Wildest Dream

Everything Has Changed Ch. 02

"Hi, Karlie!" Taylor said with a toothy grin.

All of her anxiousness about getting lost in the woods had all forgotten. Now that Karlie was with her, the tall trees around her didn't seem that scary anymore. Taylor actually felt ashamed of her latter panic outburst. Taylor shed the last trace of tears away from her face and gave Karlie an excited smile.

"Do you want to go back now?" Karlie nodded toward the direction of Taylor's grandparents home.

"Uh," Taylor considered, scrunching up her nose in an adorable way.

"If you don't want to," Karlie said with a nonchalant shrug, "we can play?"

Taylor beamed at Karlie's proposition. "Sure! It is still noon anyway. I still have time."

"Cool," Karlie exclaimed excitedly. "Hmm. What do you want to do?"

Taylor mulled at Karlie's question. Actually she had absolutely no idea what kind of games she could play in the middle of the woods. She usually just played with her dolls or video games at home. If they were in a mall, then Taylor could come up with hundreds of idea.

"I don't know," Taylor admitted sheepishly. "What were you doing here before you found me?"

Karlie stopped walking and looked uncomfortable. She was heading to her secret tree house before. But she wasn't sure if the stranger before her could see her sacred place. Not even her sisters knew the place after all. Karlie studied the fidgety girl with the shiny blonde hair and tattered dress. Taylor fidgeted more under Karlie's intense gaze. What's with that sparkling green eyes that makes her all nervous suddenly?

"I was going to my secret tree house," Karlie finally replied.

Taylor dropped her mouth and just stared at Karlie for a moment. Karlie tensed at the girl's reaction, not knowing what to make out of the city girl's behaviors.

"Did you say a secret tree house?" Taylor said slowly, still glaring at Karlie.

"Uh, yeah. What's wrong with it?"

Taylor shook her head excitedly. "Absolutely nothing! It is like, the most awesome thing I've ever heard!"

Karlie relaxed and awarded the city girl's excitements with a dimpled grin. "Really?"

"Yeah! Come on! You should show me this amazing secret hideout of yours!"

Taylor tugged at Karlie's hand and started to walk. Then she realized that she didn't actually know its whereabouts, nor she knew if Karlie wanted to share it with her.

"Uh, if you want to, of course," Taylor added unsurely.

Karlie thought about it, scratching her chin and looked like she was deciding on the most important choice of her life. Then she gave Taylor a decisive nod. I like this girl.

"Sure. Why not? Let's go."

***

"So," Karlie said after she helped Taylor heaved herself into her place. "What do you think?"

"Like I said," Taylor dropped onto the wooden floors, looking so satisfied at herself. "This is the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

Karlie couldn't hold her smile back as she moved to sit next to the girl.

"Did you build it by yourself?"

"Gosh, no!" Karlie laughed. "I built it with my dad last summer. I bore his ear off until he agreed to it."

Taylor chuckled along the taller girl. The most exciting thing she had ever done with her dad was probably mini-golf. Life was so different here, Taylor thought. She diverted her gaze toward the scenery from the tree house window. It was looking out to a small creek, which surrounded by bushes and wildflowers. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Taylor could even hear the crinkling sound of water from all the way up here. For the first time in her life, Taylor felt absolutely at ease. She let out a contented sigh as she leaned against the wooden planks.