Chapter 5
It was exactly 8 O’clock and Don still wasn’t there so I went to my computer and looked at my myspace. I looked at some comments my friends had left me and I left them some comments back. Looking at the clock on my computer I realized it was 8:15 and still no sign of Don. It was like him to be late so there wasn’t much reason to worry but I knew the movie would be starting soon. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time we missed the beginning.
“Alex! You’re dates here!” My dad shouted.
“Coming Dad!” I yell back.
I looked at myself in the mirror and ran I brush through my hair really quick taking one last look at myself I walked at the door. Entering the dinning room I found him leaning against the frame of the front door. He smiled at me.
“Sorry I am late. My dad wanted to talk to me.”
“Oh yea?”
“Yep.” He said wrapping me into a warm hug.
He nodded to my parents and I waved good-bye as they wished us a good time we left the house. We walked silently on the stone sidewalk. As we both got in the truck we fastened our seat belts over our shoulders and took off.
“What did your dad want to talk about?” I asked him was he was backing out of our tricky drive way.
“You can go in the grass. We do it all the time.”
“I know, I just think it is rude to.”
“Mmmkay. Much easier the other way though.”
“Well I don’t care.” He teased.
“Well fine, neither do I.” I teased back.
We both gave a quick smile.
“Anyways, my dad told me to not ever go into the cellar. He gave me his long story about how Freddy Bob Buttface let someone see his furs and he never got to trap again.”
I laughed, “Freddy Bob Buttface?”
He smiled glancing at me and then quickly back to the curvy road.
“Yeah, what you don’t believe me?” He smiled his eyes still glued to the rode ahead.
I smiled, “Of course I believe you.”
“Good. Now I want to name my first son that. Is that okay?”
“Um no.” I shook my head.
“Awwww, but it would be so cute.”
“More like cruel.” I said laughing
He laughed too as he replied, “You’re right.”
“I know I always am.” I said flipping my hair sarcastically.
He laughed as we pulled into the move theatre parking lot. I glanced down at the clock on the truck it was exactly 8:57.
“Three minutes and the movie starts.” I said.
“Then we better hurry,” He said smiling as he helped me out of the truck.
When I stepped out the truck a blast of hot, sticky, humid air hit me in the face and almost took my breath away. Don wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked to the theatre door and opened it for me. I slipped inside the cool relief washed over me as the smell of popcorn hit my nose.
We walked to the ticket stand and requested tickets for the flick we had agreed to see. The cashier was tall blonde and very pretty. She smiled as she handed us our tickets. We walked slowly up the carpeted ramp to the movie theatre. When we reached the top we handed the worker our tickets. He was a small guy with big round glasses and he looked really nerdy he took out tickets, tore them in half, handed us each our part of the ticket, and wished us a good time. We walked to the movie that we were going to watch. We took some seats in the middle the movie was just getting ready to start when we entered.
When the movie was over we discussed the high and low points of the movie. Though, neither of us were real impressed with it. It was 11:03 when we left the parking lot so we had about a half hour to hang out. Don drove across the street to where all of the mini shops were located. He parked the truck in a parking space and went to help me out of the truck.
I smiled as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the truck. “You do know that most of these stores will be close, right?’
He smiled back, “I was hoping.”
We walked down the abandoned street hand in hand looking into the windows and reading the hours. When we reached the end of the street we had found that none of the stores were open. When we looked at he last, “Sorry we are closed,” sign for the night Don said, “You know, I go better idea!”
“You do?” I said enthusiastic.
“Yup.”
We walked back down the strip towards his truck.
“Where are we going?” I asked curiously.
He smiled, “Not going home that’s for sure.”
I laughed, “Then where are we going?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He gave me a playful look.
I groaned, “You’re so mean.”
He smiled, “Yeah, you better get used to it, too!”
We both laughed as we got into his truck and drove away. I looked out the window, but I couldn’t see much it was too dark. So I scooted to the middle and played with the radio until I found a good station and a song I knew.
“How far is it?”
Don shrugged, “You’ll see.”
“Ahhh, why do you do this to me?” I complained.
He smiled, “You know, I have no idea why I take you anywhere!”
“See! Mean!” I complained again.
He winked, “Oh you’re full of crap.”
“Are we almost there?” I whined playfully.
He rolled his eyes playfully, “Yes we are close.”
I looked out the window, there were lots of trees and I could make out a fence line but other than that I had no clue where we even were. I decided not to ask it was pretty obvious he wasn’t going to tell me until we got there. It was almost irritating the way he surprised me with these things all the time. Yet, it was something about his stubbornness that made it adorable. Finally, after driving for what seemed like forever the truck rolled to a halt.
