Chapter 7:
Alyssa:
I walked out the door, making my way to my most favorite place ever, the pink dogwood trees. They stood far away from my house, beyond the fountain and much farther than the pool. It was the most perfect place, to just relax and even have a nap sometimes (if the weather was good).
I looked at the pink and smiled. Sitting down on the soft grass, I tilted my head upwards to the sky. It was hard not to be happy. A petal fell on my nose and I knew this place loved me too. It just did.
I rested my back against the strong bark when not even a minute later, my phone rang annoying the shit out of me. Why'd I even carry my phone here? It was an unknown number and I still knew exactly who it would belong to.
I picked it up, fearing the worst and that's what I got. "Hello?" Austin said.
"Hi Austin," I replied, sounding scared.
"you're free today?" He asked, cheerful. I didn't feel good lying to him. I decided it would be best if I cleared everything up. Right?
"Yea," I said, hesitantly.
"Okay," He said, thinking.
"Meet at my place at 4?" I asked, not sure myself.
"uhm....okay," He said and I hung up.
There goes one more day of summer.
I laid on the grass and looked up at the blue, wishing I could have a place of my own on one of the clouds. A place where no one could disturb me. A place where I could sleep the entire day.
But apparently, that was way too much to ask for.
I hadn't ask for a trip to Hawaii or the Bahamas like all the other rich kids. Maybe a trip would have been easier to get than two months of peace.
Shit. I should've asked for it.
****
I sat on the sofa in the hall, waiting for Austin, not quite feeling the same. I was confused about everything.
"Hey."
I looked up at Amelia, my younger sister and smiled.
"Hey," I said.
"You look different," She said and those were the most generous words she could use.
"I look dead," I said and she nodded.
"Wanna tell me?" She sat beside me and I looked at her. She was pretty and looked nothing like me. She looked like dad, had long brown hair and brown eyes. Her smile radiated a lovely warmth and I felt like I could tell her my deepest secrets and she wouldn't judge.
"You know Austin?" I asked, thinking.
"Yea?" she knew him better than I did. She had met him in most of dad's events.
"Do you think Austin likes me?" I asked, paying close attention to her expression.
"No," She said, a bit too quickly and I sighed.
This is good news.
"Why?" She asked, puzzled. "Oh my God, do you like him?" She said, jumping.
"What? No!" I said and she nodded slyly, clearly not believing me.
"Really, I don't," I pressed.
"Okay whatever you say," She said, still not satisfied and I sighed.
"See you later," I said, getting up and making my way outside. I needed to get away from her before I lost my temper.
A few minutes of roaming and calming myself later, I saw Austin himself walk towards me. Just great.
I wanted to run back into my house and pretend like I didn't see him but then his eyes met mine and there he was, taking long strides towards me.
He smiled and I forced a smile.
"Hey," He said, still smiling. Austin's smile was the goofy kind, capable of putting anyone at ease.
"Hi," I said, awkwardly.
"Do you like wanna go in?" He asked when I didn't say anything.
"No....um let's take a walk?" I said, thinking about the dangers inside my house.
Amelia would be there and Seth could be there and mom and dad could be there. Actually, it would be nice if mom could see me now. She would know I am trying.....to do the opposite of what she wants but that doesn't matter. Atleast I'm trying.
"Okay," Austin said, and we walked towards the water fountain because the dogwood trees were mine and only mine.
"So Austin I was-"
"Uh Aly I-" He said at the same time.
"First you?" I said and he nodded.
"You know how our parents have decided our future, I thought it would be best if I tell you...uh.....you know I've known you for so long now and you're really-" He paused and gave me a smile.
Wait what?
"Austin you know- " I said, trying to stop him from what I thought he was doing.
He stopped me and continued, "No, I gathered a lot of courage and I think it's time I finally tell you."
"Austin!" I said. He can't like me. He just cannot. He should not. What am I supposed to do? I don't, I can't-
"Aly?" He said, pulling me out of my frenzy.
I felt my skin prickle as he took my hand in his and smiled, kind of uncertainly. I couldn't speak.
"I think I really lik-"
"Austin!"
That wasn't me.
I watched as he let go of my hand and turned around.
"Seth?" He said, clearly surprised while I looked at them, confused. How do they know each other?
Seth looked at us, his eyes wide, it made me sure he had seen my hand in Austin's.
"Is she the one?" He "whispered" to Austin.
"Yea man, what are you doing here?" Austin replied, sounding a little irritated. Seth looked at me and then back at him, "She's-......."
When I couldn't hear what he was saying, I coughed.
They turned their heads towards me, as if just remembering I was still there.
"How do you know each other?" I asked, curious.
"We're good friends," Austin said.
"Oh...." This is the time to run.
"I uh have to go," I said, taking the chance to leave. Austin stepped forward, trying to stop me but I wasn't going to stop.
"I kept these.....cookies...in the stove? and they're....um burning?" I said and literally ran to my house, wishing he wouldn't follow.
Thankfully, he didn't.
Seth had saved me from whatever Austin was going to say but the next time, I wasn't sure what would happen.
It was one thing to be negative about everything and another thing for all your negativity to turn into reality. I knew I was overreacting but that's just what I always did.
My life had always been simple and plain and now, there was this guy my mom wanted me to "marry" who might as well want to "marry" me too.
And then there was Seth.
Considering the fact that I was just sixteen, this was a little too much.
I glanced at the clock and it was already five in the afternoon.
Time for my best friends to meet my guest for the summer. Life was the opposite of perfect.
I sat on the sofa and took deep breaths, ordering my anxiety to calm down.
The bell rang and a second later, my three friends walked into my house, looking here and there as if Seth would magically appear if they looked closer.
"Hey guys," I said.
"Hi," Evan smiled and Brooke smiled and they continued arguing about something. I didn't bother to ask what they were fighting over this time.
"Hey Aly!" Cam said, ruffling my hair.
"God stop!" I shoved his hand away, rudeness slipping into my tone. A second later, I smiled a little, hoping it would make up.
"So where is Seth?" Cam asked.
"Oh he's not at home," I replied, way too cheerfully. Cam raised his eyebrows, demanding the truth.
"Really he's not home," I said, smiling.
My cheerfulness melted away as soon as the door opened and Seth walked in. Shit.
Along with Austin.
Double shit.
****
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