Chapter 9 (Constance's POV)

If I was honest I'd have said I hated sunny days. Not always, but right now I did. I hated to think the rest of the world was going about life so happy while I was miserable. But as much as I just wanted to sulk in that thought, I felt a little guilty for thinking it. Mostly I just wanted to go hide somewhere. Somewhere where love would never find me. Where all my emotions were saved for poetry and nothing else. I wasn't sure why I even cared about him that way. Especially considering how much trouble it had cost me. In fact the whole thing was ridiculous. So ridiculous that I'd spent all morning trying to convince myself that I could just forget about the whole thing.

But even though I didn't want to admit it, there was at least one problem with that. I was in love with George Washington. I didn't really know why I was or even if it made sense, but it was true. True as every line I'd ever written about him or the way he made me feel. True as every line I'd destroyed if Kate hadn't stopped me. Now I didn't have the will left to toss my stacks of poetry out the window. Now I was foolishly sentimental enough to want to cling to them. It was like I knew they'd be all I had left after Sticky got around to telling me how he felt. Or should I say how he didn't feel.

"Constance?"

I almost jumped when I heard dad's voice suddenly behind me. But after the shock of being startled faded I just wanted to cringe. I knew it was only a matter of time before he confronted me about what happened at the party. Not to mention how strange I'd been acting ever since. So yes, even I knew I was acting strange, but I also knew it couldn't be helped. I kept my eyes slanted toward the floor as he lowered slowly into an armchair across from me. I held my breath waiting for the inevitable conversation to begin.

"Are you busy dear?"

I just shook my head. The only thing I was busy with was feeling sorry for myself. Glancing up slowly I saw him smile slightly. Then gesturing toward a game board filled with chess pieces he raised his eyebrows. "Chess?"

I just nodded again. I was pretty good at the game it just honestly bored me, but dad really liked it. In fact, he always said he could think clearer if he was playing chess while he thought. Like he could figure out any problem if he played long enough. I wished it would work the same for me, but I got the feeling no board game was going to give me an answer to my problems. I halfheartedly helped him set up the pieces while an awkward silence threatened to smother us all to death.

"White or black?" He asked softly.

I shrugged before turning the board so the black pieces were facing me. Deciding to just get it over with I took the first move and flicked a piece forward. I knew dad would probably take forever on his turn, so I just leaned back into my chair. He stared down at the pieces and studied them for the longest time before he pushed one slowly forward. Leaning up I quickly shoved another one out front. And on it went until out pieces had finally met at the middle of the board. He lost a few but I lost more.

Peering over his glasses at me he smiled slightly. "Do you remember when I first taught you to play Constance?"

I nodded. "Yes, I was bored then too…" I mumbled out honestly before I could think better of it. I didn't want to seem mean. Really I didn't… But instead of taking offense he leaned his head back and laughed. "Quite right my dear. In fact if my memory serves you devoted a whole section verse to your dislike of the game."

I smirked slightly. It was nice to think about how things were back then, it was so much simpler when all I wrote about was… Well was anything besides Sticky… So twice as fast as it had appeared the almost smile vanished and was replaced with a scowl. Dad's face softened but his smile stayed in place. "You know why you never enjoyed the game Constance?"

I just stared over at him. He adjusted his glass frames. "You never were patient enough with the progression of the game." He smiled a little wider. "You always thought you knew how it would all end even at the very beginning of a match. And that my dear can cost you a win. Chess is mostly about knowing the general direction you're headed it, but always being rooted in the moment. Focusing on each individual move. You have to be open to new possibilities, to surprises your opponent may level against you."

