Meet Me There ( RusAme )

Chapter Five ~ Alfred

Taking another bite of my beloved hamburger, I try to focus on the book I'm reading. It's a little hard when Francis and dad keep arguing though.

"I don't know what you are so upset about!" Francis and his stupid voice.

"You broke my favorite tea set you bloody wanker!" Dad and his stupid tea. He needs to get over his English background.

Again Francis replies, but I do my best to tune them out. It seems their arguing has become more frequent, so I suppose I'm slowly getting used to it. I still don't have enough of an appetite to take another bite of my favorite food though.

Setting the burger down slowly, I quietly slip out of my chair and out of the room unnoticed, Mathew doing the same on the opposite side of the room.

As I stroll down the hall, my parents' voices slowly dwindling away, I ponder what I should do tonight. It's been over two weeks since I've had an evening to myself.

Or perhaps more specifically, 17 days since I met Ivan in the woods. I've had some time to think on the matter, and I've decided I would like to try to meet him again.

At first I was not sure. He was just a stranger in the woods that sparked a bit of my interest. But now he has become this mysterious man that just might be my first real friend.

I'm not sure what to think of it. I know its a possibility, but would I want that? Or would it be able to work out with our lives being so different? What would dad think?

All these questions have tumbled through my head more times than I can count, and I've decided to just let them go for a while, and see how things unfold themselves.

That's why I have decided I will spend my free time tonight at the clearing. As I walk into our back yard, I can't help but hope that he shows up.

I understand many things could go wrong, so I must remind myself to approach this situation cautiously. But meeting him once won't hurt anything, will it?

I can't say for sure, but I'm already on my way there so it's not like there is any point in turning back now.

I let my thoughts drift, thinking of so many different things while journeying there. Which doesn't take terribly long, I'm used to passing time with my thoughts.

As I come up to the clearing, I look around and am disappointed to see no one around. In a huff, I slid to the dirt floor and lean my head against the tree behind me.

At that moment I remember my last meeting with Ivan. The first time we met. Afterwards I had felt guilty for not being able to help with the tree, and then promising to make it up to him next time. I had forgotten about that so I suppose I will have to make it up to him the next next time. Who even knows if he would show up this time anyway?

Suddenly, I hear a twig snap. My head snaps up with it and I look over to see Ivan standing on the other side of the clearing.

It's silent.

But slowly, my lips slide into a smile and I'm standing up, striding over to Ivan. "Hey."

"Hallo." Ivan returns, my smile. We stand a few feet apart and he looks down at shoes like he is nervous or something.

I follow his gaze and again I can't help but notice the difference between our attire. I try not to dwell on it so I casually sit down, leaning against a tree and jokingly say, "Please, have a seat on my lovely new couch."

I hear him chuckle and he sits almost next to me, only leaning against the same tree he is perpendicular to me and we aren't quite in each others line of sight. It almost takes away some of the nerves in the air.