Where We Left Off

Chapter Nine - Where We Learn

            I stop myself. Despite all the worse thoughts going through my head, I can’t even think about what the boy I used to love is hiding from me.

            “There you are.”

            My whole body flinches and before I know it, I’m falling off my tree branch. My whole body scrapes against the bark before I don’t feel anything touching me at all. Then, I hit something hard, but it’s not the ground.

            “Whoa,” Jacoby says as he struggles to find his footing and not drop me at the same time. Once he’s steady, he looks at me with worried eyes. “Are you okay?”

            I can’t find the words to tell him anything, so instead I look at my arms. They’re scratched up from the bark, but will be gone in a day or so.

            “Put me down,” I finally gasp, catching my breath.

            “If I do, can we talk?”

            Knowing what he’s going to do if I say no, I put on a fake smile and tell him yes. As soon as I’m on my feet, I start striding out of the grove and into the fields.

            “Stevie, you said-“

            “I lied,” I reply simply as he starts to catch up to me. “It’s nothing different from what you’ve been doing to me.”

            “Oh, come on,” Jacoby whines, grabbing my arm in attempt to stop me. He spins me around and I wrench myself out of his grasp and fold my arms across my chest. “I never lied to you, Stevie.”

            “So what do you call not telling me about something pretty significant in your life, even when I asked?”

            He’s silent for a while and when he doesn’t show any sign of responding, I stomp off across the grass, blinking away from the tears that sting my eyes.

            “It’s not like you haven’t told me anything, either,” he spits and I stop in my tracks. Without turning around, I hug my side. I’ve been praying that he never pried; that this day would never come. “You just left me, Stevie. You left. And when you came back, you thought everything would be fine and it’s not.”

            “I didn’t tell you why because you wouldn’t understand, Jacoby.” At first I’m not sure if he can hear me, but when I feel his hand on my shoulder, I know he did.

            “You don’t know that.” His voice is still angry but this time it’s quieter. “You never told me, so why should I tell you?”

            “I already know,” I snap. “Lark showed me what you’ve been hiding.”

            The hand he placed is quickly removed and I feel his whole body tense behind me.

            “I wanted to tell you,” I whisper, looking down at my feet. “But I can’t. I just can’t.”

            This time when I walk off, Jacoby doesn’t follow right away. I know he does once I’m far enough away, but he’s just going to his car to drive home. When I walk around the corner of the house, I see it in the driveway. However, it’s not the only car there.

            “Hey Stevie!” Carson calls, his head hanging out of his car window. “Lark wanted me to pick you up. Hop in.”

            I stare at him grinning and decide that it’s probably better than sitting at home. Besides, if Jacoby sees me go off with Carson it will put him over the edge. With no time to tell Grandpa I’m leaving, I mentally remind myself to call him from Lark’s. The second my fingers touch the car door, I see Jacoby come around the side of the house and his step falters.

            I let my expression remain blank as I lower myself into the car. Jacoby stands still, watching as I close it. As soon as I’m buckled in, Carson takes off speeding, leaving Jacoby in the dust.

©

            “So…” I mumble, looking around Caron’s silent house. There’s no one else here, as far as I know. In the familiar country living room, my fingers play with the fabric of one of the couches. “I thought Lark send you to come get me.”

            “She did.” Carson plops onto the couch and I move my hand away.

            “Then where is she?”

            Carson shrugs. “She just told me to get you and that she would be home later.” I roll my eyes. Typical Lark. “Want to watch a movie?”

            Carson picks a movie I’ve never seen before and I settle onto the couch beside him, watching intently. A few minutes go by before he speaks, his words surprising me.

            “So what were you doing with Jacoby, after that night Lark and I showed you what he was hiding?” I feel his eyes on me, but I refuse to look at him.

            “He just keeps showing up and I’ve been avoiding him. But I think I said something this time that will shut him up for a while.”

            Carson grins. “Serves him right.”

            I don’t realize I’m tired until we’re halfway through the movie. Before I can stop myself, my eyes are slowly closing and I’m sinking into the comfortable couch, drifting off to sleep…

            “Oh my god, gross!” someone shrieks.

            My body flinches and my eyes fly open to find Lark standing in front of me, staring down disgustedly. Everything seems fine until I realize she’s kind of lopsided. Confused, I blink a few times and then see that I’m leaning over. Sitting up, I rub the sleep from my eyes and recognize that there’s an arm draped around my shoulders.

            I can’t get out of Carson’s arms fast enough.

            “Carson, you are such a jackass!” Lark yells, throwing her hands in front of her. “Leave poor Stevie alone.”

            Carson looks wide awake and can’t hide the smirk on his lips or the annoyance in his eyes. “She fell asleep. What was I supposed to do?”

            “Oh, I don’t know,” Lark mutters, folding her arms across her chest. “Wake her up!”

            Carson doesn’t respond. Instead, he stays silent as Lark rushes towards me and grabs my arms, yanking me to my feet without warning. Once I’m standing, she loops her arm through mine and starts leading me through her house.

            “Where are we going?” I ask, rubbing my eyes with my free hand. Lark pulls me to the front door and opens it, gesturing to the outdoors. It the small amount of time I was asleep, day has quickly changed to night. The only thing I can see is a red Mini Cooper waiting on the curb, the convertible top down.

            “There’s someone who wants to talk to you.” Lark looks like she’s wincing as she speaks. “The only reason I’m coming is because I think you need backup.”

            “Who is it?” I squint in the darkness as Lark closes the front door behind us. She doesn’t answer my question as we go down the walk, the figure in the driver’s seat becoming clearer and clearer. “Lark?”

            By the time we’re standing in front of the Mini, Lark still hasn’t answered and she doesn’t need to. I can clearly see the person who’s sitting in the car.

            Dove Miller.