Chapter Seven
Jay
Cali read something on her phone and suddenly said she had to go. She was up to something and so I decided to follow her. She was still a complete mystery that I wanted to figure out. She acted all tough, but I could tell there was something underneath her hard exterior. I could see it when I looked into her eyes. For the slightest moment this afternoon when were laughing about me being a criminal, I saw it. I saw her eyes change with a different look in them, but they quickly went back to being guarded.
I already was able to tell she had some walls built up.
I threw on sweatpants and a sweatshirt and ran out of the house. In the distance I could see her riding off on a horse. I ran into the barn and saw a horse all ready to go. She must have done that. She was really sneaky, but confusing.
I got on the horse and tried to remember which way she had been heading. I rode for a little while in the darkness, before I saw a light a little ways ahead. I slowed the horse and heard laughing. I got close enough to see Cali and Preston sitting in front of a fire, underneath a huge oak tree.
I got off the horse and let it walk around. I walked up behind them and they just kept talking and laughing.
"So this is what you kids do? Sneak off in the middle of the night?" I said, gaining their attention and cutting of their laughter.
"It's only 9:30..." Preston replied.
"Smart-ass." I said as I sat down across from them.
"So I see you were following me," Cali said, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I see you wanted me to." Her smirk went away instantly and she looked up at the sky.
"What are you even doing here?" I asked Preston.
"I found this old, abandoned fire pit the other day just sitting here. We must have used it when we were younger. I bought some marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers to make s'mores. You want one?" He asked, handing me a marshmallow on a stick. I shook my head. I never liked s'mores. It silent for a moment, before Cali stood up and said
"I can't see anything."
I didn't know what that meant. But then, she grabbed a low hanging branch and pulled herself up. She did it perfectly. Like she had been doing it her whole life. It was mesmerizing.
"She loves stars for some reason. She's like obsessed. She's always climbing trees to look at them. I think she's crazy," Preston explained, seeing the confusion on my face.
She loved stars. That was the first thing I knew about her. I nodded my head and stood up. I grabbed the same branch and started climbing just like she had. I wasn't surprised Preston didn't come. He was always afraid of heights.
I got up to the top branch and saw her sitting there, staring up through an opening in the leaves. I sat next to her and looked up too. I had never seen so many stars in my life. I used to love looking at them when I was younger around the farm, but I had never seen this many. We sat in silence for a while.
"I had never seen the stars before I came here," she whispered. I wasn't even sure I had heard her correctly.
I turned to look at her, but she stayed focused on the sky.
"I guess I just never thought to look up at the sky when I was younger. My first night out here, I was walking around and saw the sky. I fell in love and now I'm obessed," she continued with a light laugh.
I nodded even though she couldn't see it. We sat there for another few minutes before she turned towards me. But she never made eye contact. She looked at my face as if she was reading it, but I never met her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes.
"There. Now you know something about me. Goodnight." And just like that, she was gone. She was out of the tree and on the horse in just a few seconds. She was absolutely crazy.
I sat up on the branch for a few minutes more before climbing down. Preston was sitting there roasting a marshmallow while looking off in the direction Cali left in. He turned back to face when he heard the sticks crunch under my feet.
I took a seat in the grass across from him and watched until Cali vanished from sight. I pulled my knees up and rested my arms on them.
"How is she not yours yet?" I asked with a laugh as he turned his attention back to the marshmallow.
"It's not like that. We're to close and she's like a sister to me. She's become my best friend," he said with a small smile on his face. I nodded my head and smiled back. I guess their relationship made more sense now.
It was quiet for a few minutes before I asked the one question on my mind.
"She ever really smile?" I asked Preston as I picked a piece of grass next to me.
"Yeah. I've seen it once or twice," he replied in the same quiet voice I used.
"She ever look happy?"
"Not really." He was quiet for a little while. "But you get used to the fake smiles. She's tough and doesn't want to look weak. So she doesn't smile or let herself be happy. It kills me."
I could hear the emotion in his voice. He really cared for Cali. And hearing what he just said, hurt. Even though I had just met her, I already care about her. I want to see her smile.
"What's her smile like?" Preston looked from me back to fire. The corners of his mouth lifted and the fire reflected off his eyes.
"It's beautiful."
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I woke up the next morning, got dressed and walked down to the barn. My grandpa had to drive to Houston to take of something. Houston was about four hours away, so he would be gone all day. He said he had nothing for us to do, so I figured I would see what Cali was doing.
I had fallen asleep last night with Preston's words in my head. She doesn't look happy because she doesn't want to look weak. And he said her smile was beautiful. I was now determined to get Cali to smile.
I got down to the barn and Cali came walking out. She was wearing a pair of pink shorts, a tank top and flip flops. Her toe was still wrapped in a band-aid. Her hair was down and framed her face as it was draped over her shoulders. I just wanted to run my hands through her soft looking hair.
