Before you read this I have something to say (because I always have something to say.) Thank you to TheKeyofE. She pointed out to me that I'm spelling stalker wrong. I've been spelling it stocker...or something like that...idk... lol. If you run across that just change it mentally in your minds.
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Six came too soon for Kayla’s liking. She was sitting outside her store when she saw Scott pull up. She knew it was him despite the fact that he was driving a much older car… a 1999 Lincoln Town car. He stopped by the curb and walked over to her.
“What is this?” Kayla said pointing at the car. It even had chipped paint.
“It’s my new car. I just bought it” Scott said defensively.
“It’s an old grandma car.” Kayla said. He was trying to hard to impress her…she could see right through him.
Scott shrugged and opened the passenger side door so Kayla could get in, just like a gentleman. He walked around to the driver’s side and started up the car again. It shuttered a little before it seemed to gain grips with the fact that it needed to run.
“What are we going to do?” Kayla asked. She had butterflies swarming in her stomach. She knew that none of her family knew she was going on a date. She had told Coral that she was staying late at the store and she was pretty sure that Scott hadn’t said anything to anyone. She needed this to slip under the radar.
“Picnic.” Scott said as he pointed to something in the backseat. Kayla looked and saw a picnic basket tucked away on the floor.
“But it’s getting dark.” Kayla pointed out. She watched as that obvious fact dawned on Scott. His shoulders slumped and Kayla felt a burst of pride sour through her soul.
“It’s a picnic in the dark.” He finally said. He sat up straighter. Kayla felt a little uncomfortable about that. It wasn’t necessarily dark just yet. Maybe if they hurried they’d be over with it before the sun went down fully.
Kayla tried to control her breathing as she silently looked out the window. She knew what park Scott was driving to. It was the only park for miles around. Bloom Park was one of the nicest parks in the county. It was several acres long and a small brook ran through it. Walking paths crisscrossed the grassy hills and several picnic tables and children’s playgrounds dotted the landscape.
When they finally reached the park Scott dashed around to her side and opened her door. He then gathered up their supplies and headed to a grassy knoll surrounded by several ornamental trees. Kayla was impressed when Scott threw a blanket down on the grass and started to set up a cozy dinner.
“I prepared all this by myself.” He said as if he were aware that Kayla knew he never had prepared a meal in his life.
“I bet it was hard for you to tell the deli clerk to cut you some ham.” Kayla said as she watched him open the bag holding the ham. It had a store label on it. She also spotted the barcode on the side of the picnic basket. He had probably bought it a few hours ago.
Scott ignored her comment and continued setting up the dinner. He set up two plates and all the necessities for a picnic. He surprised her by taking out two long silver candlesticks. He lit the candles and then pulled out two long stem roses and placed one on each plate. It was all very romantic but Kayla squirmed uneasily. She was expecting him to take her to some restaurant… where other people would be around. He had gone through a lot of trouble, just for her.
“I hope you don’t mind that I bought everything from the store. I didn’t get anything catered.” Scott proclaimed as he started to hand some items to Kayla so she could make a sandwich.
“Just the way I like it.” Kayla said lamely. She didn’t know what else to say. He had put some thought into this date and she was, quite frankly, impressed. She moved the rose from her plate and set it beside her on the blanket.
Scott seemed to let out a sigh of relief as he watched Kayla create her dinner. After Kayla was done she waited for Scott to make his sandwich. She looked around the park. She watched as a couple families loaded their kids into their minivans and drove away. A couple was walking through the park holding hands. A young woman was jogging on the path. A few teens were climbing up on the jungle gym and shouting obnoxiously.
“Are you going to eat?” Scott asked. He seemed more uncomfortable than usual but he had his cocky smile plastered on his face…as if he knew he was gorgeous. Kayla wouldn’t give into his charm…no, she would remain her same cold self to him. She took a bite but continued to look everywhere but at the man sitting across from her.
“Aren’t you going to yell at me or something?” Scott asked when the silence had gone on for several minutes.
“I’ve never yelled at you.” Kayla defended herself.
“You’re right, yell is the wrong word. But you usually have a quite a few choice words for me.” Scott said. He seemed to be grasping at anything to start a conversation.
