The boy in the garden

Original chapter 6

" I'll be back " he said.

  As I sat waiting for him to come back I found myself fiddling with the things in the magnificent tent. Why did he have it outside like this. It's almost as if it was always here , permanently here. But why in the middle of the forest, why in the middle of nowhere.

It's like he had business here. Maybe this is where he took his other women.

As I sat at the foot of the bed, waiting for him to come, I feel fast asleep. Morning came and I woke up in a frightful state. Forgetting I was in the middle of the forest with a boy I still did not know.

Then it came to me, the utter shock and disbelief that I still had to go to school today. I was so unprepared , I made a decision to stay in the house out of anger not reason. I didn't have my school supplies.

        " No, no , no " I screamed.  As I screamed, I could here the voice of some one else.

    " morning " he replied.  Then  changed his expression when he heard my screams.

His  pupil constricted  and he looked ready to fight.    As he looked around and saw nothing there he seemed to change faces out of shock and almost dropped the plate in his hands.

   "  are you scared of me? " he asked . Looking at me with the most safest eyes I've ever seen.

    " no , no "     " it's not you " I replied. " I forgot I was supposed to go to school today and I don't have the things I need" I finally replied.

   " oh, never mind that " he said happily.

" it's just school. You go every day and you look intelligent to me " he stated " surely one day of school won't  make a difference. Plus you deserve it.   Spend the day  in the garden with me ".

he finally said .

    I started to think about what he said . Would it really matter if I made it to school today. I just slept in the forest in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger. Surely I wasn't in the correct state of mind to be in school. I'd probably not learn a thing.

As I sat for  a bit thinking. He turned his head and looked straight at me . Still with a plate of food in his hands.

" please ? " he pleaded. " I already made you breakfast and it would be too late to go now . It's practically 9 o clock". He said.

    " sure " I replied. " but only until the afternoon".

     " splendid ".  He said as he clapped his hands together. " I have part of your breakfast, if you follow me we can go see the rest" he said.

    the rest?  Did I  look like I could eat  that much. I probably could but  by the look of my body. One couldn't just tell. It was embarrassing to think of,  why he would think that. So I quietly followed. He took my hand like he  always does. I don't  know  if it was his way of showing that he was a gentle man or he's character of being possessive.

Either way I didn't hate it . I didn't love it but I didn't hate it   either . It's like the feeling you get when you don't like something but hate it when it's not around. It had some security to it . His hand wasn't smooth but it wasn't rough either . It was cool but my hands were always warm so they  cancelled each other out . So it was okay . We finally reached the table right outside of the tent . The table was laid with food.

        As if king Arthur and his knights were eating in their castle. I didn't know if I  should feel honored that he would take the time and energy to prepare something like it or if I should feel insulted that he thinks I eat too much. It's not that I was insecure about my body but I was insecure about my eating habits. My mother always told me off and it was secretly becoming by insecurity.

" aren't you going to eat anything ". He says

" sure. I will. But Derick you didn't put take my chair out like a gentleman " I say  giggling.

    " oh em, I "
    " it's okay " I reply.  " I'm not English"  I say.

    " yes but I am " he states.

Getting up from his chair and pulling out one and telling me to sit there. I was already sitting on one and didn't want to move. I tried shaking my head no but he lifted me and   put   me there on the chair. His firmness towards me was scary. What's there about this boy that gives me the creeps. Why  is it that I don't know how to react to him or read him. I

t's like having a book in your hand with a lock and not knowing where to find the key. it's scary and exiting .

   " em, thank you " I reply ". But I'm fully capable of moving a chair and sitting  on it ". I say.

   " it's not wrong for a man to get a lady's chair. What's wrong is if that lady's too head strong or stubborn" he says. Buttering the bread in his hand and making a crunch noise and he put in his mouth.

     I enjoyed  the quietness that followed. I only took  a piece of bread and some fruit. I didn't want anything else and I didn't want it to look like a monster devouring food. The bread was already in my hair and on my face, till I realized I didn't put it there.

    " you put bread in my hair!!!!!"  I said

   He started laughing like a child. He was in hysterics. There's nothing on your head.

     " yes there is " I say touching the creamy yellow thing that stuck to my hair and showing it to him.

" what do you call this ?" I say.

   " that's bird poop. Not butter" " besides, he continues " there's only one serving of butter and that's on my side of the table. I can't quickly bring it your hair. If I'm here".

   " but..."

  " I couldn't have thrown it without you noticing the entire time " " you've been looking at me and and I can't have done it without you noticing ".  " I'm not a ghost " he replies finally .

   " oh "  " I,ii. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry for accusing you ".  " how improper of me ". ". Well I need to go home and get myself  cleaned up ". " if you excuse me " I say.

As I get up from the dinner table. I feel something strong and firm grab my wrist and I gasp. It's not that it hurt. It was just so unexpected.

" no, no, " he said.

" I can understand you wanting to leave if I said or did something wrong but it wasn't me this time . It was your assumptions . So please stay so we can finish breakfast". He said in a cool calm voice.

As if there's no way I could refuse his proposal. For someone who looked so shy and sweet. How is it that he had this unexpected cold creepy side of him. It was scary at times. It thrilled me that I didn't know what he could do next but it was also very creepy that I sat there with a stranger and obeyed him. It's like he knew just what to say to get what he wants done.

It was at this moment, where red flags popped up but she failed to see them. She should have run away at this moment. To her mother, to anywhere. It was her stupid curiosity that got the best of her or maybe even her stupid craving for things or people she couldn't understand. A taste for adventure but it was too late to tell her that this was not an adventure to tell. I'm still saddened by the burden of carrying this tale.

" don't you think I should clean my hair first " I say.

" I don't mind " he says.

Adding fruits to my plate and smiling . It's like he knew I wouldn't leave that table. Though I wanted to to prove a point. It would only show my stubbornness. Nothing more and that was also a side I didn't want him to fully see or understand. He's still a stranger after all.