Somewhere Only We Know

What is that annoying sound! I opened one eye, finding myself on the floor, surrounded by pillows and my legs intertwine with the blue and white stripped quilt I found on the sofa down stairs.

“Ugh!” It was the alarmed clock ringing. I slammed the button down with a heavy hand and picked up the clock, “Oh no!” I put the clock down quickly and ran to the bed. It was almost seven o’clock, I was going to be late for class. I quickly got dress with my black skinny jeans and my blue tank that says “Don’t Blame Me” and quickly threw on my black pilot jacket and my beanie hat. In a rush, I made the bed and put back the pillows the way they were, just to make sure it’s at least convincing enough to show no one was here. Then, I quietly grabbed my bag and snuck out the window. I got to school just in time. I walked onto the property of Rockstone High School. It’s about your average size high school with about over three thousand students and an average of three hundred staff members.

I entered the building, and power walked to my first period class which was English. I enjoyed it, it was my favorite part of the day. Our teacher, Ms. McAdams, made reading more fun and more interesting to pay attention to. She always has something to share about her life before class actually began, and that conversation doesn’t end till about halfway through the period. Then after she would usually pop in a movie that’s on the topic we’re studying or let freely read or write what we like as long as it's appropriate for school, of course.

The bell rings and the rest of the day is just a blur. My last period was gym. The class I dreaded the most because everything is just…too…simple. Well, for me anyway. I mean, I wished Coach would switch it up a little. Today, we are outside on track and had to do laps, running in our special gym uniform; blue shorts and yellow polo shirts.

I, of course, was done first without being too winded. The coach looked at me with a confused expression on his face and looked at his stop-watch and back to me. I just grinned and he just shrugged it off then continued to wright on his clipboard. That’s the thing about Coach Burns, he never asks questions, he just does it. He was a tall, large man that was oddly shaped, it reminded me the shape of a rhombus. He always wore a baseball cap with the logo of our school mascot; the Timber Wolves, that covers his partial bald head of his. “Caddi!” I turned around to see a girl with bouncy black curls running my way.

“Hi, Benny,” I said seeing her with a shock expression on her face as she got closer. “What?”

“How do you do it?” she asked.

“Do what?” I asked, not sure what she’s getting at.

“You know what I mean. Getting here so fast.” She says slapping me in the arm lightly.

“I don’t know,” I leaned up against a chain fence, “I just like to run, I guess.”

“Ugh! I’m so jealous.” She joins me up against the fence watching the class continue on. “So, did you see Johnny checking me out during the run?” she asked with excitement.

I just rolled my eyes and said “no”. She scoffed and said, “well, he was. God he’s so cute.” She looked off and stared at him. She has been crushing on this boy sense I’ve met her in which was four years ago in our Freshman year. We were both new she moved from Florida. For me, well, I’m from here, obviously, I’ve never left, I’ve just been…around.

Benny had a crush on him sense they first met in homeroom. She explained that when she dropped her pen on the floor, they both happened to reach for it at the same time and he grabbed her pen to give back to her. They had that beautiful moment, where they looked at each other for the first time and everything around them disappeared for a few seconds, so she says.

Johnny Makentire was the Captain of the football team and baseball team. He’s very tall but is mildly muscular in that department. In most movies you see the captain of teams is always the largest in muscle mass, well, Johnny was chosen because he is good, not just his looks. He knows his strategies and that’s why for the past year and a half we’ve been the winning team.

Coach Burns blows his whistle and tells us to hit the showers. Class again had gone by. Benny and I went back and got dressed into our regular school clothes and left. We walked out to the parking lot.

“So, do you need a ride home?” Benny asked.“No, that’s okay. I’m just gonna walk. I could use the fresh air.” I grinned.

“Come on,” she whined. “We have spent the last seventy-five minutes getting your fresh air. When are you gonna show me where you live? You’ve seen my house, like, a million times. Why can’t we go to your place for a change? What’s so bad about it?” she kept asking. I looked around not sure how to answer and how to get out of it. I see over near the entrance of the auditorium a mob of rowdy girls giggling.

“What’s going on over there?” I thumbed in their direction.

“Caddisy Thorn, don’t change the subject.” She said in a demanding tone. Well I’ve tried, I thought.

I sighed. “Look, right now is just a bad time,” I said as we continued walking through the student parking lot. “Maybe next time, okay?” I asked with a fake smile. Thank God it’s Friday, I thought. The cheery mob was still screeching and I couldn’t figure what is putting them in that mood, until I walked into a wall.

When was there ever a random wall in this lot. In the impact of bouncing off it, I caught my balance and took a step back with Benny behind me. I heard a quickening heart beat, and was staring at a well built chest. I was afraid to look up, I didn’t want any interaction with anybody. I slowly lifted my head towards to the one I bumped into, and saw the most beautiful blue eyes looking down at me…they look so familiar. They were connected to the very broad, muscular chest. He was very well shaped and had short dark brown hair and his skin was sun-kissed. I realized he knew I was staring at him when I saw a smirk playing at his lips. I shook my head and filtered it quickly.