“If I don’t say anything I can eat faster. If I eat faster I can go home sooner.” Kayla said. She knew it was the wrong thing to say on a date but she needed to reinforce that she didn’t want to be on this date.
Scott seemed unfazed by her words and instead smiled. He looked down at the cuff of his pants and brushed off some dirt that had somehow dared to touch him. “Tell me about yourself.” He finally said after he was done examining himself in a small mirror he had packed. He was trying to discreetly look at himself but Kayla could see the mirror in the basket.
“Don’t tell me my mom hasn’t told you all about me.” Kayla dared.
“She’s said very little actually.” Scott offered. Kayla didn’t know how much he really knew. She decided to stick with the basics…things he already knew.
“I have a mom, dad, sister, and brother and I’ve lived in this town my entire life.” Kayla said. Scott didn’t say anything. Instead he picked at his fingernail. Dinner was going very slowly. Neither of them eating much.
“I’m an only child.” He finally said.
“Figures.” Kayla interjected.
“What is that supposed to mean?” He asked.
Kayla rolled her eyes and then studied his eyes. Was he really that arrogant that he didn’t even realize he was that way? “You obviously have everything a normal person can only dream about owning. I can only guess that you come from a wealthy family and you’ve been spoiled your entire life. You’re just used to flaunting you stuff.” Kayla accused.
“If I was flaunting my stuff then I wouldn’t be driving that old grandma car.” Scott said. He laughed a little…he thought he was funny.
Kayla shook her head in frustration. “You said you just bought it. Not very many people in this town can just go out and buy a new car when they feel like it.”
“I bought it so I can fit in.”
“Everything you do has been thought out in advance and meticulously planned. Heaven forbid you do anything spontaneously.” Kayla accused.
“I do not think everything out.” Scott fumed. Even though Kayla knew she had stuck a cord with him he was still keeping his perfect composure.
“No? Why then are you sitting perfectly straight, like a steel rod has been implanted in your back?” Kayla stopped and thrust out the mirror from the picnic basket that Scott had tried so hard to make invisible to her. “Why do you keep checking yourself in this mirror? Is it because you don’t want a hair out of place, a smudge on your face, a piece of food in your teeth? Is it because you’ve trained yourself to look perfect at all times…because that’s the way you think things are supposed to be?” Kayla let out a small puff of air and dropped the mirror onto the blanket. Scott just stared at it.
“I’m not interested in dating anymore Scott, especially guys like you.” Kayla boldly stated. He needed to hear it sooner or later. She watched as Scott picked through his next words.
“I know you have…my personality all figured out. Or at least you think you do. But I’m not the guy you think I am…I just want you to give me a shot because I think I can make you very happy.” He offered.
Kayla cringed. Those were the exact words Todd had said to her. I think I can make you very happy. “My happiness is not dependent on someone else. I’m happy now…alone.”
Scott finally pulled his eyes away from the little mirror that still sat on the blanket between them. He looked Kayla in the eyes, she didn’t look away. Then, as if a little boy had suddenly taken over his body, Scott stood up. “Come here.” He said as he reached for her hands.
“What?” Kayla asked confused.
“Come on.” He said again, this time with a little more urgency in his voice. He gingerly grabbed hold of one of Kayla’s wrists and pulled her up. He walked quickly to the edge of the flat part of the hill and dropped Kayla’s already limp hand. He then did something totally unexpected.
Like a child, he sat down, then lay down, and then rolled down the hill. It looked awkward at first; as if he couldn’t keep his long limbs in perfect form but towards the middle of the hill he seemed to be gliding in perfect motion. Down, down, down he went until he ended up at the bottom of the hill. He sat up looking disoriented. His hair had some leaves in it and it looked as if he’d just gotten out of bed, it stuck out in odd angles. Kayla knew, from experience, that he probably had grass stains on his expensive clothing.
Kayla watched the very odd man sitting at the end of the hill. He then stood and looked up at her and started to laugh. It was a low chuckle at first and then it erupted into something more joyful. Kayla stared in shock and awe and then she giggled…but just a little.
