Twenty Letters

Chapter 4

As Ross and I walked in silence down the dirt road, I gazed across the rolling hills that made up the farm. I couldn't believe how blessed I was to be here right now. Yes, I've lost so much, more than any one person should loose, but through all that pain, it led me here. To this family, when after only spending a week with, feel already like my family, a whole family that loves and accepts me. It's still been kind of hard getting used to having people around me that care for me, because I do have a tendency to keep to myself. Sooner or later though I'll have the courage to let them in and really get to know me.

Looking over at Ross I couldn't help but smile, because, over the past week, he had shown me so many things. Like how actual teens spend their time, being carefree and making friends. At this, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"What?," asked Ross, looking down at her with a grin.

"Nothing, it's just that, I'm recalling this past week. I've done so many more things in one week, than in my whole life. I never even thought it possible that me, the queen of all loners, would have friends and a whole family! I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. Thanks for showing me the world, in a way."

"You make it sound like I'm a genie that's taken you around the world and back," laughed Ross.

"Well to me, anything that involves me not sitting by myself with my thoughts is the world. You see..." Jumping in front of him and walking backwards she spun around gesturing to her surroundings. "This is the world!"

Laughing, she ran ahead of him and shouted back, "Race you to the creek!"

With a grin on his face Ross started running after her. Kathryn dared a glance behind her and saw that he was gaining on her fast. Before she knew it, he caught her and she let out a squeal as he picked her up from behind and spun her around.

When he set her down they were both breathing pretty hard. Their faces were so close and when he bent his head even lower, Kathryn swore he was looking at her lips. Wondering what to do, she just closed her eyes and didn't dare move. She could feel his warm breath just inches from hers.

Breaking the spell, she heard a thud and something like a moan come, from the trees beside her. Snapping her head back and stepping out of his embrace she turned towards the sound.

"What was that?" she said.

"Probably just a rabbit or something," Ross mumbled.

Kathryn looked at Ross, who had a frustrated look on his face and almost a tad of anger, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Would it of been that bad to kiss her? Why was he like this? Wh-.., no stop it Kathryn don't over think about it, not right now," she chided herself.

She would have to think about his reaction later, because right now she needed to know what made that noise. It was definitely bigger than a rabbit, despite what Ross said. She had grown wary of everything and almost everyone around her after reading some more of her mother's letters. As she started to head into the woods, she felt Ross grab her hand.

"Kathr-"

Pulling her hand out of his grasp with a bit too much force, she said, "No, not right now."

Kathryn pulled her eyes up to his and what she saw there now was pity and understanding.

"No, I do not need any more pity. Why was he doing this? He went from anger to pity in a second! Ugh! Why did he pity me? Did he think that I was scared to kiss him or weak, because of my past? No, I am not!" Kathryn thought.

She gave him a look of determination and stood up a bit taller, staring him down. He stared at her with quite the opposite look for a while, before turning around and walking away. With her hands on her hips she watched him glance behind, back at her, before he disappeared over the hill. Where they had come from, what seemed like hours ago.

She leaned against a tree, put her head back, and closed her eyes, with the picture of him walking away, leaving her behind, still fresh in her mind.

"I can't fall for the first guy I meet, right? Or could I?" She thought.

~~~~~

"She just needs some space, that's all. She's not used to someone caring about her the way I do. I do like her that way, don't I? I just don't want a repeat of what happened last time...," thought Ross.

He didn't really want to leave her, but over the past week, he felt like he knew her well enough to know when she needed her space. He just couldn't figure her out. She's like an insolvable puzzle that few people dare to approach.

"Well, looks like I will be the first one to try," thought Ross.

~~~~~

Bellamy couldn't tell if they had seen him or not. He had just been sitting in a tree watching over her when all of the sudden a knife pierced the bark just centimeters from his face. It had startled him so much that he lost his grip on the tree and fell with a thud to the ground below. He tried to be as quiet as possible, not wanting to draw their attention, which he had obviously failed at.

In his current position on the ground he could see their interaction and intense eye contact, through a gap in the bushes. Just moments before the knife hit the bark, Bellamy was getting ready to jump on the guy. He had almost kissed her and by the looks of it she didn't know what to do.

"Didn't her mother teach her anything? She shouldn't be getting close to this guy, she hardly even knows him!" thought Bellamy.

This thought made him laugh, wasn't he a stranger too? Even though he felt like he'd known her his entire life?

"Even so, she should be more careful," he thought.

Pulling his mind back to reality he noticed the boy walking away and Kathryn leaning against a tree. He wanted to go to her, because she was obviously in pain, not physically, but emotionally. He knew better though. He would only scare her half to death and makes things much worse.

Bellamy tried to get up, but quickly fell back down when a searing pain shot up his leg.

"Just great," thought Bellamy.

He sat there in pain, realizing that if he made even the slightest movement, he could be found. Gritting his teeth, he watched her carefully. She was leaning against a tree close to the road with her eyes closed. Bellamy had the urge to go to her and take away the worry lines that creased her forehead. But he knew it was better for both of them if he stayed in the shadows.

He heard her sigh and start to walk the way she had came, the way that the boy had left just minutes ago.

Bellamy still stared at the spot where she disappeared long after she was gone.

With an audible sigh, he leaned his head back against the trunk and closed his eyes. He knew he had to get up and retrieve the knife from up where he previously was. But instead he just sat there, because once he took one good look at the knife, he would know who it belonged to. And he didn't like the idea one bit. So for now he would just sit. Hoping he still had enough time.