Willow by Angelina Brown (new ebook reader TXT) 📕

   “No problem. Ashley went ahead to get a table.”

   “Ok.”

   We find Ashley. She was at our usual table by this big gorgeous oak tree. We have been sitting at this table every day since freshmen year.

   “Hey Shane. Nice of you to join us.” Ashely says as we sit down. “But there is a test you have to pass before you can official join our little posse.”

   “Ashley” I say trying to get her to cut it out.

   “What’s the test?” Shane asks eagerly.

   “It’s easy. All you have to do is tell me what you think about that guy right over there” she points at David.

   “From the encounter we had earlier I think he’s a pretty big douche” was his answer.

   “Good, wait when did you have an encounter with him?” she asks Shane in surprise.

   “Earlier when we were leaving the physics room he just showed up out of nowhere.”

   “Willow, what did he do this time?” Ashley looks at me intently. “Willow!”

   “Nothing, same as usual. Now will you just stop?” I say getting angry. Calm down Willow, Calm down.

   Shane looks at us confused “How long has he been doing that?”.

   I answer “since sophomore year”.

   “Why?”

   “I don’t know. Please stop asking questions and leave it alone. You to Ashley.”

   “Fine.” Shane and Ashley both speak at the same time.

   We sit in silence for the rest of lunch. When the bell rings we all get up in unison. My next class is Chemistry with Mr. Thomas. Mr. Thomas can be an ok teacher at times. Very few students like him though.

   I stop by my locker to get my text book. Shane’s locker is next to mine. I keep glancing towards him. I’m pretty sure he’s mad at me. I can’t stand him being mad at me. But why? I barely know him. Still I need to fix things. “Shane?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry for snapping. I just didn’t want to talk about it. Ashley knows that but you didn’t. So I hope you can forgive me.”

“I should be the one apologizing. I stuck my nose some where it doesn’t belong. I’m bad to do that.”

“So everything’s ok?”

“Yeah, everything’s ok.”

“Want to walk to class together?’

“Sure.”

   Shane sits next to me in Chemistry and Physics. Ashley, Shane, and I all grouped up for a physics project. The bell rings. We all head to the parking lot.  “Shane.”

   “Yeah Willow.”

   “How are you getting home?”

   “Driving” he points at the red mustang.

   “That’s your car?” Ashley face lights up. “Take me for a ride?”  

   “Maybe some other time.”

   “I’ll hold you to that” Ashley said a bit disappointed.

   “What about you two?”

   “The old rust bucket” Ashley points at my truck.

   “She’s not a rust bucket” I defend my truck.

   Shane cuts in “I like it”.

   “Really?” Ashley’s jaw drops on surprise.

   “Yeah, I have always liked old trucks. I think there cool.”

   I smile at Shane. I can’t help it. I start to say something when David walks up and interrupts.

   “Hey Shane.” Surprisingly he starts talking to Shane. “The coach wanted me to talk to you about joining the team. He noticed that you played at your old school and we need one more. So what do you say?”

   Shane looks at me then back at David. “Thanks for asking but no thanks.”

   “You sure, we could really use you. Willow talk some sense into him.”

   “I said no. No means no. Don’t involve her.”

   “Fine” David leaves in frustration.

   “I got to get going. See you tomorrow?” Shane says as he pulls keys from his bag.

   “Of course.” I watch as he gets into the car and take off.

   I say bye to Ashley and head home. The whole way there all I could think about was Shane. I wonder where he lives? Who does he live with? Does he have a girlfriend back in Denver? Why can’t I stop thinking about him? I turn on some music to try and distract me from all the thoughts.

   “Mom I’m home!” I yell as I enter the house “Where are you?”.

   “In the kitchen sweetie.”

   I walk into the kitchen, welcomed by the smell of my mom’s famous apple pie. “Smells good.”

   “I have been baking since ten this morning. Did you find your phone?”

   “Yeah, it was in my locker.”

   “Good. So what’s new?”

   “There’s a new kid at school. His name is Shane. I was assigned to give him the tour and answer his questions.”

   “Is he nice?”

   “Yeah, he ate lunch with Ashley and me. We also have the exact same schedule.”

   “So your friends?”

   “Yes, we are friends.” I can’t help but smile.

   “Speaking of new, I noticed a moving van at the house across the street earlier.”

   “Really, no one has lived in that house for years after what happened.”

   “I know, I was surprised. They have been trying to sell it for years. I was thinking we could take one of these pies over and welcome them to the neighborhood.”

   “Sure. When?”

   “Will take the fresh one as soon as it's done.”

   “Ok.”

   I wait in the living room. It will take about thirty minutes for the pie to finish. I wonder who finally bought that house. It has been empty since Mr. Rogers killed his entire family then himself.

   “Willow, the pie is ready.”

   “Ok.” I get up and head to the kitchen.