“Are we here?”
He smiled, “Yes we are.” He steeped out of the truck and came around to open my door and help me out.
“Where are we?” I said as he pulled me out of his truck.
He smiled an adorable smile, “You’ll see.”
I could smell the smell of freshly mowed hay so I knew a field was near by. The grass was over grown and reached up to my knees so I supported a lot of my weight on Don trying not to fall down. The moon was full and let off just enough light to see an old abandoned house. It looked as thought it had about four rooms in it. It also had a porch with a swing on it. The poles that held the porch up were white with beautiful carvings in them. There were weeds growing up the side of the house and the white paint was chipping off everything. Even though it looked ran down it looked absolutely beautiful.
We stepped up onto the wooden porch and the boards creaked beneath our feet. Don led the way, opening the screen door that was off the hinge at the bottom so he had to pick it up to move it open. He then opened the big white door that looked very unstable. He moved out of the way to let me in first. The walls inside the house had stripped old wallpaper down them and some of it was falling off to reveal the termite-infested walls. There were some candles hanging from the wall as well.
“What is this?” I asked quietly.
“This is where my dad grew up. We used to come here in the summer time before the accident, of course.”
I stared at him a while unsure what to say and wanting to know what he was thinking. I knew about the accident but not very much and I didn’t want to upset him.
“My brother, Jesse he loved this place so much. Dad has never come back here after…well you know.”
“Actually, I don’t but if you don’t want to…”
“I didn’t realize you didn’t know…”
“I didn’t want to ask. I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk about it.” I replied quickly wishing I had never said anything.
“No, I want to. Jesse loved it here and every summer he would say, ‘Dad when are we coming back to the cabin.’ That’s what we referred to it as. Dad owns this cabin and 80 acres of the property around it. Jesse was ten and I was thirteen.
One day, Dad brought us over here but a guy named Jacob came and wanted to speak with my dad. I never did know why, either. Dad said he would be a minute and Jesse and I were playing behind the house where the river is.
Jesse was going out too far and I told him to stop but he wouldn’t so I went and got him. I brought him back from the deep end and told him he couldn’t swim anymore. I brought him up to the house and was drying off when I heard a phone ring. I ran to go get it. It was my mom I talked to her for a little while thinking that Jesse would stay where he was and dry off.
When I came back he was gone. I went back down to the river but he wasn’t there. I searched the woods screaming his name but I never did find him. I was forced to go tell dad what happened. He was furious but we set out to find him. When we had no luck dad took me home. My mother was crying and so was I. I felt like it was all my fault. I was supposed to watch him and I didn’t
Dad came home that night with little Jesse in his arms. Jesse was blue and shivering. We drove him to the hospital when we got there they did CPR but nothing would help. Jesse died that evening at 6:14.”
I swallowed the knot that had grown in my throat throughout the story. Don had tears in his eyes and I hugged him and we both cried a little. After he pulled away I looked at the clock it was right at midnight.
“Oh my god. I was supposed to be home by now!” I said worried.
“s**t, call your mom and dad and tell them you’re going to be a little late. Tell them the movie was longer than what it said.” He said calmly.
“Okay.” I said dialing my number and pressing the phone to my ear.
My mom answered on the 5th ring.
“Mom, it’s me. I just wanted to tell you the movie let out late so we are just leaving.”
“Oh okay, well what time will you be home?”
I looked at Don.
“Fifteen minuets.” He said. His eyes never left the rode.
I relayed the information to my mom and hung up the phone.
“How the hell are we going to make it home in fifteen minuets?”
He smiled, “I know a short cut.”
“You better.” I said.
I was quiet as I stared out the window. I watched as the trees passed hoping the deer stayed in the woods and didn’t venture to the rode. I looked at the speed. We just hit 80 and it was a dirt rode. Good thing there weren’t any cops on this rode I thought to myself as I pulled my seatbelt over my shoulder. Finally we got on roads that I was familiar with and we headed back into Sandandenia we were on my road before I knew it. We pulled into my drive way as I unfastened my seat belt.
“I had a great time!” I smiled at him.
He smiled, “Good. I’ll be waiting for you at the end of your drive way.” He winked.
I smiled, “Okay, I’ll wait until my parents go to bed and I’ll be there.”
“Good.” He said getting out of the truck and opening my door.
We walked to my front porch and I hugged him.
“I love you.” I said honestly.
He smiled, “I love you, too.”
He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips.
“See you soon, Alex.”
