8

I let Deb come over that morning before I went out with Nate. She actually tried to convince me that it would be a good idea if she came alone with us. Could  you imagine that? After every sentence we say, she'd reply, "How cute!" or "Awww. lovie dovie!"... I'd rather do without, thank you.

I hated to think of this as a date,  because it wasn't, and Deb agreed with me.

 

"If he wanted a date, it would have been a tad more formal. There's 'going out' with a guy, and 'dating' a guy. This is going out, Liz." Those were her actual words.

I felt she was my teacher, and  I was her bored, unamused student, since most of the stuff she was telling me was things I obviously knew. Stupid things like not to bring up ex's, or anything that would definetly not make a good impression. I already left an everlasting impression on Nate, so, I don't have to worry about anything. And anyway, its not like he cared at this point. I just let her talk herself silly.

Deb was droing on about how my outfit wasn't 'exactly what she had in mind', when I said, "Deb, where's Adam?"

She shut up, for once, and crossed her arms.

 

"It wasn't working out. He, uh... wasn't as sweet as I thought."

I waited for her to say more.

"He was using me to get to Beca, but then again, who isn't?"

 

Seriously? How can Deb stay so bubbly and happy when almost every one of her relationships she had sunk into a black hole? She's looking for this fairy tale guy who doesn't exist, yet... She's still considered the master of relationships?

I told her what a friend is supossed to tell another friend when you hear something like this. Oh my god, I'm sorry, are you okay? Yadda, yadda.

I felt bad, but at the same time, she could use this extra wake up call. After she persisted that she was okay, she went back to her 'relationship expert' mode.

She wanted me to look 'extra pretty', but screw that, I'll dress how I like, casually.

Deb looked cross when I threw on a pair of washed out jeans and a blue tank for my final desicion..

 

"Well at least wear your hair down!"

 

----------

 

After sending Deb home, literally pushing her out the door, Gabby came out of her room and scowled at me. Now what?

 

"Why aren't I invited?"

Sheesh Gabby, give it a rest.

 

"Gabby, some other time. Not now."

 

I went downstairs, and she followed behind.

 

"Lizzie, is Natie your boyfriend?"

 

"Yes." Mitch said, coming out of nowhere, chomping down on a peice of toast.

 

"I hope you choke on that, Mitch." I said and he disapeared into his room, and let out a fake laugh.

 

"Gabby, listen. You leave to your room right now, and tomorrow I'll do whatever you want me to do.

 

"No." She said persistantly, and plopped herself on the couch.

Why couldn't I have had a little brother?

Just then Nate opened the screen door, and Gabby instantly shot up off the couch and walked into the kitchen.

 

"Hey," He said to me.

 

Gabby returned with a cookie from the cabinet.

 

"Do you want one, Natie?"

 

He laughed. "No thank you, Gabby, but it was very kind of you to ask."

 

She reluctantly returned to her spot on the couch, eating the cookie for herself.

 

"You ready to go?" Nate asked, reaching for the door.

 

"Yeah, just-"

I scrambled over to Gabby, and whispered, "Sorry Gabby, my turn now."

She whipped her head around, and gave me a quizzical look with a cookie crumbled face.

I followed Nate out the door, where he walked my into his driveway, and into his car. It was an older Honda, dark green, and surprisinly cleaner than I thought it would be inside.

 

"I thought we were just going around town?" I said.

 

He turened the ignition on and cranked up the air conditioner.

 

"I know, but I found someplace better."

 

I didn't ask where, I figured I wouldn't let it stress me on the way there.

When we were driving pass the bookstore, I peered inside past Nate's head, and I saw Carol behind the register, reading her usual magazine. I guess Lia was somewhere in the back today.

Nate seemed tortured by the silence, and turned on the radio. It was first crackily, then I immediatly reconized the song. I Will Remember You, by Sarah McLachin.

 

"Are you seriously listening to this?" I moaned.

He frowed.

"I'd rather kill myself." He  searched the radio a bit, but it was mostly all a crackily mess. He grunted in frustration as he pushed the off button.

I had to ask it.

 

"Where are we going?"

 

Nate took a right turn down a messily paved road.

 

"You'll see."

 

"Common now!" I said, and tried to figure out where we were heading. I haven't gone on this street before. It was woodsy, the trees getting closer together as we traveled down the road.

 

"Okay, okay. We're almost there. I used to come here when I was little."

 

I was confused.

 

"But, I thought you moved here from New York?"

 

He took another turn, and the trees got thinner again.

