Landuse

12am

Everyone was asleep. Alex still haven't forgotten. Lake.

She slowly got out of bed, then opened her room door. She found the keys on the coffee table, hidden under her beanie. She took it and slowly, unlocked the main door.

She saw her DSLR on the dinner table.

She decided to take it with her.

Nathan likes to play with it.

No one woke up. She closed the door slowly. She turned to see the dogs staring at her.
Dangit.
One of the dogs barked.
No..
Another barked.
Alex quickly climbed out the porch.

Another bark.
"Shhh!" she whispered.
Two barks.
Screw it!
She ran straight to the field.

The dogs quietened. Finally.

Along the way, she thought,
What do I even do when I get there? What do I say? What did I THINK I was gonna say? Will HE say something? What do I expect to happen...?

She got to the lake first. No Nathan around. She sat on a rock and watched the tiny frogs and tadpoles in the water.
"Beautiful.." she said out loud.
"Like you?" she jumped. She turned to see Nathan holding a long stick, stabbed into the ground. He was beaming at her. She blushed. She couldn't help it. She had to smile.

Nathan squatted next to her. He put his hand on the dirt below them, palm faced up.
He put some dirt on his palm. He just waited.
"What are you doing?"
"Wait.." she stared curiously at his hand.

Suddenly, a tiny frog jumped on his palm. He lifted it up to Alex. She was impressed. She tried to touch the frog but it jumped off. They both laughed.

Nathan held her wrist smiling. He placed her hand down to the dirt. She looked disgusted. Nathan noticed and laughed. Alex laughed too. She didn't care anymore really. She just cared about Nathan at this moment.

Nathan placed some dirt on her hand. 10 seconds later, a frog jumped on her hand. She lifted it excited. The frog wasn't jumping off.

Nathan stood up.
"Where are you going?" Alex asked.
Nathan picked up something from a distance. He went back with a small, clear container. He scooped up dirt and some water with his two hands and dumped it into the container.

Alex placed the frog in too. It jumped off her hand and sat in the dirt. Alex found a pebble and placed it next to the frog. It jumped on it. They both laughed.

Alex looked up to see Nathan staring at her. She smiled. He did too.
"This is a beautiful lake.."
"Yes. Beautiful... like Alex."
Alex blushed. Nathan beamed. Nathan was expecting Alex to laugh but she didn't. Instead, she looked down, disappointed. She sighed.

"Something is wrong?" Nathan asked.
Alex looked up at him.
"Yes.." she just said.
"What is it?" Nathan asked, really concerned. Alex just stopped and stared at him. She sighed.
"Why... Ugh.. What do you think of Jane?"

Nathan stared.
"Is she... Beautiful? What.. do you feel about her?"
"She is.. Beautiful." Nathan replied.
Alex got mad. She wanted to slap him again but stopped herself. She sighed, head hung low.
"Ok. Ok. Fine.."

"But not as beautiful as you.." Nathan continued. Alex's head jolted up. She turned her head to Nathan. He was smirking. Alex pushed him slightly. "Ugh.. Don't do that.." she said, smiling a little.
Nathan laughed.
She laughed too.

"You know.. You never answer my question, Alex."
"What question?"

"You like me?" Alex blushed.
What? What do I do? Do I say it? Now?! What if he doesn't feel the same..

"Well.. Do you like me?"
Nathan shocked, like he didn't expect it from her. Then he was thinking.
Why is he thinking? What does this mean?!

"I.. Don't like you Alex." he said with a straight face.
Alex's hear broke, into pieces. She felt a shudder around her body.
What did I expect..
She looked down, disappointed.
"Oh. Oka-"

"I really really really really..."
Alex looked up at him.
"Really really like you.. Alex." he said with the same straight face.
Alex pushed him harder that he fell backwards. Nathan laughed.
"STOP DOING THAT! UGH.. I HATE YOUU!" she replied giggling a bit.

"So you hate me?" Nathan asked with a straight face again.
"Not exactly.." Alex replied. Nathan scrunched his eyebrows.

"I hate.. That I like you.. Nathan." Alex stood up and held out her hand to him. Nathan took it and Alex pulled him up. They were staring at each other, still holding hands.

Nathan looked down and saw the container with the frog in it. He took it and placed it on Alex's hand.
"Oh. Thanks but I can't keep this.. My parents will notice."
"Oh." Nathan said, disappointed.

Alex placed it on his hand again.
"But you can." she smiled. Nathan smiled too. They let go of each others hand.
"My parents are away tomorrow, by the way. Can I see you then?"
"Yes. Sure!"

"Great. Bye Nathan."
"Bye Alex."

Alex turned to leave.

"Alex!" she heard. She turned to see Nathan waving her DSLR. It was different this time he was holding it. This time, she trusts him.

She went over and took it from him and hung it around her neck.

They both waved and left.

She sighed, a happy sigh this time.

I can't believe I did that.