And So She Fell (SAMPLE ONLY)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

The following week was, to say the very least, interesting.

Jack's actions still confused me. Since that first little exchange on the patio, he'd keep dropping subtle little hints that he might be a wee bit interested in me. The next morning I went down to the patio and saw him there again, drinking his coffee. He was expecting me. I knew because he turned and smiled as he offered me a steaming cup of hot cocoa. I did not like coffee that much and his thoughtfulness moved me, though I told myself repeatedly that it did not.

As usual, I was torn between staying or fleeing. In the end, I decided to stay and sit next to him. The silence and the cool morning was the best part of my day. I told myself it wasn't because it was spent with Jack.

The following mornings were spent in very much the same way, and although I told myself to stop coming down to the patio, I always found myself taking the cup of cocoa from him and resting on that chair. Moreover, I often found myself sighing in contentment. I also often caught him peering at me from the corner of his eyes and I found it really endearing. In a short span of time, Jack had managed to crawl his way deep under my skin, and bypass my defenses

It wasn't just Jack who managed to dig deep under my skin either. Paige had her own cunning ways of drawing me out of my room too.

There was one particular time when she barged in my room and caught me in the middle of doing a charcoal sketch and just stayed there, watching me, like a puppy. She wanted me to be her friend. I get that. What I didn't get was why I couldn't I just damn well open up to her so we could start braiding each other's hair.

I remembered Gary's voice as he told me that I should learn to open up more. How do I learn? How do people start doing something they don't even know how to define?

What is opening up, exactly?

Maybe I should just tell her my mom died in a car accident. Which I suspected was an act of suicide. Should I tell her how it felt to lose a mother who had a choice to stay and protect me, but chose to be selfish instead? She might think I'm crazy, because despite the selfish act that robbed me of my mom I still loved her, and I always asked God every damn night why he didn't take me too.

Paige might think I am messed up in the head, and change her mind about befriending me. What would happen to me then?

The bottom line is my ignorance is caused by my fear. I am scared. So scared.

Such was my thoughts as I sat by the back door staring absently at the vast expanse of their ranch. I could see Jack riding a black horse in the distance, its long, strong legs galloping across the field. I also couldn't help thinking how good Jack looked atop that horse.

Hilda had now appeared beside me. "Isn't it pretty?" she said, gazing out at the view. Jack's pretty, I thought.

"Yeah," I replied dreamily.

"We have to work hard to keep this ranch, but every time I see that, it just reminds me it is worth all the hardship."

Somehow, I understood. It was strange because even though I'd only arrived a few weeks back, I felt as though I understood completely. The ranch was just pure beauty. I smiled, "It's weird, but somehow I know how you feel."

Hilda sighed, and my smile faltered. "My mom," I hesitated when Hilda took my hand and took it in her own warm hands, encouraging me. Part of me wanted to withdraw my hand from her, but a bigger part of me reveled in the companionship. "Can you tell me more about her? Gary told me you were her best friend."