How I Missed You.

After we had eaten Sharon lent me and my mum some of her closed and I gratefully had a shower.

“Well yesterday was very eventful and I’m sure you’ll want to get home and rest,” Sharon said.

“Do we have to go yet?” I blurted out the blushed as everyone’s gazes were directed at me.

“Yeah mum,” James agreed, “I mean it has been nine years. Why don’t I show Isabella around?”

I smiled, even after nine years James was still a gentleman.

“Well that seems fine with me.” I nodded at my mother’s agreement.

“Oh fine, but take your phones I don’t want you to getting lost on us,” Sharon caved and she and my mum began reminiscing at the time we did get lost.

“So where to first?” James asked me as we made our way outside.

“Hmm... how about the park?” I suggest and he looked at me curiously. “What?! I’m interested in meeting your friends.”

He chuckled and grabbing my hand led me down the street. I could still remember the park from when we use to play there, but as to where it was I was at a complete loss.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” I asked him five minutes later, I could’ve sworn we already went past that house.

“Hey, you may have moved away but I sure as hell didn’t. I know perfectly well where we’re going.”

“If you’re sure,” I rolled my eyes at him.

“See, told you,” he said stopping in front of a sign that read National Park.

“Okay, okay, I get it. You don’t have to rub it in.”

We followed a gravel path further into the park and I started hearing voices.

“James! Hey guys, Jimmy’s here! And he’s brought someone.”

“Oh please, who?” Another said.

“Shh, they’re coming!” The first voice said.

“Your friends?” I asked smiling. He nodded in reply.

“Hey guys,” James said as we walked out into a clearing. There were four boys with a football and video camera lounging around on the grass.

“I didn’t think you’d make it buddy,” one of them said, walking up to us.

“Eh,” James shrugged.

“And who might this be?” The boy holding the football jumped up and walked over to us.

“Guys this is Isabella,” He introduced.

“No shit?” The first boy asked.

I snorted.

“Isa these are my friends,” James pointed to the first boy, “that’s Cooper. Over there are Reese and Craig,” each boy waved as James said their name. “And this is-”

“Jacob,” the boy with the football announced smirking at me.

I raised me eye brows but only said “hi.”

“But seriously this is Isabella?” Cooper asked.

“Yeah man, this is her in the flesh.”

“She’s a lot hotter than you made her out to be,” he said.

James looked around awkwardly and I rolled my eyes.

“Well at least you didn’t get your hopes up,” I told him and he laughed.

“Tell me Isabella... it’s Isabella right?” Jacob asked and I nodded, “Are you single?”

“All right that’s enough,” James growled pushing Jacob on the shoulder. He and Cooper went back to their spot on the grass with Reese and Craig.

“You friends seem,” I started.

“Like idiots?”

“Nice,” I finished.

“Yeah well you should see them drunk,” he mumbled.

“So is Cooper your best friend then?”

“Yeah, he understands me you know. Plus he’s a total push over with Einstein brains.”

I punched him, “Trust you to choose your friends based on their I.Q.”

“Trust you not to like it,” he punched back. We sat down on the grass with James’s friends and I was immediately asked if I played football.

I looked over at James to see his reaction when I told them I loved playing, but he didn’t seem shocked. I guess he still remembered back when we use to play football here.

~~~~~

“That was fun,” I said as we left the park, “and I do like your friends. Jacob seems especially talkative.”

“Yeah well I hope you don’t like him too much. He’s a real player when it comes to girls,” James grunted.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Trust me, that is one guy you do not want to get involved with unless you intended on getting your heart broken.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I smiled skipping ahead.

“You haven’t changed a bit you know that?” James said as he ran to catch up with me.

“Neither have you,” I stated.

“I mean you still play footy.”

“Why wouldn’t I? We use to love it when we were little. After I moved away it was really the only thing that reminded me of you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I mean aside from ice cream and hide and seek. Football was our thing. I don’t forget.”

He smiled at that. “You play often?”

“Whenever I get the chance. That is to say; when Mitchie’s not around.”

“You can’t play in front of her?”

“Well I can, but I don’t like too. Mitchie doesn’t think girls should play football.”

“Oh,” James nodded, “she’s one of those girls.”

I laughed and ruffled his hair, “And what do you mean by that?”

“Nothing. Let me guess. Mitchie likes to shop?”

“Well duh.”

“So when do I get to meet your friends?” He asked shyly.

“Do you want to?”

“Oh course. They’re apart of your life now.”

I smiled, “It’s about a two hour drive from here.”

“I think I can handle the car ride, Mitchie might be harder.”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about Mitchie, but be careful of her boyfriend.” I laughed, grabbing his hand as he stood on the footpath eyes wide.