Since Adam spotted me in the forest, I've been extra cautious not to run into him there for the past week. I realized he came at the same time everyday unless his schedule was interrupted (by basically detention). I always left faster than him, so he never spotted me as I watched him from my tree. I was always quiet, and he was unbelievably loud. You'd always know it's him and when he'd have arrived. I always hid behind the leaves of the branches of my tree, so that whenever he climbed his, he'd never guess I was there.
One day, he didn't come at all. And another day. And another. And not that it was any of my business, but I wondered why. I plan to find out why, but when he tried to get to know me I pushed him away. Why would he tell me anything about his personal life now?
This morning, in English, I notice he's not even here. It's not until after school I see him walk into the forest earlier than usual. I opt to whether or not I should follow him, and my curiosity takes over. So I do.
"You weren't at school today," I say. By the way he jumps in surprise, I know I scared him.
"Yeah, I'm aware," he tries to say as calmly as possible. He somehow succeeds.
"Where were you?" I ask.
Oh no, here come the unintended questions, I think. My being curious is like it having mind of its own. Once the questions begin, they have a hard time stopping.
"I don't think that's any of your business," he replies bluntly.
"Well you said we should get to know each other, didn't you?"
He purses his lips, thinking about the question. "If I answer you, you have to answer me, deal?" I nod. "Played hooky."
My eyes narrow at him. "I don't believe you for a second."
"Your choice, but detention is overrated, don't you think? I didn't feel like going, and on top of that I was feeling extra lazy."
"That's no excuse. You decided to come here," I laugh.
"Yes, because I'm not feeling lazy right now. Make sense?"
I roll my eyes and give him a snarky comment just as he did to me. "It's absolute balderdash."
He doesn't laugh. He rarely smiles, but his straight face seems happy.
"Oh, come on. That was hilarious! Why are you so emotionless?"
He exhales as an answer. For a guy with such a nice face, he should really smile every once in a while.
"It's nice of you to place an opinion like that." I clasp a hand over my mouth. I did not just say that out loud! A small smirk appears on his face. It's not much, but it's something.
"So since we're embarrassing myself, why did you just all of a sudden start hanging out in the woods?" I ask.
I have a question for you, Georgia. Why can't you keep your mouth shut?
"You've been watching me?" I blush deeply.
"Not watching. I'm here all the time. You just pop up out of no where one day. Then you're here everyday after that. Why?"
He stops abruptly, causing me to pause right with him. I can tell this is a deep question for him, with his eyebrows drawn close together and the corners of his mouth turned downward.
"You know what?" I say. His face relaxes a bit. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. I'm sorry."
"You apologize way too much. Calm down. I don't bite... Most of the time anyway."
I grimace, not in disgust though. "That's so unsanitary! Does your mother let you kiss her with that mouth?"
He chuckles lightly. "Yes, she used to." My eyes widen only a fraction. I didn't mean for that joke to be personal. "I'm sorry. Too far?"
"Did she die?" I ask.
You just couldn't help yourself, could you, Georgia?
"Yeah, when I was six," he replies. The progressive smile that was once building on his face is gone.
"I'm s-" I begin to say.
"Remember not to apologize too much. This isn't that serious."
"Yes, it is actually. I can never keep my mouth shut, and it's about time I learn. Also, what I asked was too personal. If I were you, I'd tell myself to mind my own business."
"But you aren't me, and we have a deal. I answer your questions, you answer mine." I nod, and hold my head down. I still feel guilty, but not as much as before. "I have a question."
I look to him from my toes, giving him my full attention.
"Do you really think we'll end up resenting each other?" His voice is quieter than usual. I'm not the ideal person to be friends with. I barely have any friends myself. Does he want to be my friend?
"I don't know. There's a chance we will, but if you're willing to stop it, I will be too." And that was the first time I ever saw him genuinely smile at me, with the shiny white teeth and small dimples. "Doesn't it feel better to smile?"
"Only when it's genuine. Right now I'm genuinely happy, just if you're wondering."
"You're happy that I agreed to try to be your friend?"
"I've never had a friend, and no one has bothered to try."
"Well neither have you," I scoff. "You're so quiet. I didn't even know you existed until I saw you in the tree the first time you came here."
"It's hard for me to be social. I never know what to say. And sometimes silence speaks volumes. You're not the only one who I've managed to get attention from."
One day I'll admire his brutal honesty. I don't know if today is that day. I give him one of my "If looks could kill" kind of looks, and he smirks at me.
"They were all fake, so I never really spoke to them," says after a moment, still slightly smiling.
"And who are 'they' exactly?"
"Family members, girls who find me attractive, some teachers who pity my past, all fake people that I don't want to surround myself with."
"And what makes me different?"
"You haven't told me anything about you yet."
YOU ARE READING
Curious Georgia |✔
Jugendliteratur"I'm not sure if you want to know. Because, if you know, you might want to forget immediately." After being abused by her father seven years ago, Georgia Cook was afraid of being hurt again. Her day-to-day routine was uniform, and it didn't include...
