Close to the Heart

I thought I was still deep into my sleep, but maybe I was wrong. I heard voices talking around me. Maybe if I ignored them, I could fall back asleep – that is if I really am awake.

“What are you doing in here?” Shane rudely asked. I heard another voice answer him, but I couldn’t tell who it was.

“I came to see what’s up with Bella. She said she was going to meet us for lunch but never showed.” I finally realized it was Barron talking.

“Yeah? Well, you can see the princess is on her throne sleeping. You can see her later, now buh bye.” I heard Shane sigh loudly. “Why are you still in here? I told you she’s asleep and you can clearly see her; unless you’re blind.”

“I’m just analyzing you that’s all. I told Is to give you a break, that you were a good guy, but I guess I was wrong.”

“Yeah, well I don’t care what you and especially she thinks of me. Now could you leave? I’m trying to have some Shane time right about now.” I heard Barron sigh as the screen door squeaked opened and slammed shut. I opened my eyes and realized I was awake and Shane was the biggest jerk alive. I was about to sit up and tell him off again until I heard the screen door open and close.

“Shane, what were you doing all day? Sitting in here and fixing your hair or something?”

“No, Uncle Brown.”

“I thought I told Isabella to wake you up. I guess she didn’t even bother.”

“Oh, she woke me up all right. She threw a bucket of water on me and made me smell like a lake.” I heard my dad chuckle. “You’re not going to do anything but laugh? What kind of a father are you?”

“Whoa, whoa now Shane. No need to bring my parenting skills into this conversation. You need a serious attitude adjustment son.”

“I don’t need anything Brown.” I really wanted to get out of bed and beat the crap out of Shane. How dare he talk to my dad like that?

“Really? Tell me what happened to that boy I raised a few years ago?”

“He’s not a boy anymore, he grew up. Why don’t you stop living in the past and realize I will never be the same boy again.”

“Okay then, sir. I’ll leave you alone, but you’re teaching all of your classes tomorrow. No exceptions.” I heard the chair squeak where my dad was probably sitting on. “Are you going to be coming to the-”

“That little bonfire thing you’re having later? No thank you.” I heard footsteps and the screen open and close one last time.

“Don’t bother yelling at me, you’re going to strain your little voice from telling me off,” Shane said. I sat up and looked over to where he was. He was sitting on his bed with his guitar in his hands.

“How’d you know I was awake?”

“I could tell.”

“Why are you so rude? My father has been the best man in your life. The least you could do is be kind to him for once.”

“Yeah, but why bother?”

“Do you think being a jerk is going to make people like you? I’m surprised you even have fans with the way you act.”

“Why do you care about me having fans or not?”

“Oh, trust me, I don’t care at all.”

“Why are you even talking to me again? I thought we agreed we wouldn’t speak for the next three months; like we haven’t talked for the past three years.”

“Us not talking for the past three years is your entire fault. You probably don’t care that I spent nearly six months not speaking to anyone because of you.”

“What, are you telling me you were one of those emotional robots or something?”

“No, Shane. Just forget it.”

“No, you want to talk? Talk, tell me everything.”

“There’s nothing to tell. I don’t even know why I’m talking to you right now.”

“Fine, but don’t come crying to me when I’m being a ‘jerk’, as you say,” Shane said putting air quotes over jerk. I huffed loudly and left the cabin. I couldn’t stand another second talking to Shane. He was being weird; one minute he was being a jerk, then he was nice, then he was a jerk. What’s wrong with him?

I walked over to where Barron, Andy and Sander all share their cabin and walked in.

“Nobody better be naked,” I joked.

“Hey! I thought Shane pushed you into the lake or something when you didn’t show up for lunch.” I laughed as I sat on somebody’s bed.

“Yeah, sorry, I overslept I guess.”

“Yeah, your boy gave me an earful. I wanted to do some illegal things to that boy.” I laughed again.

“Wow, Barron that sure didn’t sound right.”

“What?” Barron looked at me confused then smiled. “Ohh, my bad.” He laughed at his own stupidity which made everyone else laugh.

“How was lunch then?”

“Pretty good, you missed a great burger fest." I laughed.

"Burger fest?"

"Yeah, well you could always sneak into the kitchen and grab something."

"Wait, why me?"

"Because you get away with everything." I laughed.

"True, but I'm kind of lazy." Sander scoffed and I stared at him. "Got something to say?"

"Not really," he replied. I smiled as I stood up.

“At least my dad introduced me to the new cook. She seems nice, but I’m only getting something for myself unless someone comes along.”

“See you later than,” Barron said with a small wave.

“Fine, be like that Barry.” I smiled as I walked out of their cabin and started walking towards the kitchen.

“You know I’m just kidding,” Barron said running up to me with Sander at his side. I shook my head as the three of us linked arms and walked towards the kitchen. I walked inside and noticed it was empty.

