You Are My Sunshine

PART 9

The sun had set around the group, Abigail and Jake still sitting on the porch swing. The brothers had been reminiscing their younger years, Abigail pleased to not have to speak much. Sam had disappeared into the house a few minutes prior. She turned her ears to the sounds of the animals around. Frogs, crickets, and in the distance, a coyote howling. They were more in the country than she had ever been before, and it was quite relaxing after a stressful week to decompress by watching the lightning bugs fly by.

"Abigail?" Jake said.

"Yeah?" She replied quickly, snapping out of her state.

"Would you like to go in? It's getting dark, it will get cold soon." Jake asked.

"Oh. Yeah." She answered.

Jake stood, taking Abigail's hand in his, leading her through the front door. The living room that she walked into was warm, but not hot. The white-hued light pouring from the industrial-styled lamp in the corner filled the room. She noticed Josh already sitting on the forest green sectional, another drink in his hand. He was sitting next to another guy with long black hair. "Danny." Abigail said. "I'm guessing you're Danny."

"The one and only!" Danny said, excitedly, pulling Abigail into a hug. "I've heard lots about you."

"Oh, really?" She asked.

"Jake doesn't shut up about you." He said.

Jake punched Danny's arm. "You guys are trying so hard to embarrass me."

"I'm not trying to embarrass you. You'll do that yourself." Sam chimed in as he entered the living room, two drinks in his hands.

Sam handed Jake the drinks, headed back to what Abigail could assume was the kitchen, and brought back two more for himself and Danny. Sam lifted his leg over the back of the sectional, not bothering to walk around to find a seat. Jake handed Abigail one of the drinks.

"What is it?" She whispered.

"Probably just vodka with whatever mixer he could find." Jake said, taking a sip. "Sprite."

Abigail took a sip and tried not to make a face. It had been a long time since she had consumed an alcoholic beverage, probably her freshman year.

"Too strong?" Josh asked.

"No, just not used to it." Abigail laughed.

The group laughed. She smiled.

"I don't want to say get used to it, but..." Josh laughed some more.

"If you don't want to drink, we won't force you." Jake said, leading her to the sofa.

"It's not that I don't want to. I just haven't drank in a while. Two or three years." She laughed. "Freshman year was wild."

The pair sat down, Jake on the end seat, Abigail next to him. He crossed one leg over the other as his right arm went around Abigail's shoulder. Abigail leaned into Jake's side as she sighed. She took another glance around the room. There was a baby grand in the corner, two guitars next to it. On the walls were pictures of the boys and their sister as they grew up. She smiled as she saw a picture of middle-school-aged Jake and Josh. She could only imagine what kind of a hellion Jake was.

"Tell us about you, Abigail." Sam said.

"There's not much to tell." She said, flatly. "All I ever do is go to school."

"Well, what's that like?" Danny asked.

"It's different from high school, for sure. Responsibility to go to class because professors don't necessarily care if you show up to class or not. Feeding yourself. Studying. It gets boring." She laughed.

"Sounds like hell." Sam laughed.

"It is." Abigail joined in on the laughter.

Abigail noticed that Jake was playing with her hair on her shoulder. She considered moving all of her hair to that side so he would know that she enjoyed it.

After a while of conversation and laughter, Jake leaned into Abigail and whispered "Want to go on a walk?"

She nodded. She would like some alone time with Jake. They both stood up, and Jake led her out the door. They walked down the stairs and into an old, worn-in path. "This path has been used before." She said, watching her steps as they carefully followed the dirt trail.

Jake swung their hands as they were clasped, making their walk a little more giddy than it was the minute before. They walked in silence until they reached an old tree. Up in the old tree was a treehouse. "My clubhouse." Jake laughed. "Wanna go in? It's safe."

Abigail nodded. Jake started climbing the wooden ladder that was nailed onto the side of the tree.

"Jake." Abigail said.

"Yeah?" Jake said, pausing his ascent.

"I'm not sure I can go in there." She said.

"The ladder is safe. I just redid it in May." Jake assured her.

"Oh no, I trust the ladder. It just says 'no girls allowed' on the door." She laughed.

Jake laughed and continued to climb the tree. Abigail followed suit. Jake pushed open the door to the small room in the tree. The room was everything a thirteen-year-old boy could dream of. It had two bean bag chairs, a lantern, blankets, and a small desk.

"This is where I lived my angsty years." Jake laughed.

"I would live here now." Abigail poked.

They both sat on a bean bag chair. Jake smiled at Abigail. He stared for a minute before breaking the common silence. "I don't know what to call you."

"You can call me Abby." She said.

"I mean, like...us." He said nervously.

"Oh." She mumbled.

The treehouse was silent for another moment before Jake broke the silence again. "Can I call you my girlfriend?"

"Yeah." She smiled.

The wind started to blow at that moment, pushing a chill through Abigail's spine. Jake stood up and moved his bean bag chair closer to hers and covered the both of them up with the nearby blanket. Abigail rested her head on his shoulder as he pulled her close to him. "You're so warm." She said, smiling.

Jake jumped up as he heard a familiar sound. He looked out the door. "Shit."

"What?" Abigail asked.

He opened the door wider so that she could see. Abigail laughed as she saw the downpour of rain from the open door.

"We can run or we can stick it out." Jake laughed. "Running would get us drenched, and waiting it out might be until the morning."

"We should run." Abigail said. "It's too damn cold."

Jake nodded. He dug through a small basket beside the desk and pulled out a small umbrella. "It's not much, but it will help while you're getting down."

"What about you?" She asked.

"I have dry clothes here." He stated, "And we've been drinking so we can't drive you home."

Abigail nodded. Jake opened the umbrella as she started to climb down the stairs. The rain was cold against her skin, the umbrella only catching the rain from hitting her hair. Lightning struck as she took the next step and she visibly was startled. Jake started to climb down himself, holding the umbrella in his hand as he went.

As Abigail's feet touched the ground, a bright light shined onto the tree. "Thank you." Jake mumbled.

"COME ON!" Josh yelled from what looked like a Jeep.

Jake and Abigail ran to the passenger side. Jake lifted her into the truck and climbed in himself. "Thanks Josh." Jake said to his brother.

"I wouldn't want to be stuck out there all night." Josh said, circling the tree.

Josh drove them back to the house. They all ran inside. Sam waited for them at the door with towels.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Should've checked the weather." Sam said to Jake.