Outsider

"Let's play "I ask you questions and you answer me."

I was walking through the woods, I finished the choirs I had to do around the house. I was wondering if I should go back and see that girl... I don't even know her name yet. There was a crash, like someone fell from a tree. I looked up and saw that girl, she was holding tightly to a branch with one hand and holding the other to her chest protectively. Was she hurt? "Hey! Are you alright?" I called, she looked over to me quickly, her grip slipping. She kept climbing up till she came to a stop and sat on a branch. "Just fine, thanks!" She yelled, she shouldn't be straining herself. "Your that guy who lives a mile down, right?" She said looking up with an unsure look. "Yeah, I'm going to school soon. You go there?" She nodded, "yeah, good luck." That perked my interest. "Why good luck?" I asked, getting closer to the tree she was climbing, she was a good eight feet up. "Well, I've been around the same people all my life, everyone has their own groups... well, I guess you won't have any trouble fitting in. I smirked, "how so?" She shrugged, "some people would go for that "hangs out on other people's property," sort of dudes." She said and continued to climb, she's very feisty. "So, are you hurt? Why are you climbing with one hand?" I asked, ready to catch her if she fell. "Oh, cliché as it sounds, I was riding 'bout when I saw this baby bird on the ground. I'm not leaving a baby to the mercy of cats... or wolves." She said the last part so quietly that I nearly missed it, if I didn't have super hearing. "So, I've never seen you before." I said, "is that the new line people say? My friend would swoon if you said that to her." She said sarcastically, I chuckled, "it's what I say when I want to get to know you better. I'm David." She nodded, "nice to know. I'm Sam." "Short for Samantha?" She sighed, "no, it's short for Sam, why does everyone think it stands for something?" She said, "no need to go for the throat Sweetheart." She stopped and kicked her shoe at me, "if I wasn't halfway up a tree I'd kick you." She said and placed the bird back into the nest and gave a small chuckle. "Stay in there." She whispered, thinking I couldn't hear, I mean, if I was human, then yeah, I wouldn't have heard, but I'm not. She climbed down and fell, but I caught her, she was pretty light to me. "No need to strain yourself, place me down." "Were just getting to know each other." I said and she shoved off. "I wouldn't want you to miss your first week of school because you tried to lift the elephant in the room." She muttered, pain laced her words, liked they weren't hers. "And who said you were an elephant?" I asked, getting ready to protect her. I don't even know why, I just feel like I have to. "Where's my list again?" She muttered sarcastically as she slipped on her shoe. "Listen, not that this hasn't been fun. It... surprisingly has. But I have to go. I can hear my mom pacing the kitchen." She said and walked over to a dirt bike, I didn't notice was there. She tugged on a helmet and nodded before the bike roared to life. Like that she was gone. I now know her name... Sam... it's fitting for her. I chuckled softly before walking back home, but then stopped, wondering if I stayed, I'd see her again.

***

After that chat with David I felt self conscious, I was dressed in yoga pants, a pair of shorts; even though it's the beginning of Autumn and I just got over a bad sickness, and a large sweater that nearly negates my large size... as I said... Nearly. I was tackled by my nephew once I got off my dirt bike. "Can we go for a ride Aunty?" He asked, his corn flower blue eyes sparkled, only six and so irresistible, I don't know how the first grade girls of the class can keep off of him. "Did you ask daddy?" He nodded, I smiled and placed my helmet over his head and tightened it over his chin and plopped him in front of me. I started in up and went down the trails passing David. "Aunty stop!" Ellis cried. I stopped and he looked, rather tried to, the helmet was blocking him. "Who was that?" I turned around, we made eye contact and Ellis jumped down. "Ellis! No, no, no, no. Back on the bike or I'm telling your father." I said and scooped him up, David smiled, "hey there little man. Hey Sweetheart." I sent glares at him. "Aunty, is this your boyfriend?" Ellis asked, my cheeks flushed, "no. Ellis, this... is David, he's going to aunty's high school come Monday." I said and he nodded, "so, boyfriend." Ellis said, "you amazingly don't look like your aunt." David said, "Ellis. David isn't my boyfriend. Don't tell daddy, don't tell mommy, don't tell uncle, don't tell grandma, you didn't see him, yeah? I will sneak your sprouts away and give you chocolate peanut butter cups." He thought it over, "how many?" He asked, I thought, "six?" "Deal." I chuckled, "you stay here, I have to have a chat with you." I whispered dangerously at David. I road back and made an excuse about looseing my necklace on the trial, even though I didn't wear it today. I walked back and saw David sitting there. "Let's play "I ask you questions and you answer me." Why do you call me Sweetheart?" I asked and he shrugged, "well, you seem sweet." He offered, I just noticed how... painstakingly beautiful he was... whoa, Sam, not now.