Chapter Six
Lilly was less than two feet from me. "Why didn't you tell me it was you?"
Speechless I just stared at her.
"Why didn't you say you were the girl who broke Gregory's heart?"
Say something. "I-I couldn't." I blinked slightly and then looked away from her scornful glare into the golden-colored terrain all around me. "How did you know?"
"Like it was hard to put the pieces together, especially after the way he watches you and then with what Kylie has just said." Something in her voice changed, it was a bit softer and more hesitant when she spoke next. "You still love him, don't you?"
My head whipped around to meet her eyes, before I bleakly lowered mine and mumbled, "I—ah, yes. I do. But please don't say anything."
"I wouldn't dream of it. Talk about awkward." Her attempt at a joke brought my eyes up to hers again, but nothing more. She tried another tactic. "Besides, by the looks of things it's not likely you two will ever be together again, anyway."
On the way back to the picnic table I must've stepped on a dead branch wrong, because I had fallen down before I even knew what had happened to me.
"Amanda, are you all right?"
Lilly's concerned face caused me to giggle more than anything.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I think."
With Lilly's help I was able to stand and brush most of the stubborn grime from me. I'd forgotten how sticky the clay soil was. I had a slight yellowish terracotta film over most of my jeans and a good chunk of my light blue T-shirt when we arrived back at the Land Rover. To make matters worse; I think I wrenched my ankle a bit when I fell. It didn't sting or swell or anything, but it was a little sore. I made sure not to limp when I approached the group. Madison was the first one to notice my appearance.
"Amanda. What happened? Are you okay?"
I laughed along with everybody when the rest of the group turned to see me and couldn't contain their amusement. I'm so glad there's not a mirror. I would hate to see what I really look like.
Ethan mischievously grinned when he pointed to the left side of my face and asked, "Didn't get enough to eat, Amanda? You had to try out some dirt too?"
Everyone burst into more laughter.
I wiped my hand along my cheek and brushed off good section of dust. "I'm awfully thirsty from tasting all that dirt. Has anyone seen my water bottle?"
"Here, Amanda, you can use mine." Kylie chucked her unopened bottle right at me. I was so unprepared for it; the bottle would have hit me had Gregory's arm not flown in front of my face at the last second and caught it.
"Here," his baritone above my head sent a slight shiver down my spine.
"Thanks." I half smiled and blinked at his shirt, before glancing down at my own dirty clothes.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Yeah." I tried again to look up at him, but found it was impossible.
"Did you get hurt when you fell?"
"Hurt?" Surprised my eyes finally found his. Their steady regard stabilized mine while my heart—on the other hand—began to flutter uncontrollably.
He grinned then. "I sound like a broken record don't I?"
Record? What in the-?
"It seems like the only thing I can ever ask you is if you're hurt or not," he chuckled.
I'm dying. His grin and his laughter. I never thought I would ever see or hear them so close and directed at me again. "I'm fine."
My smile caused Gregory to pause a moment, and I watched as his eyes settled on my mouth briefly before meeting my own again. "You should do that more often."
More often?
"Smile. You're really pretty when you smile, Andy."
My heart melted right then and there. I'd almost forgotten the nickname he used to call me.
"You're sure though, that you're okay?"
Vaguely I watched him glance down at my sore ankle, before I realized that he must've seen me hide my faint limp. "Yeah. I'm fine. I just tripped over a fallen branch. It's no big deal."
"Hey, guys, we're going to be heading back soon and we'll be taking a different route." Carson announced to the group. "Ethan has offered to give up his front seat to anyone who'd rather have more leg room." He turned to us, first. "Gregory? Amanda? Would either of you like to sit up front? It'll be more comfortable."
"Why didn't you ask me?" Sydney's shrill voice took us all by surprise. "I might've wanted to sit up front. Seriously, you should've asked me first."
Great Sydney is in one of her moods. I sighed. Kylie stealing Gregory must've made her madder than I thought.
Surprisingly it was Kylie's response that put Sydney in her place. "Well, Sydney, you're definitely welcome to the front. And, Ethan," Kylie turned toward him, "we would love to have you take Sydney's spot in the back with us." The smile Kylie smirked back up at my sister reminded me a little of a cat.
It was almost comical to watch the emotions flail through Sydney's head. I would've treasured the moment a bit longer, but my attention was caught by Gregory as he stepped up to Carson and spoke quietly to him.
In the next instant Carson turned fully toward me and asked, "Amanda, would you like to? I mean you do look a little tired. Plus after your fall I'm certain everyone here can agree that you deserve it more than the rest of us." The last part was directed right at Sydney.
"I ah—I," I was completely taken aback. "No, really—" I would've protested more knowing how my stepsister would react, except Gregory placed his arm around my shoulders and steered me toward the passenger side. Before I'd even fully comprehended what was happening, the door was whisked open and I was lifted into the air and placed lightly on the seat. With a small tug, Gregory brought my legs around in front of me and shut the door. I was so astonished by his actions I didn't said a word.
Clearly dumbfounded, I stretched my legs a tad and felt my sore ankle twinge just a bit more than it had. I realized just how grateful I was to have the seat with the better legroom. My ankle would've been doubly cramped the whole way home. And Gregory knew it.
