TROUBLE MAGNET - Completed

Chapter 23 - Honesty is Overrated

Chapter 23 - Honesty Is Overrated

My family came to pick me up early Saturday morning. I said goodbye to a sleepy Alex with promises to keep in contact with her by email. The car ride to Canada was impossibly long, especially since we kept stopping to shop along the way. I hate shopping. All I wanted to do was go home so that I could talk with Landon. By the time we got across the border into Canada, it was already dinnertime. We ate at the Hard Rock Café. Then thankfully my parents decided to continue driving the three hours to home, rather than get a hotel room for the night.

As soon as they made their decision, I sent a text to Landon, “Land looks like we r cumin home 2nite, but not till late, like 1am. Can we get 2gether to talk 2morrow?”

He sends me a text right back saying, “Hi Kare, glad u’re cumin home 2nite. I missed u. Lets meet early 2morrow. How bout 10am at your place?”

He missed me. I wonder if he will still feel that way after I talk to him. I send him another text telling him 10 a.m. is good. I figure that I won’t sleep much anyway.

The car ride is long and boring. I try to read, but just end up making myself feel sick. We finally make it home around 1:15 in the morning. We unpack the car and then I head right for bed. I figure that there is no way I’ll be able to sleep. But I do. I fall asleep so fast, that my book is lying open on my chest when I awaken to a knocking sound. It takes me a minute to figure out where I am. The knocking continues a little louder and I can tell it is coming from just outside my bedroom window. I place the book on my night table and then crawl across my bed and look out my window to see Landon kneeling on the ground. He gives me a little wave and motions for me to let him in the back door.

I look at my watch. It is 2:15 in the morning. He is crazy. If my pa catches him here, we will be in so much trouble.  I throw on my pink sweatshirt and make my way to the back door.

“Hey Kare,” he says softly with a sheepish smile. 

“Landon, what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting in the morning?”

“I couldn’t wait Kare.” He shrugs his shoulders and gives me his puppy dog eyes. “Plus I couldn’t sleep.”

“Come on in, but you have to be real quiet, you know what happened the last time we did this.” My heart is suddenly beating like a jackhammer. Okay I guess we’re going to do this now. Am I ready to do this? Landon follows me to my room.

“Trust me, I’ll be quiet. I don’t want another parking lot talk with your father,” he whispers. He follows me to my room and when we get there I softly close the door behind us. I turn the light on in my turtle tank because it’s not as bright.  “Wow, Penelope and Franklin, they look bigger since the last time I saw them,” Landon says as he runs his hand along the side of the aquarium.

“Landon, you say that every time you see them,” I laugh. Landon sits on my desk chair and I sit on my bed. I pull my knees up to my chin and wrap my arms around my legs. We sit quietly for a minute as we study at each other nervously. Landon looks great. He is so handsome. He's wearing a black hoodie  with faded jeans, nothing special really but on him it looks great. 

“How was your trip?” Landon finally asks me, as he chews nervously on his bottom lip. This is so unlike him. He doesn't usually get nervous, especially around me.

I take a big breath. “Landon I need to talk to you. I need to tell you some things and I know you’re not going to like it.”

“Ah Kare, I have to tell you something too. I'm so sorry for what happened with me and Angeli,” he says as he pulls the desk chair closer to my bed.