Ann, August 2nd, 12 pm: I arrive at the farmer's market and there's a good amount of people here. I keep the car keys around my neck with my rape whistle dangling with it. You can never be too careful. I'm immediately drawn to the flowers. There's all kinds of colors. I grab my favorite which are white impatiens that look like little roses. I spot some forget me nots and a few other flowers. I carry as many as I can. I put them on the small table where an older woman sits with a girl a little younger than I am behind her. ''Will this be all for you dear?'' The older woman asks.
''Yes.'' I smile. I can't wait to plant these. She rattles off a price and I pay her in cash.
''Do you need help with those?'' A voice behind me says.
I turn around to decline the strangers help but I stop. It's the boy from next door. When I don't answer he grabs half the plants in his arms. ''I'll be back.'' He tells the woman and she just nods. ''Well you better show me where your car is.'' He nods to his arms. ''These are getting heavy.'' He smiles like he said an inside joke.
I nod grabbing the rest of my plants. We walk to the back of the parking lot where I parked. I set down my plants and open the car door. ''Thanks.'' I say as he places them in the back seat.
''No problem.'' He smiles and stands up when he finishes. He's a couple of inches taller than I am so I have to look up a little. His eyes are a bright green and his teeth seem like a perfect white.
''Did you follow me here?'' I blurt out the question before I know what I'm saying.
''No, did I need to?''
''No.'' Is all I can say.
''I came to see Flora, you're not her only customer.'' I find myself smiling at him.
''I uh have to go and get veggies.'' I say.
''Then I'll walk back with you. I'm Jonah by the way.''
''Oh I'm Ann.'' He starts walking back to the farmer's market and I follow him.
''Where did you move from?'' He asks me as we walk.
''South Carolina, you?'' He raises an eyebrow at me then starts laughing. ''Sorry small talk isn't my thing.'' I mentally slap myself in the face. 'You?' Are you kidding me?
''I've lived in Santa Monica my whole life.'' He answers anyways. "You ought to let me show you around sometime."
"Sure." I say. Ugh why can't I carry on a simple conversation? When we get back to Floras stand we part ways. He stays to talk to her while I search the rest of the market for veggies. I'll have to find mulch or rocks too. I come across the rocks first. They're small smooth pebbles that would be perfect to lay around my plants. I buy four bags. This should be enough. I attempt to lift the bags but can hardly lift one. How am I going to get these to my car?
"They really need carts at these things don't they?" Jonah walks up behind me. Lifting the other three bags and throwing them over his shoulders. "Well come on." He grins as I struggle with the last bag but manage to drape it over my shoulder.
We throw these in my trunk and I lean against my car out of breath. "How the hell- did you lift those?"
"Eh, they weren't that bad." He shrugs it off. He closes the trunk lid leaning on it. His black t-shirt is tight around his biceps where he's holding down on the top of the car. He releases and I look away.
"Well you up for one more trip then? I got to get something I can actually eat in my garden." I say.
"Sorry I gotta meet my girlfriend, pretty sure you can lift some vegetables." He smiles and leaves.
"Wow great going Ann." I mumble to myself as I walk back to the market. When I get home it's a little past noon. I make a quick lunch for myself and Jamie while dad's at work. "Jamie! You want to help with my garden?" I yell upstairs.
"No thanks witch!" He calls back. I roll my eyes and head outside. I plug in my earbuds and get to work. I make it up against the wooden fence in the back. I can hardly see the house behind us above it. I put the flowers in the back labeling them with their small tags in the dirt.
I place banana peppers, cantaloupe, and strawberries in front. I lay down rocks all around it. I hum along to the songs in my ears as I work. Slowing becoming a quiet singing.
When I finish I sit back in the grass admiring my work. I'll have to place a border around it, probably with some kind of gray brick to match the pebbles. It was starting to get dark so I go inside to make dinner but not before I threw a quick glance at the house next door.
Jonahs house looks similar to mine on the outside I could see partly into his bedroom and the lights on. God could you be any more creepy? I shake my head and go inside.
After dinner I go to my room. I keep my eyes away from the window, putting them anywhere else. I pick out an outfit for tomorrow and start on a list for house decorations. I've decided I'm okay with the light peach my room is painted. I hang up a couple of my band posters and try to decide on a theme.
I sat at the foot of my bed cross legged facing the window. My face was buried in my computer screen looking at ideas on Pinterest when something caught my eye. I look up to see Jonah in his room. He's alone this time but I get a good look at the room around him. It's got dark blue walls and jerseys hang everywhere, not just hockey.
His bed sheets are also dark and the only light is coming from the corner of the room. Must be a lamp. My view was interrupted by a body. Jonah blocks my view as he closes the curtain. I look down at my computer quickly so he doesn't see my staring. His curtain is partially open and I see him take his shirt off. My eyes go wide and I move to the other end of my bed so I couldn't see anymore.
YOU ARE READING
Myth
Fantasy"The sun doesn't bother you?" I ask as we walk down the beach. "Myth, we'll sort of, it's more like you get sunburned once then we tan." He grins like there's something more to it. "So how it is for humans." "You could put it that way." When Ann...
