Sun Goes Down

Skipping Stones: Part II

♛CARLISLE'S POV♛

I couldn't sleep the whole night after that day. I stared at the dark ceiling above me, thinking about Tia. Whenever I hear her name, I picture the pear tree and her eyes. That's the first thing I look at when I see her. I'm so lucky to have her in my life that I coudln't ask for more. The most beauiful girl in the world is mine; not in that possesive, ownership sense. As in, she's my girl. 

The next day, I got up sluggishly after spending the whole night staring at the ceiling and thinking. Mom was downstairs, cooking sausages and making coffee. Dad, on the other side, was putting on his golf clubs and fixing his golf bag. "Someone's finally up." He smiled, patting me behind the back. "Don't." I mumbled as I began to yawn. I bet I had eye bags, the usual Friday mornings.

"What happened to 'good morning mom and dad'?" Mom asked, while setting the table. I felt so tired, so frustrated and needed peace more than anything. I clenched my fists while staring at the family photo that hung on the wall beside me. I was about five - years - old when dad won his first golf tournament. Mom was holding my hand and dad held his trophy high for everyone to see. "I don't know." I grumbled, pushing my plate away. Mom glared at me, dissatisfied and very much unhappy. 

"Something tells me you don't have a big appetite for sausages and coffee. Anything you want to tell me?" She placed her hands on her hips, crossly. I just looked at her then at my coffee. "I'm not hungry." I lied, taking a small siip. Mom pushed the cup a little high, "You need to stay awake, finish your coffee." She said, as she put it down. I wanted to slam my hand on the table and swear, but I didn't plan on doing that at seven in the morning. "Yeah, yeah, I have to go." I slid out of my seat and grabbed my hoodie on the way out.

I walked to Tia's house while zipping up my hoodie. By surprise, she was up in that pear tree, reading. It seemed to be a romance hence the image of a girl and boy, and a guitar. "Interesting book," I sat down and leaned against the tree. "What's it called?" I asked, looking up at her. She just sat there, smiling and eating the pears she gathered. She looked so beautiful; she always has whenever she'd do something simple or not. It's just so captivating that I wish that I could stare at her for an eternity without blinking. "Forty - four letters." She answered coyly, why tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

I just sat there, looking up at her and admiring her smile, which made me feel so lucky. "Hey uh, do you want to go to the pier with me?" I asked, while standing up. Tia began to climb down gingerly and tossed me a pear. "Sure." She smiled and only seconds later, we headed to the pier. It was cool today as I began to put on my hood. Tia looked at me funny and giggled softly. "What is it?" I asked playfully, while putting my arm around her. One of her hands held my hand and she shook her head, looking down. "You don't need to look like a swag, light fearing person." She relplied. "Like a really cool vampire?" I guessed.

She slowly nodded with a slightly disturbed look. "Hey, do you read any books?" She asked, while firming her grip of her book. She's one of those girls who like to read -- not to look interesting but they just really like to read. I don't even read, except for DC comics and a little of Marvel. Typical characteristics I posses. "Uh, yeah. I do." I sort of lied but had a straight face. Tia looked satisfied and pretty impressed while handing me her book. "Read it," She insisted while looking around. "It's this incredible book about how this lonely guy was persuaded to email a bunch of people until they answer and this girl is the only one who answered; so basically, they're pen pals that love each other until they actually meet." I just looked solemn in the inside and didn't really understood what she said although it was in English, surprsingly. On the outside, I just had to look gobsmacked. "Whoa, I promisde I'll read it." I smiled as I began to hold her hand. She looked at our hands and looked slightly nervous until she began to slowly muster a smile.

I hurled the stone as hard as I could, watching it skip. Tia gasped, amazed and impressed. "Never skipped stones before?"  I asked, while picking up another one. Again, I hurled it as it skipped three times before sinking to the bottom of the lake. Tia looked at her stone hesitantly and nearly put it down until I got her hand. "Let me teach you." I insisted as she held it. I gently held her arm and helped her swing it back a litt.e She looked focused and nervous, firming her grip on the stone. I placed a hand over hers that contained the stone as she looked at me. "You need to losen your grip so that the stone flies freely and skips." I said softly as she began to losen her grip.

Before I knew it, she hurled it before she skipped it twice before it sank in an instance. Tia didn't look that satisfied but she kind of looked like she was enjoying. Only moments later, we began skipped a lot of stones. Tia looked so happy which made me want to kiss her but couldn't. I never kissed a girl, therefore, I have no experience making things turn out bad for me but, tried to enjoy every moment without the urge to kiss her.

"My arm, shit, it hurts." She exclaimed, while hurling the last stone as it sank to the bottom without skipping. Her face fell as she took her shoes off, sat down and dipped her feet in the lake. Tia looked like all she wanted to do now was nothing but relax. I looked at the cover of the book she lent me and read the author's name carefully, 'Kate Well', the award - winning author. 

I also took my shoes off and dipped my feet, while sitting next to Tia. "I really like this place, how often do you come here?" She asked, while closing her eyes for a while before trying to lean against the small pole beside her. "Almost everyday." I answered, while looking down at the fish that swam around our feet. "Lucky." She breathed, before leaning against me. She looked happy and beautiful as she tried to sleep against my shoulder. "Sunset, cool." I said, while looking at her. "Yeah." She smiled. It was slowly setting as the lamp posts began to light up.

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LairaM3