Fall Away

When I opened my eyes an hour later, it felt like it had been much longer. For once, I actually felt well rested, and I still had most of the day ahead of me. I pulled myself out of bed and grabbed a pair of ripped jeans and a white tank top. I pulled them on, then threw my hair back in a ponytail and grabbed my iPod off my bedside table and stuck it in my pocket.

I wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a Pop-Tart before continuing to the entryway of my small apartment. I slid into a pair of sandals, and walked outside, turning to lock the door behind me. I made my way down the front steps, then quickly walked down the street.

I just wanted to get out of my neighborhood. The old, run-down buildings seemed to be closing in on me, stifling me. I needed some space to breathe.

Three blocks down and two blocks over, I hit the small park on the edge of the town. It wasn’t much, just a collection of trees with benches scattered throughout them, but it was peaceful. Calming. There was no one else in the area, and I could feel my body relax.

I pulled out my headphones and plugged them into my iPod, letting the music wash over me as I walked. There was something comforting about a familiar song. You know the kind – the one you hear for the first time and fall in love with. You play it over and over, until you know every word. Each time you hear it, you feel something different, a new emotion. And even years later, you can still sing along.

I had a collection of these songs, and on days like this – days when I was feeling sentimental, and a little nostalgic – I would listen to the playlist, over and over. I found a small grassy spot beneath one of the trees and laid down, half in the shade and half in the sun. I let my eyes close, and let the music ring through my head.

The tap on my shoulder made me scream. My eyes flew open and I yanked the headphones out of my ears, sitting up so fast it made my head rush. “What the he– Soren?”

The boy was crouching beside me with that danged smirk on his face.

“What was that for?” I snapped.

“What was what for?” he asked. “I just tapped you.”

I put a hand over my chest, feeling my heart still racing against it. “You scared the crap out of me. Why would you do that?”

“Do what?” he repeated innocently.

I glared at him. “You knew I was listening to music.”

“I think you may have been asleep, actually.” Soren cracked up, unable to keep a straight face.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, I’m glad taking ten years off of my life amuses you.”

He shook his head, still laughing.

I stood up, a little miffed. I really didn’t see what was so funny. “Nice seeing you, Soren,” I mumbled, stuffing my hands in my pocket and draping my earbuds around my neck before turning to leave.

“Wait.” I paused as I felt Soren’s hand wrap around my wrist. “Don’t go.”

I shook my head, trying to pull my hand away. I really didn’t understand this boy.

“Ellie. Come on. I’m sorry I laughed.”

I was still struggling, but I think Soren could tell I wasn’t trying very hard anymore. He tugged gently at my hand, pulling me back down to sit next to him. “I really am sorry. It’s just-”

His face crinkled up again for a split second, but he forced a serious expression back on his face. “It’s not important. Changing subjects.”

“Too?” I asked.

“Tomorrow night,”

I sighed. I wasn’t sure I really wanted to talk about that, either. All my thinking over the past hour or so hadn’t helped me come to any real conclusion. “What about it?”

“Well, I was thinking.”

“That’s always good,” I remarked snidely.

He gave me a look, then continued. “And there really doesn’t seem to be much to do around here. I mean, we could go to the movies, but that might seem like date.”

I nodded. “There’s not anything good playing, anyways. We tend to get the big movies
weeks after everyone else.”

“So I was going to ask you – what do you have against coming to my house?”

It was my turn to give him a look. “Soren, you seem like a nice guy. But I don’t know you. You’re just a guy I met in a bar. I don’t go to stranger’s houses, especially not alone.”

“We wouldn’t be alone,” he argued. “Kirian is going to be there – he wants to get to know you, too. And the housekeeper, too. She’s a nice lady, you’ll like her.”

“You have a housekeeper.”

He nodded.

“A housekeeper?” I repeated incredulously.

“Yes, that’s what I said. Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Soren, this is the 21st century. No one actually has housekeepers.”

“We do,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Where do you live that you even need a housekeeper?” I wondered aloud.

He grinned at me. “You can find out tomorrow.”

“Soren, I told you-”

“Where else would we go?” he interrupted. “If you know someplace, by all means, tell me. I’m open to suggestions.”

I didn’t even have to think about it. I knew there wasn’t much to do in this town. “Soren…”

“Please, Ellie?” He looked at me with something almost like puppy dog eyes. “It’s just one night. I promise we’ll be on our best behavior. Mrs. Jones will be there the whole time.”

“Mrs. Jones?” For some reason, I found that hilarious. “Is that actually her name?”

Soren looked mystified. “Yes?”

I shook my head, still laughing. “That’s so stereotypical, Soren.”

“How? It’s just a name.”

“And is she also an elderly woman who treats you and Kirian like her own sons?”

Soren was staring at me with a mix of confusion and amusement on his face. “Was that a rhetorical question?”

“Not really,” I admitted. It really didn’t matter, but I was enjoying the distraction.

“Well, she’s a little older, but still young enough to be working. And yeah, she seems to like Kirian and I, but I think she likes everybody. It’s not like we’re surrogate sons or anything.”

I shook my head. “You don’t get it.”

“Sorry?”

The boy looked completely confused, and I felt a little bad for him. “It’s fine. I’ll just have to see for myself.”

Soren stared at me, an incredulous expression on his face. “You’ll come.”

“Yes.”

“But just to meet the housekeeper?”

I looked away. “Yeah,” I mumbled, unwilling to admit that in actuality, that might not be the only reason I was going.

Soren shook his head. “I don’t understand you,” he sighed. I opened my mouth, but he didn’t let me say a word. “But, I’ll take what I can get.”