Broken Bonds

~Hello~

Della liked these moments. Which was a rarity for her. The moments in between the day. Lunch time for most. For her it was a good time to go hide in the yard and read or draw or something. It was the only time of the day that she doesn't have to be Della Carper, the sad, lonely, ruined girl without any actual life of her own.

Today, she's sketching the tree she's sitting under. It's a tradition of hers. She sketches this tree every season, four times a year, just to see if there are any changes in anything. That's what her life has come to. Watching a tree grow and change. Turns out a tree changes more than anything else in this town. This spring it was bigger and the boughs stretch almost touching the schools tin covered roof.

She was so focused on the contours of the shadows in the bark and the lines of the leaves that she doesn't notice the soft footsteps crushing the grass as they made their way towards her and stop next to her.

"Is this spot taken?"

She startles and drops her sketch pad, she blinks up and stares, unsure if this person was actually willingly talking to her.

"Um - no?" Who was this guy?

He smiles lightly and sits down, leans against the tree too. "Thanks." He pulls out a shiny red apple and bites into it.

She's staring at him. She has never seen him before - never seen anyone with a face like his before - her eyes slide down - there was absolutely no doubt about it. He was stunning. Her fingers itch to pick her sketch pad back up and - just fill it up with his jaw line alone.

"Lunch." He explains, thinking she's staring at his meager apple.

"Oh. Um - not one for food?" She doesn't know why she doesn't just stand up and leave. This is a trick right? It has to be. Nobody sits with the town freak.

Then a small trickle of small hope that maybe this guy wasn't playing a joke or a prank on her, maybe he hasn't heard about her - and the exaggerated story about her lack of sanity.

"I didn't have time to pack one. I just got in." He explains politely.

"Yah? I didn't think I've ever seen you around here, and - everyone sees everyone around here." She shrugs and picks up her pad. Maybe she should stop reading into this.

"Just got in this morning actually. Nice town though, quiet, comfortable." He bites his apple, eyes scanning the empty yard as a soft breeze rustles his pushed back hair that looks soft enough to stuff a pillow with.

Della swallows and tears her eyes away from staring at how the sun casts a stunning green sheen over his eyes. "Why would you willingly come here?" She mutters, not really expecting an answer.

"Like I said. It's quiet. I could use the quiet." He looks at her now and Della decides it's time to go.

"Yah, well - um - welcome to Wikerhaven, where the fun never ends. If you like bible studies and book club meetings anyway. See ya." And she stands, so ready to make a hasty escape.

"Wait."

Like an idiot, she stops.

"Um - I am new here - I don't really know this town; would you mind showing me around?"

This is a trick. It has to be. Nobody this pretty would ever - but maybe he really hasn't heard about her unfortunate past.

Maybe -

No.

"Yah, um - I'm not really one to show you local hang out spots or whatever. There's this girl, Amber - she's the girl for that. You should go ask her." Della smiles, forced and dry, now she just has to make her escape.