Chapter 3

When I woke up this morning I had another big smile on my face. I had a really good dream last night about Brooks. I don't know what has come over me, I don't normally dream about stuff like I did last night but something about Brooks just brings all of those thoughts out to where now I am acting on things in my dreams. I rolled over to get up and decided to go clear my head by walking. I thought surely he wouldn't be outside right now since it was 9 am on Saturday. I got dressed and told my dad who was sitting at his computer like always that I was going for a walk around the neighborhood.

I headed up the street and when I got to the stop sign I thought about turning the opposite way and coming back around by his house just in case he was outside. I looked down towards his house and didn't see his SUV in the driveway so I figured I was safe and headed that way. I made it past his house and let out the breath I was holding. I was supposed to be clearing my head but I couldn't get the image of Brooks gorgeous smile out of my head. I was in a daze and when I snapped out of it I realized I was already back at the stop sign. I started to go around again and as soon as I passed his house I heard him call my name. I turned around and saw him pulling into the driveway. I stopped and when he got out of his SUV he asked what I was doing and I told him walking. He asked if he could walk with me and I nodded not able to get any words out of my mouth.

It was really awkward walking with him. I didn't know what to say and I guess he sensed something weird between us because he asked if I was ok. I told him I was fine I just needed to clear my head. He asked what was going on in my head for it to need to be cleared and I said I am not sure it is a good idea that I say what is going on in my head. He stopped and when I turned around he was staring at me. I asked him why he stopped walking and he told me he wanted to know what I had going on in my head. I said Brooks I really don't think I should say. He asked why and I said because it is embarrassing and I guess you could say out of line. He smirked at me and asked if it had anything to do with him. I felt my cheeks get warm and I knew I was blushing. I put my head down and said I would rather not say. He walked up to me and said,

“come on cutie let's finish our walk.”

When we made it back to the stop sign I said I should probably get back to the house so my dad doesn't freak out and he laughed and said he would catch me later.

I went straight into my room and laid back on my bed and I covered my face with my hands. Why me? I never get put into situations like this. why now? I tried hard to forget about the weird walk we had but I couldn't and it was frustrating me to no end. I grabbed my journal and headed out the front door and hopped up on the rail. I sat there staring across the street for a few minutes then started writing about my walk with Brooks in my journal. I figured it would help get it off my mind. While I was writing I heard my name being called and when I looked towards the road there he was passing by leaving the neighborhood. I smiled and once he was out of my sight I went back to writing.

I don't know how long I was sitting there but once I finished writing in my journal I closed it and got off the rail. I walked out into the yard and took a deep breath. I felt a little more clear in my head and I figured since it was nice outside and didn't look as if it was going to rain if I could use the back patio as a place to make a pallet and sleep outside tonight. I mean it was as close to camping as I was going to get. My dad wasn't ok with that at first but I protested to him that since I couldn't go anywhere or do anything at least let me do this. I told him I was right outside the door not like I asked to go off in the woods by myself. He finally agreed to let me and I told him thank you. I went out and cleaned the patio off and got it ready for me to make my little pallet. My dad gave me a camping lantern and told me he would make a small fire pit in the rock area for me.

When the sun started to set I went out back and set my stuff up and my dad started the fire for me. I pulled the patio chairs close together and sat down and laid my legs across the other. I opened my journal and started doodling like I normally do when I am bored. I was lost in my own head doodling when I heard a whistle. I looked up from my journal and saw Brooks slowly diving back up the road coming into the neighborhood. I smiled and he stopped. I got up and opened the gate and walked out to the road. He asked what I was up to and I said well I wanted to go camping but my dad isn't going to take me so I figured sleeping out on the patio was as close as I was going to get to camping.

He laughed and said,

“you must want to go camping pretty bad to want to sleep on your patio."

I laughed and said I am so bored so I figured why not. He said,

“well if you have trouble sleeping I could come keep you company."

I blushed and said if my dad wasn't going to be on the other side of the door on the computer all night I would say ok but that's all my dad does when he isn't at work. I realized what I said and covered my mouth. He smirked at me and said,

“no need to be embarrassed cutie. It's not like you slipped up and said anything about what's been going through your mind about me."

I was really blushing now. I said am I that obvious? I am sorry Brooks. I don't know what is going on with me I am not like that I promise. He smiled at me and said,

“it's ok Crystal. I get it, you find me attractive and at your age, it's hard to fight off the attraction and urges."

I put my head down and he leaned over as far as he could into the passenger seat and reached out the window, put his finger under my chin and lifted my head and said,

“stop putting your head down Crystal you have nothing to be embarrassed about and you don't have to be shy around me either. I'll let you in on what is going on in my head, I find you attractive as well. There now we both know how each other feels."

I smiled and said thank you for trying to make that less embarrassing for me but you didn't have to say that just to help me out. He smiled and said,

“I didn't just say that to help you out I said it because it is true."

I said but you are older than I am and probably have a lot of women who are a lot more attractive than I am. why would you find me attractive? I am not that pretty and I am a huge nerd. I stay to myself and write in a journal. The mention of my journal had his attention and he smirked and asked if there was anything in there about him. I said well duh why wouldn't I write about you in there? I was doing that earlier when I was on the porch when you drove by. He asked if I would ever let him read what I wrote about him and I said who knows maybe one day when I am out of my shy state and not so easily embarrassed I might let you read my thoughts and dreams but as of right now I am going to say nope! His eyes got big and he said,

“so we are having dreams too are we?"

I said yes but unless I let you read my journal you'll never know what about. I said well time for me to head back to my ghetto campsite see you later in my dreams. As I walked away I felt good. I don't know what came over me and gave me that little boost of confidence to flirt with him but I liked how I felt.