Guy Plus Jarni

Chapter 4 ~ Next door Neighbor

         Jarni held the paper in between her fingers and read it over and over again. There wasn't much to read, only five words. Even though, she wondered why he sent that note. Why would he say thank you, to her? Her head spun with questions, but she was extremely tired already, so she decided to try to get some sleep. Jarni undressed by herself this time and went to sleep.

         She knew that she would go through, 'her attack', as she called it, but she was absolutely exhausted. She placed the note near her bed and laid down to sleep. She kept staring at her small window until her eyelids grew too heavy to hold up. She slept with such beautiful peace that night, without the shock. She didn't wake up for anything; she enjoyed a serene, tranquil night.

         The sun rose and the pitch black sky disappeared into a pink and golden blanket. Jarni opened her eyes and realized nothing happened to her; she was ok. She had been able to sleep a whole night without anything trying to kill her. Jarni smiled in joy and dressed up in her regular clothes, happy because of the rest she got. She went downstairs to find her grandfather at the table as usual.

         "Good morning sweetheart, you look extremely happy. Why the joy?"

         "Oh Papa! I slept like a child, it was a beautiful night. I had no panic attacks at all. I just slept and I felt so calm. It was spectacular."

          Her grandfather nodded, "Come here and have some bread. I'm very glad you feel well. So Jarni dear, what did you do yesterday when I slept? You were gone for a long time dear."

         Jarni panicked, "Nothing Papa-- I was strolling around for a while, I-I was ok."

       "What were you doing walking around? You came back almost after sunset." Her grandfather ate his bread carefully while Jarni struggled to keep her secret hidden.

        "I went to say hi to everyone, just to take in air and enjoy the weather."

         "Oh, well who did you see?" He grandfather asked.

         "I saw Donna and the others. They are doing well." Jarni broke her bread into pieces.

        "Did you all get along?"

        "Yea, they're ok."

         "You see Jarni, I always told you if you try to fit in and get along, it would work and what do you know! I was right."

       She stirs her cup of milk. "Yes Papa, you were right. Thank you."

       She ate small pieces of her bread as her grandfather questioned her. She could not afford to tell her grandfather she caused a load of trouble. But her grandfather continued questioning her; he had a feeling she was hidding something.

         "Ok then, Jarni dear, would you like to go to the neighbors today? I can go whenever you'd like."

         Jarni's color drained out of her cheeks. She tried to make her nervousness unoticable. "I'm alright, no thank you Papa. Later on probably."

         "Alright then. I heard they need a lot of help though, and that its a small family, they seem nice."

         "Yes Papa, I bet they are. They are only unpacking. It seems like a nice family. The boy although is quite--" Jarni bit her tongue right on her words.

         Her grandfather widened his eyes, "Jarni, how do you know there is a boy in the family? Jarni where we you really yesterday?"

          Jarni avoided eye-contact and stuttered as she explained, extremely nervous,