Handmade: A Series of Short Stories

Story Three: Candy Cane Kiss, prt.4

 Copyright of KalMoss. All rights reserved.

On a Saturday fifteen years ago a young ten year old Ann Freeman had walked next door to spend the day with her new friend, Fran. Innocent little Ann knocked on the door and was welcomed by Fran’s parents, after walking up the stairs she peeked into Fran’s room smiling when she saw her and went to sit on her bed. They talked for a while, they laughed for a while and they made a list of possible things to do that day, but then they were interrupted.

  This was the moment when a boy met a girl. When Ann Freeman met Jayce Hampton for the first time. From the minute she saw him, standing in the doorway of Fran’s room with Fran’s older brother by his side, she thought he was good-looking and almost instantly a crush was developed.

  Ann would spend the next eleven years of her life silently crushing on him, by the time she turned fifteen she’d given up any hopes of a relationship and proceeded to date other guys but he never left her thoughts.

  He was always there, in the back of her mind, Ann had not realised it then but as she walked to Jayce’s car on Christmas day she couldn’t help but think perhaps the reason he was there in the back of her mind was because he’d been waiting. Waiting for just the right moment to come back into her life and be with her.

Ann shook her head as she slid into the car and Jayce closed the door behind her, she was being completely ridiculous. Charlotte was right she did need to get out there, get away from all the romantic mumbo-jumbo and fantasy she was filling her head with.

  It was those darn books! They were just so addictive, not to mention it was too easy to just pick one up, relax on the couch and submerge yourself into a world where everything would end up perfect and you would always get your prince charming. Ofcourse Ann knew from experience that wasn’t the case, no, reality is prince charming’s don’t exist they’re just an outline you convince yourself fits your boyfriend.

  You wake up to reality eventually, after he dumps you for no apparent reason cutting all ties with you and not only do you have a broken heart but you lose any chances of having just a friend.

  Ann sighed, now she was being unreasonable. Prince charming may not exist but honestly who would want one? It’s the imperfections of a person that make us human, just because the man was perfect doesn’t mean he loves you and in the end that’s what it all comes down to, love.

  Ann looked across at Jayce.

  Did she love him? Was love the reason she’d woken up this morning so giddy with happiness it had completely stumped her? Was love the reason those pancakes, baked exactly as the last she’d made tasted so good?

Jayce glanced across at her, feeling her eyes on him, for a fleeting second his crystal blue eyes met her vivid dark brown ones, and she knew.

  Ann Freeman was falling in love.

  That giddy happiness bubbled inside her as she thought the words; she really was falling in love for the first time in many years. Now it was just a matter of one question; did he, could he, love her back?

Ann looked out the window, biting her lip as she thought desperately, watching as the typical Queenslander styled homes blurred past her. She was sure of how she felt but could she really risk their friendship? After all there was no way of being sure he’d say yes and the humiliation of it if he’d say no. Was it worth it?

  “Do I turn left here Ann?”

   She looked across at him, he kept glancing at her with peculiar looks, “Er, yeah, left at the next intersection.”