   “Look outside and make sure their home.”

   “Mom.”

   “Willow.”

   “Fine.” I go and look out the living room window. “They’re home.”

   Mom walks into the living room with the pie. “Come on, the pie won’t stay warm forever.”

   We walk across the road. The last time I was here was with Maddie. She was one of Mr. Roger’s daughter's. We use to hang out all the time until you know.

Mom knocks on the door. We have been standing there for about a minute when the door flies open.

   “Shane?” I say shocked to see him standing in the doorway. My heart starts to race.

   “Willow, what are you doing here?”

   “We live across the street. My mom wanted to bring over a pie. This is your house?”

   “Yeah.”

   My mom interrupts “Hi Shane, I’m Elena Willow’s mom.”  

   “Nice to meet you.”

   “As Willow mentioned I wanted to bring this over and welcome you to the area. It’s a homemade apple pie.”

   “Thank you.”

   “No problem.”

   A tall man walks up behind Shane. “Son, who is at the door?”

   “Dad, this is Willow and her mom they live across the street.”

   “Willow, the girl from school?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

   “Yes, the girl from school.”

   “It is nice to meet you both.” He looks at Shane “Did you finish unpacking?”

   “Almost. Why?”

   “Willow why don’t you help Shane and let me and your mom talk.”

   I look at Shane who shrugs his shoulders. “Sure, why not.” I follow Shane upstairs to his bedroom. I immediately stop at the door. It’s Maddie’s room.

   “Is something wrong?” Shane looks at me concerned.

   “Not really, it is just the last time I was in this room was with Maddie.”

   “Who is Maddie?”

   “Maddie was my friend. She lived here and this was her room.”

   “My dad told me no one has lived here for years.”

   “Yeah, her family was the last to live here. Did your dad tell you why no one has lived here?”

   “No. Just that something bad happened.”

   “He doesn’t want you to know?”

   “Not sure. What happened?”

   “Do you really want to know?”

   “Yeah.”

   “Ok then, sit down.” I look at Shane “Ready?”.

“Ready.”

“It was about eight years ago. Maddie’s dad was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. He was seeing things and couldn’t tell what was real from what was fake. It was bad. One night when I was having a sleepover with Maddie we heard screaming from downstairs. Of course we had to run down stairs to see what was happening. By the time we got there the screaming had stopped, so we figure it was nothing. We were wrong. When we entered the kitchen we saw Maddie’s dad sitting next to her mom. Both of them were covered in blood. Her mom was dead. We freaked out and ran back upstairs to the bathroom. We were about to call 911 when her dad knocked the door down. To sum it up, I got away Maddie didn’t. Then when her dad realized what he had done he killed himself.”

   “Your joking. That’s what happened and you were there for the entire thing?”

   “Yes.”

   “If I had known I wouldn’t have asked you to tell me. I’m so sorry.”

   “No need to apologize, that was a long time ago.”

   “You sure you’re ok?”

   “Yeah, I’m ok.” I look around the room. “So what do you want me to do?” I push the subject to the back of my mind.

   “Can you help me get all my clothes put away?”

   “Of course.”

   We spend over an hour talking and folding clothes. The entire time I have that same feeling I felt when I first saw Shane. He is the perfect guy. I finally know what that feeling is. It is me falling in love with this amazingly perfect guy.

Dear Diary,

   Today is Monday, February the 10th.

   It’s been a week since I meet Shane. My feelings for him grow every day. I’ve thought about telling him how I feel but I can’t.  Every time I am about to the same questions pop up. Does he feel the same as I do? If he doesn’t will it destroy our friendship?

   On another note this weekend is prom. I already have my dress and everything. Ashley and I are going together as friends. I wish I was going with Shane.

                                                             -W

   I put my journal in my desk and head downstairs. I can smell the burnt bacon from the stairs. My mom may be good at baking but she can’t cook anything else.

   “Mom, have you seen my bag? I can’t find it.”

   “It’s in the living room.”

   “Ok, I’m leaving.” I quickly grab my keys and head out the door.

   I get into my truck and shut the door. I can’t help but look to see if Shane has left yet. He hasn’t. I turn the key and nothing happens. Not again, I can’t believe this is happening again.

   I jump when someone knocks on the door. I look over and see Shane. I open the door “Hey”.

   “Hey, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

   “It’s fine.”

   “Having car trouble?”

   “Yeah, it won’t start.”

   “Let me try.” He reaches for the key. He brushes against me. My heart starts racing. His touch is like electricity; it spreads through my body like a wildfire. “Why don’t I give you a ride? I don’t think it’s going to be starting anytime soon.”

   “Thanks.”

   “No problem.”

   We get into his red mustang and head to school. We barley talk. I can’t help but watch him. I watch as the muscles in his arms tighten when he grips the wheel. My heart is beating so fast I think it’s going to burst out of