The Beginning: A Novel of Crossed Paths

Chapter 6: Key Carefulness - Scarlett

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I'm so so sorry that I didn't get this chapter out sooner.  I've had a lot of stuff going on at school and I've been too stressed to even think about posting.  At least now it's spring break and I might be able to start writing again.

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Chapter 6

Key Carefulness

Scarlett

Whoosh.  Right hand.  Whoosh.  Left hand.  Whoosh.  Both hands.  Foom.  Snuff.  Repeat.

I repeated my routine a few more times before glancing down at my wristwatch and around my clearing for any stray sparks.  Finding none, I skipped once and then started running in the direction of the house on the hill.

I circled around to the front of the house so I could walk up the driveway like I had just finished my walk home from school.  I made my steps slow and measured like I was tired and just trying to drag my feet to get inside to the kitchen for a drink of water.

When I opened the front door and took off my tennis shoes, I found Jeanette leaning against the mudroom doorway with her arms crossed.

“I didn’t see you on any roads again today,” she said when she knew she had my attention.

I tried my best to put on an “I have no clue what you’re talking about” look.  She was not fooled.

“I’ve been suspicious for awhile, so I decided to drive around on all the roads near here to see if you were actually walking home.  You weren’t on any of them.”  She gave me an accusing stare.

What thoughts were going through her head then I may never know, but I pretended that her words reminded me of something by forming an “Ah” vowel with my mouth and holding up one finger for her to wait while I got my dry erase board.

It was in my book bag on the kitchen table where Jeanette had been putting it for the last four weeks that I had been “walking” home.

“I know that you go out for ice cream with Mark Kingsley every other day.”

I nodded - I had already figured she knew about that.  Nothing stayed a secret for long at River Academy.

“Have you been going over to his house on off days?  That would warrant sneaking around like you have been,” Jeanette pointed out to me.

I made a face.  As if - Jeanette had a whacked out mind.  I wrote on my board.  Why would I go to Mark’s house?  I honestly wanted to know.

“You know . . .” When I shook my head with a questioning look, she elaborated.  “You could be going over to his house to do things that you don’t want to do in public.”

I was disgusted.  You mean PDA?  Ew!  Mark and I are just friends - I don’t have any of that kind of affection for him.  Why would we be kissing anyway?

Jeanette gave me a knowing look.  “That’s what guys do.  Take it from someone who knows.”

I raised my eyebrows, but shrugged it off - I really did not want to talk about this at the moment.  Just so you know you didn’t see me on any of the roads because I took a short cut through the woods today because I was getting tired of the same old scenery.  I won’t do it again.  Sorry for worrying you.  That was the best explanation I could think of on such short notice.