Fade To White - Sequel to Fade To Black

Budding Love, Blooming Trouble

“Hey, you two better wait up!” Annabelle yelled as she watched the two boys disappear into the brush. She ran, clutching her side, amazed that the boys could run this fast for so long. It had seemed as though she had been running for hours so she sat down on the nearest tree stump, letting the warm sun shine down on her. She thought about her brother and Jackson. How in reality Wesley was a boy and Jackson was a real man.

Annabelle looked up to Jackson. Though Jackson was just four years older, Annabelle didn’t see the difference between herself and Jackson and loved how he seemed so experienced in everything. She couldn’t wait for the next day, dreaming of the things they would do, and dreaming of Jackson. Of course she would never admit that.

It was true, Annabelle believed she was in love with Jackson. A kind of love that a twelve year old could only have, a type of puppy love. She sat there, daydreaming about Jackson, surprised when she suddenly saw him appear in front of her, breathing heavily and crouching over onto the ground.

“Where’s Wes?” Annabelle asked, waiting for her brother to come sprinting by.

“I left him running.” Jackson laughed, smiling, “ He’ll discover I’m not there soon enough.” Jackson sat next to Annabelle and picked up the dried leaves that were matted into the soft earth. He didn’t speak, and was amused by the simplest thing like a leaf.

“Jackson…” Annabelle sighed. “What was it like for you when you turned twelve? Did you feel any different?” She asked curiously.

“Turning twelve? Hell if I even remember it!” He laughed again and Annabelle felt foolish for even asking.

“It was like nothing, to be honest. It didn’t feel special at all. I still felt little in the world.”

“Yeah, I guess I feel the same way.” Annabelle looked sad and Jackson, with his optimistic self, wrapped one arm around her, trying to cheer her up.

“C’mon, it isn’t that bad! Besides, it gets better. You’ll see. When you turn sixteen like me, you’ll know more about life- things will start looking’ up for you.” He squeezed tightly and she laughed, a little convinced. She could believe that because Jackson seemed to know everything about everything. In fact, she didn’t think there wasn’t one thing he didn’t know , and she loved that about him. She leaned her head on his shoulder and Jackson didn’t flinch, or move. He simply continued playing with the leaves.

Annabelle then thought she should be daring for once and tell Jackson how she really felt about him, a feeling that had been aching since she was ten years old. She cleared her throat, keeping her head on his shoulder but not looking him in the face. She tried to find her voice, which seemed stuck in her throat so that when she exclaimed “I love you Jackson!” It sounded as though she was frightened.

It was silent until Jackson let out another laugh, and Annabelle shrunk away from him, feeling sorrowful again. “I love you too. You’re like a sister to me.” He meant it, and Annabelle felt her stomach drop- Jackson didn’t even think of her in that way-, her feelings were effortless.

Annabelle wanted to go back home now. She had lost all sense of excitement in the idea of going in the boat. She just wanted to be home with her father and talk to Sara.

While the two sat in the swamp Sara ran swiftly through the trees, trying to hear Wes and Anna’s voices. She stopped for a second after hearing something and waited to hear it again. “Jackson! Jackson?” The voice called. Sara recognized the voice as Wesley’s and ran towards it, as if she knew exactly where to go. Wes’ voice got clearer until she spotted him running diagonal from her, and Sara cut through the trees to cut him off.