Cricket Cabin

beginnings

            The gravel crunched like  broken bones as the tires rolled to a stop. Pressure pulsed through the night air outside of the truck; the windows begged to be rolled down. Cricket cabin retained a glow from the afternoon’s heat. People wandered the grounds but were seen only as smudges of ink on the dark hillside.

She was comfortable in the backseat, dreamily gazing at his head. One curl caught itself on the head rest and tugged downward, springing into life as he pulled away and turned toward Rebekah. “If you’re going to get out, get out now. I can’t waste my gas waiting.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. Three feet from the truck, she hurried back as she remembered to kiss him goodbye. Morgan followed her. “Come on and hurry,” she whined. “They’re about to start and you don’t want to miss it, do you?”

Cassidy stayed behind in the truck. She wasn’t missed, and she didn’t miss the party. That curl enchanted her. His curl. Robert turned in his seat, the leather groaning playfully.

“Aren’t you going to get out?” Robert waited expectantly with the truck still running. Cassidy blinked a few times and adjusted her seat. “No. They don’t care if I do or not.” Robert sighed. “Well I’m not one to complain.” He faced the steering wheel, and then fidgeted with the radio. The music was quiet and unrecognizable. Crickets and cicadas sang their summer song in the neighboring forest. Cassidy propped her feet on the passenger seats and lay down flat, looking through the moon roof.  Robert tapped his fingers to the beat of the music, and looked from one window to the next.

“Rebekah is getting on my last nerve. What do you think, kid?”

Cassidy inhaled, “Well,” and exhaled, “I’m not one to complain.”

 Robert snorted his approval. “Tell me the truth though.”

“It’s not my place to say, but I think she’s preoccupied.”

He nodded to the darkness. The radio became one with the crickets and blended into the background. As he turned to face her, his eyes caught the glow of a distant lantern and sparkled at her like a secret wink. Cassidy giggled inwardly at the thought of a shared secret with Robert.

“I know what you mean. And don’t worry about whose place is what, you can always tell me what you think. I need a kid like you to keep me in check, okay?” She nodded agreement.

“Hey, what do you say to coming up to the front seat with me? Rebekah won’t be back for a few hours. I could use some company.” Robert’s suggestion was irresistible.

Cassidy sat up and pulled her hair around front. “Okay.”  She pushed the truck door open with her toe and slid onto the crunch of gravel. Darkness filtered around her. The night air always smells different, she thought.

“All set?” Robert unbuckled his seat belt and leaned against his door as she pulled herself into the front of the truck. They were staring at each other face to face. “Sure, this is nice.” She tugged the door shut behind her.

Robert swallowed and she could see the bob of his Adam’s apple. The prickly whiskers that outline his jaw twitched in the breeze. “What’re you looking at, Cass?”

“Nothing. Hey, you didn’t call me kid,” she said with a trace of pride.

“You’re not really a kid anymore. Now that I get a good look at you.”

“I thought you said I’d always be ‘kid’ to you,” she said as the leather groaned.

“You know Cass, that was three years ago that I met you. Your sister Morgan is my age and it seemed to me then that you’d always be the kid sister, ya know? Well you ain’t a kid anymore and I can see that. That’s what I’m saying.” He looked at her intently to see her reaction.  She nodded and granted him a half smile at his compliment. He wondered what she was thinking.

 “Cass, I don’t understand you. Why don’t you want to go to the party?” Robert had wondered why Cassidy had begged Morgan to let her tag along, but was now seemingly disinterested in the bonfire.

“Same reason you ain’t out there. I prefer educated company.”

 

Author's Note

once again, i dont know if i'll continue this. i wrote it several months ago but never found the inspiration to pick it up again.

Reviews

[Andromeda]

i like it! it's a good beginning! it's either gonna be a really sweet romantic story or a twisted sci-fi type one. if you ever write more on it, i want to read it.

[Shadows of Sight]

Its a really good start! I hope you finish it. it's got a good direction, with lots of potential. Plus i so agree, that intelligent company is better then oafs that only know how to drink whisky and beer and belch.!
Keep it up!

[lost sock]

Well, I'm intrigued. I love the vivid descriptions you always give everything! Makes it all seem so real. I think I smell a blossoming romance between Robert and Cassidy... or maybe that's my hopeless romantic side going into over-drive again. Either way, their interaction made me smile.