I love you and I mean it

Chapter 3

When Katie got back in, her aunt excitingly asked, "Where to next?" Katie was shocked "I completely forgot. Let me go grab it." She ran into her room and grabbed the neon pink index card off of her bed, careful not to mess up the rose petal path to her bed. She went back into the living room as she read it to herself. She read it out loud when she sat on the couch.

"Clue 2:

This is the place we always went on walks to when we hung out at your house when we first started dating. Think closer not farther. Big Hint: bench press."

"THE BENCH!" Katie yelled. Jenna shushed Katie "Don't yell Katie. I'm right here. Now where at?" Katie explained "The first bench on the trail." Down the street from Katie's house is a walking trail that her and Ayden always walked to after they got in trouble for walking down to the park further down the road. Jenna questioned "Ready to go then?" Katie responded "Yeah. Just let me grab my church sandals since I'm wearing a dress." She went into her room and pulled out slip-on black sandals. She went back out on the couch and put them on. She grabbed her purse and phone. "Ok now I'm ready."

They walked out the door and got into the car. Katie in the passenger seat and Jenna driving like Ayden said to. Katie froze "Wait, I need my car charger from my car." Jenna started the car. "Ok. Hurry up." Katie opened the door and jumped out. She ran over to her car and unlocked her car door with her key and sat in her seat with her legs still hanging out of the open door. She opened the center console and grabbed her charger cord out and locked her door manually from the inside, stood up, and closed the door with charger and keys in hand. She ran back to her aunt's car and hopped in. "Ok, now I'm ready to go" as she plugged the charger in and plugged her phone to the cord. They pulled down the driveway and went down the street.

Jenna came to a slow stop as they approach the trail entrance at the end of the street. Their neighborhood was a fairly quiet. Not much happened in it. It wasn't a "everybody-knows-everybody" neighborhood but if someone needed help, a neighbor would help. You just had to ask. A lot of people use the trail in the spring and summer for running, walking pets, riding bikes, and taking their kids out. There was a day camp down the street beside the park and occasionally when the weather was perfect, the teachers would take the kids from the day camp on short walks. Katie walked from the road onto the the trail, across a small bridge that crossed a creek and then she went across the grass to the bench. Surely enough, there was an envelope taped to the backrest of the bench, with her name on it in that familiar handwriting. She sat on the bench in the same place she always sat when they used to go down there and she opened the envelope. In it: a letter and a neon blue index card. She opened the piece of paper.

"Yay you found the clue!

Sit down for a second. Where we always sat. You on the left and me on the right. Look at the things around you. Remember all the fun times we had at this bench? Why do you always cringe when you come down here? You think too much of the bad things and not the good memories. Good thoughts please. I love you. Before you get up, read the next clue."

Katie and Ayden had some bad memories there that made her shudder every time she went to the bench by herself after it had happened. Every time she goes down there, she thinks of the time when Ayden gave her, her first hickey. They also had plenty of make out sessions there as well. This had been the first time she hadn't shivered and it surprised her. She read the next clue.

Clue 3:

Don't think too hard about this. I gave you hint on the last clue. but instead think further instead of closer. Hint: I like to climb trees.

Katie didn't have to hard about that one. She knew exactly where to go. She took one last look around and sighed, then stood up and walked the trail back to the road where her aunts car was. Once she got to the car, Jenna asked through the opened window "Where to next?!" Katie responded as she got into the car "I'm pretty sure its where we got homecoming pictures back in sophomore year. Do you know where I'm talking about?" Jenna thought for a second "Are you talking about like with the bench and the two pine trees on the other side of the park?" Katie half-shouted "Yes!" Jenna put the car into drive "I know exactly where I'm going then!!" Then they were off.