calloused hand through his hair as he raised his eyes to
meet mine. “I’m not sure what you mean. She treats me like she does everyone
else.”
How
could I tell him what Grandma had told me the first day without revealing that
I had been searching for a way to get closer to him? “I mean, she um, she told
me to stay away from you.” Like a Band-Aid, I figured it would be better to
just make it quick and hopefully painless.
“She
told you to stay away from me? Why? Were you planning on kicking me or
something?” he asked, only half joking.
I
could barely look him in the eye. “Just forget I said anything.” I turned and
walked away, leaving him standing there, unsure how to proceed. I couldn’t
look at him anymore. Every time I spared him a glance he looked like a whipped
puppy. One that had been beaten with a rolled up newspaper one too many
times.
When
I reached the house I was tired again. Guess I should have just stayed home
today. But no, I had to try and prove a point, which I had failed at
miserably. As I approached the front door to the house I noticed someone
sitting in one of the rocking chairs, a book firmly clutched in her petite
hands. She must have heard my approach because her attention was instantly
riveted upon me. Her gaze slid from the top of my head, taking in my unruly
curls as they stuck out in every direction, to the mud covered boots that
covered my aching feet.
As I
moved up the front stairs a smile lit up her face. I took in her relaxed
appearance. She had dark, curly brown hair, pulled back in a messy ponytail,
and light brown eyes resembling the color of honey. I tried to return her
smile, but only managed a pained grimace. It didn’t seem to faze her at all.
She put her book down and walked towards me, her hand outstretched.
“Hi
there! You must be Roxanne, Betty’s granddaughter. I’m Katy. I live next
door,” she said as I gripped her hand lightly. I scanned the surrounding
wooded area and looked back at her, completely perplexed. “Oh, well, not
technically right next door. My house is about a mile down the road. But I am
your closest neighbor.”
I
nodded and stepped back, unsure what to make of her. This kind of friendliness
was unheard of where I grew up. Sure, I made friends easily at school, but
none of them would have gone out of their way to greet a neighbor, especially a
stranger. I bet they didn’t even know their neighbor’s names.
“Nice
to meet you?” It came out as a question, but she didn’t seem to notice. If
anything, her smile grew even bigger. I didn’t know someone could smile that
wide without something cracking.
“Betty
tells me that you’ll be here all summer. It’s so great to see a new face
around here. I’ve known everyone around here my entire life, and while they’re
awesome and all, sometimes ya need a new face. Ya know?” Her quick speech made
my head spin as I struggled to keep up. It wasn’t so much the speed, as the
accent that came with it. Her voice was straight out of “Gone with the Wind”.
“Sure.
I guess,” I replied as I made to move around her and head in the house. Before
I could grasp the door handle I heard a very distinct male voice call my name.
I turned, already sure of who it would be. Hasn’t he ever heard of a dramatic
exit?
“I
see you’ve met Chase already,” Katy said as I stared at Chase while he crossed
the yard. It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard a
twinge of jealousy in her tone.
“Yes,
we’ve met,” I groaned, sure this was not going to end well. The look on his
face was not one of anger as I had expected. He looked sad. Didn’t this boy
ever wear a different expression?
“Hey
Katy, nice to see you.” Chase gave her a small smile and from the look on her
face she was already melting. Yep, she had it bad for him. No wonder she
didn’t seem overjoyed that I had
meet mine. “I’m not sure what you mean. She treats me like she does everyone
else.”
How
could I tell him what Grandma had told me the first day without revealing that
I had been searching for a way to get closer to him? “I mean, she um, she told
me to stay away from you.” Like a Band-Aid, I figured it would be better to
just make it quick and hopefully painless.
“She
told you to stay away from me? Why? Were you planning on kicking me or
something?” he asked, only half joking.
I
could barely look him in the eye. “Just forget I said anything.” I turned and
walked away, leaving him standing there, unsure how to proceed. I couldn’t
look at him anymore. Every time I spared him a glance he looked like a whipped
puppy. One that had been beaten with a rolled up newspaper one too many
times.
When
I reached the house I was tired again. Guess I should have just stayed home
today. But no, I had to try and prove a point, which I had failed at
miserably. As I approached the front door to the house I noticed someone
sitting in one of the rocking chairs, a book firmly clutched in her petite
hands. She must have heard my approach because her attention was instantly
riveted upon me. Her gaze slid from the top of my head, taking in my unruly
curls as they stuck out in every direction, to the mud covered boots that
covered my aching feet.
As I
moved up the front stairs a smile lit up her face. I took in her relaxed
appearance. She had dark, curly brown hair, pulled back in a messy ponytail,
and light brown eyes resembling the color of honey. I tried to return her
smile, but only managed a pained grimace. It didn’t seem to faze her at all.
She put her book down and walked towards me, her hand outstretched.
“Hi
there! You must be Roxanne, Betty’s granddaughter. I’m Katy. I live next
door,” she said as I gripped her hand lightly. I scanned the surrounding
wooded area and looked back at her, completely perplexed. “Oh, well, not
technically right next door. My house is about a mile down the road. But I am
your closest neighbor.”
I
nodded and stepped back, unsure what to make of her. This kind of friendliness
was unheard of where I grew up. Sure, I made friends easily at school, but
none of them would have gone out of their way to greet a neighbor, especially a
stranger. I bet they didn’t even know their neighbor’s names.
“Nice
to meet you?” It came out as a question, but she didn’t seem to notice. If
anything, her smile grew even bigger. I didn’t know someone could smile that
wide without something cracking.
“Betty
tells me that you’ll be here all summer. It’s so great to see a new face
around here. I’ve known everyone around here my entire life, and while they’re
awesome and all, sometimes ya need a new face. Ya know?” Her quick speech made
my head spin as I struggled to keep up. It wasn’t so much the speed, as the
accent that came with it. Her voice was straight out of “Gone with the Wind”.
“Sure.
I guess,” I replied as I made to move around her and head in the house. Before
I could grasp the door handle I heard a very distinct male voice call my name.
I turned, already sure of who it would be. Hasn’t he ever heard of a dramatic
exit?
“I
see you’ve met Chase already,” Katy said as I stared at Chase while he crossed
the yard. It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard a
twinge of jealousy in her tone.
“Yes,
we’ve met,” I groaned, sure this was not going to end well. The look on his
face was not one of anger as I had expected. He looked sad. Didn’t this boy
ever wear a different expression?
“Hey
Katy, nice to see you.” Chase gave her a small smile and from the look on her
face she was already melting. Yep, she had it bad for him. No wonder she
didn’t seem overjoyed that I had
Similar Books
