Little Secrets #4

Little Secrets

Chapter #4

Lacy decided that he probably didn’t have his swimming trucks with him at the present time.

“Maybe a swim another time?” She asked, wrapping her towel around her hair and grabbing her dress off the lounger and throwing it over her arm.

“Did you want to some in for a drink? Or something? Dad should be back soon.” Lacy asked, giving Christopher a backwards glance.

Christopher looked at her with a smile. “Of course, Miss Addington. I’d be delighted.” There was a touch of humor to his voice.

 

As Lacy led the way towards the house, Christopher following behind her, she realised that he was probably watching her and the way she walked, and that made her blush down to her toes and gave a secret smile to the ground. She led the way inside and dropped her dress on one of the barstools along with the towel that had been wrapped around her head. As Christopher walked in, she made sure to put the kitchen island in the middle of the kitchen between her and him.

“What do you want to drink?” She asked, keeping her voice even and level, almost robot like. ‘Please don’t  notice,’ she thought, hoping and wishing.

“What are you having?” Christopher replied, as equally even and level as she had been. Then flashed her a bright smile, letting her know he was on to her.

Lacy quickly got out two glasses, and some ice, and topped up the glasses with the organic apple juice that had been made the day before from the garden.

“Freshly made.” She said, handing one across to him, “Well, yesterday anyway.”

Christopher just smiled at her and held up his glass in mock ‘cheers’ to her.

“Here’s to you.” He said, and put his glass down, after taking a sip.

 

“How do you know my dad?” Lacy asked, him, curiosity in her voice.

“Well....” He paused, “Your dad is well known for the work he does, landscaping and things like that. I just found him on a recommendation from one of my colleagues, and it’s just taken off. Mostly just little things about the garden I’ve been consulting him on, like which flowers will go best, and if the rock wall is stable enough to plant behind it. “There seemed to be an edge to his voice; as if daring her to ask more.

Lacy let the subject drop and they fell into an awkward silence, drinking juice around the kitchen island.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook either.” Christopher’s voice intruded on her thoughts.

“What?” Lacy replied, startled.

“Off the hook for me showing you around the history of this place.” Came the reply, from a very bemused Christopher, “You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve been saying have you?”

“What?” There was a pause, “No....” She said, and blushed.

“Well, I said I was hoping to show you around tomorrow,” He looked at her intently, “If that is okay with you of course.”

“Well, um.... I think so....” She trailed off. She had planned to go to the movie tomorrow to see one of the new films that was on but realised that he wasn’t asking her, he was telling her. Besides, the sooner she did it, the sooner he would be away from a while.

 

He took a step around the counter faster than she realised, caught up in her thoughts and within seconds he was right beside her, her hands in his, pulling her closer into an embrace. She buried her face in his shirt, and realised it smelt nice, and his hands and arms were providing just enough pressure to keep her still, to let her know that he was there for her, without being smothering. “I’ll be here when you need me.” He murmured, kissing the top of her head. She blinked hard, and her eyes swam back into focus.

“....We can even go see the old sailing ship, and go on board if you want. I know the man who owns it, and I can get us onboard....” He trailed off, “You weren’t listening to me again. I can tell in your eyes.”

Lacy was trying to keep her thoughts to herself, after realising that what she has just experienced had just been a day-dream. He was dangerous. She wanted him, that much was obvious, even to her; but she had to keep her distance.

“I’m sorry.” She smiled, blushing, “My mind is somewhere else today.”

“I hope it’s somewhere good, somewhere nice.” He said, with a twinkle in his eye.

“One would hope.” She replied. “I don’t mean to be rude and all but...”

“But you have to kick me out.” He finished the sentence for her, “I understand.

“Thank you...” She said, showing him to the door, “I’m really sorry.”

Lacy was aware of the scent of him, the same scent she smelt in her day dream, and how much she’d felt the longing.

“Don’t apologise. Really.” Christopher replied, looking at her. “Tomorrow, we can either start at the museum, or down by the docks and take a sailing ship cruise. I can show you the old lighthouse on the opposite point, and the history of the wreckers’ around there if you want.”

Lacy was acutely aware of the lack of clothes on her body, after all she was only wearing her bikini, and looked at the ground.

“Lacy? It’s up to you? Really, it is.”

 

What should Lacy choose? The land based exploration of the town’s history or the more interesting sea-voyage across the harbour and the lighthouse tales?

 

 

© Samantha Millar

Until next time,

Atra du evarinya ono varda,
(May the stars watch over you)

Samantha.

Little Secrets #3

Little Secrets
Chapter #3

Lacy decided that the best thing to do was to just ignore him. He was going to be a nuisance anyway, and no matter how much she wanted to wave back, he was just a little too creepy for her liking. At least until she got to know him better.
She reached up and pulled the curtains shut, and climbed into bed. Lacy fell into a restless sleep, full of eyes that followed her.

