The Love Illusion

Chapter 7 - The Picnic

My stomach churns at the idea of seeing Nathaniel again as I sit next to Sadie on the bus. She freaked out when I told her that I met up with him. I don't think she's actually calmed down yet.
"Mollie, please let me come!" she begs.
"No, for the last time Sadie, you can't come."
She moans and flops onto me.
"Please." she whispers with puppy eyes, fluttering her lashes like a butterfly.
"I'm already nervous enough as it is."
"Why are you nervous?" she asks, calmly.
"I don't know. I guess I'm worried that I'm gonna get too attached and he's gonna leave like last time."
"Mollie, you don't need to be nervous - just breathe."
I smile at her.
...
I get home and mom is already back.
"How was school Mol? She asks while passive aggressively throwing my newly-washed shirts at me.
"Um, yeah. It was good thanks." I smile.
I begin to walk up the stares but I hear mom do the attention cough.
"Uh-Um. Why are leaving so quickly?"
I can't tell her about Nathaniel - she'll freak out because he's a "male". Ever since my dad left she's protective of guys breaking my heart like he broke hers and seeing as Nathaniel already hurt me once she'd be even more worried.
"I'm meeting up with friends." I say.
"Who?" she asks, intrigued.
"Renée and Helena." I say as quick as I can.
"What? You hate them. I thought they were vile to everyone."
"Yeah, but I'm doing a school project with them."
"OK." she smiles, "don't be back too late."
...
After changing into a cute dress I brought last year, I'm out the house.
Slowly walking up to the park I check my phone to see it's 4:15pm. So great, I'm late.
I look around for Nathaniel but I don't see him as there's a lot of people in the park.
I check my phone to see a text from him which reads,
behind the Willow Tree.
The Willow Tree is the biggest in the park so I spot it immediately and make my way over.
When I get there I see he's laid a little picnic blanket out underneath the tree's shade.
Nathaniel's laid back on the tree, reading.
"Woah, I didn't know you read?"
"I do more than you know." she smirks, placing a fallen leaf into the book, marking where he stopped and puts it down next to him.
"This is cute." I say, gesturing to the picnic blanket.
"Oh it's nothing. Hey I'm sorry it's a bit closed off here, I just wanted to be away from all the-"
"people. I get it."
I sit down on the blanket and take off my cardigan.
There's an awkward bit of silence before Nathaniel opens up a basket laid out in front of him.
Opening the treasure box, I watch as he takes out sandwiches, chips, strawberries and some raspberry lemonade.
I smile, "Wow, you've been busy." He laughs, "A little."
"So, Mollie. Let's catch up." he says.
"Ok."
"How are your parents?"
"Um, my mom's good - she finally got that job at the town hall she always wanted."
"Mayor's assistant."
"Yeah." I laugh.
"Good on Flo." he smiles.
"I'm surprised you remember."
"How could I forget? How's your dad? I know your parents were having some trouble."
"Well, he left actually. About um 13 months after you left for California. So when I was 12."
"God, I'm sorry about that."
"No I'm fine. It's fine - if anything it's brought me and my mom closer together."
He nods.
"How are your parents?"
"I'm not entirely sure. I mean I'm lucky if I get I phone call once a month from them."
"Where are they?"
"Somewhere in New York. They left as soon as I turned fifteen, decided I could defend for myself."
"Really? I can't believe they'd do that?"
"They had another baby. I have a sister now." he smiles half-heartedly.
"What's her name?"
"Hayley. She's four. She's my world." He says. 
My heart skips a beat.
"Do you get to see her much?" I ask.
"Maybe 3/4 times a year. I spoil her rotten."
"I can imagine." I giggle.
"What about school?" he asks.
"I'm studying Geography." I smile.
"Well that's unsurprising." he whispers, white stuffing a chip into his mouth.
"Why?" I question, taking a chip myself.
"Well from the age of about 7 you could already list all 50 states and could pretty much speak italian, french and german fluently."
"What can I say, I love languages."
"Surely you've gone abroad by now?"
I shake my head.
"What, you've never left the US?"
"No, I want to - I think that's why I long to travel the world so bad."
Nathaniel nods.
"How does your schooling work?" I ask. "Obviously your in senior year."
"I'm homeschooled," he says, " well, I have a tutor. But I mean I've only got one month left then I'm done."
"Are you going to college?" I ask him.
"No, my careers already set out in front of me."
"And do you want that career thats been set out for you." I ask.
"Yeah," he pauses, "I think. I mean, don't get me wrong; I love singing - it's everything to me. I just prefer doing it for myself then other people."
"I can understand that. I'm not going to college, well not just yet. I've been saving since I was 14, I wanna travel for a year when senior year finishes."
"That sounds amazing." he smiles.
...
We finish the picnic and then descend into the the forest by the park. We walk until we find a sunflower field.
"Stand there," Nathaniel says to me, while adjusting my position, "You look so pretty."
My arm fizzes where he touched it and I feel myself blush at him telling me of my beauty.
He takes out his phone and takes a couple of photos.
I pull myself up next to him, gazing at the photos.
"I like that one." I say.
"So do I." he smiles.

Looking up, I see a nearby figure in the field.
"What's that?" I ask him.
"I think it's a scarecrow." he says, squinting his eyes.
"I'll race you." I smirk.
We both start running as fast as we can towards the scarecrow.
Nathaniel speeds ahead and balances his arm up against the scarecrow upon arrival.
I laugh to him, "and that is why I'm not an athlete."
I trip over a twig that's submerged under the flowers.
"Ow!" I call.
"Are you ok?" he asks, helping me up.
"Yeah but I think I tore a bit of my dress."
"No worries." he smiles, "tomorrow's Saturday - I'll take you to the mall and we can buy a new one."
I smile at him and i take his hand as we run back along the field.