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posted October 16, 2012 at 12:17am UTC tagged with
story
more quotes by foxridergirl
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Picking Up the PiecesChapter Eighteen - Part One
Janelle
I wake up to the sunlight streaming through a slight opening in the tent door. I was in the middle of Mandy and Aly, we each had our own little areas set up with blankets in the big tent we were sharing. Aly’s spot is empty, and I roll over to face Mandy’s side, the side closest to the door. I expected to see her missing as well, since she usually doesn’t sleep as late as me. I gasp, jump, and hide my face in the pillow when I am shocked to see Leo sitting at the door of the tent.
I peer at him out of the corner of my eye, looking sideways as my face lies downward on the pillow. “I just came in to get you up for breakfast,” Leo laughs, putting air quotes around the word “breakfast”.
I sit up, but face away from him. I know I look like a mess; all I did last night was put my damp hair in a ponytail before I put pajamas on and fell asleep. “How long have you been there?” I ask, hoping it wasn’t long, and still not looking at Leo.
“Maybe a few minutes,” he says casually. “You looked peaceful, and I thought you might get mad if I woke you up.” He waits a few moments as neither of us say anything. “Well…I’ll let you do whatever it is you need to do before coming.” And with that, he leaves the tent to join the others.
I change into some soft shorts and a comfortable yet fitted T-shirt, and then brush my hair out to put in in another high bun before joining the others. I slip on my flip-flops, and walk over to where a few camping chairs that Aly brought were set up. Alex is trying to display a bowl of fresh strawberries perfectly on the table, but Aly keeps picking them out of the pile, forcing him to fix it and start over. Alex. Such a perfectionist.
Mandy pulls a large jug of orange juice out of the ice chest, pouring five plastic cups. Then I see Leo find the milk that we managed to keep cold enough in the ice chest as well, and also the dry cereal to make us each a bowl. It was actually kind of difficult coming up with meals that are camping-friendly.
I feel bad not doing even one thing to help, but when I try to assist Leo, he turns away, completing the job on his own. I laugh and pick some strawberries out of the bowl with Aly, frustrating Alex until he playfully flicks our hands as we try to get more. Mandy’s already sitting down in a camping chair, and Aly takes a seat next to her. Alex finally places the strawberries in the middle of the table and takes a chair at the end.
I’m about to sit in the chair on the other side of the table when Leo turns around with a paper bowl of Cheerios. “You’re breakfast, my lady,” he says dramatically, and I laugh as he hands the bowl to me.
“That’s some…quality silverware you’ve got there,” I say sarcastically, picking a plastic spoon out of the bowl and sitting down.
“I try,” he says sweetly as he shrugs his shoulders and sits down next to me. The strawberries are very good, and I help myself to quite a few of them. I didn’t realize how hungry I’ve been until now, so I practically inhale the cereal and chug the orange juice. But, I don’t stop snacking on the strawberries.
“Don’t hog them all!” Alex laughs, pulling the bowl towards him as I grab a last minute handful. All four of them are still finishing up as we talk. Throughout our conversation we decide that we’d try hiking through some trails that actually may or may not cut through the plants behind the lake. After we let our small breakfast settle, all of us change into tennis shoes, gather some water and granola bars, and head towards the trees.
I notice when I hear Mandy panting that the land is starting to slope upwards. These must lead to some of the hills around the lake. Alex and Aly have fallen behind, and they seem to be in their own conversation. I’m in the front, Mandy is slightly behind me, and Leo is following her. I stop to the side to drink some water and look around, when I see Mandy slip back next to Leo and whisper something, but I ignore it.
The entire hike we’re just talking, laughing, all more as a group now. The slope is rising even further, but I would really love to get to the top clearing and see the amazing view. “I think this was might be faster!” Mandy says suddenly, pointing to a worn away little path that branches off to the side.
“Really?” I say, kind of doubting her observation, I can see that our current trail probably doesn’t go on much longer before reaching the top of a slope. “I can almost see the top…”
“I’ll tell you what,” Mandy suggests. “Alex and I will go this way, and you three can continue forward?” She points at Aly, Leo, and I. We all nod.
“So a relay race thing?” Aly blurts out, and Mandy nods. “Yes! You guys are on! Go!” We three move forward, and Mandy and Alex split.
Leo pushes past a thin tree branch as we finish on a somewhat rocky hill top. “We win!” Aly shouts. She pauses for a few moments. “Well…I’ll go find the others!” She doesn’t give us a chance to respond before bursting down into the plants, leaving me somewhat confused as I stand with Leo.
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Picking Up the PiecesChapter Eighteen - Part Three
Janelle
When I wake up, I notice that I have slept in the latest again. I slightly can hear quiet conversations of the others outside of the thin tent as I lay on my back, looking up and smiling to myself. Yesterday was such a great time, it’s what I needed. I needed to know that somebody cares about me, and thinks I’m worth a lot more than what other people seem to judge me by. Part of me just wants to lie here, thinking, but I can see it now that if I walk out there, Leo will be waiting for me, his teal eyes shining as he smiles so perfectly.
So I find something very similar to the other ensembles I have displayed this weekend to change into; this time a pair of pale pink cotton shorts and I silvery-gray T-shirt. Aly and Alex are talking to each other and holding hands as they sit in two camping chairs, which I think if they get any closer one will fall over. Mandy is sitting in her own chair, quietly reading a book and sipping some orange juice.
She looks up from whatever she’s reading. “Oh, there you are,” she says smiling, and I wave. I look around, wondering where Leo could have gone. Mandy just watches me, a slight grin on her face.