She woke up in the morning to a knock at the door.

“Lacy? Sweetheart?” Her father’s voice came from the other side of the door, “Can I come in?”
Lacy lifted her head from the pillow and her eyes blearily opened to see the bright white light of the sun through her open curtains onto the white wall and door.
“Sure...I guess.” She mumbled, barely coherent. She struggled to a sitting position and faced the window. The sun was shining though the open curtains and into her eyes as the door opened and her dad backed in with a breakfast tray.
“I came to say sorry.” He paused, “About yesterday. I didn’t think.”
Lacy just looked at him as he sat on the end of the bed and put the tray over her knees.
“Dad, it was wierd.” She wasn’t sure how to continue, “I’d never met him before. You were just passing me off, and I wasn’t given a choice.”
“I’m sorry.” Her father replied, “Eat your pancakes.”
 
Lacy smiled and enjoyed her pancakes, the special sauce her father made making them all the more scrumptious. After she finished, she  put down her knife and fork and just patted her belly.
“You’re forgiven dad.” She said, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so strongly towards your special pancakes before.”
“That’s good.” Her father said. He picked up the breakfast tray and  held it against one hip. The other hand brushed her hair and he kissed her forehead, like her mother used to do. “Have a lazy day. Go for a swim in the pool. Do whatever. I’ll be working all day. Join you later.” He left the room and Lacy sat there for a moment basking in the sun. She then remembered she had to ask her dad whether he’d opened the curtains that morning. Lacy sighed, ‘Later.’ She thought, ‘Later.

She got up and got dressed into her favourite, summer maxi dress, with her electric blue bikini underneath. As she walked out of her bedroom, she grabbed her well read favourite book, ‘I Shall Wear Midnight’ by Terry Pratchett. After reading most of the book while lying in the hammock connected to the two willow trees in the backyard, she decided to go for a swim.

Lacy put down her book, smiling over one of her favourite moments and noticed twitching curtains upstairs, as if somebody had just stepped away from them. Confused, she turned towards the pool and puzzled over it before slipping into the cool waters and diving off the diving board for the weighted dive sticks at the bottom. Her record was 8 in one dive, ranging from 2 to 10 metres away. As she came up from one of her dives, she noticed Christopher standing near the edge of the pool.

Lacy stood in the shallows, the water only coming up to her waist and looked at him.

“Watching me again are you?” She asked, half serious, half joking.
“I wish.” Christopher replied, “I actually came looking for your dad. Is Paul around at all?”
Lacy frowned then recalled her father’s words. “He said he was working all day. Didn’t say where. Have you tried calling him at all?”
The reply came quickly, “Several times, both his cell-phone and then the home phone. You didn’t pick up either.” Christopher looked at her, “Been avoiding me?”
“Not at all. Was reading outside, and didn’t hear it. Or if I did, my brain filed it under useless noise. Unimportant information.” Lacy laughed and Christopher joined in.
“I hope you don’t think I’m wierd. I just think you’re really interesting, from what I’ve heard from your dad. As well as the fact that you seem interesting.”
“I don’t think you’re wierd.” The words came out effortlessly, easily, as if they were the only truth. Lacy was getting out of the water, and he was standing on the opposite side of the pool to her. She was embarrassingly aware of her body as she walked over to the lounger and picked up her towel.
“Don’t get out on my account.” Christopher said, “I rather liked watching you swim. Not that I was doing that for long. I mean, I’d only just got here, and I was looking for your dad and...” He trailed off, “That wasn’t meant to come out as creepy as it sounded.”
Lacy laughed, nervously. “Good to know.” She replied, cautiously, “I wasn’t finished diving, I still had a few more laps to do, but I don’t like being anti-social, that’s all.”

There were a few options running though her mind right now, like invite him inside, invite him for a swim, or say that she was busy and leave his presense, which part of her really wanted to do, but at the same time, would hate it if that happened.

What should Lacy do? Invite Christopher inside the house, OR invite him for a swim, OR make her excuses and leave?

 

 

© Samantha Millar

 

Until next time,

Atra du evarinya ono varda,
(May the stars watch over you),

Samantha

Little Secrets #1

Here it is, as promised, the first installment in the writing series that will be developing as we go along. I need feedback on this, where the story should go. If you have suggestions for the future chapters(not the next one) just let me know, characters to add, a secret to incorporate.....just contact me on the form or in the comments below.

Little Secrets

“Until the end, you are here.” He had told her, laughing at her discomfort.
Years later, the words still echoed through her mind.
 
