Within the Lines

15.

A few days passed since my resolve to try and find out what Atticus was thinking. More and more it became clear to me that if I wanted to get anywhere with him, I'd have to do it myself. 

He was either too shy to approach me outside of gym visits, or I was completely wrong about the chat after all and he wasn't shy but honestly didn't like me. That would be the most obvious conclusion if someone avoided you, after all. 

I'd briefly considered telling Mandy. If she heard I maybe had my eye on Atticus it was guaranteed he'd hear. But so would the rest of the school. I'd quickly discarded that idea and decided to wait for a chance to say something to Atticus at home. 

Chances, unfortunately, were scarce. 

Atticus spent a lot of time on the football field as a varsity athlete. The rest of his time, he often sat downstairs doing homework (or chatting with Jonah who knew). Chiara was a little too close for comfort to talk to Atticus downstairs, so I refrained. 

Instead, I spent my time finally making the watercolour wild horses painting Chiara wanted, opting for white horses in a fantasy-like blue environment. 

I permanently lost my hearing in my left ear at the squeal of delight Chiara uttered upon showing her one Saturday afternoon. 

"Oh my gosh! Kade, I love it!" she exclaimed, carefully taking the already framed painting from me as if she feared she'd drop it. "I can't wait for your dad to come home so he can put this on the wall!" 

I grinned, a little embarrassed at Chiara's unbridled enthusiasm. "Don't think Dad's gonna be home soon," I said. "Not if he's at the school office, workin' on strategies for Pinewood's second match of the season. But if you want, I can put the painting up already? If you tell me where I can find a drill and stuff?" 

Chiara smiled wider and clasped her hands together. "You would? That's lovely of you to offer, Kade." 

"Sure, I don't mind." 

"All the tools are in the shed." Chiara scratched her chin. "Oh, but the shed's lock is rather old though. It's not easy to open. I'll ask Atticus to help you."

"You really don't—" 

I stopped talking. Chiara was already in the hallway and not listening to me. 

"Atticus! Can you come here for a second?" 

Chiara knocked on the study door, and Atticus came out promptly. 

Chiara put her hand on his shoulder. "Be a doll and help Kade with the shed door, okay?" she asked. 

She gestured at me standing in the living room. Atticus followed his mother's gaze and glanced at me through the open living room door as well. 

"Yes, Mom."

"Alright." Chiara patted her son's upper arm. "I'll go out to get us dinner for tonight alone I guess. And, Kade, thank you so much for doing this." 

"No problem, Chiara."

"Oh and Kade, if you see anything in that shed that you like, feel free to take it, okay? Your dad and I still need to clean that place out." 

"Thanks, Chiara." 

Chiara left the house, and as the front door slammed closed, it hit me. 

We were alone. Atticus and I. I needed to be on the lookout to make a move somehow. Crap, this was sudden. My heart pounded as Atticus walked into the living room and pointed at the backdoor. 

"Let's go," he suggested. 

"Yeah, let's have that painting up before Chiara comes home," I agreed, following Atticus outside to the shed.