“E-excuse me, sorry.” I went to the left to walk around and he came back into my view in front. “Excuse me.” I said a bit more sternly, and moved to the right. He moves back to block my way. I stomped one foot and looked up at him, mad, with one hand placed at my hips. He smiled down at me. His smile was beautiful and mesmerizing. This made me more mad, and so I tried to walk around him again, and he repeated his game. This time I faked right and went left but he caught it just in time to be back in front. I was just about to cuss him out when he spoke for the first time.“What are you doing?” he said.

I stopped and just stared, shocked. Where have I heard that? His eyes, his voice are all so familiar. Like from a dream or something. Suddenly, memories flooded back so quickly, they were just clips; running through the woods, jumping and rolling, Mom calling me in to help her. Mom. “Happy Birthday, Cat,” the little boy’s voice was ringing through my head. I looked up quickly at the one in front of me.

“Ian?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper. He smiled widely, just staring at me with those eyes sparkling. “What…what are you doing here?” I asked still shocked. My mind could not wrap around the fact that he’s back.

"And hello to you too, beautiful.” He says charmingly. I only frowned at him not sure where this was coming from. He most definitely changed over the years. I couldn’t help but stare, and he noticed and smiled, “You’ve changed too.” He says looking at me up and down. I felt fluttered and anger built up inside me.

“Yeah, well, it’s amazing what little food and water will do ya.” I said, he smirked at my sarcasm. Anger slightly rose into my voice, “So, what are you doing here?”. I stared up into those eyes of his staring back at me. He really grew up. He was about six-two versus my five-four. He was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt, that gave an outline of his well built muscles in his chest. I couldn’t help but rake my eyes all the way down his structure and notice his six-pack abs. Someone cleared their throat and looked back up at his smirking face. He knew I was staring again, and quickly gave myself a mental slap.

“What?” In the middle of my admiration, he had already answered my question.

He repeated, “I came back with my Uncle Joe and we’re living back in that cottage near the lake.”

“You’re here…with your Uncle.” He came back from all these years with the man that took him away from me in the first place. His Uncle never liked me when Ian and I were kids, and I never knew why. Ian nodded at my comment, still smiling at me and still staring. I just stared back, squinting because the of the sunrays blinding me. “I knew you had to be running around here somewhere and now I found you.” He smiled proudly. I’m glad he’s enjoying this, ‘cause I’m not. “Wow, I really have to say, you look great.” He said, his turn admiring me up and down. I gripped my shoulder strap of my backpack a little tight.

“Yeah, thanks. You too.” I said, giving my usual nonchalant grin. I haven’t properly smile since he left and I’m no starting up again just because he’s back.

Someone cleared their throat and both, Ian and I, looked at Benny. I forgot she was even present.

“Oh, um, Benny this is Ian, my, um, an old friend.” I quickly changed my sentence in which I was about to say was, “my best friend, my brother, my partner in crime”. “And, Ian this is Benny, my best friend.” I made sure and announced clearly that she was my one and only friend, to him. They both shook hands and Ian giving her that adorable crooked smile he always had as a kid.

“Hi, Benny, it’s nice to meet you.” He said politely.

“Uh, huh, hi.” She squeaked, she looked a bit too excited. A big difference compared to my upset expression.

“Well, it was nice seeing you again, Ian, but, um,” I looked at Benny who was just staring at him. “We have to be somewhere.”

“No we don’t,” says Benny. Now you speak up, I thought. I gave Ian a cocky smile and tried walking around him while dragging Benny with me. He stepped in front of me again, blocking my way.

“Did you and Grams move out of the house? I went and tried to visit you when we got back but the house was empty.” He said. I flinched when he mentioned Grams. I haven’t thought about her in a long time.

“Um, yeah, we did, but, uh if you don’t mind we have to go.” I looked over at Benny, she looked back at me with confusion. I turned back to Ian and got a quick look of his expression. It was a mix of confusion and sadness. Well, now he knows how I feel. We continued walking away, well actually, I was technically pulling Benny and I continued on walking. I could feel his eyes gazing at me as I walked off, not budging to look back, until.

"Happy Birthday, Cat!" he yelled out.

I stopped, and looked over my shoulder slowly. His look was full of relief, it seemed. "You too." I replied back and continued on walking.

“Why haven’t you told me about him?” She asked behind me. "Also, I didn't know it was your Birthday, why didn't you tell me that, even?"

I didn’t bother to look back at her. I just kept walking. My brain felt like it was on overdrive with anger, memories, questions and they were all about Ian. I could hear the pants coming form Benny trying to catch up with my pace.

“Caddi, hold on.” She ran up beside me. “Okay, track star, answer me, please?” she asked.

“He’s just an old childhood friend,” I sighed. “And...I didn't tell you it was my Birthday because, I don't like Birthdays okay, I didn't want you to make a big deal about it, in which I don’t want to talk about either.” I continued to get out of the parking lot.

"Fine, but at least tell me about you and him?" she pressed.

