Memories in Jars

Chapter 7

Author's Note: Can you believe that it's Friday already?! I can't.  It's absolutely crazy how fast the weeks have been flying now that I'm back at school.  In all honesty, it's scaring me a little.

Although I love all of the chapters of this story (because I'm proud that I've actually written and completed them), I especially love this one, so I hope that you all do.

This chapter is dedicated to thewritingviolinist, for writing me the nicest comment I have ever received on last week's chapter.  Thank you, so much.

My writing/life motivation for this week goes to: "Almeno tu nell'universo," an amazing Italian song by Mia Martini, and The Life and Times, that amazing marauder-era Harry Potter fan fiction that I told you all to read.  (Please say you have.  Here's the link again if you haven't: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5200789/1/The-Life-and-Times .  The last chapter was positively amazing.)

On another note, Happy Fall! It's definitely autumn weather right now here in the great upstate NY---and despite the fact that the weather has been quite chilly as of late, I love it.

So, happy reading.  Please vote, comment, and follow me.  Je vous aime tous! 

<3

Kay (dreamer44)

PS.  I may be back on the long-author's-note thing.  Whoops.  Sorry not sorry.

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----- Annabelle -----

            Tim had texted me in the morning asking me if he could drive me both to and from babysitting.  I had consented—of course—but it made me both extremely excited and nervous.  It was still entirely unclear to me as to when and, more importantly: why, Tim had switched from thinking of me as Maggie’s best friend to seeing me as a girl to kiss.  Because there was no way to misinterpret it: something had changed.

            He pulled up the driveway at ten-thirty, even though it only took fifteen minutes to get to Blue River and I didn’t need to be there until eleven.  But I was ready, sitting at the kitchen counter staring out the window with a glass of water in hand.  I had been ready ever since he had told me he was coming that morning.

            “Hey, Belle,” Tim said as I slid into my seat.  When he turned and smiled, it made me melt inside a bit.

            “Hey,” I said, smiling back, but feeling a little awkward.  I didn’t know how to handle myself in the given situation.

            While Tim pulled out of the driveway and started off down the road, I waited for him to speak.  Finally, five minutes down the road, he said, “I’m going to pull over in a parking lot.  So we can talk.”  I just nodded.

            When he had parked, he turned to me and took my hands, rubbing his thumbs over my knuckles.  “I guess I just wanted to explain,” he said after a moment’s pause, “but I don’t know where to start.”

            I took a deep breath, hoping to steady my rapidly beating heart, and then asked, “What changed?”

            He looked down at our hands and rubbed his thumbs over my knuckles again.  “I got a letter from Maggie on Saturday afternoon, after I called you, and she was bugging me about getting a girl—I had told her about my less-than-great date.  She said there must be someone who I was always making time to see, and someone who I was always happy to see when I did.   I was thinking about it, and then I thought about you, and then I just connected the dots,” he looked up at me, “and I realized that it was you.”