Unlovable

Chapter 17

"Wow," Darcie said as she stood on Crashaw Cliff, a large jagged hunk of rock that sat jutting its way out of the earth.

Crashaw Cliff overlooked the entirety of Oswego, and left Darcie with an aura of appreciation for her new home town. She could see the roof tops, the trees, the mountains. Behind the cliff itself was a secluded lake that seemed as if it was put there just for them.

Roger had told Darcie that he had considered Crashaw Cliff his sacred place since he had never seen anyone out there during his excursions, except for the deer that occasionally wandered up for a sip from the lake.

They did some slight shopping first and Darcie dropped off a few job applications as planned- The first of which was delivered to Lily's Antiques. Roger said it was pretty much guaranteed that she'd get the job, but she didn't want any special advantages because they were... What were they exactly?

Dating? Friends? Either way, she made it clear she didn't want any privileges based on their relationship. In the interim, Lily had suggested that the two of them join her for dinner and discuss employment possibilities, as well as a number of other things. They had agreed, of course. Now, she was standing on the cliff and the earlier moments in the day that had worried her so immensely seemed to drift away in the wind.

Darcie turned around as Roger shook out a medium sized, red checkered blanket and laid it on a small patch of grass. Darcie smiled at him even though he was unaware of it and peered back over the ledge.

"It's absolutely mesmerizing up here," Darcie said as she turned toward him.

Roger looked toward her, seeing her stunning smile and the small dimple that appeared in her left cheek when her cheeks upturned that way. If Roger were made of ice, he would've melted on the spot. Instead of melting, he lifted a hand to help her sit beside him. He sat up strait and looked over at her.

"I've never taken anyone here before," he said opening his arm to her.

Darcie snuggled against him and chuckled lightly.

"I'm sure you say that to all the ladies."

He began to run his hand up and down her arm.

"When I was a kid, I'd come up here to think about my parents, or school. I would even think about girls," he said smiling into her hair. "But this place has always been so distinct to me. It holds all the secrets that I've told here to the sky over the years. I bet if you listen hard enough you could hear them echo in the wind. No one was ever special enough to me for me to share this with them. I don't think anyone else could have understood. I mean, until now."

She pulled away slightly to look into his face.

"I don't think anyone has ever said something like that to me before."

"I'm going to tell you how wonderful you are every chance I get. That is, until you tell me to take a hike."

Darcie beamed and kissed him softly, unsure of what else to say. They sat staring at the view a moment before he turned back to her.

"So, are you nervous about dinner tonight? Lily can be slightly... Uh... Pushy."

"I think she's sweet." Roger laughed loudly.

Amused, Darcie looked over at him, a perplexed smile on her face.

"What's so funny?" she asked pulling away from him as he rolled over and clutched his side, chortling hysterically.

"In... All... My... Life..," he said between chuckles "I... Have... Never... Heard... Anyone call Grandma Lily... Sweet..."

Darcie started to laugh loudly and elbowed him playfully in the ribs.