The Summer I Met Her (GirlxGirl)

12- Lean on Me

My eyes bulged. "Are you serious?"

She smiled a little at me. "It just comes with the job. I've had to do a lot of things nobody necessarily wants to do."

"Like...?" I pressed, raising my eyebrows with intrigue.

I was met with a tired shrug. "It's hard labor so sometimes I'm sore. I had to chase after Phantom last month when he got spooked by some stupid stray cat. And just yesterday I was guarding chickens from coyotes all night."

"So you were gonna, like... shoot one if you had to?" I recalled warily.

"Yes..?" She nodded like it was a stupid question. "I don't know how else you'd expect me to do it." She chuckled.

"Wait, have you killed... things before? Like not bugs?"

She pressed a sheepish smile. "You're not gonna like the answer."

"Oooh." Eager for details, I waited for her to continue but she didn't. I assumed she thought I was too innocent for the truth. I wanted to prove I wasn't a baby, so I prodded further. "Like what...?"

"Well." She began, letting a beat of thoughtful silence pass by between us. "Coyotes, cows, chickens.... whatever."

I cringed. "And it doesn't bother you?"

She shook her head without a qualm.

"I'd cry." I laughed. "Like uncontrollably."

"Good thing you're you and not me." She looked about ready to get up. I had to think of something to say, fast.

"Thanks for mowing our lawn for me." I blurted.

That got her attention. She blinked at me, eyebrows twitching downward. "How did you-?"

"My dad said he didn't do it, he thought it was me when he got home. There was only one other person who knew I had to mow. The obvious answer was you."

She smirked. "You got me."

"I can't believe you did that." I shook my head in disbelief.

She shrugged. "Well, I figured you'd be tired from work, and I just wanted to do you a favor."

I pressed a smile full of compassion and guilt. "You're too sweet to me. After all that, you must be so exhausted right now. I might just send you home."

"No no, I'm already here." She said as she got to her feet. "And I think you've stalled long enough. Show me the damn car I wanna get this thing started." Jay said, inching toward the garage.

She saw right through me. "Fine," I groaned, standing up as well. "I'm just worried, okay? You don't look like yourself." I said a little kinder.

Jaycee dropped her eyes, hooking her thumbs through her belt loops. She shuffled back to where I still stood. "I'm fine," she said slowly and carefully with a hint of a smile, running her hands down my arms. "You don't need to worry about me." She shook her head as she talked.

I frowned as I stared her in the face. She didn't look any better up close. I watched a droplet of sweat run down her forehead and temple, getting caught at her jawline until it fell off her face. The wind stirred and birds sang as she waited for me to say something in reply. Finally I did. "Okay." I barely nodded. "I trust you."

"Good." She nodded once with a smile that showed me her off-white teeth. "Now will you please take me to your car?" She asked politely yet intensely.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Yes. Let's go."

We had plugged in one of those wiry, cage-like outdoor fans about an hour ago. The temperature in the garage wasn't much better, but at least we had a fan and shade.