"I told you nothing isn't or was ever going on between us." I said.

“Well,” she scoffed. “Not by the way he was looking at you. Seems like their was more than just being friends.” She says nudging my arm with her elbow.

“No, it was nothing like that,” I rolled my eyes at her, “we were really young. The last time I’ve seen him I was eight. We new each other for three years it was mostly a brother and sister relationship.” I explained, yet, she didn’t look convinced. We’ve reached the end of the lot. “Look, I got to get home, I’ll talk to you later, okay?” I asked as if to get her approval.

“Okay. Just don’t try bumping into the new guy for another reunion.” She winked at me and started walking back to the labyrinth of cars.

I continued on walking towards the house by cutting through the woods. I always felt the woods were my true home. Even when I was younger, when I was upset I would run through the back yard into the woods towards the lake and just sit and think through it all. Especially, after Ian had left.

This morning, these woods felt familiar. Now, something didn’t feel right. The trees weren’t singing with the winds like it use to. The silence became more eerie. I looked like it use to. The silence became more eerie. I looked around me, extending my hearing and vision to concentrate on anything abnormal. Nothing was there; it felt odd. I can feel something, like someone was watching me. I kept walking but paid close attention to any noise.Walking up the street of the house, I checked to make sure no one was home or any neighbors were looking. The Jamesons were not home, the car was neither in the garage or driveway. I climbed back up the treeback into Amanda’s room.

This is not my real home. The Jamesons are not my family and Amanda is not my sister or any other relative. I am, what I like to call, borrowing their house just to keep a roof over my head. I don’t take anything from them. I just use Amanda’s room as a type of shelter until I have enough to find an apartment for myself. No one knows that I’m here, and that’s the way it’s going to be.

I quickly started on homework, while I still had time. I looked up at the clock and found I was going to be late for work. Damn, I thought. I threw my homework back into my backpack, and put the bag in a little compartment where the family will not find. I grabbed my uniform and went back out the window and down the tree until I jumped and landed on my two feet on the ground.

I ran all the way to work. It was about a mile and a half away from the Jamesons house.

I snuck my way in the back of “Buck’s Bar & Grill” and found Buck; the owner of the restaurant, slaving away over the hot stove. Buck was the sweetest old man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He treated me like a granddaughter and I sometimes see him like a grandfather myself—although I always call him “Uncle Buck”, as a little inside joke. I patted his back, letting him know I was there.

“Hi, Uncle Buck.” I smiled.

“Hey, sweetheart. Your late.” He frowned. “You know how Paul is about being on time.” Paul was Uncle Buck’s consultant; if you will. Buck felt that he was getting on an age that he can’t control both wait-staff and business all at the same time, so he hired Paul to take care of the business. Although, Paul is a perfectionist, everything had to be his way or no way at all.

“Oh, you worry too much. I’ll handle Paul, besides, I’m the best he’s got.” I grinned at him. He gave a chuckle at that and continued on with his cooking. I made my way through the kitchen saying “hello” to some who see me. A few of the other waitresses also teased about the fact I’m late and I’m going to get yelled at by Paul. All I did was stick my tongue out at them and continued on my journey to change into my uniform in the bathroom.“Caddisy!” I heard someone yell out. I turned around slowly, knowing it was the devil himself and it wasn’t because he wanted to talk about the weather.

“Yes, Paul, how can I help you?” I said politely.

“You can help me by telling me why you are three minutes late?” he cocked his bushy eyebrows at me; waiting for my answer. I couldn’t help but look up at the glare form his bald head reflecting from the light.

“Oh, come on, it’s a lousy three minutes. Maybe you’ve been sitting at that desk a little bit too long.” I smirked. I patted his shoulder when I passed by in a sincere way. I could here him grumbling something as I walked on to go change.

I changed into my white dress shirt with black pants and black shoes uniform. I jumped into the traffic of rushing waitress to get orders. I continued on serving my assigned tables and the clock was ticking down until my next job started. I went into the back and sat next to Uncle Buck. He made me a quick ham and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato on sour dough bread. It was delicious. He was the best cook I have ever met.

He was an old but acted young for his age with his short salt n’ pepper hair, and he had a lot of energy for his speed. He was a good looking man. He was also a widower, he once told me. He never had any children because his beloved wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in which prevented them from having a family and soon later took her life. I can tell he loved her very much because whenever he talks about her his eyes light up and becomes in a daze; as if he’s seeing her again.

As I ate, I watched him chop up vegetables to put towards his veggie soup.

“Uncle Buck, how did you ever get into cooking and get your own restaurant?” I asked. I stared at his back, it was well defined under his shirt. He was not fat overweight in anyway as how some older men seem to grow, no, he kept to his health and was very well built for a late sixties old man.

"Well, I discovered my cooking skills in college in my old dorm. I was bored and starving. So, then came the thought of ownin g my own restaurant. Now, here I am." He looked around and looked back at me, smiling. I gave him a small smile.

The buzzard went off to tell me that my next job is about to start.