First Day on a Brand New Planet

He said it would be about an hour long hike up the trail, but I didn’t know it would be such an energetic walk, which proved my need to start working out again. It was a beautiful day out, the skies were so clear today. I followed behind him as he skillfully made his way up the trail. He knew what he was doing, me on the other hand, not-so-much. We didn’t talk much, mainly on my part, but I was trying to concentrate on not falling. He looked back every once in awhile and asked was I okay or if I needed some water. He pointed out certain viewpoints, but he pushed farther.

“I’m taking us to the highest point, bear with me a few more minutes okay?” We passed a few people on our way up, all older couples, who looked like they were in better shape than I’ll ever be in my life. Hiking up a few more curves, he finally he came to a stop, turning around he extended his hand to me. “Here grab a hold of my hand Taylor, I’ll pull you up.” Grabbing his hand, he pulled me up onto a huge rock to stand by his side. When I looked out at our view, it took my breath away. You could see almost a 360 degree view of LA. “Well, this is Clouds Rest.” he said looking down at me with a boyish smile.

Grabbing my shoulder, he started pointing and showing me everything below us. “There is the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign to our east, that road below us is Wilshire Blvd., over there is Catalina Island I’m glad it’s clear today otherwise we wouldn’t be able to see it…” His words trail off as I think to myself how carefree and relaxed he seems. He has a day off and he’s doing one of the things he loves, it brings a smile to my face as I watch him explain our surroundings to me. “…It’s amazing isn’t it?” I agree with him, although I didn’t hear the last few places he mentioned, but I took it that he was referring to the view.

He laid a throw blanket out for us to sit on, while we rested and had a bite to eat. I noticed it was the same throw he had wrapped around him this morning while he stood perfectly shirtless outside of my car.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked. I gasped at his inquiry realizing I was deep in thought imagining his flawless bare chest earlier.

“Oh, I was just thinking about how beautiful this is.” The words I spoke could go both ways, the view or the man beside me.

My crush had dissolved since I had been working for him, but that didn’t stop me from thinking about how handsome my boss was. I had done everything I could today to leave him, but at this moment I was glad those events happened, otherwise I wouldn’t be here right now sitting on Clouds Rest overlooking LA.

“The outdoors really suit you.” Quickly turning my head to look at him, he greeted me with that boyish smile. I loved that smile. What do you say to that? I look and feel a mess, I’ve had on the same clothes for 2 days now, I need a shower badly.

“Thank you.” I say shyly as he never took his eyes off of me.

We carry on a small conversation for a few minutes. He does most of the talking, asking questions about my background and where I’m from, I answer him. We both are from the same town in Louisiana, he was genuinely surprised at that information I gave him. He mentioned some places and asked questions about them.

“I haven’t been to Bossier City in a long time. I have family there, but I don’t think they want to see us.” he said as he threw his sandwich down. The thought must make him lose his appetite, because he suggests immediately that we head back before the sun goes down.

The trek down the trail seems to take less time than on our way up it, and thank goodness for that. I don’t know if I could take another strenuous hike like that anytime soon. I’ll have to mention to Allie that we might need to join a gym and the sooner the better. I hate working out, but if this is what the people here do, then I might as well get with it. If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em right? Finally reaching the dark SUV, I breathe out a sigh of relief, it must’ve been louder than I expected because he looked over at me and smiled, shaking his head at me.

I was watching the buildings as we passed them on our way back to the house. The thought of how he looked when he talked about “home” sent a sadness through me, he looked so hurt.

“I’m sorry.” I said before I realized the words were coming from my mouth. I immediately regretted saying anything.

He looked over at me quizzically, “Sorry? For what?” he asked looking back and forth from me to the road in front of him.

I turned and looked back out the window and focused on the passing buildings. I couldn’t answer him, it was like I was frozen. What was wrong with me? I shouldn’t have opened my stupid mouth. I could feel that he was still looking at me.

“What are you sorry for?” he asked softly. After a few moments when I didn’t -or couldn’t rather- speak, he pulled the truck over onto the shoulder of the road.

“Answer Me!” he yelled, shocking me, I whipped my head around to face him. His eyes were dark now as he stared at me. I was intimidated by him, now more than ever. I was never like this, no one ever got the best of me, why was he any different?

“Gosh, Jared! I was talking about what you said back there about your family and Bossier City! You don’t have to yell at me!” I said yelling back at him, giving him a dose of his own medicine.

