Wonderlust

Think Of It as a Surprise

It must have been about mid-afternoon when I finally saw Dylan again.

I hadn't moved for a few hours and I was probably dehydrated from crying. The dried tears on my face made me feel dirty. I figured I might just lay there until I wasted away or something. Then Dylan appeared, panting and scrambling his way up the hill to this spot. His blue hair was brighter in the sunlight.

"Are you all right?" He demanded. "I just got back to the school and heard everything, and then I couldn't find you and I got worried."

I blinked for a second, then croaked something unintelligible out before I regained control of my voice box. "Yeah... I'm better now. I just don't know what to do."

Dylan sat down beside me, and glanced around at the giant pink rocks. "You didn't do this, did you?"

I shook my head. "I'm scared it might have been my sister. She kinda... yelled at me this morning."

His eyes widened. "Did she hurt you?"

I nodded again, looking down at my feet. "She uh... I mean there's a fairly large bruise on one of ribs."

"Atticus please tell me you aren't binding."

"No, I don't have a binder anyway." I admitted.

He looked relieved. "Thank God. No offense but you seem like just the kind of person who would bind anyway."

"None taken." Because he was absolutely right.

"Also screw your sister, you stay with me for the rest of the day and I'll personally punch anyone's skull in who tries to hurt you." He promised. "Have you had lunch? You seem pretty out of it."

"No... I am hungry." I admitted.

He plopped down his backpack and started pulling out his lunch and splitting it between us. "Here. Nourish yourself."

I took half of his sandwich gratefully and munched on it while he began to talk again.

"Okay so the reason I wasn't at school today. I have an idea. A proposition. I was going to wait a little bit to tell you this but I think now might be the time." He started.

I stared at his face, he had a tight hold on my attention for the time being.

"And I can't tell you right now. Think of it as a surprise. Wait until tonight, I'll find you and explain everything." He promised.

I frowned at him. "Okay..."

"Trust me." He promised. "In the meantime, all you have to do is make it through today and I promise you it'll all pay off."

"Okay." I nodded.

"You're down?" Dylan tilted his head, a smile spread ever so slightly over his face.

Just the sight of him made me feel a little better. "Well I don't really know what is it, but sure."

Then he let a full on grin explode on his face and gave a cheeky two thumbs up. "Stellar! I'll see you tonight."

It was about three o'clock now and I had officially skipped most of my classes. Both of us stood up and started down the mountain. Dylan was really jittery for the most part.

"Are you going to be okay if I let you go home alone? I would come but I've got to put a few more things together for said 'surprise'." He asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his amber eyes.

"I think if I lock myself in my room and make sure I'm not alone with Janet I'll be okay." I assured.

"Okay." He nodded to himself. "Stay safe for me will you?"