Double Love {ON HIATUS}

5- Home Again

    I was dressed and ready half an hour before they were due to arrive, so I helped Skylar and my mother set the table and cook. It was tedious work, but it helped me forget my father for a while. At exactly seven that evening, the doorbell rang, and I rushed to answer the door.
    "Hello again, Jason!" Mrs. Rodriguez chirped brightly. I smiled, glad to see the Rodriguez family again. "Hello Mrs. Rodriguez, come right on in," I said, leading the family to the dining room. On the way up the stairs, Brooklyn leaned over to me. "We're using the informal dining room? Interesting..." I laughed with her. Everything is much easier with her, I thought. Skylar grinned at me from her hiding spot in the kitchen. I leaned over the bar counter and got close enough so no one else could hear us.
    "Calm down, it's not like she'll make a move on a 'taken' man," I whispered, using air quotes on the word "taken." Skylar winked at me, still smirking. "You never know, Jay." I rolled my eyes as my mother made small talk with the Rodriguez family. "C'mon Sky, she's classier than that. Can't we just break up already?" She gasped, faking insult. "But we just started dating! Don't break my heart this soon, Mr. Heartbreaker." I sighed, already tired of my sister's antics. "Seriously, I really like her. Please don't screw this up for me." She smiled caringly. "Don't worry, as soon as the school year starts, we'll break up. Just let me have my last bit of fun with my little brother before I go to college." I nodded, grateful that she understood and cared.

    Dinner went well, and the evening passed without incident. As the day drew to a close, we all said goodbye. I locked the door behind the Rodriguez family, breathing a sigh of relief as I did. Skylar walked up to me, resting her head on my chest. "School starts in two days, you ready?" I shook my head before remembering that she couldn't see me. "No, but I'll manage." She laughed, picking her head up. "Who knows, maybe you'll see Brooklyn there and become great friends." I rolled my eyes again and walked to the back door.
    "I'm going to feed the animals, Mom!" I called out. When my mother replied with a simple "Okay," I turned to Skylar. "I'll be back in a bit, I'm taking Char out for a ride." She nodded, understanding that once I started riding my horse, I stayed out for a while. "Stay safe, it's pretty dark out there. And come back before ten," she added.
    I nodded, slipping out the back door. The barn wasn't very far, but I took my time walking over there, wanting to enjoy the fresh air before I would be trapped in a school building for hours on end in the upcoming days. The clouds framed the setting sun, and I made a split-second decision. Running for the barn, I quickly fed the animals and hopped onto Charcoal Blue. The sun was going to set in less than ten minutes, so I ushered my horse along towards the forest. His hooves pounded against the ground, legs blurring together as he galloped. I expertly steered him towards the beach, a place I hadn't been to in nearly two years.
    As his hooves hit the sand, spraying the tiny grains all around us, I felt warmly comforted by the cool darkness and sea breeze. I stopped at the water's edge, hopping off and grabbing something from the saddle bag as I let Charcoal Blue roam free while I walked along the beach. After five minutes of wandering, I came across a small alcove in the rocks. The entrance was half covered by sand that had built up over the years, making it look like it ended there. I carefully brushed aside the sand and maneuvered into the tiny opening.
    A small passageway carved into the sand millions of years ago by the changing tides twisted and turned beneath my feet. It got darker the further in I went, so I pulled a small object out of my pocket. Pulling the trigger, I watched the small flame peek out of the front of the lighter. It lit enough of the surrounding area to let me know that it wasn't much farther to go. I cautiously made my way through the narrow tunnel until I reached a small cave.
    Following the left wall, I walked into a tiki torch. There wasn't much fuel left in it, so I lit it and walked into the middle of the cave to find the dried grass I knew was there. The torch lit up the entire cave, and I could clearly see the two sleeping bags, table, two chairs, and fire pit. Looking up, I saw the huge hole above me, showing off the stars. I grabbed some dried grass from under the small table and placed it in the tiki torch.
    I looked around the cave once again, seeing the evidence of myself and my father from two years ago. Paintings littered the walls, old wood shavings from my father's wooden carvings were scattered around the floor, and a few of his carvings were laying about, rotting and tossed about from the winds and rains that had since tormented our secret spot. I pulled out my pocketknife and carved a notch in the back of the smaller chair, which used to be mine. Then I laid on the table and watched the stars swim across the black sky above.

A/N:
    Hey guys! So I don't really like author's notes, but I felt bad for making you wait so long then publishing a short chapter. Just wanted to let you guys know that I'm still here! A lot has been happening, so I haven't really gotten the chance to update, plus I'm also working on a few other stories for you guys! Feedback is super important, so thanks for voting and commenting! Hope you enjoy!