If you could see me
now
chapter 5
Conor's POV
"Evan wanted a horse,"
she whispered, stroking Teddy's neck.
"Who?"
"A friend of mine," she hummed, smiling slightly.
I never forgot that name, or the way she smiled when she said it.
It was as if it were some inside joke that I wasn't part of.
Or as if there were good and bad memories associated with that
name. Her eyes lit up, but there was something more behind them.
Something I didn't understand.
"So, would you like lessons?" I asked, snapping her out
of her daze.
She bit her lip. "I don't know... You're lucky
I'm standing this close to a horse, you want me to
get on one?"
"Go on. For the bant," I said, grinning.
"Oh, sure. If I fall off and break my neck, you can tell the
doctor "Oh, it was just for the bant,"" she said
sarcastically. "What does that even mean?"
"For the fun of it. Do it just so you can say you did. That
kind of thing," I explained. "Live on the
edge."
She rolled her eyes. "Not today."
"Can we live on the edge tomorrow?" I asked, smiling
still.
"No. Not for a while."
It had started to rain and it was getting heavier and heavier. It
pounded off the roof of the shed. I could barely hear Jodie
speaking.
"So, will I get to meet this Evan?" I asked.
"Maybe someday. If you keep annoying me it will be sooner
than you would hope," she said, the same menacing smile on
her face. I still didn't understand what was behind the
happiness in her eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
She shook her head and grinned, although it didn't reach her
eyes. "It's a secret."
"I'm a good secret keeper," I told her.
"I don't care."
There was a silence then, as I debated whether or not to say the
next thing.
"Are you okay?" she asked, obviouslt seeing my internal
debate.
"Um, yeah. I was just wondering if...well...is Evan, like,
your...boyfriend?" I asked, feeling idiotic.
There was a fraction of a second of silence and then her face
crumpled in what could only have been agony. She sank down to the
ground, burying her face in her hands. I could clearly hear her
crying, even over the pouring rain and the slight thunder that
had started. I stood frozen, not knowing what to do.
She sighed, wiping away tears, looking up at me. "No, Conor,
he's not."
"Oh," was all I could manage.
"He was, but not anymore," she muttered.
I knelt down beside her. She looked down at her hands, at a ring
on her finger that I hadn't noticed she was wearing.
"Did you break up?" I asked, trying to sound
sympathetic.
She hesitated. "I guess you could call it that."
For some reason, I knew she wasn't telling me half
of the story. But I wouldn't upset her anymore than I already
had. I wrapped my arms around her and she buried her face in my
chest, still crying.
"You're not half bad," she said when she had cried
herself out.
"Not so bad yourself, Jodie," I told her, grinning.
She changed position so that my arms were still around her, but
we were looking into each other's eyes.
I wanted to hug her, and kiss her, and tell her she was fine.
That she deserved better than Evan.
"Thank you," she whispered. "So much."
"Any time." I leaned my face in closer to hers. She
stared up at me, an unreadable expression in her eyes.
She flinched suddenly, making me jump. "Maybe we should go
inside."
I coughed awkwardly. "Yeah. Good idea."
Author's Note:
Yeah, yeah. I know. The romance chiz will start soon, so
don't worry.
Feedback? Follow for a follow. Thanks! ~Mary
:)
