A/N: I'm trying to improve my writing, so please let me know if it's improved or if it's worse. It would meant the world to me! :)
I tried to make little noise as I crept up the stairs after Mr. Sage let me inside. He was already drinking his first cup of coffee of the morning when I arrived. This wasn't the first time I've come to this house at tne till six in the morning. Countless times I've gone fishing with Mr. Sage, only now I was asking for her daughter instead of him. Jim didn't seem to mind though, he only nodded towards the stairs and warned me how hard it will be to wake Annabelle up.
I thanked him before heading towards the stairs and trying my best to creep up the squeaking starcase unheard. Everyone else was asleep still, and I wanted it to stay that way. I knew it was selfish, but I didn't want to wake anyone. Especially Joel ---- Though he may be the youngest of the guys, he's the most protective over his little sister. I just knew if he found out, he would invite himself and make sure I didn't try anything. Not that anything will happen... Unless Annabelle wants me to.
No, I shook my head, clearing those thoughts away just as fast as they'd come, nothing will happen. It's only fishing, nothing more.
Though I knew that wasn't the end, I went straight to Annabelle's room. I noticed immediately Annabelle was the bed hog out of these two friends. Poor Hazel was already on the far edge of the bed and was continuing to be pushed by her friend. The covers were tangled around Annabelle's legs, a sign she doesn't hold still in her sleep. This sight made me chuckle.
She's so adorable. Even in her sleep she's not like any other girl.
I shook my head, still smiling, and continued on, walking to the side of her bed. "Pst, Annabelle... Annabelle..." I nudged her shoulder, making her eyes flicker a bit behind their lids.
Less than a minute of this and she was awake. Her eyes didn't open, but she groaned, "What do you waaaaant?!" Annabelle quickly pulled the sheet, wrapped several times around her leg, over her head.
"Well, I'd like to go fishing with my best friend," I whispered into her ear.
The small sliver of her face I could see, uncovered by the sheet, a smile crept over her face. The sheet slowly retreated and we were both smiling at each other. "What time is it?" She asked after a moment of this.
"Almost six in the morning."
"Too early." She pouted, making my heart swell.
"I have to go this early. The fish are eating breakfast at this hour."
Annabelle rolled onto her back with another groan and rubbed her eyes with the palms of her small hands. I imagined how they well they would fit inside mine. My hands are probably huge compaired to hers. "What's for breakfast?" Her melodic voice asked.
Kneeling bedife her bed on the floor, I raised a bucket of worms I had been holding. Annabelle glanced at it and grimaced, "Poor worms."
That's Annabelle for you. She doesn't think 'ew', she thinks about the safety of the worms. I chuckled and set them back down, "You should get ready." I whispered. "Before the fish decide against the worms too."
Annabelle nodded and rolled out of bed, her feet smacking against the wood floors I remember installing with her dad years ago. In her shorts and tank top, I could see her body move under her skin; something like a tigeress. There was something about her that made me stop and take in her beauty every time I saw her. I bet she could wear a potato sack and still look like a Hollywood model.
I grinned as I stood up, watching her close the door of the bathroom behind her, then walked back downstairs to wait for her. Mr. Sage was drinking his second cup of coffee when I sat down. "I'm surprised," He admitted. "I thought the sun would be in the middle of the sky by the time you woke her up." We both chuckled and sat there. I joined in on his third cup of coffee and continued to wait for Annabelle.
When she finally came downstairs, I was shocked by her automatic happiness. Expecting her to be groaning still and saying how it's too early, I hadn't expected this bouncy, happy, giggling girl. "Morning!" She said to her dad. He smiled and nodded, returning the greeting.
"We ready to go?" She asked. I put my cup in the sink then led her outside by the small of her back, "Yes we are." I replied.
"Have fun, kids." Mr. Sage called after us.
Annabelle and I got inside my truck, riding out to the lake. The drive over was quiet, but in a comfortable way. Annabelle had her feet up on the dash, her toes lightly touching the glass, leaving small prints. It made me smile, which I tried to hide by looking towards the left of the road. Annabelle wasn't paying much attention to me anyway, she had one hand out the window and let the wind twirl her fingers around, making herself giggle.
"I'm so glad I came back." She said. Her voice sounded fresh after so long of silence.
A wide smile spread across my face and I didn't dare try to hide it. "I am too." I confessed. Truth is, I was more than glad she came home. The short hours we've spent together have been the best of my life. Something about Annabelle brought a special happiness out of me. Like I had a jar of emotion in the back of my mind, only to be released when I was around her. My special Annabelle jar.
I turned the truck towards a small path in front of some woods. There, we parked, and continued on foot, carrying fishing supplies and a lunch box for the two of us for about half a mile. We talked lightly about how our last years of school went. I found out Annabelle hadn't really dated, and so I admitted I didn't really either. When Annabelle left, I didn't find interest in anyone else, not even in high school. Annabelle told me about how she met Hazel; a terrible science project gone wrong. The paper volcano she had made exploded chocolate everywhere ---- "I thought the chocolate would make it more interesting," She had said. "But it turns out volcano's don't like chocolate." ---- and had gotten all over Hazel's new dress she had gotten that day.
We laughed and continued to talk, swaying every now and again and bumping lightly into each other. The feel of her skin on mine when our arms touched made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I tried not to show it, but I expect she saw my eyes widen every time she touched my arm when I made a joke. Maybe it was just my imagination?