It was exactly 8 O’clock and Don still wasn’t there so I went to my computer and looked at my myspace. I looked at some comments my friends had left me and I left them some comments back. Looking at the clock on my computer I realized it was 8:15 and still no sign of Don. It was like him to be late so there wasn’t much reason to worry but I knew the movie would be starting soon. Oh well, it wouldn’t be the first time we missed the beginning.
“Alex! You’re dates here!” My dad shouted.
“Coming Dad!” I yell back.
I looked at myself in the mirror and ran I brush through my hair really quick taking one last look at myself I walked at the door. Entering the dinning room I found him leaning against the frame of the front door. He smiled at me.
“Sorry I am late. My dad wanted to talk to me.”
“Oh yea?”
“Yep.” He said wrapping me into a warm hug.
He nodded to my parents and I waved good-bye as they wished us a good time we left the house. We walked silently on the stone sidewalk. As we both got in the truck we fastened our seat belts over our shoulders and took off.
“What did your dad want to talk about?” I asked him was he was backing out of our tricky drive way.
“You can go in the grass. We do it all the time.”
“I know, I just think it is rude to.”
“Mmmkay. Much easier the other way though.”
“Well I don’t care.” He teased.
“Well fine, neither do I.” I teased back.
We both gave a quick smile.
“Anyways, my dad told me to not ever go into the cellar. He gave me his long story about how Freddy Bob Buttface let someone see his furs and he never got to trap again.”
I laughed, “Freddy Bob Buttface?”
He smiled glancing at me and then quickly back to the curvy road.
“Yeah, what you don’t believe me?” He smiled his eyes still glued to the rode ahead.
I smiled, “Of course I believe you.”
“Good. Now I want to name my first son that. Is that okay?”
“Um no.” I shook my head.
“Awwww, but it would be so cute.”
“More like cruel.” I said laughing
He laughed too as he replied, “You’re right.”
“I know I always am.” I said flipping my hair sarcastically.
He laughed as we pulled into the move theatre parking lot. I glanced down at the clock on the truck it was exactly 8:57.
“Three minutes and the movie starts.” I said.
“Then we better hurry,” He said smiling as he helped me out of the truck.
When I stepped out the truck a blast of hot, sticky, humid air hit me in the face and almost took my breath away. Don wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked to the theatre door and opened it for me. I slipped inside the cool relief washed over me as the smell of popcorn hit my nose.
We walked to the ticket stand and requested tickets for the flick we had agreed to see. The cashier was tall blonde and very pretty. She smiled as she handed us our tickets. We walked slowly up the carpeted ramp to the movie theatre. When we reached the top we handed the worker our tickets. He was a small guy with big round glasses and he looked really nerdy he took out tickets, tore them in half, handed us each our part of the ticket, and wished us a good time. We walked to the movie that we were going to watch. We took some seats in the middle the movie was just getting ready to start when we entered.
When the movie was over we discussed the high and low points of the movie. Though, neither of us were real impressed with it. It was 11:03 when we left the parking lot so we had about a half hour to hang out. Don drove across the street to where all of the mini shops were located. He parked the truck in a parking space and went to help me out of the truck.
I smiled as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the truck. “You do know that most of these stores will be close, right?’
He smiled back, “I was hoping.”
We walked down the abandoned street hand in hand looking into the windows and reading the hours. When we reached the end of the street we had found that none of the stores were open. When we looked at he last, “Sorry we are closed,” sign for the night Don said, “You know, I go better idea!”
“You do?” I said enthusiastic.
“Yup.”
We walked back down the strip towards his truck.
“Where are we going?” I asked curiously.
He smiled, “Not going home that’s for sure.”
I laughed, “Then where are we going?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He gave me a playful look.
I groaned, “You’re so mean.”
He smiled, “Yeah, you better get used to it, too!”
We both laughed as we got into his truck and drove away. I looked out the window, but I couldn’t see much it was too dark. So I scooted to the middle and played with the radio until I found a good station and a song I knew.
“How far is it?”
Don shrugged, “You’ll see.”
“Ahhh, why do you do this to me?” I complained.
He smiled, “You know, I have no idea why I take you anywhere!”
“See! Mean!” I complained again.
He winked, “Oh you’re full of crap.”
“Are we almost there?” I whined playfully.
He rolled his eyes playfully, “Yes we are close.”
I looked out the window, there were lots of trees and I could make out a fence line but other than that I had no clue where we even were. I decided not to ask it was pretty obvious he wasn’t going to tell me until we got there. It was almost irritating the way he surprised me with these things all the time. Yet, it was something about his stubbornness that made it adorable. Finally, after driving for what seemed like forever the truck rolled to a halt.