The ride back was much more fun, mainly because Carson was such a great host. He had me laughing out loud while he rehearsed antics of past four-wheeling experiences with his brother.
Once when I asked why the Land Rover had two shifters instead of just one, he included a whole lesson on overdrive shifters and their purpose. I was only able to follow about a quarter of the conversation, due to my particular lack of automobile knowledge, but he was still so friendly and cheerful, it didn't matter that I had no idea what he was talking about. I just enjoyed hearing him talk.
When we got back Carson insisted that we all pose around his beautiful beast so he could have a picture to hang on his office wall.
"Can I have a copy too?" When everyone else turned around to stare at me, I clarified, "You know, just sent to my email or whatever."
"Sure," Carson smiled. "Remember to leave me your email address and I'll send it to you."
"Great." I couldn't believe it, but I really, really enjoyed myself—and for some reason, I wanted the memory of it to last.
The next morning it was announced over breakfast that instead of moving into the new house later that day with my family, I was going over to Kylie's. Her mom had called while we were four-wheeling to say she'd be away on a business trip for a couple of weeks and didn't want Kylie to stay alone. She'd arranged with my stepmom for me to go there this afternoon.
I was just about to protest, knowing full well Kylie would enjoy the house to herself, but Sydney spoke up right then.
"Good. We definitely don't need your whining attitude around at the new house. I hope you stay all summer with Kylie!"
My whining attitude? What in the-? I glanced over at my parents to see if I was going to get any help in the defense department. Veronica was scrolling through her cell phone's text messages and my dad was engrossed in his laptop. Looking back over at Sydney I watched her choke down a Slim-Fast. Even with her face all puckered and her features make-up free she still looked beautiful. It never failed to amaze me how attractive my family could look first thing in the morning.
Just looking at them made my toast stale as I realized how much I didn't fit in. After another attempt to eat I gave up and swallowed my orange juice before heading over to the sink. Once there, I quickly loaded the dishwasher and then ran up to my room.
My full beauty regimen took approximately four and a half minutes. –Including washing my face, brushing my teeth, pulling my hair into a ponytail and slapping some mascara and pink lemonade-flavored Smackers on my lips.
After getting ready, I began to unpack my already packed luggage as I rearranged my clothes to fit into another smaller suitcase to live off of for two weeks. Kylie's family had a laundry room of course, so I didn't need too much. I then spent the rest of my morning doing last minute packing and cleaning in my nearly finished room.
Once done, I felt the weight of the move finally hit me. It was hard to realize that I would never see my bedroom again. All at once I found I didn't want to go to the new house just yet. I wasn't ready for my life to change. For the first time since that morning I felt thankful Ms. Russell asked me to stay with Kylie. Even if it was for just a couple of weeks—at least I didn't have to face reality until then.
I received a text message from Kylie stating that she would be there around noon to get me. About eleven o'clock I was ready to go. I slowly wandered through the rooms of the house and silently said good-bye to each one.
By Monday morning all of this will belong to Gregory's family.
As relieved as I was, financially, that we were moving into a smaller house, I was stunned to feel a stab of pain at the thought of leaving my childhood home. It really was a disgustingly large house to any average family's standards, but it was all I had ever known.
My final tour of the backyard brought me up to my mother's coveted Koi pond. I missed my mom. No, not her, exactly. I miss the fun we could've had together had she chosen to stay with us. –But she hadn't. I shrugged my shoulders in pretended nonchalance and tried not to think of her boyfriend and their beach house in Hawaii. She had met him on one of our annual Hawaiian trips during Christmas break. The next year when she saw him again, she didn't come back. I was eight.
It was her loss, right? After a deep breath I had decided to head back to the house. Kylie was there waiting for me when I walked in.
Once in the car Kylie was all full of excitement. "I'm soo glad you're coming to stay with me. I've thought of the best idea ever. I mean, the best."
"What?" I chuckled, grateful to have something to snap me out of my mood.
"You can help me get Gregory."
Me! "Me?" I was shocked. Me help her get Gregory? My Greg?
"Yeah! It's perfect. I've thought it all out."
"You have?" My hands started to shake. Okay, okay, okay. Stop freaking.. This is what I wanted, right? To help Greg find someone. There. Okay. Kylie's great. I couldn't have planned it better myself, right? Right? Kylie was still talking. It took every bit of self control I possessed to listen to her.
"...So all you have to do is just casually mention it to him. He'll pick up on it for sure." She sighed as she put the car in gear and pulled into the road. "So please, please, please say you'll do it for me?"
"Uh? You want me to..?" I trailed off.
"Ugh." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Just mention that I like him, okay? You know, that I think he's hot—that sort of thing."
"How? When? I mean, I don't even talk to the guy?"
She waved her hand agitated. "Just the next time you hear from him, or see him, or get a chance to talk to him—just bring it up for me, okay?"
"Wait. Don't you think me telling Gregory that you like him is a little immature?"
Kylie's jaw dropped as she glanced over at me. "No. I don't." She focused back on the road. "It's not like you're going to bring it up like we're kids, or something. Just mention it casually, you know? Sheesh, Amanda! Make it natural. Just promise me you'll do it, okay?"
Grr... "Fine." Besides, the chances of me having an opportunity to tell Greg will be scarce anyway.
Little did I know Greg would prove me wrong just a few hours later.
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