 

"Yes, well, I moved back here. We first lived here when I was born, moved out by eight. We were going to actually move back into our old house, but it was actually rented out for the summer." He finished, and slowed the car down.

 

"Which house?" I asked.

 

The car stopped completely, in what just seemed no where. The street still continued on, and so did the wood. Before he got out of the car, he smiled at me and answered my question. "Yours."

We both got out, and he had the look in his eyes like he was going down memory lane.

 

"So sorry," I interupted. "Where are we?"

 

"Don't worry, it's just a shortcut. Follow me."

 

I looked around skeptically. Follow him wheere?

Before I could complain anymore, he grabbed my hand and led me into the woods.

 

"No, no, no." I said as we were walking.

 

"What?"

 

"After seeing the Blair Witch Project, I know better. Just tell me where we're going."

 

"Here." He gurmbled. We turned into a clearing, which wasn't woods at all, it led into a park. In the middle there was a small running fountain, which pulled the park together. At first glance, it looked abandoned and run-down, considering the heavily decayed leaves still spilled on the ground, and the deserted look. But at a second look, the paths were perfectly cleared, and  you could see the shimmer of new coins laying at the bottom of the fountain's pool.

I then noticed the original and intened entrance to the park, a tall rusted gate to the left of the swings.

He was still holding my hand, and looking around.

He led me to the middle, where the small fountain was.

 

"It's nice here."

 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pennie, and handed it to me.

One wish? Hmm... I got one.

I closed my eyes and threw the penny  into the fountanin. I suddenly felt five years old.

 

"What did you wish for?" He pestered.

 

"I can't tell you!"

 

We were walking over to sit on one of the benches, when a woman with a stroller came walking out on one of the paths. She was casually walking in, passing the fountain, when she stopped, through in a nickel, and continued to walk on.

 

"So," I began, as we sat on the bench.

He put his arm around me, definetly this time.

"So," He returned.

 

"So, you lived in the house we rent each summer?"

 

He smiled. "Yeah. The morning that I saw you at the bookstore, I noticed you walking out of the house. I was always interested in who was living there right now.. And I sort of followed you there..." He said that last part with a bit of shame in his voice, and with great reason.

 

"You followed me?"

He nodded.

 

"You followed me to the bookstore?... I knew you were a stalker."

 

He laughed. "No, no! I'm not a stalker-"

 

"Oh, okay." I joked.

 

"But when I was in your house earlier, I mean, after Gabby proposed-"

I laughed.

"-I found something under the couch. It's kind of interesting."

 

He reached into his pocket, and pulled out something round. It looked tan, somewhat discolored and mishapen.

The last sand dollar.

I reached out for it. "Wow." I said.

 

"So it means something?"  He asked, and faced me.

"Yeah, actually. It does."

 

I  held it in my hands, and stuffed it in my own jean pocket.

 

"Thanks. I mean, for finding it." I said.

 

He didn't say anything, but kissed me, which I assumed as 'your welcome'. When he pulled away, he said, "I'm glad I stalked you."

I laughed, and he kissed me once more.

We only spent a bit more time there, after wich we got a bite to eat a a burger sea food place in town. This time, I didn't dare bring my phone with me this time around, I'm sure when I get home my phone is waiting there on my bed, with a zillion messages from Deb on there, thingking I had brought it with me. Well hahaha...

He dropped me off back at my house, and glad this time, that there was no question of what there was between us. I walked up stairs to my room, and there was my phone, on my bed, with a lit up screen reading 5 NEW MESSAGES.

 

WHERE DID HE TAKE U?

 

DID U KISS AGAIN?

 

SHOULD I COME ALONG? YOUR NOT ANSWERING...

 

I threw the phone over the chair, and plopped on my bed. I reached into my pocket for the dry, scratchy, sand dollar. So obvious... under the couch.

I stared at it, and wondered why this particular one was the only one left, the only one found. Nothing can be perfect, I guess.

I found it funny how Nate was the one who found it, just by sitting there, not intentionally looking for it. I guess thats how things happen. You find something without trying to look for it, and when you do, its amazing.

I put the sand dollar on my dresser, adn lookdew at myself in the mirror. I didn't really think I was pretty, nothing special, and I didn't know what other people saw. I didn't know what Nate sees. But I'm glad he does.

Author's Note

Sorry for the late chapter!! Enjoy! ^^

Reviews

[Wildecat]

I think you did a super job putting this story together. I know a few people like Deb what a trip. Anyway enjoyed reading your story. Well done.