The Blood Lake

Miles Hart

After the lake yesterday was pretty uneventful, we sat there until about 5:00 pm talking, then we went home and ate dinner. It was strange how well he fit in with my family. It's like he belonged there. In a way he did, he has been Amelia's tag-along since we were six so he had been to every birthday, cookout, and playdate for what feels like a lifetime. Sometimes I feel like my parents love him more than me. I have been the center of their universe since I was born as an only child, but now they have a fresh but familiar face to focus on. I enjoy it, it takes everybody's attention off me.
Today my dad is taking Miles to go get his stuff from the Hart residence and I'm scared he won't come back. Charlotte is a force to be reckoned with, I think that's where Miles gets it.

I get out of bed and do my usual routine, minus showering because I got one after the lake. Get up, brush my teeth, get dressed, and get breakfast. My hair dried in my usual loose curls which will brush out as waves unfortunately, it never knows what it wants to be. I have never paid much attention to this before but now that I am faced with my boyfriend early every morning I am noticing a lot I never did before. I make myself look presentable and then walk downstairs. Miles isn't there and neither are my parents, I check the time, 7:00 am. Huh, they must have slept in... I open the guest room door slowly and quietly, I peek in and there's Miles all tucked with his hair a mess. I smile and close the door, then I walk over to the kitchen and get out the cereal, and put it on the counter with an empty bowl and spoon so he doesn't have to dig around. I settle for a banana, after I finish I sit on the couch and pull out my phone. I scroll for what seems like forever, but it was only thirty minutes when I heard the guest bedroom door open. Outcomes Miles bedhead and all.
"Good morning sunshine" I tease
"Good morning gorgeous" he smiles trying to kill my sarcasm with kindness.
"Cereal?" I ask
"Yes please." He responds. I pour him a bowl and slide it his way.
"So are you excited to go get your stuff from the Hart residence today?"
"Thrilled." I think my sarcasm is rubbing off on him.
"You will be fine, my dad will be there to chaperone."
"Can you come?"
"No Miles, I'm sorry"
"Please, Dell?" He pleads
"You know how your mother is."
"She can't hurt you."
"I don't want to stir the pot."
"Fine." He sounds disappointed but there is nothing I can do. I feel awful.
"You know how hard it is for me to say no to you."
"How hard?" He smiles
"Very, but I have to learn, or how is this going to work?"
"Darn," he says, his voice edged with sarcasm. I roll my eyes and start to clean up after breakfast.
"No it's fine I got it." He says taking the bowl from my hands. He washes his bowl and spoon and then puts them in the strainer. My dad comes down the stairs and looks my way, "Good morning Delly Belly." He pauses when he sees Miles turn the corner. "Sorry sweetheart I didn't mean to embarrass you...Hi Miles."
"Hi Mr. E." He smiles and gives me a glance, I am as red as a tomato.
"What time are you looking to head over to gather your stuff son"
"Whenever you are ready they are usually awake by now."
"Ten minutes work for you?"
"Yep."
"Ok meet me outside In ten minutes and we are taking my truck." Miles nods and my dad goes back upstairs.
"Delly Belly.." he snickers
"I hate you." I laugh
"Oh stop, it's cute" He walks towards me.
"Are you nervous?" I ask him to pull me into a hug.
"A little but don't worry about me, what's your plan for today?"
"I don't know....it just depends on what needs to be done."
"Can you...maybe come with me?" He pulls me back to look at my face.
"Fine, since you won't let it go." I give in but just this once...hopefully
"Thank you, Dell."
"That's why I am here." He goes to get dressed and tame his hair, just as he comes out my dad comes downstairs dressed and ready to go
"Ok Miles, let's get this over with."
" Is it ok that Dellah tags along?' He asks
"Why not, come on Delly let's get a move on." I nod and we get in the truck I subconsciously jump in the front and Miles hops in the back, I can tell he is nervous but I don't point it out, instead I pull out my phone and shoot him a text
Hi :)
Hey Beautiful, why don't you just speak?
Because there are prying ears
Oh no...is this going to get dirty?
No stupid! I wanted to tell you its ok to be nervous
Shit, I was hoping this was going to get dirty
Oh stop, this is not the time to joke
Who said I was Joking? ;)
"QUIT!" I yell turning to look at him, my dad gives me a confused glance then turns back to the road and I realize I said that out loud. Miles smiles trying to hold his laughter and returned to his phone
Real smooth private eye.
Shut up.
Never.
Anyways... you don't have to be so strong all the time.
You either.
This isn't about me Miles, work with me here
Delly, I'm fine.
Promise.
I Promise.
I put my phone down and within minutes we are at the front gate. I always forget how big his house is. Miles jumps out and uses a fingerprint to open the gate. He walks over to my door and goes to help me down but I climb out by myself since my dad's truck sits lower than the jeep. Miles smirks, "Wow now that you're in the truck you don't need me anymore?"
