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Chapter Four
Farlee
I smile at Sprinkle before looking back up and catching Griffin smiling at me. I duck my head quickly before turning away.
“Why do you do that?” he asks me, still petting Sprinkle as she munches away on an apple.
“Do what?” I’m still not looking at him, but I can hear his chuckle.
“You keep your head bowed or turn so no one can catch that beautiful smile,” he says, grazing my calf as he continues to pay Sprinkle all kinds of attention. I can feel my face heating so much I'm surprised sweat isn't pouring down my face. Did he just call me beautiful?
“Oh, umm… I guess I've been doing it for so long I don't even notice it anymore. So, how did you find this place?” I ask, trying to get the subject off me.
“Ahh… deflecting, I'll let you this time, honeysuckle,” he smirks at me when my eyes widen at the nickname. I've never had a sweet nickname before. My dad called me sweetheart, but I don't think that counts.
“I was actually out for a ride on my bike a while back. I saw the old dirt road that looked abandoned and got curious. The minute I saw the willow tree and the pond, it felt… safe. I haven't had a lot of that in my life,” he tells me, and this time it's his turn to look away.
I take a deep breath before hopping off Sprinkle and making my way over to the tree. I haven't been here in years. It holds so many great memories, but those memories hurt too much right now. I run my hands through the vines hanging neatly to the ground. The vines are so thick and long that when you’re under the canopy, no one can see you, and you can't see anyone outside. It's like an escape to your own little world. When I was a little girl, I used to pretend that it was the entrance to a fairy world. I wonder if it's still here.
I walk through the vines, noticing the bench at the base of the tree has been fixed and cleaned up. It brings tears to my eyes, so I quickly look away. My feet carry me to the other side of the tree, and I bend without thinking and reach my hand into a small hole where three roots intertwined.
“Baby, wait, there could be a snake or something in that hole. Let me reach down first,” Griffin says, bending down next to me.
I gasp at the endearment and try to meet his eyes. How is he so different now than earlier in the hall? My hand finally finds what I’ve been looking for, and I carefully pull it out. Tears slide down my cheeks at the small box in my hand.
“This was my mom and dad's favorite spot. They met up here when they were trying to hide from the outside world. It's one of the main reasons dad bought this farm, to keep this place safe. He hasn't come out here in years, though it's too painful… but when I was little…” I start, but choke on a sob as I wipe the top of the old wooden box off.
Griffin pulls me into his arms and holds me while I take a deep breath and try to finish. I don't even know why I'm telling him this. I guess it's just good to finally have someone to talk to. My dad's grief is too big, and talking about it hurts him so much, but I need to remember all the good.
“I'll hold you as long as you’ll let me, Honeysuckle. Just finish when you can. I have nowhere else to be,” he whispers into my ear before kissing the top of my head. I bury my face in his chest for a moment, then take a deep breath before continuing.
“When I was little, my mom and dad would bring me out here every weekend. We would spend time under this tree, and my mom would play fairies with me. It was our own little world. We made up rules, dress codes, magic, everything.” I open the box and find the big fairy (mama fairy) dressed in a beautiful pink gown with dirt all over it now and the little fairy (my fairy) in her ripped purple dress with blonde hair and blue eyes.
“We could sit out here all day in our own little world and never get bored.” I keep pulling out little trinkets from the box. A thimble, one of my mom's monogrammed handkerchiefs, a toy mushroom with the red and white design fading, and something else I had no idea was in there. My mother's favorite necklace. My dad bought it for her when they were still kids. It's not worth anything; to anyone else, it would probably look like a piece of junk, but it was one of her most prized possessions. I can't hold in the sob anymore. I cry and cry and cry. Griffin holds me and rocks me the whole time.
“What happened to your mom, baby?” he asks softly. Through my sobs, I'm able to get out how we lost her in a car accident. He doesn't say anything after that. He just holds me, and finally, I stop crying. I try to pull back from him, knowing I probably soaked him with my tears. How embarrassing. Griffin doesn't let me go, though, and I finally have enough strength to ask my own question.
“Why are you here? Comforting me. Especially when you yelled at me in the hall today,” I ask, looking out over the pound. You can't see much with the vines in the way, but they dance along the water, leaving ripples throughout. It's peaceful and perfect.
“I wasn't yelling at you, Honeysuckle. I was trying to get that bitch Sara to leave me alone. It's not working,” he tells me, running his hand through his hair.
“Oh... the way she was hanging all over you, I thought you two were dating,” I say, glad to know that isn't really what was going on. Then I see him wince. Oh shoot, are they dating and just having a fight? Is he going to tell her I was here with him? Like this? No, no, no. She finally just started leaving me be. I can't have her putting a target on my back. Not again. I pull myself away from Griffin's arms and quickly get to my feet.
“I uh, I need to go. My dad is probably worried about me. Plus, I have a lot of chores to do around the farm,” I babble on as I make my way to Sprinkle and hop on. Griffin opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.
“You are more than welcome to come here anytime you need. I'm sorry I bothered you and cried all over you. Have a good day,” I say, nudging Sprinkle in the side, turning her, and racing back toward my house. I hear him yell in the distance, but I don't stop to answer him.
“Why do you keep running from me, Honeysuckle? One day I’ll catch you for good.”
Yeah, he can think that all he wants, but I know better than anyone not to stand in Sara's way. Plus, I don't want to be involved with anyone who has a girlfriend but still flirts with other girls. Maybe that's not what Griffin was doing. Maybe he was just comforting me, but it doesn't matter.
He belongs to someone else. Someone who hates everything about me and won't hesitate to ruin my life… Just like before.
