Falling into Summer

Chapter 5

When I hear from Carter the next day, I'm a little surprised by how late it is. After learning he had to work late and then wanted to get showered, he asks if I'd be up to seeing a late showing of Minority Report at the mall closest to his house. Knowing tomorrow is a Saturday, and I can sleep in if need be, I agree. He then offers to come get me, insisting we can hang out at his house until we need to leave. When I assure I can drive myself there, he insists he needs to get gas in his car anyway, so I relent.

When we pull up to Sarah's house, I realize he forgot to get gas, "I thought you needed to get gas?"

"I did, on my way to your house," he explains. When we head inside, I'm greeted with a hug from Sarah.

"Hey Haley, how are you?"

"Good thanks. What are you guys up to?"

"Just getting ready to eat, you hungry?" she offers, and I accept realizing that I forgot to eat dinner, and I'm guessing so did Carter given his hurry to come get me. We spend the next half hour standing around the kitchen island with Sarah, Mark, and Jesse, eating some of Sarah's home-made chicken and pasta. As usual, I don't go five minutes before I'm laughing at a funny story she's telling about dealing with one of Jesse's teachers at his school. It never fails that Sarah can always make me laugh.

After we finish eating, Carter and I head back to his bedroom to watch a movie, while his family starts watching a movie in the living room. This being only the second time I've been in Sarah's house, I let Carter lead me down a hall off the main living area, past a bathroom, a closed door, and finally to his room at end of the hall and the front of the house. Expecting to see a messy room, I mean he is a boy after all, I'm totally surprised to see a perfectly made queen size bed facing the door, with two modest wood nightstands on both sides, a tall dresser just opposite the bed, with a tv and a small stereo atop the dresser, and a large window looking out on the front yard. His room is perfectly clean, with absolutely no clutter. His room is bigger and cleaner than mine... I could get used to hanging out here, I think to myself. "Nice room," I compliment.

"Thanks. So what do you want to watch," he asks as he sits on the side of the bed closest to the door and closet, and pulls a box out from under his bed.

"What do you got?" I ask, walking over to look down at the collection of movies in the box. We settle on the Matrix, even though we've both seen it.

"Make yourself comfortable," he instructs as he pops in the movie and turns the tv on. "Did you want something to drink."

"No I'm good," I insist, as I sit Indian-style on the other side of his bed, closest to the window. He proceeds to turn on the ceiling fan and dim the lights so to avoid a glare on the tv. Then he lays down on his bed resting his feet out in front of him, and leaning against the pillows against the headboard. As the movie gets started, we stay pretty quiet, but eventually we start talking not really paying attention anymore.

"So what are your plans this weekend," he asks.

"Um nothing really, why?"

"I was thinking of going four wheeling tomorrow if you're interested," he offers.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean I haven't been in a while because of the weather, but it hasn't rain in a few days, so it shouldn't be muddy," he explains.

"If you're sure you don't mind dealing with a wimpy girly girl like myself, then sure, it sounds like fun," I respond, half joking, and he chuckles at my words.

"You'll be fine. We just have to go early because it's supposed to rain in the afternoon."

"How early?"

"I could pick you up around eight. It'll take about an hour to get out to Ocala from here."

"Oh ok," I insist, trying to hide my disappointment that I can't sleep in tomorrow. "Do I need to bring anything?" I ask, not sure what I've just gotten myself into.

"What do you mean?" he asks confused by my question.

"Like a helmet or something?" I clarify.

"Um no, I'll bring everything we need, you just wear sneakers," he answers, and I'm pretty sure I see him stifle a grin.

Before I know it, we have to head to the movies, so I say bye to Sarah, Mark, and Jesse knowing I won't be back later tonight. When we get to the movie theater, we buy our tickets and before I can protest, he's already handed over the money, paying for both our tickets. "You have got to stop doing that," I say as we make our way to the theater.

"Doing what?" he asks, playing dumb.

"Paying for everything. I can pay for stuff you know," I insist, and he just shrugs it off. When we get in the theater, I let him pick where to sit, and I'm a little surprised by how full the theater is for a late night showing. We barely get seated before the movie starts, at which point we spend nearly three hours in the dark sitting next to each other. The movie is so long, and I'm so tired, that I start to fall asleep towards the end. It's after 1 o'clock when the movie's over and he's driving me back to my house.

"What'd you think of the movie," he asks during the quiet car ride.

"It was interesting. Long, but interesting."

"Yeah it was kind of long. Sorry, I had no idea," he confesses.

"It's fine. Although, I did start to nod off at the end, so I don't remember what happened," I confess with a chuckle.

"That's ok, I was nodding off in the beginning," he admits with his own chuckle. "You still up for going tomorrow morning?" he asks, and I think I hear hopefulness in his tone.

"Yeah, I just don't know if I'll be able to hang the whole day."

"No we'll be back around lunch. It's supposed to rain anyway," he assures just as we're pulling up to my driveway.

"Ok, well thanks again for the movie," I say feigning playful annoyance, "I'll see you in a couple of hours," I joke, and he laughs. I notice he waits for me to get inside before backing out of the driveway and driving off.