Lacy Addington was sitting on the front step of the summer house, recalling the times that she had spent on the front step at home. Thinking about how many times she had been called in by her mother for getting too cold watching the sunset. About how many times she had got up early and watched the sunrise, and fallen asleep on the swing seat. Her smiles faded slowly as she felt the all too familiar tugs of longing, and hurt. She remembered she had been in a car crash, or so they had told her. Not much before that could she remember. Except the sunrises and sunsets.
 
The hospital, her doctors, her father all thought she wouldn’t survive. She was put in a drug induced coma for 2 months, waiting, watching, hoping. When she healed, and was taken out of it, the first thing she was told was that her mother had died. For weeks, she had been in a state of shock, blaming herself for the crash. But she couldn’t even remember if she had been the problem, what if she was the fault, she had distracted her mum?
 
Lacy felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Are you planning to stay out here all night?” the voice said. A sad smile crossed her face as her father sat down next to her. At 46, he was still in prime shape, though the hair was starting to turn grey, and his neatly trimmed beard was salt and pepper coloured.
“Dad. I miss....” She stopped her voice barely above a whisper, “I miss mum.”
“I know sweetheart.” Her father replied, his fingers reaching for her, pulling her closer to him. Lacy let herself be pulled towards his chest and rested her head on his shirt. He held her tight as her tears fell, her blond hair obscuring her face as her tears broke the silence of the night.
 
Lacy didn’t remember making her way up to her bed the night before. She woke up, still in her clothes, under her duvet, in her bedroom. Her last thought was that of the sunset, and the cold that claimed her. After getting up, and getting changed, she made her way downstairs, to see her father working on the gardens off to the right of the house, around the pagoda. She fixed herself toast, and stood at the bench, eating it while she read the newspaper. She frowned when she saw the date.
“Monday June 18 2012?” She murmured; confusion in her voice. She left her breakfast dishes on the bench, intending to ask her dad what had happened. She left the front door wide open as she ran towards where he father was working. As she neared, she noticed that somebody else was with him.
“Paul, you really do tell the strangest tales.” The man said, laughing. He looked around her age, early twenties.
Her father, leaning on the shovel, noticed her before the man did and smiled.
“And here’s my sleeping beauty.” He told the man with a twinkle in his eye, “What can I do for you?”

 

Shall she continue and ask her father the date and why she remembers it to be different, OR ask who the man is and why he is here?

© Samantha Millar

Until next time,

Atra du evarinya ono varda,
(May the stars watch over you)

Samantha.

 

 

here

Loss And Heartbreak (Writing)

This is a prewritten piece I have, the questions for the new story series are at the bottom. Please enjoy. Mostly unedited.

Loss and Heartbreak

“I wish that I could cry, fall upon my knees, and find a way to lie about a home I’ll never see.” – Five For Fighting

He lay there on the bathroom floor, crying his eyes out. It was 2am, and he was lost. He was falling into the depths of blackness, not sure how to follow the path, not wanting to see the end of this strange and unusual thread that he had began to pull.

It had started with her. Always her. She was the one that had broken him down, and then built him back up. There was two of them, or there was supposed to be. His feelings got mixed up somewhere along the way, and although they were separate people, with completely different lives and personalities, they had become one. Somewhere along the line, they had become one. The one that he had given everything for, who had just walked away. She had broken him. She had left him cold and lonely, in pieces on the floor crying his eyes out. Just like now. Then there was the other. The one who had taken those pieces and put him back together, the one who stood by him, defying her friends to do so. She had been there for him. And now she was breaking him.

By being broken herself, she was breaking him. She was blaming herself about things that had never been her fault in the first place; and by being broken, by blaming herself, she was breaking him. And that made her the one that broke him in the first place. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Everybody was supposed to be all happy, nothing was supposed to be broken. He was moving on, slowly, but it was happening. Domino effect. One thing went wrong, and the whole precariously balanced structure came crumbling down. All the progress, collapsing before his eyes. Loss and heartbreak intertwined, as he fell. Back to the place he had fought his way out of.

Everything he knew, he was scared of breaking. He was scared of falling even further. He was scared of making things worse. He just wanted things to go back to the way they had been, before he had told her. All that had led to his crying on the bathroom floor.

__________________________________________________

Inside her own head, she was blaming herself, for everything. She had opened her big mouth; said things that she had sworn to all gods and the devil that she would never say. She had held onto it so long, and something had broken it. If things in life could make a sound, you’d hear a little girl crying and a heart breaking. And because of her stupidness, she was breaking. She was collapsing. Her chest felt like it was being ripped apart, as she struggled to maintain some sort of semblance to her life, trying to put back together the pieces of not only herself, but the boy she knew she was on the point of destroying.


Author Notes:
A little piece written at 2am, inspired by a phone conversation. Mostly unedited.


Choices for the story:

Genre:
A) Dark
B) Love
C) Sad
D) Other (Say what)