Damien and Jeff met us outside of the old 7/11 by the train tracks on Climber Lane, they were sitting on the curb smoking a cigarette.
"Jeffrey Michael, how could you be smoking a cigarette, don't you know what they do to you?" I spoke in a mock impression of his mother's Voice, and put an outraged look on my face.
Jeff chuckled and looked at me up and down, and then right back to my face.
"Hannah Michelle, does your mother always let you out in that little of clothing?"
"Oh why, is it distracting?" I smirked and moved closer towards him sitting on his lap on the curb, and putting my face way too close to his. Jeff Smirked and leaned in, kissing me quickly, before pulling away.
"Would you two just go out already?" Andrea says sarcastically. I stood up laughing, and walked over to my spot next to her.
"Now why would we do that?" I said to her, and partially to him.
"Yeah Andrea, why would we do that it isn't like I've asked her eight times already ... oh wait" Thick sarcasm laced his voice as he stood up and walked over to me intertwining our hands. I looked down at my shoes, it's not that I didn't want to go out with Jeff, its that I was afraid too.I know we are only in 9th grade and I really do not credit Love enough anyway , and i definitely don't believe in a love that will last forever from the 9th grade.Jeff looked down at me, his hazel eyes locked with my green ones and he smiled reassuringly, but I know it hurts him that I've said no so many times. Why would I love someone,who may never love me anymore then this year?
"Oh hush it will def happen" Andrea says enthusiastically, placing her hands on her hips in a don't say it won't manner.
"Yeah guys it will def happen" Damien speaks for the first time, in a mock of Andreas peppiness.
"Okay enough on my love life, where are we going?" I say, trying to figure out something remotely interesting to do tonight, that no offense to Jeff, does not involve "doing" me.
"Trying to go to the waterfall?" Damien spoke up after thinking for a few minutes. He knew it was my favorite place to be, it was back in the woods completely surrounded and no one ever came back there except my select group of friends.
"What are we going to do there besides hook up with each other and smoke?, I'm on my last few cigarettes" Andrea said with a tint of frustration in her voice.
"I mean what else is there really to do?" Jeff asked with equal frustration.
'I do not know guys, anything, I want to do something besides spend our friday nights wasting our lives away and killing our lungs, lets do something interesting, lets go to the movies for all I care, lets walk from here to the next town over, i'm so bored of sitting at a waterfall and making out with Damien, no offense." Andrea says throwing her hands in the air, an exasperated expression lines her face.
Jeff and I look at each other, i know what he is thinking,i know he wants to go to that waterfall because while Damien and Andrea are off doing God knows what in the woods somewhere, Jeff and I talk, we sit there and just talk about anything and everything involving life.
"How about next week we can go see that new scary movie coming out?" I say hoping Andrea's wishes will be soothed. Thankfully, a big smile made its way across her face, showing her gap between her two front teeth.
"Sounds good, and before you oppose, you guys are going" Andrea smiles wickedly at Damien, who in all honesty looks like he is going to cry, his worst fear:Scary Movies. Damien groans and looks over at Jeff, his eyes pleading for help, Jeff Smiles back at him.
"Now, to the waterfall we go" I say walking down Climber Lane, my fingers intertwined to the dark, brooding boy next to me.
Twenty Minutes later we were trekking through the woods a block or so away from my house, towards the waterfall that was now in my eyesight. My happy place. There are so many memories here from the time i was in the 6th grade when I first discovered it. It was back in the woods about a mile in with a large clearing around it, that always had the prettiest flowers in the spring. The meadow was not very large but the waterfall placed beautifully in the middle of it with the long, flowing creek that followed its never ending pour of water, was extremely flattering.
"You always seem so mesmerized by it" Jeff said looking down at me smiling.
"It never ceases to amaze me" I replied smooth, and it never did. I had always looked at nature with some sort of childlike wonder, It's a never ending adventure. Jeff Smiled at me again.
"You never cease to amaze me" It was just a mutter, barely audible, but still warmed my insides.
"Jeff, I love you" It felt good to say it. It felt good to let him know. He deserved to know, especially because I Know I don't deserve him. He looked at me, a shockingly excited facial expression lined his features.
"What" He barely got the words out. I smirked at him.
"Don't make me say it again Jeffery, I might forget what I said"
"I love you too, I love you so so much"
"I know you do doll" I smiled, he grinned.
"Now last one to make it to the waterfall is a rotten egg" I yelled and took off running through the clearing towards the beauty, a new lightness to my chest. A new hope in my heart.
