Austin City Limits

The Chicken and the Egg:: Ch. 8

© All rights reserved. 2015. LizzieMarie1313.

"She doesn't look pleased." Her beady little eyes are staring straight into my soul as I attempt to gain enough courage to accomplish the task at hand.

"Just do it!"

"I don't want to. You do it, this was your idea Porter."

"Actually, it was your idea when you offered to help. Come on, we don't have all day."

"No." I may have said I wanted to help Porter on the ranch this morning, but I'll chalk it up to a little lapse in judgment. "I'm not cut out for this." Very timidly, I began to backtrack the way I came in. "I'm a city girl, more of the reading while exercising on the elliptical type girl, not manual labor on the ranch at the butt-crack-of-dawn girl."

"I guess I was wrong about you."

Narrowing my eyes, I question, "What do you mean?"

"You seem so tough, strong, always up for a challenge. But," he shrugs his shoulders, "I was wrong." He makes a move to do the task I wouldn't and I call out to stop him.

"Wait." Fudge. "I'm going to do it." Stupid fudge.

"All right," I say to the curious chicken in front of me, cocking it's head from side-to-side, "here's the deal. I'm about to take your egg and you just need to accept it isn't yours anymore. It's mine. And Porter here already assured me it isn't fertile, so no matter how long you sit on it, nothing will happen. It's just an egg." I inhale deeply and inch my hand gradually towards the nest in front of me.

"Sometime today would be nice. At this rate we'll be late for school."

"Do you want me to do it or not?" He gestures for me to continue, "Then don't get your panties in a twist."

I decide to count down in my head. Three, two, one! As fast as I possibly can, I plunge my hand beneath the hen's butt, the second I do though, the chicken jumps from its nest and startles the living bejesus out of me.

Caught off guard, I tumble into Porter who is standing just inches behind me now. Our feet get tangled and we somehow both land on the chicken coop's floor.

"Ow." I mutter. Then I realize what just happen and pinch his arm in frustration. "You said the chicken wouldn't care!"

"The chicken doesn't care. But you were freaking the chicken out with all your nervous energy and mumble-jumble talk."

Porter stands up from his spot next to me and goes over to another chicken that hasn't moved from her perched position. With ease, he slips is fingers just beneath the hen and comes out with his prized egg.

"You think you're so perfect, don't you."

"Well, City Girl, at least I'm not still sitting in bird crap." He leans forward and yanks out a piece of straw that was clinging to my hair.

On the inside I'm squirming with disgust but I try to appear composed and collected as I take my time standing up. "As much fun as this has been, I think I should go get ready for school and leave you to it."

Porter laughs at my apparent discomfort and plugs his nose with his fingers. "Just don't forget the soap... you stink!"

"So do you, Ranch Boy!"

I run into the house giggling but skid to a stop when I see my Aunt cooking breakfast. I have only been here a few days but I've learned that Aunt Sophie is a wonderful cook. The smells filling the morning air are heavenly. My stomach rumbles and Aunt Sophie turns around noticing me for the first time. "What are ya doin' up this early, darlin'?"

"Oh, I was trying to earn my keep around here and help out with the chores. But I'm pretty sure I just made things harder on Porter."

"Y'all sure have been hangin' out a lot." Sophie gives me a knowing looking but I just smile.

"We're friends."

"Mmm-hmm." She hums with disbelief, but turns back around to the food in front of her. "Biscuits and gravy's 'bout done."

"Sounds delicious. I just have to get ready for school first."

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The warm water cascades down around me as I try and take a hasty shower. My razor glides across my legs in a quick fashion, avoiding areas where I could potentially knick myself. Porter was able to nab my homemade breakfast two more times this week, since then I've learned to be speedier in the getting ready process.

This week has been exciting and nerve-racking all in the same breath. The whole school still believes Zackary and I to be a couple, and Lola and her friends have been giving me pretentious evil eyes whenever we cross paths, but it doesn't faze me. Porter helped Zackary and I construct a plan were I get to very publically break-up with him today at lunch. That way, he will be able to act heart broken for a little while giving Lola the chance to move on.

Porter and I really have been hanging out more often than not. Whenever he's not working on the ranch we tend to be around each other, whether it's doing homework or him showing me around town. But I have convinced myself it is strictly platonic. The last thing I need in this chaos is a crush on the most unattainable guy at school.

Today is going to be a good one, I declare, as I step out and wrap a towel around myself. The boys have their concert tonight, which I have decided- or possibly been finagled into going to and I'll be a free woman by lunchtime. Presuming that I can avoid Treble tonight, there isn't much more I can ask for.

Well, there is one thing. I haven't heard from my Dad in four days. Four days is a really long time when the last time I talked to him was right after the psychotic text messages.

Thank goodness I haven't heard from the mysterious sender, or I might be really worried. At least, I can presume that things are going well in California. That business is being handled and maybe this will all be over soon.

After slipping on a jean skirt and a band t-shirt the boys gave me to represent them, I send my Dad a quick message to 'call me,' and head down stairs. Porter's back is towards me when I reach the last step, and I can't help but to admire the muscles straining through his dark shirt. It's clear he's earned them through hard labor and it seems fair that I give them the appreciative glance they deserve. Before he or Aunt Sophie can catch me drooling, I force myself to look elsewhere and announce my presence. "Ready!"

Stepping further into the room, I see a beautiful, tall, clear vase sitting on the kitchen table. It's full of gorgeous tropical flowers all different types and colors. "Special occasion?" I ask Aunt Sophie. I don't remember them being there when I came in earlier and it seems to early in the morning for them to have been delivered.

"You'll have to tell us. They're for you." Porter tautly answers.

Who would send me flowers? I move to open the card that is attached to a holder in the bouquet. The envelope is a deep red color, inside lays a paper about the size of a business card. It simply reads, "The prettiest smiles hold the deepest secrets."

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A/N: Hello Lovlies! Please let me know if you enjoyed this chapter~ vote and/or comment and you will brighten my day! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my story. And if you have any advice, I would love to hear it! Next chapter should be up by Friday. -LM