Fall From Grace

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

I take a deep breath in of the crisp Fall air.

This is my type of weather. Honestly, I could talk about my love of Fall for hours.

I've dressed prepared in an oversized sweater and leggings with knee boots and a tote bag. I'm on my way to the flea market, and this tote is the perfect thing to put my finds in. Vivian texted she won't be able to make it, usually she lets me put things in her bag as well, but an asshole professor of hers apparently sent out a homework assignment yesterday while we were out. Other than less space, it is fine with me. I don't mind being alone. It'll give me the opportunity to take my time and browse in my own leisure. The shuttle to town runs every fifteen minutes but it's a short enough walk that I decide to put in my headphones and walk. If I get lazy, I can catch it on one of the stops.

What's beautiful about Lotus college and the town nearby is that there is a lot of foliage. So when fall comes, the colors turn all sorts of beautiful shades of orange and red. My father used to joke that my eye color changed with them. Normally my eyes look gold. It's an odd color but it's not quite brown. Sometimes around this time of year orange and brown flecks appear.

The walk into town takes me about twenty minutes and leaves me feeling fresh and runny. Luckily, I packed tissues otherwise I'd be a snotty mess.

The flea market is in the center of town, all around the Gazebo, where the music is. Currently an old man is crooning out some blues. Compared to yesterday, it is a little more overcast but I don't mind it as much. It sort of fits the mood I'm in. There are vendors of all kinds. Before I even think about where I want to go first, I snap a few pictures for memories.

Last year I bought a couple things for my dorm room, early christmas gifts, and Vivian's birthday present. I'll probably do the same thing this year.

Vivian is turning Twenty-One on November 30th, which is soon, and I like to get her things that are special and have meaning so I try looking and getting in advance. Especially because this is a big birthday for her.

I've been Twenty-One for some time now, and I definitely feel older. Besides for the knowledge I can comfortably go out without concern, Twenty-One is the age where your parents really begin to trust you like an adult, which I know is a huge thing for Vivian.

Unlike my relationship with my parents, which was already more hands off, Vivian talks to her parents all the time. They live closer to campus, so they visit and she visits more often. Her parents are pretty judgemental of how she leads her life, and tend to make it more often than not. At 21, hopefully things will change for her.

My game plan is to start in the beginning, walk though the whole place to the end, then double back and start buying. However, knowing myself, that is probably not going to happen. These places are tempting beyond belief for me to blow my entire bank account on chachkes.

I leave my earbuds in, letting the light hum of Florence and the Machine mix together with the sound of the hustle and bustle of the market.

"Excuse me miss, can you please help me?" I am stopped by an older woman as I am taking everything in.

Pulling out my earbuds, I stop, "Yes, of course. What can I help you with?"

"This is my booth and I'm trying to reach this top shelf." She tells me, "I don't have my step stool and with my age, my back doesn't let me reach like you young ones."

The booth she is showing me is my heaven.

It seems to be an antique booth, but most of the antiques she has are books. I try to keep my wonder as an inside reaction and not facial as she leads me to the shelf she wants me to grab something from.