Don't Go Out In The Woods Today

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

Ellie made conversation with him for the whole way back home which took less than fifteen minutes,

“That one there,” Ellie pointed her house out as we drove down the muddy lane.

“There we go,” we pulled up outside her house

“Thank you so much for taking us home,” she said as she got out the car
“That’s perfectly okay and if I don’t see you round the village I’ll see you in September.”

“Okay see ya.”

“Bye,” he said before Ellie closed the door. It was silent for a second before I looked up to see his piecing grey eyes looking at me in the rear view mirror.

“Just me and you again,” he chuckled softly as we set off again, without registering I gently chewed on my bottom lip nervously.

“Yeah…looks like it.” I should’ve got out and stayed round Ellie’s or insisted that I walk.

“Are your parents coming back for the summer?” soothing sound of the jaguars engine hummed in the background as he drove down the long country lane surrounded by forests. We were about a three minute walk from my house.

“If I say no, let me guess you’ll call childline?” the truth is that I don’t know it all depends on if nan gets. Suddenly the car slowed down as Mr Bates pulled up on the grass embankment with the engine still running, I sat in confusion. Why has he pulled over?

“I’ve repeatedly told you I’m sorry so can’t you just forget about it?” he pleaded calmly as our eyes met in the mirror “and will you stop chewing your lip!” the last part wasn’t a question.

“The thing is, I don’t trust people very easily and you broke that trust when you confided in the student welfare team so don’t start telling me to forget about it,” I blurted out, my voice was calm but there was a hint of harshness in the tone “and I’m sorry if little things I do annoy you but I can’t help it, it’s a nervous thing. Thanks for the lift but I’ll be sticking to public transport from now on.” I snapped in annoyance grabbing my bag from beside me and making a swift exit from the car harshly shutting the door behind me not giving him the chance to reply. Oh God did I just admit to being nervous around him!? What an absolute idiot.

The purring of the engine advanced from behind me “Amy I’m sorry,” he apologised through the open window as his car crept beside me

“So am I,” I mumbled

“For what?”

“For even agreeing to get in the car in the first place.”

“No you’re not… you’re just annoyed because you admitted you get nervous around me,”

I abruptly came to a standstill, I felt heat rise to my face with embarrassment. I couldn’t think of something to say so I kept calm and retrieved my headphones that were dangling out the top of my t-shirt where I’d left them hanging. Firmly pushing them in my ears then pressing the play button on the wire in the corner of my eye I could still see Mr Bates diving beside me waiting for an answer. The music filled my ears blocking out all excess noise as I strolled along, he finally realised he wouldn’t be getting another word out of me so he sped off down the country road leaving me grinning like a Cheshire cat. It’s nice to know I can return the favour of annoying him as much as he does me.

Ellie- ‘Yesterday was so fun…well until Seb and his mates started playing up. But OMG I can’t believe the way Mr Bates reacted when Seb hit the ball in Kayleigh’s face, he’s actually quite scary when he’s angry but he obviously likes you. If looks could kill Seb would be dead and he won’t be bothering you anytime soon after Mr Bates had a warned him to ‘never speak to you like that again’ :D x x x’