“I’ve never done that before.” Scott yelled up to her. He then jogged up the hill until he had reached her. “Now that…that was spontaneous.” He proclaimed and then he went back over to the blanket and sat down as if nothing had happened. He didn’t bother fix his hair or brush the dirt from his clothing. Instead he tucked the little mirror into his back pocket and started to eat his dinner.
Kayla didn’t know what to think as she numbly made her way back to the picnic blanket. Had he planned that out? Was he doing it just to impress her? His laugh had seemed genuine enough but had he practiced that laugh so he sounded that way? Kayla picked at her sandwich and tired to figure out the man she was sitting across from.
Scott surprised Kayla by pulling out a sliced watermelon halfway through dinner. He opened the bowl and grabbed one out for himself. Kayla almost refused it but then she smelt the sweet aroma and took one for herself.
Scott once again surprised Kayla by spitting out one seed at a time…as far as he could. He turned and smiled at her. “I’ve never done that either.” He said through a mouth full of juice. It was as if he’d opened a new door, turned a new page. He was living his childhood all over again, the childhood he’d never been able to live. Kayla watched as watermelon juice dribbled down his chin. She could tell he was trying hard not to wipe it off.
“You don’t…have to do this.” Kayla finally said as Scott filled his mouth with watermelon and let the juice drip all over his clothes and cover his face around his lips. He was trying too hard to impress her. She didn’t like it…or she pretended not to, even to herself.
Scott took a napkin and wiped his face then bushed off his clothes and ran his fingers through his hair. He shook his head with embarrassment as he dug his mirror from his back pocket and made himself presentable again. He didn’t say anything.
Kayla finished her meal…or at least as much as she could. The sun had begun to set and a cool breeze settled in. “I brought a kite but I’m guessing you’re ready to go.” Scott said. Kayla told him she’d like to go home. And so he took her back to the store so she could get her car.
“I know you didn’t have fun but I did.” Scott said as he followed her back to her car. Their date had lasted one and a half hours. It was now seven thirty.
Kayla turned to him after she unlocked her door. He was standing about three feet away with his hands in his pockets. “I was going to get married once. He never showed up on our wedding day.” Kayla shrugged. “I don’t want to go through that again.”
“I’m not asking you to marry me Kayla. And if I did ever ask…I’d never do that to you. I’ve been hurt too. My fiancé broke off our engagement.” Scott looked uncomfortable telling Kayla this. He shifted from one foot to the other.
Kayla could only guess why his fiancé had left him…she had a feeling she was right. “It could never work out between us…we’re just too different.” Kayla said coldly.
Scott nodded and turned and left. Kayla felt the sting of her words still hovering in the air around her
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Scott left the store before Kayla did. It had taken a lot for her to tell him why she was against dating. But she had shattered what remained of the night by her last words though. Yes, he had made a fool out of himself on their date but he felt that maybe there was a spark between them…a little one. One that, if given time, could be kindled into a great fire. He had felt free as he had rolled down that hill. He had heard Kayla giggle after he had rolled down the hill, even though she had tried to hide it. He liked the brief minutes when he didn’t have to look at himself in the mirror. But Kayla was right, they were too different, and Scott could never live that way. Now as he made his way to his bedroom, after checking that his house was in order, he knew there was nothing he could do to make her like him the way he wanted her to.
Never in his life, besides June, had anyone rejected him in the way that Kayla had. He felt almost the same ache he had felt when the realization that June was never coming back set in. There was nothing left for him to do now except leave her alone. It would probably be best if he went back to his real house. The house he was going to live in during the winter. He’d start packing up tomorrow, if he was lucky he could be out by Sunday.
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So...What do you think? Yes, I'm asking you. I just want to say one thing. Don't you like it when people comment on your story? Do you get frusterated when you no one does? Sometimes I feel this way. If you don't like my stroy...tell me! If you have a suggestion...tell me!! If you love my story...tell me!!! I like detailed suggestions or just a little thought...go ahead and try it, it's not scary. :) You can also suggest that I read your story...and yes, I WILL comment on it. And I'll tell people about it.
So, if your story has no comments or very few reads tell me to read it and I'll tell others. Of course, I don't get a lot of reads either but maybe someone will see you in my stories or in the comments and they'll love your stuff!!! Try it!
QUESTION:
Do you ever dance when no one's looking? :)