Wonderland

Chapter 8

The minute I figured out we were going to Malibu State Park/ Mt. Crags, the place that is used for Camp Mars, I felt relieved.  I had only been just the one time, but it was my happy place.  I had met such wonderful people while there and had even stayed in contact with a few of them. 

Now 2 months later and I am back sans the crew and the Echelon.  'Holy shit balls, I'm here with Jared. Only Jared!' I think to myself.  I'm grinning big. 

Jared had said I wasn't phased by his celebrity status, but that wasn't completely true.  I guess not his being a celebrity so much as him in general.  I'm just really good at hiding it.

We walk briskly on the road to where the North Camp is located.  It's gorgeous here in the Fall.  The weather is amazing and the foliage is almost comparable to what you'd see in North Carolina.  I feel home.

"What's on your mind?" Jared breaks the silence.

"I was just thinking about the idea of home.  I feel home when I'm with my family in North Carolina, but that state was never truly home.  I feel home here, even though this is a campground for the Salvation Army, I feel home holding your hand."

He squeezes my hand and stops to look into my eyes.  It's too powerful when he does that.  I break eye contact and look off in the distance.  He isn't having any of that.

"Ali, look at me."

"Nope, not happening!" I say jokingly.

He growls that low guttural sound that only he could make and get away with.  I still don't want to look at him, but I do.

"They say home is where the heart is, so tell me, Ali, where is your heart?"

"If I tell you exactly what I think when you ask that, you'll think I'm a lunatic."

"Clearly you don't realize I'm the crazy one here!"

"Oh no, Mister.  I'm all too familiar with your brand of weird.  I quite like it.  And since we are on the topic... what the hell are you wearing?"

"No you don't Missy. I wanna hear your answer.  Where is your heart?"

I start walking down the road.  Not sure how my answer will be received when I say it.  I decide since I've demanded his honesty and he's told me about his very private indiscretion earlier, that it is only fair.

"Jared, my heart is with you.  It always has been.  I didn't need to meet you to know you were a kindred spirit.  I just always knew.  You have this aura surrounding you that I just knew would fit me like a glove..."

He picks up his pace to be beside me again and interrupts with a sly, "oh yeah we do fit like a glove!"

He raises his eyebrows at me and I can't help but chuckle.

"See that's exactly what I'm talking about here.  I live for your sense of humor.  I love your silliness and your sexual innuendos, and your gorgeous face on your face."

"My face on my face?"

"Ha, yes! I love that stupid beautiful handsome face on your face!"

"Well that's the first time I've ever heard someone say that to me. I like it."

"Well it's true. There's a lot of attractive men out there. But my attraction to you goes beyond that. I love your presence. I love how well you know your audience, how you always seem to know the right thing to say. Your personality is what I adore the most."

"So what you're saying is that I have your heart?"

"Yes, handle it with care, it's fragile."

"I can't make promises to never hurt you or say the wrong things though. I'm human. But I'll try very hard to do the right things."