This chapter is dedicated to Tasha! Thanks for all the support during NaNoWriMo!
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FRIENDS AND ALIBIS
“You do want to get butchered up?” he asked, faking a shocked expression.
“That really isn’t funny. Nevertheless, no, I don’t want to get molested. It’s just, if I go straight home, and my parents see me in my current state, they will freak out.”
“Then, where do you want to go? You should at least have a doctor take a look at your ankle.”
I puffed my cheeks out, trying to think of where I could go. Going home was not an option. Not going home was just as bad an idea. By the time I came up with the perfect solution, Kieran had left the trees behind us and was already nearing Mare’s Fish Shop.
“Wait,” I carefully tapped Kieran on the chest. “There’s someplace else you can bring me. But maybe it’d be best if no one saw me in your arms.”
“That hurts,” Kieran mocked.
“I didn’t mean it like that, though. I just would like to save myself from getting into more trouble at home. First of all, I’m going to arrive home late and will end up grounded for another week. Then, I’ll have to explain why I’m covered in dirt and…” I trailed off when the wind gushed strong and attacked me with a wall of cold, wet rain. Unaware of my actions, I snuggled up to Kieran’s chest to shield me from the icy downpour.
“You were saying?”.
“I’ll have to tell them I went into the woods and I have no idea what they’ll do about that. Last time, my parents freaked out like I had molested a small child when in reality, setting foot in the woods was all I did. I’d rather not experience the sequel to that episode.”
“That bad?”
I nodded. “But I think I have an idea.” I raised my voice so he could hear me over the raging wind. “If you follow the line of trees, you know, the edge of the woods over there, it’ll lead us to a friend’s place. Maybe I can get her to call my parents and feed them some innocent lie. It’s only a wild guess, but I think she will be willing to help me out.”
Kieran didn’t ask questions, just retreated back to the cover of the trees. He started walking in a steady pace as soon as I told him to follow the tree line on our left. We didn’t talk much more, but I didn’t mind. I was content soaking in the warmth of Kieran’s hold on me, while listening to the pitter-patter of heavy raindrops - the pain in my ankle almost long forgotten.
“We’re almost there,” I informed Kieran. When I looked up at his face, I noticed a fat drop of water that dangled at the bottom of his jaw. Without thinking about what I was doing, I wiped it away, leaving a dirt streak in its place. “I’m sorry,” I muttered, using the hem of my jacket’s sleeve to remove it. “I keep forgetting I’m covered in dirt.” At that moment, I spotted the back of Joanne’s Essentials and pointed in the direction of the white-painted house. “There, it is. That’s Joanne’s shop.”
“Okay,” Kieran nodded. “Hold on tight.”
I wanted to ask why, but I quickly found out as Kieran sped up into a full run and made a beeline for the blue door. How he still had it in him to run after carrying me all the way, I didn’t know. I couldn’t deny that it made me happy to think he wanted to shelter me from the rain. Then again, maybe he was just eager to get rid of me. As I bounced up and down in his arms, I wasn’t able to withhold a giggle. Mere seconds later, he halted in front of the door. He eyed me expectantly …
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Mountain River Girl
Tínedžerská beletriaSeventeen years ago, a baby was found at the edge of the forest and later raised by the villagers as their own. While Seda grew up, she often wondered about her heritage, her history and why her parents left her to fend on her own. Every attempt a...
