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chapter 4

When we woke in the morning, it was well past nine. I quickly dressed, ate, and brushed my teeth and Abby and I sprinted out the door. Instead of turning left to go to work, we turned right towards the "forest." We went through the woods to the treehouse and when we climbed up we found that Jonathan was already there.

"Sup, girls. Ready for a long day of work," he said. We laughed and agreed.

"Yep. we're going to work so hard that our fingers will bleed and we can barely walk home," I said, continuing the joke. Jonathan and I turned to Abby, waiting for her to make a joke but she remained silent. We gave up and sat down in some bean-bag chairs. Jonathan piled a few on top of each other until his seat was over two feet high then he climbed on top.

"Look! I'm king of the world. One of you, join me and be my queen," he said with a smile. I looked at Abby, hoping she would join him on the "throne." She shook her head so Jonathan stretched his hand out to me. I took it, laughing, and climbed up. I sat next to him and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "we have to get her to laugh at something." he nodded and stood up tall.

"You, peasant! Kneel before your master. Your job assignment is the royal jester. Amuse me," he commanded. Her face turned from grumpy to amusement and she bowed mockingly.

"As you wish, my king," she said with another bow. After thinking for a moment, she continued. "What do you call a cow with three legs? Lean beef!" Jonathan simply scoffed and shook his head. Looking almost annoyed, Abby started doing a weird dance where she flailed her arms and legs and purposely fell a few times. Jonathan scoffed again and waved her away.

"To the dungeon with you!" he proclaimed.

"But your majesty," she said with a mocking stress on the title. "We don't have a dungeon."

"Then go outside and dig a hole to throw yourself in," he said with a mock-royal air.

"As you wish, my liege," she said and climbed down the ladder.

"My queen, do you wish to oversee the digging of said hole," he said with a slight bow.

"Indeed, my king," I answered and took his arm. He guided me over to the ladder and helped me down a few steps. He quickly pulled me back up and soon I was back in the treehouse.

"If you're going to kiss me, just don't," I said.

"I wasn't. I was going to ask you out," he said with a small grin.

"Oh," I said. His face was hopeful but I knew I had to decline, "I see you're over Amy."

"Yeah, Yes, I guess so. But, then again, I might have dropped a few hints that led to her assumption that I was cheating on her." I laughed and he continued. "So. yes or no?" he asked. I glanced down the ladder at Abby. You can't do it, my mind was screaming, but the rest of me wanted it badly.

"I— I'm free Saturday around noon," I said quietly. He smiled and nodded then climbed down the ladder. I slowly followed him and, when I reached the bottom, heard part of a conversation between Abby and Jonathan. I couldn't see them because they were behind a tree but I could hear their raised voices

"What do you mean," Abby said with a shaky voice.

"I just asked—" he said in a small voice

"Who! Who did you ask?"

"I— I can't tell you."

"Why? I thought you were my friend."

"I am but I just can't say. She asked me not to."