The Tree That Stood Alone

Chapter 3

"What do you MEAN you 'invited him over'?!" She laughs and this makes sick, I can't have some guy come over when I am this miserable!

"Don't worry dear, he's just some boy who just wants to meet a new friend. Well I'll be downstairs if you need me." And just like that she got up and went downstairs. What kind of person does she think she is?! I look out the window towards the front of the house and I see a guy walking towards the door. He has a t-shirt on, dirty jeans, and sneakers. He's also wearing a cowboy hat so I can't see his face. I throw my hair up in a ponytail and throw on some sneakers. Then I stop. This is what Ms. Rose wants me to do. I just go back to my chair by the window and sit there. I hear "Aunt" Rose talking to a deep voiced guy. I hear footsteps come up the stairs as they continue to talk. Then Ms. Rose opens the door. "Taylor, Ethan is here? Would you like to talk to him? He'll be here 'till supper and he will be eating with us." Great. I turn around. There stands Ethan. He has a normal looking face, besides the scar on his nose, and he's a dirty blonde and pretty tall. He's smiling at me. I fake smile back, just to be nice. 

"Thank you for inviting me over Ms. Rose, but if Taylor would rather get used to her new house before she met people then I'm fine with leaving." I stand up immediately at this.

"No, we might as well start getting to know each other before Monday. I mean, I should at least have one friend on my first day." I sit back down, that was a stupid move. His smile grows. I think him staying made him a bit too happy. 

"OK, well Ethan I guess your staying. I will go call your mother. See you two at dinner." Ms. Rose leaves and Ethan and I don't say anything for awhile. I'm trying to decide what to say first. I decide to go simple.

"Hi. And thanks." Why did I say thank you? Oh yeah! For the one key detail between house and home. He said this was a house for me, not a home. That's a first for someone.

" Hi to you too. Why did you say thank you? I should be thanking you. I do not want to go back over to my step-mother's home. She was just about to give me a huge shopping list." He sits on the edge of the bed where Ms. Rose sat earlier.

"Oh, well I said thank you because you called this place a house not a home. Thanks for the better terminology." I smile at the thought of possibly having another person there besides myself. He smiles too. "Well, why do you live with your step-mother? Is your father there too?"

"Well, he died 5 years ago and my mom died when I was 1. My family doesn't want me so I'm stuck with her. Why are you with Ms. Rose?" I shift in my seat and look at him in the eyes.

"My mom was killed just 4 days ago in a car crash. My dad left my mom when she was pregnant with me. None of my family wanted me except for Ms. Rose. Apparently she is my aunt, but her home isn't my home and I'm going to find my dad and tell him what happened and I'm going to tell him what I have always wanted to tell him. Never mind. Forget any of the stuff I said about my dad." I look back at the window. Ethan could never understand.

I expected him to ask but all he said was " OK."