Read Online Arianna's Tale: The Beginning by D. J. Humphries - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: D. J. Humphries
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silent and wide-eyed. “She…
I hope you don’t ever expect me to see that woman again…” I managed
to say, though fear had wound my stomach into knots, “Austin… he
knows where we live now….”
“You really don’t need to worry about your
safety… none of us will let anything happen to you,” Austin swore
seriously and I did feel a twinge of relief, but Mark’s threat to
Jason echoed in my mind.
“Can we just go home?” I whispered and
Austin glanced at me.
“No,” he rebutted, pulling into a parking
lot only a moment later, “I know you… I know you better than I know
anyone… we’re stopping for ice cream….”
“It’s not just that… Detective Gaines… she
said this high school isn’t a normal high school… it’s got me all
curious and worried about school…” I faintly admitted and Austin
rolled his eyes before jumping out of the car and darting around to
pull me out of my seat.
“Stop worrying so much, Anna. I’m sure she
didn’t mean much of anything by it; ask Dad when we get home,” he
directed, almost pulling me into the old-fashioned ice cream parlor
where I instantly noticed tension. I let my eyes dart around the
parlor and the knot in my stomach tightened further.
There were several groups of teenagers
inside, lining the tables near the front windows, and it was more
than a little obvious that they’d been watching us since we were
outside. They were silent and staring as Austin led me over to the
counter, completely ignoring them; I say ignoring the staring,
because Austin always knew when he was being watched, and his
shoulders were tense from his annoyance with being watched.
“Austin Gray! Look at you!” the woman behind
the counter greeted and the silence spread into whispers while I
looked curiously at Austin. Here was yet another person in Dad’s
town that knew him.
“How’s the business, Leah?” Austin replied
genuinely curious and I looked up at him to spot a glimmer in his
blue eyes.
“Oh, business is the same as always. What
can I get for you today?” Leah questioned while pulling out ice
cream scoops from the water they were kept in, “And who is this
with you?”
“This is Arianna,” Austin told her, his hand
lightly resting on my shoulder clenched when the whispers grew
louder. “And I’ll take a scoop of butter pecan in a waffle
cone.”
“And for you, Arianna?” Leah inquired while
I was looking through the glass at my options.
“Turtle?” I whispered and she smiled and
nodded, “A waffle cone is fine.”
“You two can sit down and I’ll bring them
out to you,” Leah offered and with his hand still on my shoulder,
Austin led me to one of the old-fashioned two-seater high tables
and sat across from me, his back to two of the groups of
teenagers.
“Anna,” Austin beckoned, and I pulled my
gaze away from inspecting them back to Austin, “Ignore them or
you’re going to draw more attention to yourself.”
“More? Why am I drawing any attention
to myself?” I pressed, but I stared into his blue eyes
intently.
“You’re new, they don’t know you… it’s not a
huge town to begin with…” Austin reasoned with a shrug, “The city
is huge… this is not part of the city… and it is not huge… everyone
knows everybody else.”
“Speaking of… why does everyone know you?” I
pestered and he chuckled softly.
“I came to visit Dad a lot when he first
moved here… during summer break when you and Jason were at summer
camp, I’d come visit Dad for the summer,” he reasoned with a shrug,
“I’ve always liked it here, that’s why I decided to try for this
college. It’s really difficult to get into, actually….”
“Is that why your grades improved so much?”
I laughed and he nodded seriously just before Leah brought over two
waffle cones and handed them to us.
“You two enjoy, and don’t let those other
kids bug you,” Leah commented with a grin, her eyes flicking to me
before lingering on Austin,
I hope you don’t ever expect me to see that woman again…” I managed
to say, though fear had wound my stomach into knots, “Austin… he
knows where we live now….”
“You really don’t need to worry about your
safety… none of us will let anything happen to you,” Austin swore
seriously and I did feel a twinge of relief, but Mark’s threat to
Jason echoed in my mind.
“Can we just go home?” I whispered and
Austin glanced at me.
“No,” he rebutted, pulling into a parking
lot only a moment later, “I know you… I know you better than I know
anyone… we’re stopping for ice cream….”
“It’s not just that… Detective Gaines… she
said this high school isn’t a normal high school… it’s got me all
curious and worried about school…” I faintly admitted and Austin
rolled his eyes before jumping out of the car and darting around to
pull me out of my seat.
“Stop worrying so much, Anna. I’m sure she
didn’t mean much of anything by it; ask Dad when we get home,” he
directed, almost pulling me into the old-fashioned ice cream parlor
where I instantly noticed tension. I let my eyes dart around the
parlor and the knot in my stomach tightened further.
There were several groups of teenagers
inside, lining the tables near the front windows, and it was more
than a little obvious that they’d been watching us since we were
outside. They were silent and staring as Austin led me over to the
counter, completely ignoring them; I say ignoring the staring,
because Austin always knew when he was being watched, and his
shoulders were tense from his annoyance with being watched.
“Austin Gray! Look at you!” the woman behind
the counter greeted and the silence spread into whispers while I
looked curiously at Austin. Here was yet another person in Dad’s
town that knew him.
“How’s the business, Leah?” Austin replied
genuinely curious and I looked up at him to spot a glimmer in his
blue eyes.
“Oh, business is the same as always. What
can I get for you today?” Leah questioned while pulling out ice
cream scoops from the water they were kept in, “And who is this
with you?”
“This is Arianna,” Austin told her, his hand
lightly resting on my shoulder clenched when the whispers grew
louder. “And I’ll take a scoop of butter pecan in a waffle
cone.”
“And for you, Arianna?” Leah inquired while
I was looking through the glass at my options.
“Turtle?” I whispered and she smiled and
nodded, “A waffle cone is fine.”
“You two can sit down and I’ll bring them
out to you,” Leah offered and with his hand still on my shoulder,
Austin led me to one of the old-fashioned two-seater high tables
and sat across from me, his back to two of the groups of
teenagers.
“Anna,” Austin beckoned, and I pulled my
gaze away from inspecting them back to Austin, “Ignore them or
you’re going to draw more attention to yourself.”
“More? Why am I drawing any attention
to myself?” I pressed, but I stared into his blue eyes
intently.
“You’re new, they don’t know you… it’s not a
huge town to begin with…” Austin reasoned with a shrug, “The city
is huge… this is not part of the city… and it is not huge… everyone
knows everybody else.”
“Speaking of… why does everyone know you?” I
pestered and he chuckled softly.
“I came to visit Dad a lot when he first
moved here… during summer break when you and Jason were at summer
camp, I’d come visit Dad for the summer,” he reasoned with a shrug,
“I’ve always liked it here, that’s why I decided to try for this
college. It’s really difficult to get into, actually….”
“Is that why your grades improved so much?”
I laughed and he nodded seriously just before Leah brought over two
waffle cones and handed them to us.
“You two enjoy, and don’t let those other
kids bug you,” Leah commented with a grin, her eyes flicking to me
before lingering on Austin,
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