Don't Go Out in the Woods Tonight...

KATE'S FATHER'S POV

I had started getting worried as soon as I saw Kate dash out the door, ignoring the clouds on the horizon. But I hadn't had the heart to stop her. She loves that wood, like they're a part of each other.

But now it has eaten her; she's swallowed in the rain and gloom and thunder. I hate the forest.

I walk across the yard, armed with a flashlight, raincoat and umbrella. I walk out the red door and yell out into the rain, "KATE!! KATHERINE, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"

My flash light catches on the white sweatshirt she was wearing when she left the house. I stare in disbelief as a boy about the same age as Kate carries her past me, through the red door and into the house.

I follow them and slam the door against the wind and wet. My wife is busy with Kate, awake and protesting to the whole thing. The boy stands protectively over my daughter, but almost like he doesn't want to be there. I don't want him there either.

"Who are you?" I cross my arms and stare the boy down. To my surprise, he stares straight back, with no answer.

"Dad, this is Troy." Kate answered from the couch, obvious disdain in her tone. She looked odd, wrapped in two towels. "He's from my class, and he was just leaving!"

He turns his head to look down at her. I almost see the daggers fly between them as they stare at each other. My wife, Janet, ends this by smacking Kate on the back of the head.

"Don't you talk to our guest like that. Especially a guest who just saved your life!"

"But Mother, -"

"Don't you 'But Mother' me! There's a bear in that forest and he saved your life." Janet shot back. This 'Troy' fellow starts to smile at the two of them, like he enjoys the discomfort that Kate is. I don't understand young people.

~ + ~ + ~
KATE'S POV
~ + ~ + ~

I can't believe Troy found me, and more unbelievable is that he brought me home. BUT the thing that's impossible to believe is that his sitting across from me at my kitchen table.

We'd already changed into dry clothes, no worry of catching a cold. It's just me and him, because my parents needed to go back to studying. Father wasn't so happy about this at first, but Mother convinced him otherwise.

"It's the least we can do, Mark." She had said, "I mean the boy can't be all bad if he saved our Kate. Right?"

Wrong. He’s just trying to fool you. I thought this as I poke at the food in front of me. Troy is equally quiet, but the difference is that he has already eaten seconds and is working on the third helping Mother's casserole.

Good casserole, BAD Company

I keep poking at it, and glance up at Troy, and find his grey eyes staring back at me. He doesn't look mad or anything, he’s just watching me.

"You need to eat something." He says to me, poking his fork at my untouched food.
His friendly, non-hostel tone surprises me... and makes me suspicious.

"Why should I?" I narrow my eyes at him, but he doesn't seem to notice as he tilts his head to one side.

"Because if you don't... Some one else might."

With that, he stretches his fork across the table and spears one of my carrots. I feel my mouth fall open in surprise as he bites down on it. He looks at me, and gives me a coy smile.

"HEY!" I recover from shock and yell at him, “What did ya' do that for?!?"

“‘Cause yours looks better than mine." His simple answer. Then he tries to grab my plate from under my nose. My Mother comes in just as I snatch it away from him and start eating.

"Troy, do you need a place to stay for the night? It's raining awful hard." She said, with a smile on her face that said she'd heard everything from the other room.

His expression goes blank for a split second before he answers.

"No, thank you. I'll walk home." Troy gets up and puts his plate in the sink.

I look at Mother and she looks at me and then at Troy. I know what's coming.

"There is no way on God's green earth you are walking home in this rain! You'll stay here before that happens."

And just to add emphases to what she says, a bright flash of lightning and huge crash of thunder sound from outside. Even Father comes in from the other room.

I feel like an innocent by-stander as Troy, my mother, and my father get in a three way staring contest. I look between them, like I'm watching a tennis match or something. I can't tell who is winning.

Finally Troy's shoulders sag and he hangs his head in defeat ('rents: 1 Troy: 0).

"Um... Sure. " He looks at my parents, "If you’re sure it's not a prob---"

"Stop right there," My mother says. "This is no problem at all. Right, Dear?"

My father nods in agreement, as I just watch from the sidelines. Troy looks at me. I don't know what possesses me, but I nod to him in encouragement and he nods back.

I’m still a little shocked that I encouraged him to stay at my house. I didn’t want to nod, I wanted to shake my head back and forth and shout ‘no.’ but my timing is off.

ARRG!!!! Too late! Again!

I stab another carrot and bite down on it while I listen to all the talk going on around me. Mother and Father are in the living room, arguing in hushed tones about where Troy will sleep. Troy just stands by the sink. I look over at him, then turn away before any soulful glances pass between us.

He walks around the table and sits down. My parents come back into the room, Mother all smiles and Father all frowns.

"We have a spare room upstairs all set up." My mother says.

Troy says a thank you and that's that.

Great.