"Hey Miss Clumsy. How's your foot today?" I asked once she was close enough.
She stopped in front of me and tilted her head up to look at me.
"She's fine. And about ready to punch you in the face."
Wow. Okay then. She really did not like me. I took a few steps back just in case she really did punch me.
"Okay...what are you doing today?"
She began walking again and brushed right past me.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because...I'll be your best friend." She stopped and turned around to face. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at me again. A smile was tugging at her lips but she didn't give in. Dammit.
"I have to do some grocery shopping in town."
"I'm coming."
"I never asked you."
We started walking back up towards the house. "You didn't have to. I could tell you wanted me to come. And besides. We're best friends now."
She stopped and put her hands on her hips. I stopped too and turned around to face her. She was so beautiful. I had never really been one to call a girl beautiful or to like her for other then her body but Cali was something else. I wasn't only attracted to her looks, but her personality. The way she wouldn't give me the time of day. For some reason, I liked that. I stared at her for a moment before she started talking.
"You think you're real charming, don't you?"
"Maybe." I winked at her and she blushed. Preston was sitting in the kitchen and all we ate was cereal for breakfast. After, Preston said he was going into the east pasture to move the cows to a new field. I asked if he needed help but he said no. I was hoping he would say that.
I washed the dishes and walked back down to the barn. Cali was cleaning out a horses stall while dancing to the music that was blasting from the radio. I leaned against the door and watched her for a moment. She was humming along while shaking her hips back and forth. I laughed a little.
The song ended and she turned to turn it off. But I could tell that out of the corner of her eye, she saw me. She screamed at the top of her lungs and dropped the broom she was holding.
"Oh my god! What is wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and pointing at myself.
She nodded her head. "Yeah you. Why did you scare me?"
"I didn't. I was just standing here..."
She blushed again. And bit her bottom lip. She really needed to stop doing that. Sooner or later I wouldn't be able to help myself and I would just run up and kissed her full, soft looking lips.
God, what was she doing to me?
"Oh yeah...did you see me...um..."
I laughed. She was so embarassed. "Yeah I saw you dancing. Not bad." I smirked at her causing her to blush again.
She giggled a little and shook her head before putting the broom back in the closet and walking up next to me. She punched me on the arm and said "whatever."
I followed her up to the garage. She entered in the code and the door opened revealing a brand-new looking Ford Focus. She unlocked it and got in. I got in the passenger side.
"Do you ever drive this thing?"
"Not really. I usually just drive the old truck but Dale said I should take it out since I haven't in a while," she said, putting the key in the ignition, never looking at me. I was actually surprised she didn't put up a fight about me coming. Progress.
"Got it."
She gave me a glance before backing up and driving down the long driveway. I saw it again. For a fraction of a second, the look in her eyes changed. Now if I could just get it to change forever.
We drove the twenty minute drive into town in silence. She pulled into the grocery store parking lot and we got out. I was following her around while pushing the shopping cart as she got the items and put them in. we had just about finished when I heard someone yell
"Cali!?"
We turned at the same time and I saw a guy walking towards us. He had a huge smile on his face as he took about three long strides to get to us. Was this is her boyfriend?
"Dammit," Cali whispered under her breath. Guess not.
"Hey Cals," the guy said. He got closer, and I could see him a bit better. He was a little shorter then me with blonde hair and pale blue eyes. I didn't recognize him from when I was younger. He didn't notice me and kept his gaze focused on Cali.
"Don't call me that." I just stood back and let them talk. But I could tell Cali liked this guy even less then me.
"Okay...How have you been?"
"Fine. Now can you go away?" She sounded really annoyed. But the guy didn't looked fazed at all. He just kept that ugly smile on his face.
"Um...how about we catch up some time? Over dinner?"
"Nope," she replied as she turned back around and started walking down towards the cashiers.
"Wait...come on. Please?"
"Bye."
Cali gave the guy a sarcastic smile, before walking away again. This guy seemed really annoying.
I caught up with Cali and walked next to her up to the check out line.
"Pervert," Cali whispered under her breath. I laughed. I kind of wanted to know what that guy had done to piss her off. We checked out and left the store but not before one more run in with that guy. But this time, Cali didn't even talk to him. She just brushed him off and got into the car.
I carried the bags of food and loaded them in her trunk. For the first time, the guy looke at me. He looked confused as to why I would be getting her car, but I just have him a smile before closing my door. Cali was quiet again the whole way back, except this time she turned on the radio. She pulled in the garage and I brought the bags into the kitchen.
"Hey guys. Cali, you'll never guess who called," Preston smirked as we walked in. He had an evil smile on his face as he leaned back into his chair.
"Would it happen to have been Johnston?" Cali asked, more annoyed then ever.
Preston nodded and started laughing.