Anniel

It was a clear sunny day. A perfect time to go strawberry picking. Strawberries are best for baking when they’re fresh, and I knew where to get the perfect tasting strawberries. My Shetland dag, Honey, was trotting next me. Her tongue hung out of her mouth. We walked through the leaf cover ground. The trees hung over us, mingling our shadows with there’s.
Honey suddenly stuck her nose in the air. I looked down at her black and white head.

“What is it girl?” I asked.

Her response was running off. “Wait! Honey! We’re almost there!” I took off after her.

We quickly came into the small strawberry patch. I stopped in my tracks. There was someone in the middle of my patch. A boy to be exact. His name was Nate. He’s one of the popular kids at my school. Not one of those jocks, but one of those band people. He was in a local band that everyone seemed to love. The Frightened Powerless, I believe. I’ve never really token the time to listen to them.

Nate looked up at me. He stood up and brushed off his pants. He had pulling out weeds before I had come.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

I didn’t answer him. I could feel mouth popping open. He had no aura! I slammed my mouth shut and took a step back. I’ve never met anyone without an aura. It frightened me a bit. In school, sometimes, when a lot of people are together their auras get all muddled together.

“What are you doing? How did you find my patch?”

That shot me out of my stupor. “Your patch?” I asked. Who was he to think that this patch was his?

“Yes, my patch. I am the one who planted them. And I weed them too. At least until a couple months ago,” He looked at my basket then back at my face. “Which would explain you.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Every time I come there’s been no one here.”

“Then I guess that means that I’ve been coming later than you.” He paused a moment and sized me up. I felt myself shrinking under his gaze.

“Can you stop staring at me?” I asked a bit harshly.

He snapped out of his gaze and smiled at me. “I have an idea. How about you help me with these weeds and you can pick all the strawberries you desire.”

I thought about it for a second then nodded. We finished weeding about an hour later. We barely talked. The only thing I said was sorry, because I had thrown a root over my shoulder and it had landed on his head.

Nate stood up and wiped his brow. “So, what do you need all the strawberries for?”

I bent down to pick some strawberries and put them in my basket. “I use them to bake.”

“Bake what?” Nate asked.

“Tarts, pies, cakes, cookies. You know the good stuff.”

Silence filled the patch again. I could Nate’s eyes on me.

“Why are you staring at me?” I asked looking up.

He ignored me. “Why don’t I help you? What are you making today?”

“Scones.” I looked back down at my hands. They were dirty. I wiped them of on my skirt.

“So what do you say? Plus I could learn a new recipe.”

“Well, I think I could use an extra hand.”

He grinned.