really smart." I clenched my teeth I was offended and I couldn't think of any way to redeem myself. I wanted to know what she was studying. I wanted her to talk to me like she had Mia, I was jealous of Mia and mad at myself by being overwhelmed with her looks that I wasn't really taking the time to get to know her. Who knows maybe if we talked more I would realize that she wasn't what I wanted in a woman.

"You shouldn't stick your nose into things that aren't you business Miss Mia," I spoke at a whisper.

"It's kind of obvious, everybody has noticed your attachment to her." I looked to the others who gave me a sympathetic nod.

"Well it's not what you think, I am an artist … I am affected by beauty. The girl is beautiful and muse worthy, but I'm not … I don't want her." I lied. "Are we going to finish the walk?"

"This is pretty much the end; it's time to head back." Christian said before we all started back down the trail.

When we got back to the house the first thing I see is Gail and Ally in the kitchen. Ally's hair was all balled up on top of her head, she was wearing a black apron and looked very … domestic. She was stirring something and laughing with Gail. She seemed slightly alarmed when we all returned.

"Something smells delicious?" Ethan commented as he plopped down and picked up his niece who was coloring in the living room.

"Miss Fuentes was showing me how she makes her melting brownies." Gail offered. "They should be done in about ten minutes."

"And I made dirt for the kids," Ally added, "I like cooking it's so relaxing."

"Yes chocolate is exactly what we need after hiking," Mia nudged Ally.

"Yeah that and Sangria, trust me wine and chocolate can be very delicious together." Both girls giggled.

"What do you know about wine?" I asked playfully and every bit of happiness drained from her face.

"We need to talk." She glared at me and Mia tried to stifle her smirk. Ally stepped from around the island in the kitchen and pulled me towards the sliding doors that led to the patio.

"Ally, you promised you teach how to make your Sangria!" Mia whined.

"I won't be long it only take a few minutes to make. I'll be right back." She looked at me again, "come on." She took a seat and I followed suit. We were silent together for a few seconds and she picked at her fingers.

"I talked to your father earlier, I know you wanted me to stay with you, but I want to live with your father." She murmured, she continued to focus on her fingers and then began to bite at her thumb nail.

"I wanted you to be able to go to a better school, but Mia informed me that you have finished high school." I was trying to a little information out of her but all she offered me was a nod. "And that you are going to college." I narrowed my eyes at her. She looked at me and smiled slightly.

"You act as though I've shared secrets with her. If you'd asked me I would have told you too, all you seemed interested in is taking my picture. I'm more than just a face." She scoffed and then chuckled a little.

"I know." Well, I was certainly learning anyway.

"Do you? I was fat the last time you saw me. I was fat through elementary school, my dad put me in gymnastics and I lost weight. I switched from gymnastics to dance, and middle school and high school people started treating me differently … all because of the way I looked. I don't like being treated differently and I don't like getting my picture taken." She snapped.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. It never dawned on me that she wouldn't like it. I just assumed that all girl's liked being photographed.

"It's not your fault, I didn't tell you. I also wanted to apologize for … yesterday. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I have no clue what came over me." She giggled off her embarrassment.

"You couldn't help it … you see … I have this face that drives women crazy!" I teased and she laughed harder. I loved seeing her beautiful hazel eyes bright and happy.

"Yeah, it's a pretty decent face I suppose," she said as she examined me, "except your eyes are too close together." I gasped and she stuck her tongue out at me and I did the same. "I better go back in before Mia looks for me. She thinks I'm her doll baby or something." She shrugged, stood up, and then stretched.

"Hey Al, I want you to come live with me. I just think you'll like it better." I was being honest. My loft was way more comfortable than my dad's house and she'd have more privacy.

"Will I now?" She propositioned me with her hands on her hips. The site of her this way made my mouth go dry. This was not a very sound decision on my part.

"Yeah, just think about it." She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Josie, you know I'm thinking you might have a touch of the bipolar. Yesterday you were all stay away from me and don't touch me, now you want me to move in." She sighed and shook her head. "I'll think on it." She mumbled loco as she entered the house again. I leaned against the rail and looked over the terrain, the sun was bright and the rise and fall of the mountains made shadows that created new dimensions to the land, it was beautiful, I took a picture.

"That's going to be a good one." I couldn't help but smile to myself. Just talking to that girl had made my whole mood shift. What was happening to me? Or would I have enough power to stop it or at the very least postponed it for eight more months?