Save Me, Soldier

Chapter Six;

CHRIS'S POV;

Riding my horse was the best thing I had to do here at my Uncles house. Whenever I rode out into the woods with him, I'd instantly feel better even if my day was going horribly. Charlie never criticized me, he'd listen when I needed him to.

The wind blows through my hair as I ride through the woods and out into the open. I tighten my grip on his reins, almost making my knuckles turn white.

We ride along a little bit longer and finally stop by the cliff with the water that's down beneath it, but not far enough beneath it that you cant stick your feet in it. There are a couple of trees around the water, one of them has a rope tied to it. Beck had tied it there when he was a kid, just so he could take his dates swimming down here. The view is beautiful, the cliff is safe enough to stand on, and the trees that surround the cliff and water and enter into the forest are tall and magnificent.

"Here we are, Charlie." I say, stopping him before he gets over the end of the cliff. I get off of his back and take my boots and socks off. I roll up the end of my jeans and stick my feet in the water. It was like a pool, this cliff with the water.

"You'd think Peyton would like it if I brought her out here?" I ask Charlie, not expecting a reply from him. I laugh and turn my head to look back at him. He dips down his head and sticks his tongue in the water. I stroke his mane as he drinks.

This is where I will take Peyton. She'll love it up here, it's beautiful. I can't wait until Sunday.

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PEYTON'S POV

Class had been a little repetitive today, after timeless waiting and waiting for the Professor to finally get there, we found out that he had a hangover from a party he went to last night. We just sat there the whole class and studied, or talked to our friends. He didn't care, as long as we were remotely quiet.

Janet had come into class early I guess, she had to speak to the Professor about getting some extra help after class. I offered to help her, but she said no since I had a life that she didn't want to occupy. We were in our fourth year-the last year- of college, what could she possibly have to ask him about?

"So, Aaron called me the other day and asked me if he could come out and spend the weekend with me." I say, Janet's head pops right out of the book she's reading over.

"Really? I've always liked Aaron. Ever since your mom and I use to babysit you two when you were younger. You two were best friends , it was so adorable" She winks at me. I take a sip of the coffee she had on her desk, though I hated coffee. It was bitter and tasteless, I just wanted something to clear my throat.

"We're still best friends, it's still adorable" I tell her and we laugh. I start writing down mindless things in my notebook, drawing on it without really paying attention to what I was drawing.

"Where is he going to stay?" Janet asks. I look her in the eyes, and her smile turns upside down. "He's staying in your dorm room? Oh, Peyton. Tell me you two aren't at that stage in your relationship...." She says. That stage? What is she talking about?

"No, Janet. It's not like that between me and Aaron. He's just a friend, he and I both feel comfortable being around each other as just friends. We tried the 'more than friends' thing once. It didn't work out. We're just besties" I tell her. She nods her head and looks away from me and back at the Professor.

He started rambling something off that sounded like a little bit of a research project, but he was only talking to the students that wanted to have some extra credit. I've already gotten told a lot this year that I was at the top of the class, so I don't really need to do that work. I decide to do it anyway, it couldn't possibly make my mark go down any.