Don't Forget About Me

Chapter 4

As we approach a large opening I see a gate. When we get closer, Os stops the car and gets out. “Stay here, I will be right back.” He walks over to the fence and opens it, when he goes to push the other side open I can see all the muscles in his back, thanks to the very tight black tee, and he has to manhandle it to the side, then I instantly get hot. I need air and stat, so I instantly put the window down.

He starts to walk back to the car and gets in and looks at me with a questioning grin, “You ok?” 

“Yup, I'm just peachy, ” I say, then turn towards the window that I just opened. We drive through the gates and down another dirt road for another mile when he turns one more time. As we approach all I see is a hill, but as soon as we are over it I see what he wanted to show me. It was the most amazing thing that I have ever seen. It was a lake that had mountain views in the background like an artist had just drawn it. 

“Holy shit, this is beautiful!” Then realize that I say that out loud. 

“Yes, it is, isn't it? I come out here when I need to get away from society and all the noise. I thought that you might enjoy it as much as I do.” When I look at him I can see the sincerity in his eyes like he understands me more than not. He points to where there are logs lined up by the water line and we can go sit. 

When we get over to the water I still am having a hard time believing that this is real. “How did you know about this place?” 

“This land has been in my family for generations and not many people know that this is here, so it can be our little secret.” 

“So, you're telling me you have not brought any other girls out here to see this?” I say with a tone that says I'm not kidding about the question.

“No, I have never brought anyone else here to see this until you. Something about you Kelsey that I feel I can be myself and not have to hide or be fake.” 

Looking around trying to figure out what to say next. “You don't even know me, we just met today?”

Looking at him it seems like he has something that he wants to say but is struggling with it. “I guess it's just gut instinct.” It seems like he wants to say more but doesn't. “Tell me something about yourself Kelsey.” 

No one ever asks to know anything about me so it's hard for me to think about what to say. 

“Well I am a history major and I'm going to be a senior next year. I love dogs, cats creep me out, and I hate soda but love unsweetened tea. Oh and I have one friend whose name is Sara. That's my life in a nutshell, how about you?” 

He turns to me and seems like he is wanting more from me but that is all that I am giving him right now. “What about your parents?” At that question I instantly go still and memories just start flooding me. All I can do is shake my head and go to get up. “Are you ok? I didn't mean to upset you,” he asked as I got up. 

I put up one finger and say, "Just give me a minute." As I'm walking away I feel big arms come around me and squeeze. Is he giving me a hug? I don't remember the last time I had a hug. I turn in his embrace and just lean into his chest. He feels so warm and like home to me for some reason. 

As we stand there he reaches up and moves some hair out of my face. "I really didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry, Kelsey." Swallowing back the tears that were about to fall, I looked up at him. 

"It's ok I didn't think that question would bother me as much as it did." 

We stand there another few seconds and he quietly asks, "Do you want to go sit back down?" 

I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't want to just stand here with his arms around me but maybe this is getting weird for him so I nod. We walk back to the logs and sit. "My dad left when I was young," I say. 

"We don't need to talk about this if you don't want to," I look at him and he's being genuine. 

"No, I need to talk about it because I have never talked about it to anyone before and for some reason I feel I can talk to you about it." He looks at me with those blue eyes that I swear are bluer with the water. 

"If you insist, I will listen to whatever you want to tell me." 

I smile and turn back to him and take a deep breath. "When I was a junior in high school my mom died and her boyfriend had something to do with it. I can't remember everything for some reason but all I remember is my mom's boyfriend came home and was drunk like usual and was beating on my mom. I tried to intervene and he tried to come after me. There was a loud noise and that's about as much as I remember. When I woke up, I was in a hospital and had a nurse come to tell me my mom was dead, stab wounds," the second I said those words the tears came and wouldn't stop. 

"We can stop, you don't have to say anymore," I can tell this is affecting Os in some way and I don't know why.

"When I asked where my mom's boyfriend was, no one new, they said he was gone. Which didn't make sense because he wouldn't just run, he was too much of a dick to just run." He looks at me with questions but is reluctant to ask them. "I had doctors and theorists both telling me that my memory would come back but it hasn't. But since I was an honors student, the state put me with a really good foster family for my last year in high-school and I was able to get a full ride scholarship due to my grades to come here. Lucky for me I got a room with Sara and she's just been the best." I turned to look at him and I saw sorrow in those beautiful blue eyes of his and I don't know if it's for me or himself. "Tell me about you, Os." I say with a slight smile. 

"I'm so sorry, Kelsey, but I think that we should get back now before it gets dark." I give him a "what the hell" look and he gets up to go to the car.

"What the hell was that, you having me come out here to spill my deepest and darkest while you give me nothing in return? What is this, some sort of joke?" I realize that I'm raising my voice, which is something that I don't do. 

"Turn and look at me Osvaldo, what the fuck?" Just as I say the f-word he turns and charges back to me. As he gets right in front of me he gets right in my face, his lips are so close I swear if I breathe wrong I will accidentally lean in and kiss him. 

"Want to know something about me Kelsey, I'm no good for you. I come from a fucked up family with fucked up morals. You are so pure that I don't want my fucked up life to take that from you so can we please just go before it gets dark." 

My eyes must be the size of quarters because I don't even know how to react to that. All I can do is walk towards the car and get in. The drive back was the longest of my life. How do I go from the best day I have had in years to the worst. Trying to hold back everything that's about to rain out of me, I quietly tell him where my apartment is so he can drop me off. When we pull up I reach for the door to get out. 

"Kelsey?" he says softly. I turn and look at him with a blank expression. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the night, I just don't want to hurt you."

That's it, I'm annoyed. "I didn't realize you controlled what I wanted and didn't want. I have had enough disappointment and heartache in my life to last a lifetime but thanks for adding another notch in the pole." And I got out, slammed the door and walked into my apartment complex without looking back.