"Yep," I smile. He leads the way and we walk into the house, my dad greets Richard who so kindly sent Charlotte out on a shopping trip to free up an hour for us to have a drama-free morning. Miles meets eyes with his father but quickly turns away and keeps walking. I follow we reach his bedroom and I take a look around.
"I have been in this house more times than I can count but I have never been in this room before," I say as I walk around.
"Yeah.." he frowns
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, just can't believe she's serious." He starts to fold his clothes and place them in the boxes.
"Well, Lottie isn't the easiest person to deal with when she doesn't get her way," I say walking toward him.
"You are right, but what mother just disowns her child after her other one dies."
"Lottie Hart," I say sitting on the bed he smiles.
"I've never had a girl sit on my bed other than Mel."
"I find that hard to believe."
"What do you take me for Dellah Everdeen."
"I don't know, the kind of guy that has had many girls, far more perfect than me  I sit on his bed."
"Wow."
"Oh shut up I'm not calling you a man whore, I just always see you accompanied by a girl at school and it's not always the same one."
"Hey, they pursued me, you know."
"Right"
"Is it really that hard to believe?" He says with a hint of sarcasm. I throw a pillow at him.
"You've got one big ego huh?"
"Maybe a Little..."
"That's ok," I say, enabling him. He finishes gathering his things and we head out. On the way down the hall, I catch a glimpse of Mel's room and pause. Miles catches my hesitation and pulls me in urging me down the hallway, he pecks my cheek and leans into my ear.
"I spent hours there the day we found out, it won't bring her back".
"I know.." I say quietly, "...I just miss her."
"Me too." He moves his hand to the small of my back and guides me past family photo after photo. Hardly any are of just Miles, there are plenty of individual shots of Mel and the one's Miles are in have Mel cheesing next to him. He senses my confusion.
"My mom always wanted a girl...so she always outshined me no matter what I did."
"Did she at least acknowledge your existence?"
"Not really, my family is highly dysfunctional. My mom was a control freak my whole childhood and my dad worked all the time and when he was home he got drunk."
"Oh.."
"We live in this big house with nice things but at the end of the day my parents are shitty people."
"Did your dad ever..."
"God no, he was a drunk but not a violent one, just an absent parent."
"So I am guessing you didn't fill the hole your mom left with your father?"
"Nope," he clears his throat and stares forward blankly as we make our way down the longest hallway of all history. This time I'm the one to console him rather than the other way around. I would grab his hand but he is now using both of them to carry the box rather than just one arm like earlier. I bring myself to my tiptoes and kiss his cheek with a little bounce, he's much taller than me so I struggled and stumbled a bit. I kissed him so why am I the red one right now? He looks down at me with the goofiest look on his face.
"That is the first time you were the one to kiss me." He smirks
"Well, there is a first time for everything." I quip
"You are a wonder Dellah."
"I do try," I say with sarcasm
We finally reach the front door and load up the truck. Miles hops in the back and I go to get to the front but hesitate. I look at Miles who is busying himself with his phone then I decide to go in the back with him. I open the door and he smiles.
"May I help you?"
"Is this seat taken?"
"All yours gorgeous"
"Shut up." My Dad enters the vehicle and gives us a glance, he smiles but says nothing. About five minutes pass and then I pick up my phone and start typing.
Hey :)
Hey stranger
Are you ok?
Don't worry about me I am fine
If you say so
I could use another kiss though ;)
Stop.
Never.
With that, we make the turn into my driveway. Miles doesn't try to help me this time and instead goes for the box, It is a big box but it was mostly clothes and just one picture of him and Mel. I find it strange he didn't pack more but maybe that is just because he's a simple guy, not really the sentimental type.
"Ready to move in are ya?" My mom teases from the porch swing
"I guess so Mrs. Everdeen" he responds nervously.
"Elenor." She smiles
"Elenor." He smirks back and walks through the door.
"There are hangers in the closet!" She calls out
"Got It, thanks." He calls back. She turns her attention to me.
"Hey Dell.." she sounds concerned. "Is he ok, I mean does he seem like he's handling it well..." I cut her off.
"He's fine Mom, don't worry about him I got it. I go to help him unpack and leave my parents to gossip about the trip on the porch. I walk in to find him hanging up his clothes he looks gloomy like a cloud is hung above his head, but when he notices I am there he smiles.
"Come sit." He says plainly, no embellishments, no gorgeous, no nothing.
"Wow so serious, I feel like I'm in a conference." I quip. He smiles and joins me at the end of the bed.
"I'm sorry, long day." He pulls me in
"It's ok you've been through the wringer."
"I'm fine I promise, I just need a minute." I get up to leave thinking that's what he meant but apparently, not, as soon as I stand he grabs my waist and sits me back down. I blush, no surprise.
"Hey, I didn't mean alone."
"Ok.." I say sheepishly. He pulls me back under his arm and we just sit there, no talking, no humor, just silence. Us and only us