CAMARADERIE

4. so the rumors are true

I'm driving in my mums
little fiatbunto again, on the way to a place that will soon be my new home.

Its been a bit over a week since I cameback home and I have felt at ease ever since. I don't know if I willstay here forever, but at least for some time, I will settle down  inthe town I grew up in.

A few days ago I talked about mydecision with my parents and we thought about all the options I had,when dad brought up our grandparent's house.

My grandparents sadly both  passed awayin the last years and they left us with lots of lovely memories andthe small house they have lived in.

My dad told me that they didnt find abuyer yet because the house is in fact, very tiny. With only onebedroom, one bathroom and a small garden, it doesnt really attractthe families that look for a home where their kids can grow up in.And apparently families are the only people who look for homes in thearea.

So my dad asked if I was interested andquite frankly I was speechless. So the last three days consisted out ofemptying out things I couldn't make a use of, in my grandparent'shouse.

I finished off  the biggest partyesterday, so I am only left with a few subtleties, also I need tobuy kitchen supplies and paint. I start to indicate and check if itssafe to move and then turn into a little road that leads directly tothe yellow white two story house, soon to be called my home.

Walking to the entrance and unlockingit, I hum „La vie en Rose" a song that constantly reminds me  ofmy grandmother and always comes to my mind whenever I step into thelovely building. After I move furniture and boxes around so I can begin with the painting and rearranging. Don't get me wrong, I love the house and the memories it holds but you can clearly tell that this building holds a lot of memories. It was furnished in the 60ies and god bless, thats exactly how it looks to this day.

I am going to add modern furniture and paint but will try to leave the charm of the already adorable construction of the building. Wish me luck, I am really going to need it.

I always enjoyed doing crafts, creating, art too. Obviously by biggest love is entitled to writing but having been a very creative person growing up, I experimented a lot and enjoyed a lot.

After I am done with pushing furnishings and carrying boxes, taking off pictures, staring at them, getting nostalgic and blink away a few tears, then continuing to clear the walls and rooms in general, I look at the clock.

Its nearly two o'clock in the afternoon already, which means I should head to the shops, to be able to continue with the refurnishing and painting as soon as possible.

I take a short glance in the mirror and notice my slightly shiny forehead, which I then dry with my arm. Classy.

I grab the keys and my purse and jog to the car. Gosh I need to buy a new one soon, I think to myself as I am starting the engine, murmuring a "Thanks mum."

       
After parking the car again and grabbing all my belongings, I walk towards the market place, where there is everything from a flower shop to the mayor office. I'm heading towards the new, little DIY shop, whilst greeting people from every side.

The small town I grew up in is, well, really small. Everybody knows everyone, I always thought that was horrible. But now that I came back and got help from so many people, simply because they knew me from when I was up and wanted to make moving back as easy for me as possible. This makes me just emphasize the difference between a city and a town even more. It's crazy how differently people treat you and how much they care.

I greet the people in the shop as I walk in and start looking around for the things I need. There is not too much of a selection but enough to make an easy and happy decision. So I grab what I need and pay for everything. I thank the young cashier and start walking towards the door as I catch familiar green eyes, looking at me with an expression I can't quite decode. With these eyes, something like being unable to read them, never happened before, usually I always knew exactly what their expression meant.
The beholder of those beautiful green orbs, with lashes I've always been jealous of, comes closer and as as he stops in front of me, he is still as unreadable as before.
"Krissy."
The way he looks at me is too unfamiliar, to use this intimate nickname he gave me years ago. I remembered how I only allowed him and no one else to call me Krissy and how much he liked that fact. But looking at my high school sweetheart now, there's nothing but a tornado of confusion in me.

"Jack." I breathlessly say, as he flashes me an unsure smile.
Jackson Lewis. The first boy I have ever loved and maybe the only one too.
I can't believe he stands in front of me, after all these years of debating if I should hold a grudge against him or forget about him. I still don't know what I should do, mainly because my brain turned into mush some time around the last minute.
Nevertheless I blink and ask carefully, "How have you been?".
The more that I stand here, the harder it gets not to touch him in some way. It scares me that this habit of mine still hasn't died, or at least toned down.
He is dressed in a blue button up shirt, his sleeves curled up to his elbows. The black jeans which he is wearing don't hang as loose as they would in high school and his hair is a lot more tamed. He's got a light five o'clock shadow and his face looks in general more mature. But nevertheless as good as always, if not better.
"Yeah, good, I was just-" he starts to talk but is interrupted by a woman's voice which exclaims my name, seemingly excited.
Emma Sanders walks towards us with perfect styled hair and a breathtaking smile on her face. She was always really beautiful and didn't seem to have aged one bit since I have seen her theast time, two years ago.
Emma stops to stand dangerously close to Jack and loosely puts one hand onto his shoulder. Oh.

"So the rumors are true! Kristen Reed's homecoming is confirmed."
I smile at Emma, who was somewhat of my friend before I moved away, We were never close enough to really keep in touch though.
"Yes I guess they are true, I'm back."
I painfully try to look anywhere else than to Jack or to the bombshell's hand which is now, running its fingers through my ex boyfriends hair. I mean, she is totally allowed to do that, they seem to be dating and they seem happy, I have absolutely no right to be even a bit cross with them.
Still, it does sting a little.
"That's amazing, we should meet for some coffee some time but right now we have to go to my nephew's birthday party."
Emma explains, holding up a blue box with a silver ribbon on it, which she probably just had wrapped and I nod, trying to make my smile as real as possible, since I am aware of Jacks eyes on me. He'd notice my discomfort if I don't hide it good enough.
"I'd love to, I still have your number right?" I ask her, just to say something and then look at my watch and say "I have to get going as well, I am moving and I have to fix some things." I smile at them, looking to Emma and then to Jack, who wear quite different expressions on their faces now. Emma still smiles brightly at me and Jack looks a tad bit confused but also very zoned out. He was usually always aware of everything, never zoned out, he'd be the one with super fast reflexes and amazing skill for reading people.
Brushing that topic off, because thinking of it will make me just want to question more, I wave at the two and turn around.
I walk back to my car with my head buzzing. Memories are coming back, thoughts are suppressed and a lot of questions come up. As soon as I am in moms car, I dial Linda's phone, who picks up and firstly tells everyone around her, who I suppose are her kids, to be quiet.
"Hello darling, how are you?" She then asks and I stare at my hands for a second.
"Hi Lin, uh, I have a question."
I hear my friend telling Rendall, her son, to put in his shoes before she gives her attention to me again "go ahead Kris, I just don't have so much time, cause I have to drive the boys to a birthday party."
I bite my lip, and debate in my head if I should just ask another time, since Linda is going to meet both Jack and Emma at the birthday party soon.
My curiosity is really strong though and the last thing I want to do is going crazy over something I shouldn't even care about.
"Are Jack and Emma Sanders together?"
I take a big breath and wait for Linda's reply.
"I am afraid so, Kris."