Wanderlust

“Holy shit!” was heard around the cabins as Mandy got her first glimpse of their new tenant, “That’s Draco Malfoy!”

At this statement, Ashlyn couldn’t help but notice the look that came over Tom’s face. It was not the face of someone happy. But the noticable grimace was only there for a few split seconds before it disappeared to be replaced by a smile that was more than obviously fake. A smile for fans, Ashlyn though. It was weird to think that someone who was as famous as him didn’t seem to like the spotlight.

“Actually, I’m just plain old Tom now,” He said, offering her sister a warm smile, “And you are?”

“Amanda. But call me Mandy, everyone else does. I’m Ashlyn’s older sister,” She said, maneuvering her wheelchair out from behind the small table that kept its place in the middle of the kitchen.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mandy. I was just telling Ashlyn what a lovely town you guys live in,” Tom said and finally set his two suitcases down by the edge of the living room.

“Well, I guess it probably would be lovely to someone who doesn’t live here,” Mandy said with a roll of her eyes, “You’ll find that Wells is kind of boring though. I can’t wait until I can move out. Mom says as soon as the guide dog comes I can start looking for somewhere to live as long as I promise to come back and visit.”

“Yeah. As soon as you have money to pay for that, let me know,” Ashlyn said, rolling her own eyes at her sister’s childish ideas. Mandy always had the most outlandish ideas. But the ones about her moving out on her own hit Ashlyn like a brick wall. It was highly unlikely that Amanda would ever be able to live on her own in the condition that she was in. Wherever she lived would have to be tailor-made for her and, to put it simply, her parents would never be able to afford something like that for her sister. And boy did it suck to have that fall back on one’s conscience.

“You’re such a Debbie Downer, Ashlyn Renee,” Mandy said and quickly maneuvered her chair out of the cabin and down the path, pouting the whole way. Ashlyn would probably hear about it later, but for now she didn’t even care. She sighed as she saw her sister turn the corner towards their home.

“Damn. Sibling fights are the best,” Tom said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood that had fallen on the pair. Ashlyn gave him a soft smile.

“Mandy and I never used to fight,” She said, a sort of sadness to her voice, “Anyway. I don’t think you’ll have a problem finding your way around the area. It’s not very hard to get anywhere. But if you need anything, I only live in the big red farmhouse up the road. And I’m almost always there. If I’m not, I’m at the store on Main.”

“Well then, Miss Ashlyn, love. I believe that was you trying to dismiss me so I’ll let you go get back to whatever it is that you need to do. But do come back and visit me, I don’t know anyone else,” Tom said, reaching out to grab her hand a place a kiss on it, making Ashlyn blush.

Anyone who knew Ashlyn Rogers knew that she did not blush, ever. She had lost the ability to do so five years ago. She had taken on a serious face on that night almost five years to the date.

“I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch, Tom. It’s just tough when Amanda acts like she does,” Ashlyn said, wiping her hand across her head to steady the shakiness that she suddenly felt.

“If you wouldn’t have told me she was older, I would have thought it was the other way around, to be quite honest with you,” He said with a shrug and went to the door to shut it, “Better not let the bugs in. You do have bugs up here, right?”

Ashlyn simply smiled and nodded and his question, “We do. They’re nasty things.”

“Most pests are,” He said and grabbed one of his bags.

“I’m gonna leave you to unpack your things, alright? I have to go finish the inventory down at the store,” She said and turned to leave.

“Ashlyn?” Tom asked, his lovely accent making her smile as she turned back around to face him, “I think that I might need a tour guide for some of the areas around here. Do you know anyone that could help?”

“I’m pretty sure that I can help you out with that, Mr. Felton. When would you like a tour?” She asked, a smile warming her pretty face.

“Well, I was thinking it might take me a couple days to get settled. So, how about the day after next?” He asked and Ashlyn shrugged.

“Sounds good to me. I have no plans that can’t be rearranged,” She said and started to leave again, “Bye, Tom. I’m sure I’ll see you around before two days from now.”

“Goodbye, Ashlyn Renee.”

For the next couple of days, Ashlyn was swamped with too many things that needed to be done to get ready for a few more visitors to the cabins. None were staying too long, but still, each cabin needed to be cleaned from top to bottom and then she had to be ready for when they showed up. Sure, anyone in her family could show the new visitors to the cabins, but it was one of Ashlyn’s many jobs.

But she still found herself looking forward to her next encounter with Tom, and especially the planned excursion. He was something else entirely. Ashlyn hadn’t had a boy around in a long time. While there were boys that she went to high school with, there was none now. None her age anyway. Wells was not known for its large population to begin with. So needless to say when most of the kids who went to school here graduated, they left for somewhere much bigger. But not Ashlyn. She had stayed in Wells and done what she knew was expected of her.

Tom was surprisingly good distraction from the everyday monotony she had begun to experience in her life. There was never really anything new that caught her attention. And Tom had done much more than just catch her attention. He had somehow enchanted her mind so that she spent much of her day imagining what he was doing. She had to admit that it was somewhat disturbing on her end. Especially since they had only had that one conversation.

Mandy kept gushing to everyone that there was a famous movie star staying at the cabins. But to Ashlyn, he wasn’t even that. Sure, she had seen Harry Potter a few times and read all the books. But in this day and age, not many could say that they hadn’t. It wasn’t like Draco Malfoy was a person in real life. He was a character in a book, a modified fairy tale. So needless to say, Ashlyn and Amanda were not on the best of terms at that very moment.

The two sisters both had very different ideas of what Tom was. And Ashlyn knew that she was in the right on this one. Mandy would just continue to embarrass them both if she kept up this Draco Malfoy bullshit.

And for the first time in a long 5 years, Ashlyn actually really cared about making a good impression on someone.