Turning the keys in the ignition, we slowly pulled away from the shoulder, the evident frustration remained on his face. We rode in silence, I wanted to say something, but I refrained from doing so. It was probably best that I kept my mouth shut.

As we slowly creeped by his house, I looked at him surprised. “What are you doing? Where are we going?” I asked.

“I’m taking you to get your keys. Direct me on how to get to your house.” he demanded. There was no reason on taking me there because I didn’t have a key to get in anyways, and I didn’t know if Allie was back or not, but I didn’t say anything, I didn’t want to hear his angry mouth anymore than I need to.

“Apartment.” I corrected him.

“What?” he asked wondering what I was talking about.

“I don’t live in a house, unlike you, I live in an apartment.” I said sarcastically.

His lips turned up into a smile at my words. I made him smile, who would have thought? I directed him the rest of the way to the apartment.

Pulling up to the building, I noticed Allie’s car in the space next to us. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

“I’ll get her to bring me to get my car.” He let out a small laugh and shook his head.

“I’ll wait here. Go on.” How could he be so cold one minute and sweet the next? He was definitely making it easier on me to hate him.

Stepping out of the truck, I made my way to the apartment. Knocking on the door, Allie quickly answered the door. “Oh, you made it! I’m sorry I couldn’t help you earlier.” I grinned at her while I searched for my car keys. “But, guess what?!” she exclaimed with a twinkle in her eye. I looked at her waiting on a response. “I got the job! I’m the current assistant to a fashion designer!”

We both started jumping up and down as excitement and joy washed over us, like we were 12 years old again. I was so happy for her. This means we are staying here indefinitely. I was happy for both her and me.

As we pulled away from one another, I spotted my keys on the small counter in the kitchen. I forgot about Jared waiting on me.

“Let me go get my car and we’ll celebrate tonight okay?!” She nodded and kept dancing around the room as I hurriedly closed the door behind me.

When I stepped back into the truck with him, the mood went from happy to tense in a matter of seconds. What was his deal? He wasn’t like this earlier today.

“Took you long enough.” he snapped at me. I could not believe he just said that. He didn’t have to take me home, Allie would have came and picked me up at some point, but he insisted.

“Excuse me? What is your problem? Did I do something to you? If I did, please enlighten me.” I snapped back at him.

He didn’t speak the entire way back to his house. I want to keep my job, so I forced myself to speak to the angry man beside me.

“I’m sorry okay. Allie was excited, because she got a job today for some fashion designer and she couldn’t wait to tell me, and I had misplaced my keys so it took me a minute to find them.” I apologized to him. He still didn’t acknowledge that I had spoken to him. Ugh, why did he have to be so stubborn?

Pulling up to the house, I seen Emma standing outside the gate on her phone. I was relieved to see her, someone to distract me from the tension between the two of us.

She met us as we both climbed out of the truck. “Where have you two been?” she asked as she placed her phone into her back pocket.

“We went for a hike.” Jared said leaning against the front gate to his house. She looked at him quizzically.

“I locked my keys in my car this morning…” my words trailed off as she looked back and forth at me and Jared, “This morning?” she asked with a slight smirk on her face.

Jared started heading back into the house as I finished telling Emma about our events, and how I locked my keys in my car, and that Allie couldn’t get me because she had an interview. She didn’t respond like I thought she would, but rather she looked at Jared with a puzzled look on her face.

“Jared?!” she called out to him. Turning around, he looked at her with the same look. Breaking the awkward moment, she finally spoke. “Jared, why didn’t you just call Triple A if her keys were locked in her car? They would’ve been here in 5 minutes.”

The shock and anger I felt filled my body immediately. If looks could kill, Emma would be dead, because he was definitely burning her with his eyes.

“You mean, you knew that you could get my keys out, but instead you decided to go “hiking”?” I said placing sarcastic emphasis on the last word. I was angry there was no doubt about that, but I also felt empathy for him. Why did he want my company all day?

Turning around, I quickly made my way back to my car and sped off as I watched him run towards me. I don’t know what is up with him, but he is so confusing. I turn up my iPod and head back to the apartment as I try to push the frustration back. Allie and I were going out tonight and I plan on getting as drunk as I possibly can. Having to deal with confusing bosses, I think I deserve it. Plus who knows when I’ll get another day off, or the worst if I still have a job.