Troublemaker (5SOS)

Chapter Two

As soon as Kody heard about Tara's plans to meet Ashton, she intervened and demanded that she come along, just for safety.  Tara assumed that she was also a little curious as to who was making her come out of her room for the first time in about a week, but no one mentioned that.

Tara felt the butterflies in her stomach crashing into each other, and the only thing that calmed her heart rate was a long shower.  She hadn't been on a date in over a year.  In a way, not knowing what Ashton looked like was exciting.  Maybe she was getting all worked up over nothing, but after spending the past week texting him, her brain made up an image based on the little information she knew.  She pictured him with dark, wild hair.  Slender, but taller than her.  She knew that he had tattoos, but she didn't know what of.  She tried not to picture him too much, because it could lead to disappointment if she was completely wrong.  

Her sister helped her pick out black jeans with rips down the length of her legs, a slim fitting tank top, and a sheer kimono cardigan with a black and white celestial print to layer on top.  None of these things matched the yellow shoes that she told Ashton she'd most likely be wearing, so she shoved them in her backpack and opted to wear black flats instead.  Anyway, she knew she would find him because he promised that he'd wear a red bandana.  How many guys wear bandanas for fun anymore?

"Do you think he's here yet?"  Kody squinted at the sea of people spread out on the lawn.  The sun was setting, and Tara unrolled a blanket for them to sit on.  Tara was trying to keep her cool, but she felt like she could throw up any second.  Around her sat couples and families indulging in popcorn and homemade snacks.  Movie nights in the cemetery were a tradition of Tara's family, so she and Kody felt entirely comfortable in the environment, it was just the waiting and uncertainty that was bothering her the most.

"Look," Kody held her sister's hand, "I'm going to get us some snacks.  Text him, see if he's here, but don't make any plans to meet up with him if I don't have my eyes on you.  Okay?"

Tara smiled and gave Kody a hug.  Before she could text Ashton, he beat her to the punch.  "I'm here, I'm just not sure where to start looking for you."  

She stared at her phone for a whole minute before beginning to message back.  "I'll come to you.  What do you see from where you're seated?"

It felt like a game, and the nervousness in the pit of her stomach switched over to excitement.

Within seconds, there was a response.

"There's a weeping willow to my right, on a hill, a little father away from the screen."

Tara turned and scanned the crowd behind her.  The hill was to her back left side.  She hoped that maybe the blue light of a phone screen would give it away, but a handful of people had a phone in their face.  Either way, she couldn't leave until Kody was back.