Air Go FF

She's Kinda Hot Though

I clutch his hand and he purses his lips. The doctor comes in with his clip board.
"You have a mild concussion, nothing to worry about." He smiles as he delivers the news. I release a breath that breaks my mental tension.
//////JAMES//////
"You have a mild concussion, nothing to worry about." I sigh and hear Katie do the same. I squeeze my hand and she looks at me. I wink at her. My phone buzzes.
UNKNOWN NUMBER-
"Why are you with Katie?"
ME-
"She's awesome, funny, sweet, and smart." I don't know why I'm answering an unknown number, but what do I have to lose.
UNKNOWN NUMBER-
"Well she has her bad qualities too. When you were with Bella, her jealousy flared and her wild side came out."
ME-
"Really? Now I feel guilty." This is Ethan.
UNKNOWN NUMBER-
"It's ok. She's insane but she's kinda hot though."
ME-
"She means more to me than being hot. Sure, she's beautiful...but that's not why I love her. We have known each other our whole lives and that's special too."

No answer.

"Who are you texting?"
"Unknown number."
"Nice." She squeezes my hand and smiles lightly.
"Please." I take her hand and bring it to my lips. "Don't worry about me."
"Just, clue me in on what it is with you and head trauma."
~KATIE~
"I guess both you and the ground are attracted to my head." He gives me a wink and I rip my hands from his grasp in disgust.
"You just have to ruin everything, don't you?"
He chuckles. "How about we get out of this damn prison, and have a monthly picnic. It made sense, and it is July 18th. So why not?
"Sure."
"I know the perfect spot."
"You've been here for 48 hours and you already know where to take me for a romantic lunch?"
"I'm just that good."
"I guess you are." I peck him on the cheek.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I change clothes and wear short fringed denim shorts and a coral loose button up that rolls up to the elbows. I put my hair up in a messy bun and wear black flip flops. I take my phone off the charger and wait outside on my porch. Dangling my legs over the side, hovering above the flower bed below. He walks over confidently with a picnic basket big enough to fit the contents of a small minivan.
"Where did you get that?"
"I ran to the nearest Big Lots."
"Big Lots?! You must be a magician."
"You bet. I guess I'm putting a spell on you." He kisses my forehead and takes my hand. This takes me back to old times. Times when we would walk to the park for picnics and sing to each other from window to window. When he would serenade me in the depths of summer nights, the humid air caressed by the accompaniment of percussion like crickets and seemingly unrequited love.
We get to a small expanse of grass next to a lake and set up under a weeping willow tree, the soft looming branches like a veil encasing our young souls. He opens the basket which looks more like a casket and my eyes grew the size of the vessel itself. Lined with assorted fruit slices and packaged cold cuts. A glorious load of golden French bread, cheese, spreads, and a knife that's polished to the level of perfection that's mirror worthy.
"Well you really know how to make a girl happy."
"Yup! Kind words, kisses, and a full stomach." I chuckle and he starts making the sandwiches. If he accidentally amputates himself with that machete I will kill him. If he hasn't already killed himself. I feel like his basket is my own personal Subway. I get provolone and roast beef and he gives himself a Classic Italian without the tomatoes which he claims, "it makes my bread soggy." I eat half a foot and he eats the other half of the loaf and we sit by the lake and enjoy the breeze. After we're done eating he takes my hand and brushes a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His eyes flicker to my two earrings and then back to my eyes.
"What?"
"I just can't get over how goddamn gorgeous you are." My cheeks heat up and he squeezes my hand. There we were, sitting by the lake under a willow tree not only absorbing the scenery, but the utter beauty of our bond. I remember so much about this boy. This foolish, yet stunning boy who doesn't know how special he is to me. I remember so many awesome things he's done. Like my birthday surprise and coming here to see me. And I remember the stupid things, like falling into the pavement at a party and getting into fights with the super artsy sass master next door. And the completely random moments- FLASHBACK: It's our 46th picnic and we told our parents we would have it a little later than usual. We both brought dinner and sat in the July humidity to watch the sun drift down. We didn't know that it would be a rather sad and eventful evening. We were walking home from a meal of home made pizza (which I pretty much put cheese and chicken on pita bread and put it in the oven) and his mom's special beef stew. We were walking down the street back home. He is dropping me off at my house when my dog runs through the doggy door, through the front yard and into my arms. A small 2 year old Jack Russell, weighing about 8 pounds. She snuggles into me as I pet her softly.
"Hey there Dakota." She looks at me with deep brown eyes. A rustle in the leaves draws her attention away and she wriggles from my grasp.
"Dakota." I call, but she just dashes into the bushes. She comes back a minute later with something small dangling from her jaws. She drops it at my feet. A baby rabbit!
"Oh my god! DAKOTA!" I pick up the poor thing and hold it in my hand. It's the size of a hamster with two oval ears and big black eyes. It's chest heaves and it wiggles, straining to get to it's feet. James rubs my back to comfort me. It slowly gets up and leaves a dot of blood on my hand. A tear falls and I take it over to the bushes to let it die. I fence Dakota in the backyard and wash my hand.
"It's ok Katie."
"I know, it's just. A little baby rabbit. I mean, I shouldn't have died."
He nods and hugs me. I take a deep breath. That was a lot to take in. James has always been there for me. He's so reliable when a I need him. We part ways and bid each other good night.
I remember a few weeks later he would poke fun at my soft heart.
"Hey baby." He would say.
"What?"
"I'm sorry that came out wrong, put 'cry' in front of that." He would then walk away laughing at his sick jokes. One text conversation I clearly remember,
"Hey."
"Hi."
"How's your lifeless rabbit?"
"How's your heartless soul?"
We had a love hate relationship. But deep down. I knew he didn't really mean to make me feel bad. Things happen and boys will always be boys- immature balls of dirt. But James is one boy who made an astonishing turn around.
He is practically my life. 80% of my memories are of being at his house or at Disneyland or on picnics. And now as my memory grows so does my understanding of him. My understanding of us. And the more I know the more I can't believe how perfect yet imperfect we are as a friends and as a couple.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HEY GUYS I KNOW I HAVEMT UPDATED IN LIKE A MONTH BUT THIS CHAPTER WAS PRETTY LONH, 1,300 words. I PUT IN THE SAD PART ABOUT THE RABBIT BECAUSE IT WAS INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS. EXPECT I DONT HAVE A DOG AND IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR. ANYWAY I DONT WANT TO WASTE UR TIME WITH ALL MY RAMBLINGS SO GOODNIGHT!
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