“What?” I ask, smiling at that expression I often see on her face, usually if she’s hiding something. She doesn’t say anything, and I’m about to ask again when I am cut off and squeal instead as I feel someone hug me from behind. Leo; I have to admit that I love when he does this!
“Good morning!” he says in my ear, still holding me tight. I wait for him to let me go first, not necessarily wanting to make the choice of pulling away. So, I say the same as I hug him and we walk over to two chairs that are sitting across from Aly and Alex. I’m so glad that Aly makes Alex as joyful as she does, but it’s a bit surprising. I didn’t think he’d move on so fast, especially after his whole deal with me. But I’m glad it’s done.
“We’re really leaving today…” Aly says, making a dramatic pouting expression, and I nod, kind of disappointed myself. What would happen if I had to return to the sadness I was in before we took the trip. That’s a place I don’t want to be again, but it can’t be guaranteed that I won’t revisit that darkness. Mandy gets up and walks over to our little square of chairs, standing next to the one I’m sitting in, just to see what’s going on.
“It was nice coming…” Leo says kind of awkwardly, and we all nod. Is something bothering him today?
“Wait…” Aly says, getting up and walking forward. She stands silently in front of the water now, very still. “I have to do this one more time!” she finally screams, running with her hands up into the lake, wearing her pajamas still, and flopping on her stomach. All of us are laughing, but as fun as this looks, nobody else takes action. I guess it’s an Aly thing this time.
"I found this this morning," Leo says, taking a pure white shell out of his pocket
I look at it for a few moments, and I notice some inscription on it's fragile surface. “Did you do this” I ask, and Leo nods. I run my fingers over my first initial that has been neatly scraped in on the shell. "That's amazing! Thanks, Leo." I take the shell in my own hand, and keep staring at it as I smile
Aly finally runs out of the water and starts to dry off. "Well don't think I was gonna leave without doing that!" she says as we all stare at her, and laugh now.
Later, after more conversations, and letting Aly air dry, we decide it's probably time to pack.
It takes about 45 minutes to clean up what little supplies we brought, and soon, the camp site is clear and lifeless, like the five of us never discovered it. With that, everything is in the back of the car, and we are ready to go. “We have to come back,” Mandy says, we all agree. Then, we’re driving away, and soon on our way back to drop off Aly first, then Alex, and last Mandy.
“Thanks,” I say as Leo helps me get the camping supplies that I brought into the house. “Thanks for coming.”
“You don’t know how glad I am I did,” he says, and hugs me.
I walk him to the door, standing on my porch waving as he leaves the driveway, and finally go inside when he’s gone.
Later that night, I slip Eleanor’s journal out from under the pillow. Slowly, questioningly, I turn the page to her second entry, whatever it may be. Now, I start to read.
Love is more complex than you may think. It’s nice once you’ve got it figured out…at least I can guess. I haven’t seen that yet through the whispers and the disagreements, and even some regrets. I’m trying not to forget this, but everything’s moving so fast. It happens when you think you’ve met that special person, and it’s funny how you can be so blind to everything, until you start to feel those real emotions. If you never do feel anything, well, maybe something’s wrong.
I replace the pillow, turn the light off, but think more and more about the words that I saw before even drifting off to sleep.
related quotes
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We met in kindergarten. We were best friends.
She always told me she loved my eyes. I didn't quite know why.
I was in love with her, so of course my face lit up immensely whenever she said it.
She was beautiful, kind, and extremely funny.
We'd be talking about nothing, and she'd turn to me and whisper,
"I like your eyes."
One day, I was playing basketball,
waiting for her to drive over to my house to have a game with me.
Suddenly, I got a phone call.
It was her mom. She was in a panic.
I couldn't quite understand what she was saying. It sounded like,
"Aaron, come quick! Kelsey, accident, Main Street! Blood. Come now!"
I had no clue what happened,
so I ran to Main Street with my basketball shorts and a tee shirt on.
I saw Kelsey's mom helplessly crying, waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
I saw a totaled car, blood everywhere.
Then I saw her, Kelsey.
My heart stopped as I frantically ran over to her.
"Kelsey? Kelsey!" She was unconscious. I started crying.
I know it isn't very manly, but I couldn't help it.
Before I could say anymore, the medics took her away,
the main source of blood coming from her head.
I went to the hospital that night,
I went every night.
in fact, the only time I left was to go out to eat, but that's it.
The doctors tried getting me to leave, but I refused.
It was all my fault.
If it wasn't for me, wanting to play basketball with her,
she wouldn't be going through this.
It was already four days, and she hasn't woken up.
On the fifth day, I saw her eyes gently open.
"Kelsey?" I called.
She wasn't quite awake yet.
Suddenly, doctors came rushing in, telling me I had to wait outside.
I did, for a few hours.
One of the doctors finally came out saying,
"I understand that you're Kelsey's friend, Aaron?"
"Yes," I whispered.
He bit his lip.
"She woke up, she's fine,
but I'm afraid she has long term memory loss."
"Are you serious?" I almost shouted.
"I'm afraid so."
I didn't meet his gaze. I couldn't.
I wasn't going to say anything, so he spoke again.
"You can go see her if you want,
but she doesn't remember anything, not even her mom."
I walked in, trembling in horror.
I saw her. She looked helpless as she slept.
I waited a few hours, until I saw her eyes opening gently again.
I expected doctors to run in, rushing me out.
Instead, she looked me straight in the eyes, and whispered,
"I don't know you, but I like your eyes."
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I want a person who
comes into my life by accident,
& stays on purpose.
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When guys get jealous
it's kinda cute (':
When girls get jealous
World war III is about to start.
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