“Are we here?”
He smiled, “Yes we are.” He steeped out of the truck and came around to open my door and help me out.
“Where are we?” I said as he pulled me out of his truck.
He smiled an adorable smile, “You’ll see.”
I could smell the smell of freshly mowed hay so I knew a field was near by. The grass was over grown and reached up to my knees so I supported a lot of my weight on Don trying not to fall down. The moon was full and let off just enough light to see an old abandoned house. It looked as thought it had about four rooms in it. It also had a porch with a swing on it. The poles that held the porch up were white with beautiful carvings in them. There were weeds growing up the side of the house and the white paint was chipping off everything. Even though it looked ran down it looked absolutely beautiful.
We stepped up onto the wooden porch and the boards creaked beneath our feet. Don led the way, opening the screen door that was off the hinge at the bottom so he had to pick it up to move it open. He then opened the big white door that looked very unstable. He moved out of the way to let me in first. The walls inside the house had stripped old wallpaper down them and some of it was falling off to reveal the termite-infested walls. There were some candles hanging from the wall as well.
“What is this?” I asked quietly.
“This is where my dad grew up. We used to come here in the summer time before the accident, of course.”
I stared at him a while unsure what to say and wanting to know what he was thinking. I knew about the accident but not very much and I didn’t want to upset him.
“My brother, Jesse he loved this place so much. Dad has never come back here after…well you know.”
“Actually, I don’t but if you don’t want to…”
“I didn’t realize you didn’t know…”
“I didn’t want to ask. I’m sorry, we don’t have to talk about it.” I replied quickly wishing I had never said anything.
“No, I want to. Jesse loved it here and every summer he would say, ‘Dad when are we coming back to the cabin.’ That’s what we referred to it as. Dad owns this cabin and 80 acres of the property around it. Jesse was ten and I was thirteen.
One day, Dad brought us over here but a guy named Jacob came and wanted to speak with my dad. I never did know why, either. Dad said he would be a minute and Jesse and I were playing behind the house where the river is.
Jesse was going out too far and I told him to stop but he wouldn’t so I went and got him. I brought him back from the deep end and told him he couldn’t swim anymore. I brought him up to the house and was drying off when I heard a phone ring. I ran to go get it. It was my mom I talked to her for a little while thinking that Jesse would stay where he was and dry off.
When I came back he was gone. I went back down to the river but he wasn’t there. I searched the woods screaming his name but I never did find him. I was forced to go tell dad what happened. He was furious but we set out to find him. When we had no luck dad took me home. My mother was crying and so was I. I felt like it was all my fault. I was supposed to watch him and I didn’t
Dad came home that night with little Jesse in his arms. Jesse was blue and shivering. We drove him to the hospital when we got there they did CPR but nothing would help. Jesse died that evening at 6:14.”
I swallowed the knot that had grown in my throat throughout the story. Don had tears in his eyes and I hugged him and we both cried a little. After he pulled away I looked at the clock it was right at midnight.
“Oh my god. I was supposed to be home by now!” I said worried.
“s**t, call your mom and dad and tell them you’re going to be a little late. Tell them the movie was longer than what it said.” He said calmly.
“Okay.” I said dialing my number and pressing the phone to my ear.
My mom answered on the 5th ring.
“Mom, it’s me. I just wanted to tell you the movie let out late so we are just leaving.”
“Oh okay, well what time will you be home?”
I looked at Don.
“Fifteen minuets.” He said. His eyes never left the rode.
I relayed the information to my mom and hung up the phone.
“How the hell are we going to make it home in fifteen minuets?”
He smiled, “I know a short cut.”
“You better.” I said.
I was quiet as I stared out the window. I watched as the trees passed hoping the deer stayed in the woods and didn’t venture to the rode. I looked at the speed. We just hit 80 and it was a dirt rode. Good thing there weren’t any cops on this rode I thought to myself as I pulled my seatbelt over my shoulder. Finally we got on roads that I was familiar with and we headed back into Sandandenia we were on my road before I knew it. We pulled into my drive way as I unfastened my seat belt.
“I had a great time!” I smiled at him.
He smiled, “Good. I’ll be waiting for you at the end of your drive way.” He winked.
I smiled, “Okay, I’ll wait until my parents go to bed and I’ll be there.”
“Good.” He said getting out of the truck and opening my door.
We walked to my front porch and I hugged him.
“I love you.” I said honestly.
He smiled, “I love you, too.”
He leaned down and kissed me gently on the lips.
“See you soon, Alex.”
