Help On the Line (ON HOLD UNTIL SEPTEMBER)

CHAPTER SIX- Hazy Summer Days (Shae)

   Shaelynn.

   

  Six months later...

   It was an August night when I finally realized what was happening. What was so very, very wrong and scary. How did I not come to terms with it before?

   Earlier that evening, Jared picked me up from my house- as usual. I was listening to my secret stash of classical music again, silently enjoying my moment of complete harmony with the music. I had spent the whole day by myself (again), surfing movies on the Internet and fussing over my light freckles. I wasn't even tan enough this summer to mask my freckles for just a little while. Oh well.

   The particular piece I was listening to was Vivaldi's most famous works- The Four Seasons. I loved them, and listening to them reminded me of happier times. The memories were blurred, but I distinctly remember Liam giving this to me in sixth grade for my birthday. He knew I loved violin, no matter how much I complained about playing it.- though nowadays it was locked up in its case, collecting dust somewhere under my bed. 

   So I was enjoying my moments of peace when the annoying doorbell rang. My eyes snapped open. My phone read 4:30 PM. Jared was earlier than normal, I noted.

   Quickly changing my clothes and dabbing on some make up, I grabbed my cell phone and ran down the stairs, throwing open the front door. "Sorry," I breathed, "I didn't know you were picking  me up this early." I hugged him quickly.

   He chuckled a bit. "Well, here I am. I couldn't wait to hang out with you tonight." 

   I cringed a little inside. "Jared, we see each other almost daily," I replied, mustering a smile. 

   "What, is that too much for you?" Jared asked. He seemed a little defensive. 

   I shook my head a couple times. "No, no way, babe. I love seeing you," I assured him. He smiled. 

   "That's my girl. And your parents aren't home, right?" 

   I rolled my eyes. "Since when are they ever home? They're always working. You know that."

   Jared put his hands up. "Yeah, I do, I do. But you can never be too sure. I thought we could chill at your place today for a change, that's all." His eyes were hopeful and very brown in the late sun.

   I pecked him on his cheek, saying, "Of course, babe. Whatever you want." He sauntered inside, knowing his way around the house.

   Whatever you want, babe.

*   *   *   *   *

   We were lying on the couch, watching a movie about princesses and true love. It was for little kids, but nothing else was on. Our TV channels were a bit limited, seeing as no one but I use the TV anymore in my house. Suddenly, Jared sighed loudly. 

   "This is so boring, Shae. No offense intended," he declared. 

   So, okay, even though the movie was silly, I still loved it. I still had a thing for princess movies and happy endings since when I was six, alright? So I couldn't help but be slightly offended when Jared had called it "boring".

   I shrugged, acting as if I didn't care. "Yeah, I guess. But we don't really have anything else to watch."

   "So..." 

   "So what?"

   "Let's do something else. We don't have to watch any boring crap when we can do whatever we want."