“Score!” we all said as we walked around and looked for something to eat. I started looking through the kitchen to find something easy to take along.

“Found cookies!”

“I got the chips!”

“Cold pizza!”

“Ew. Unless you find a way to warm that up, then no.”

“Fine, cookies and chips are healthy enough right?”

“Sure, let’s just go before somebody comes.” We grabbed our ‘food’ and dashed out of the kitchen before someone came.

“I’m taking these cookies to my cabin,” I said already digging into the bag and chewing on a cookie.

“You brought us in there and you’re not even going to share? I thought you were cooler,” Barron said.

“Just come in the cabin with me.”

“What about your little friend?”

“Barron, who cares about Shane? It’s my room too.” I grabbed Barron’s hand and led him into my room. Of course Shane was in there like always, but I didn’t care. I sat on my bed and lay of the food.

I looked over at Shane who looked like he wanted to say something.

“Hungry much?” he finally asked. I looked over at him and laughed.

“I did miss lunch, so yeah.” Shane laughed as he came over at stood next to my bed.

“Can I have a cookie?”

“What do I get out of it?”

“Being nice to a great guy of course.” I laughed.

“I’ll be nice, take a cookie. But just one, I’m pretty hungry.” Shane laughed and took his one cookie.

“Hey Sander, we should go do that thing, you know.” Sander looked at Barron with a confused look on his face.

“What thing?” Sander asked. Barron stood up and put his hand on Sander’s shoulder.

“That dance practice we were supposed to do, you know?”

“Huh?” Barron grabbed Sander and waved.

“Bye Shane, later Bella.” They both left Shane standing there and me looking at him with a confused look.

“Anyways, don’t mind them, they’re weird sometimes but they’re still cool.”

“Yeah?” I nodded my head as I dug in the chip bag for a handful. “Are you always like this?”

“Like what?” I asked with full mouth.

“Hungry and eating large amounts of snacks?” I laughed again.

“So, why are you being nice all of a sudden?”

“What? I can’t be nice to you?”

“You haven’t been for the past three years.”

“Has it really been that long?” I rolled my eyes. “No, I’m serious.”

“Something like that.” Shane sighed and sat on my bed. “Do you have something you need to say?”

“What are you excepting?”

“You seem like you want to apologize or something.”

“Me?” Shane scoffed.

“Okay, then. Do you want something?” I asked getting annoyed.

“No, I just don’t have anybody to talk to.” I laughed as I began to eat another cookie. “It’s not that funny.”

“Actually it is.” It was quest for another minute.

“So, how’s Nate and Jason?”

“Okay, I guess. I don’t really want to talk about them seeing as they’re the reason I’m here.”

“Well, you could have a better attitude about this all.”

“And why’s that?”

“Hello, I’m here of course!” I said throwing my arms up in the air which made Shane laugh.

“Still the same girl I see.”

“I told you I’m still the same. It’s just such a shame you changed.” I did a dramatic sigh and looked at the floor.

“Are you still dating that guy?” Shane blurted out randomly.

“Huh?”

“Never mind.” I laughed uncontrollably for a few seconds.

“No, tell me what’s that all about. Are you talking about Derek?” Shane nodded and I laughed again.

“What’s so funny?”

“Are you, I mean were you jealous of Derek?”

“Uhh…” I laughed again.

“You are!”

“So what?”

“Is that the reason you stopped talking to me? You were jealous of Derek?”

“Uggh!”

“Wow Shane, why were you jealous of Derek?”

“Because you and I were best friends and then he came out of nowhere.” I scoffed.

“That’s the only reason why you stopped talking to me? You’re pathetic you know that right?”

“Sure, why not.”

“Wow.”

“Is that all you have to say? I don’t get a little ‘aw’ from you?”

“Nope. That wasn’t really an ‘aw’ moment.” Shane stood up and went back to his bed.

“I don’t even know why I told you that.”

“I knew you loved me.”

“Excuse me?” I smiled at him and laughed.

“Thanks for sharing your dirty little secret with me.”

“You’re not welcomed and I will get something out of you.”

“Oh yeah? Like what exactly?”

“I know you have your share of secrets.”

“Hey, I heard you’re supposed to be teaching a dance class tomorrow.” Shane rolled his eyes and started strumming his guitar. “I hope you’re not going to be teaching in those stupid skinny jeans.”

“Why’s that?”

“Hello, if you dance with those they’re for sure going to rip and the whole class is going to see your ducky boxers.”

“How do you know I wear ducky boxers?” I laughed out loud.

“I just took a wild guess! I can’t believe you wear ducky boxers! This day just keeps getting better!”

“Yeah, well at least my roots aren’t a different color compared to my hair.” I gasped.

“No fair, I really am a natural blonde!” Shane laughed.

“Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”