Rolly Polly

Chapter 2

Before {Connor}

I got out of the car and stood a few feet away waiting for Harper. I looked around the clearing to towards the edge of the forest. I have always loved he greenery of Eugene. I hear Harper open her door and watch as she steps out. She slams the door and walks over to me, a bounce in her step. It's quite funny actually how she just moves up and down when a normal person would simply move forwards. I've never understood it. When she makes it to me I grab her hand and run towards the trees. Her hand is cold in mine. You would think that someone with as much energy as Harper would have warm hands, but alas, they have been frozen since the day I met her. She claims that it's because her heart is frozen. She's probably right. The sun is on its way down, but we have a few hours before it becomes truly dark.

After we are fully submerged in the trees, so far in that I can't even see my car, we slow down and take in our surroundings. The sound of our heavy breathing mixes in with the crickets chirping. Pinecones are littered across the floor as twigs lay scattered. I look down at Harper and study her figure. I take in the sideways part of her hair and how relaxed her shoulders look. I look at how long her eyelashes are and how they flick as her eyes move. She feels my eyes on her and moves her eyes to meet my gaze. Slowly a smile graces her face and I go to smile back when I notice it's not 's sweet smile, but that stupid smile she gets when she's about to do something that will probably piss me off. She let's go of my hand and covers her eyes.

"One. Two. Three. Four..."

"Harper what are you doing?" She continues to smile as she ignores me and counts. She shifts her body to the left as she begins to tap her right foot on the ground. Her red converse making an imprint in the damp soil.

"Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen..."

"Harper what the heck?"

"Twenty-five. You better start hiding... twenty-six"

She would play hide and go seek in the woods. I turn and take off running in a random direction hoping that I don't get too lost. Deciding that this place is as good as any, I crouch down on the ground. With my back against the tree I try to calm my racing heart. My ears are straining to hear her gentle steps. She could be anywhere. I know that I'm about to graduate, but I'm still scared of being in dark forests. I don't care what society says, I don't do dark spaces. I sit there waiting for a good half hour. I haven't heard a sound that resembles anyone or anything headed towards me. I begin to wonder if maybe I hid too well...

I wait another 10 minutes before I give up and head out to find her. I start walking and of course nothing looks familiar because everything looks the same. Crap. Then I remember that I have a phone. Thankfully there is signal, so I turn on my location and link it to the nearest road because that's where the car is. I am only a 5 minute walk away. How did I get so far in? Shrugging my shoulders I begin my trek back to my car and hopefully Harper. Soon enough I can see a clearing up ahead. I feel my shoulders begin to relax and I then realize that they had been tense this entire time. I tuck my phone into my pocket and stop.

I hear music. I shouldn't be hearing music. What the heck?

Then I see her. Sitting on the trunk of my car. Eating chips. Jamming out to the radio without a care in the world.

"What the actual CRAP Harper? I was sitting in the woods. Alone. Waiting for you for over half an hour! All the while you have been sitting here eating my pringles? Are you kidding me?"

She looks at me, looking kinda sad. She bows her head.

"Well I didn't expect you to stay out there that long. I couldn't find you..."

I'm still angry but there is no point in going off on her.

"Get in the car." I say stiffly. I walk around her and climb in the driver's side starting the car.