Rural

Chapter 4: Kitty, You're Annoying. Leave Me Alone.

Chapter 4: Kitty, You're Annoying. Leave Me Alone.

       I found myself actually waking up a lot earlier than I normally did, mainly because I wanted to get down to the barn and make sure Paint was taken care of for the day. He was still a stubborn horse at times but it was a lot easier for me getting him out of the stables than it was for everyone else.

       Even when he was out in the secluded field just for him, I stayed there for a bit to watch him. He never seemed to mind. He continued to run around the field, occasionally trotting over to me and allowing me to rub his neck.

       I missed him a lot. Of course I did. Sawyer and I went through a lot of trouble as a nine and seven year old trying to rescue Paint from where we found him. We even got in trouble for running off into the forest behind the Birches' land.

       I just didn't understand why Paint had to be evil and kick mud at me.

       Then again, it was while my family was saying goodbye to the Birch family so maybe Paint understood I was leaving and possibly wouldn't come back.

       I hated the circumstances that made me come back but I was starting to be happy that I was back in Ruralburgh.

       "Jamie!" I heard Sawyer call. I turned around and saw him standing by the fence so I walked over to him. "You need a watch."

       "That's what my phone is for," I said.

       "Uh huh, and how often do you check the time on your phone?" Sawyer asked. "Because you do know you're running late to school, right?"

       I quickly pulled out of my pocket and noticed that it was currently eight-eighteen. Meaning school started in two minutes and my mom probably left without me. Again. I understood if she left without me because I slept in. But did she really have to leave me behind when I was awake? And outside? 

       I put my phone back in my pocket and gave Sawyer a hopeful look. "So... Sawyer..."

       He immediately chuckled, knowing exactly what I was going to ask. "Come on. I'll drive you to school."

       "You are a lifesaver," I said as I climbed over the fence, picking up my backpack which I left nearby so I wouldn't have to go back in the house to grab it in order to head to school.

       "All I hear is you're still helpless without me," Sawyer said as we started walking to his truck. "And you owe me a lot because of all the times I've saved your ass taking you to school and picking you up."

       "Well, how exactly do I owe you?" I asked, giving him a wink.

       Sawyer rolled his eyes, though he had a thin smile on his face, one that he was clearly trying to hide because of the twitching on the corner of his lips. "You need to stop with the innuendos."

       "What innuendo?" I asked innocently. "All I asked was how I owe you?"

       "The wink implied the innuendo."

       "I didn't wink. I blinked. With one eye."

       "Uh huh."

       By the time Sawyer pulled over to the side of the school so I could get out, the bell had just rung. Everyone who was outside of the school was now scrambling to get inside so their teachers wouldn't give them detention for being late.

       Which apparently happened a lot at this school. I haven't been late yet, thankfully because of Sawyer, but some fellow classmates had been late so I witnessed my teachers giving out detentions.