When we reached the end of the woods and the sand of the river bank, we sat down the things and set up our fishing rods. I brought the smallest of mine I could find, not wanting to overhwelm her the first time we went fishing. Still, it was too long for her. Annabelle didn't complain though, whenever the line caught on the trees. She only laughed and stood on the picnic table to let it down again.
I watched her with amusement as she stood in ther water, knee deep, looking out at the water. "This is so beautiful." She smiled. "I'm glad I came."
I moved closer to her, wanting so bad to rest my arm around her waist as we stood there, but instead settled for being one step closer to her. "Me too. It gets lonely out here in the mornings; I'm happy to have a friend out here." I winked at her, making her giggle lightly.
Annabelle reeled in her line a little, then let it go, then back again ---- fiddling with her fishing rod, trying to understand everything about it. I thought for a moment she might just be doing this not to look at me. When she looked up and smiled at me though, all my thoughts vanished. I didn't even notice my line began to tug. And by the feel of it, it was a big one. Instead of reeling it in right away, I smiled back at Annabelle. I remembered a time when I was confused. I wondered why I missed her so much more than Michael, Billy B., or any of ther brothers. Well, maybe not more, but in a different way. I remembered wanting to hold her, but didn't know what that could have meant. After having a dream about her coming home and kissing me, I knew what it was, and ever since I've felt the same about her. It's never changed. It's never faded.
Annabelle finally noticed my line being tugged violently now, her eyes widened as she nodded to it. "I think you caught something!"
I blinked a couple times before realizing what she had said. Quickly, I reeled in as fast as I could. Within moments, I was holding a fish the length of my shin and as wide as a loaf of bread. "Wow!" She squealed. "That thing is huge!"
"Not really, I've caught much bigger fish around here. He'll be good for dinner though." I shrugged, taking him back to the cooler I had ready for any fish we caught. After re-baiting my hook, I went back to the river, standing a bit closer to Annabelle. Now we were only inches apart, and I could feel her body heat radiating towards me. I could smell her hair; strawberries, from what I could tell, with the faint smell of sweet sweat from the outdoors. Even in the mornings it's hot out here during the summer.
"I'm not going to catch anything." Annabelle sighed, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I might as well give up."
She was in the process of reeling in her line, getting ready to set it down and go sit at the table, before I placed one hands on hers. I was right; my one hands covered both of her hands, making me feel like a giant compaired to her. "Don't go, just be patient. Sometimes they take a while." I said.
Annabelle stood there for a moment before shrugging, taking in my words, and let out her line again. Not five seconds later did it tug. "I think I got something!" Her voice was so full of happiness, it made me grin.
"Well, reel it in, Beaver!"
Annabelle furiously spun her line in, reeling in faster than I've seen anyone go. Judging by the ease, I knew it wasn't a big fish. I was right too, when she finally got the line close enough for the fish to life out of the water, it looked no bigger than a pet goldfish.
Annabelle's frown made me giggle, then chuckle, then full out roar with laughter. She laughed nervously before frowning again, "He's not very impressive."
I shook my head and took her line, gently taking the fish off of the hook. "He'll be a little hor dourve, if you will." I carried the small fish to the cooler, where I laid him next to the fish I caught. Suddenly my fish looked like Megalodon.
When I returned Annabelle was smiling, "Thanks."
"For what?"
She shrugged sheepishly, making the corners of my mouth turn up. "For everything. For bringing me out here. For being a friend." She looked down, obviously something was bothering her. I didn't have to ask what, since she lifted her head after a moment. "I remember the month before I left. I wasn't a very good friend to you. To anyone." She added, staring out at the water with a hard look on her face. Her throat moved before she continued. "Yet you're still my friend. My best friend... Maybe..." She trailed off after a second, looking back down at the water around her legs.
"Maybe what?" I pressed.
She shook her head, "Nothing, it's dumb." A nervouse laugh left her mouth, only proving further that was a lie.
Not bothering with reeling in my line ---- though I knew it'd get tangled viciously ---- , not caring if I was missing the biggest fish in the history, or whether I would lose my rod entirely; I sat it down in the water, letting it disappear, and stepped towards Annabelle. Her breath caught as I snaked one arm around her waist and traced my fingers over her cheek bone with my other hand. I heard a splash as she dropped her own rod into the water and raised her hands to my lower back. I closed the gap between us for the first time, kissing her lips tenderly.
For so long I've wanted to do this, but I didn't know it'd feel this good, this right. We were the best of friends, and we knew pretty much everything about each other. Old friends and romance go hand in hand. I kissed her deeper, putting both my arms around her and squeezing her small body closer to mine. If someone we to look at us from across the water, it'd look like one person was standing here, not two.
Annabelle's hands raised up to my neck and pulled me in closer to the kiss, never once leaving my lips. If I knew it would feel this amazing, I would have kissed her long ago. The day she left, perhaps. But a part of me knew it was well worth the wait, and I was right for not kissing her then. A woman like Annabelle is worth waiting for.
Slowly, we parted, both panting, but never once loosening our grip on each other. She stared deep into my brown eyes with her blue ones, as if looking for an answer of how this moment came to be. No matter that answer, I was glad it did. Then, a smile took over her face, making me smile as well. I leaned down and kissed her once more before we gathered our fishing rods ---- thankfully they didn't go too far ---- and went back to the truck to eat lunch, then I took her home.