"I don't like surprises." I said flatly before I could stop myself. He was getting me talking just like I didn't want to do…

He nodded. "Yes dear I know. And often time when one does not want to live with the unknown possibilities of a surprise, they may choose to believe there really are no uncertainties at all. They may believe they know exactly what is waiting around every turn." He slowly pulled back one of his pieces, a knight. "That sort of thinking can really only lead you in two directions. On the one hand you can be overconfident, certain of victory, or on the other hand, you can be very sure of defeat. Convinced of a negative outcome before the game even begins. And as such you might believe that the match was unfair, seeming as if it was fixed against you even. Or so it was in your mind…"

I felt my shoulders tense as I stared at the board. I didn't need to read his mind to get what he was trying to tell me. Is that why I didn't bother with chess? Because I figured I'd just lose anyway? I wasn't sure, but I knew it didn't really matter, I could care less about chess. But...but I knew he wasn't just talking about a game so… So I couldn't seem to shake the feeling all my negativity was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like I didn't bother because I knew there was no point. No point in being nice to Sticky since he'd never care about me that way anyway. No point in even bothering to hear what he had to say.

I felt like the pressure building in my head might just make it burst. Yesterday I'd cut him off without even listening. Now I got the feeling that if we weren't doomed before we were now. But that was just another negative thought, right? So round and round I went battling with my thoughts. By the time the chess match was over I was exhausted and more than happy to retreat upstairs to my room. Especially considering I'd lost the match…

In fact, negative or not, everything was going just like I thought it would so far. Everything was happening the way I figured… Or at least it was until I reached my bedroom door. Instead of it being just a door like it had always been, it was now a door with a single stem rose fitted by the knob. Still not believing it I slowly pulled the rose out and stared suspiciously at it. There was a little card attached with my name written on the front. It was his handwriting, I knew that for sure…

I was afraid to flip it open but I knew I had to, so frowning with all the courage I could muster I started reading it.

"Roses are red, violets are blue, I need to talk to you."

That was all it said, not even a signature, not that one was needed for me to know who this was from. My legs felt like the filling in a jelly donut but I flung them into action anyway. I raced down stairs doing my best to act casual when I passed Number Two. She was talking to me I think but I didn't bother stopping to find out for sure. I just darted out the front door and ran headlong into someone.

"Whoa, easy Constance." Looking up I saw Milligan's tall frame looking down at me. He had Amy in his arms and for a second both their sets of blue eyes burned into me with a look that was as amused as it was curious. "Sorry…" I mumbled.

Milligan smiled as he bounced Amy gently. "No problem." Then after a second of awkward silence he smiled and tossed me a wink and "secret message" in passing. "Round back I think…"

Before I could ask him if everyone one earth seemed to be able to read exactly what I was thinking I just huffed out a sigh and shuffled into the backyard. Not surprisingly I saw Sticky sitting on a stone bench and nervously twiddling his thumbs. Throwing one last look behind me I couldn't shake the feeling I was being watched, whether by Kate, dad, or the Stonetown press I couldn't be sure. But either way I marched forward putting on my most composed face.

I held out the rose. "Your poem wasn't very original George Washington."

He looked up and I saw his eyes widen before he swallowed and tried to smile. "Sorry about that." Then he frowned a little. "But yours wasn't either."

I let my eyes focus on the ground. "Of all the things that could never be, that Sticky is you and me…" The line I'd said yesterday was haunting me, and mostly I wished I'd never said it. Maybe not because it wasn't true, but because I wished I'd have at least listened to him. That was the only mature adult thing to do. I took in a deep breath and made myself look him in the eyes.

"No, but it was accurate." Then softening my tone I added "wasn't it?" It was subtle but that was his cue, his chance to prove me wrong. Or at least to explain how he felt. I let my silence be the assurance that I'd at least listen this time. No matter what he was going to say...

Nervously adjusting his glasses he stood and took a step closer to me as his face took on a determined look. "I just want you to listen, okay?" He said firmly. I just noded.

Rubbing his temples he looked at the ground and then back at me. "You are special to me Constance…" I felt my whole body cringe, it was the perfect opener for what was probably going to come next. The words I dreaded hearing… But I forced myself to keep looking straight at him.

"I just never thought about us...well like that." And there it was, he'd said it. I felt tears build behind my eyes but I fought them and kept my face as resolute and emotionless as possible.

"Until yesterday anyway…" He added sheepishly as he gave into the old habit and pulled his glasses off and polished them against his shirt. I felt my face contorting into a look of shock, a look of everything I was doing my best to hide. But it was like I didn't have any more control over what my face did. So I just stood there glaring shock through clenched teeth.

"But I've never been in love… I mean not really." He frowned at the ground. "But when I think about you it feels different than anyone else so... " He looked up and met my eyes. "So maybe you're the reason I could never fall in love with anyone else…"

I didn't say anything, I couldn't.

He adjusted his glasses. "I don't know, I'm just not sure yet… But I'd um, I'd like to figure it out. That is if you're willing to give me the chance…?"

Finally snapping back to life I pulled my face into another look of indifference. "Are you asking me to go out with you, George Washington?" I asked deadpan.

He heaved a sigh before nodding. "Yes, I think so…"

"Then I accept." I said formally before holding out my hand for him to shake it as if we had just closed a business deal.

He hesitated for a second before he embraced my gesture and smiled a little awkwardly. Then for a long second or two we both just stood there, his hand still in mine. I thought maybe I should say something. But I didn't get the chance as a bush across the yard suddenly rustled to life. Out came a pair of blue eyes and a blonde ponytail with a few leaves stuck in it.

"Congrats!" Kate yelled as she leaped free of the shrub and raced over to wrap her arms around the both of us.

"You were spying on us?" I asked with a rising twinge of annoyance in my voice. Kate waved her hand dismissively. "Of course not Connie girl! I was actually looking for the toy Amy lost." Then as if to prove it she pulled a ruffled and dirty bunny plush out of her bucket. "But, once I saw what was happening I didn't want to pop out and interrupt the moment. Who knows how long it would have taken you two to just spit it out if I had?!"

By now Sticky's tan skin was looking more red than anything else. I crossed my arms as I stubbornly ignored the heat I felt on my own face. "That was convenient…" I mumbled.

Kate slapped my back playfully. "Yeah actually it was. But you know what they say right, the end justifies the means? Well since I was in that bush anyway, I figured I'd just stick around and make sure you two were honest in the end by any means necessary." Then she shrugged. "But I didn't even need to do anything after all." Then she hugged us again. "I'm so proud of you guys!"

Before I could come up with a glare good enough for this moment Reynie appeared from around the side of the house. "Did you find it?" He asked validating her bunny toy story, to my surprise. She nodded as she cheerfully made one of the bunny's paws wave at Reynie. "Yep we just have to wash it up for Amy."

Reynie came jogging up to us and huffed in a few deep breathes before smiling. "That's good I know it's her favorite and-" He suddenly stopped as he noticed the looks on all our faces. "What is it?"

Kate beamed as she jerked a thumb toward Sticky and me. "Can I introduce you to the future Mr. and Mrs. Wash-"

Jumping in front of Kate and all over her tongue I cut to the chase. "Sticky and me are going to be dating for the time being."

Kate shrugged with a chuckle. "Same difference." I just shot her a glare before looking back at Reynie. His face was wide with shock before it soften into a sincere smile. "Congratulations…" He spoke gently before his grin widened a little and he looked toward Sticky. The both of them smiled at each other as if sharing a secret meaning. It made me wonder if maybe Reynie had something to do with encouraging Sticky...

Either way I felt weak from everything happening so fast. All I really wanted to do was go to my room and muse over poetry until everything I was feeling felt sorted out. Sticky really did feel something for me? Me of all people? But would he ever, could he ever fall in love with me…? I still felt that slimy snake of uncertainty coiling inside my stomach. And I still didn't like surprises. Though I was willing to admit that I at least liked this one...

But any chance to be alone was gone now that Kate was involved. Leaving Amy with Milligan Kate drug the three of us into town to get ice cream. Being in such a great mood meant Kate was twice as energetic as usual and was hardly content to climb trees in the park afterward. Reynie nervously fumbled after her and Sticky and me were left on the ground staring into the sun setting over Stonetown. We'd hardly said anything all afternoon. I wasn't really sure what to say… But when he looked at me, when he smiled I guess I mean…

Well, it made me wonder if I might have been wrong all along.

Wrong about everything...