The Spy's Inheritance

Chapter Ten: Decisions

The lunch we had was crazy fun. We felt like a true family the boys were battling over left overs and I cleverly waited for them to get distracted by their fight and stole the last sandwich. By the time I was chewing the last bite Jared discovered what was going on. Needless to say I burst into laughter and quickly started tidying up. Everyone was laughing except for Jared who looked like he had been betrayed. I stuck my tongue out at him before disappearing into the house. Before he could do anything rational and child-like my uncle said it was time to go and work again. So without warning the three men left and my aunt and I stood waving goodbye. 

Before I knew it, it was time to sleep but by then my mind had other plans. My decision to run away was slowly crushing me. School starts in a few weeks which leaves me with two options: either enrol in the school here and try to get the same subjects or go home and finish school. As much as I'm dreading it I'm going to have to go back because it wouldn't be sane to change schools in the middle of senior year. 

I fell asleep that night with a heavy heart. I didn't want to leave the only place that reminded me of what a family truly was. 

When I woke up I was in a better mood. Anne would be coming to visit today and we had planned to have a picnic in my secret hideaway. I don't know why I call it that when it was actually our hideaway for the group. I quickly kissed my aunt good morning before I started getting the picnic food ready. My aunt smiled before leaving me to my own thoughts. 

When Anne arrived she squealed with excitement and I joined in hugging her tightly. I had missed the bushy red haired girl with the freckles and green eyes. We were really close before I was so rudely forced to go home and stay there like a prisoner. I immediately jumped the gun. "I'm extremely happy for you and Tom." I say pulling her into another tight hug. She hugs me back before pulling away, a blush making its way to her cheeks. I smile brightly. "I've got the picnic ready if you want to head to the spot." "Can I help you carry something?" I nod and hand her the blanket. I can't help but feel that something is off. 

When we reach the spot I can't take it anymore. "What's on your mind?" "It's nothing, really." "I know you better than that." She sighs, "You aren't into Tom anymore are you?" I choke before I burst into laughter. I quickly compose myself. "I never had a crush on him." "But when we were younger you told me you had a crush on one of the Harris' boys." "And you assumed I meant Tom. I promise you Anne, I didn't like him like that." Realization plays in her eyes. "You liked Jared?!" I look away a blush making its way to my cheeks. I hear Anne laugh and I splash her with the river's water. She shrieks and we start having a water fight. 

 The sun started setting and we saw a Ford coming up the road. I looked at Anne smiling. "Looks like your boyfriend is here to take you home." She shakes her head. "That isn't Tom's Ranger." The Ranger rushes past us not seeing us in the grass. I still next to her. "Are you sure?" "I know his number plates off by heart. And those aren't it." I start walking to my aunt's house irritated and my temper flaring. Anne follows by my side. "You want to go home or sleep over?" "I think I'll sleep over by the look on your face I can tell you'll need it. I'll head inside once we get there to give you privacy." She smiles and I smile back grateful. "I'm sorry it's just the person who drives that van if it is him, brings my blood to a boil." She laughs at me and I look at her confused. "You used to say the same thing about Jared." I stop dead in my tracks. So I felt this way about someone before? How could I have forgotten? 

When we reached the house my aunt was already talking to a guy but I didn't have to see his face to know who he was. His hair gave him away. "Well, well, well if it isn't thee Joshua Flint." I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "Well if it isn't the cold hearted, Christina Johnson." "I'd rather be cold than warm and vulnerable." "Feelings don't make you vulnerable, Chris." "Yeah, right. What are you doing here anyway?" "Your dad thought if I were to come and pick you up, you'd leave." 

"Chris are heading home already?" My aunt asks sadly. I beam a smile at her. "No not yet. Do you mind if I talk to him alone?" My aunt shakes her head and I pull Joshua a few good meters away from the house. "So you're my dad's PA?" "You could say that." "It suits you, you know? Being a madman's Personal Asshole." "I know you're hurting Chris but you need to come back home or are you going to drop out of high school?" "I'll be home before school starts. And since when do you care about my education?" "It's not your education I care about." "Just leave. Tell my dad I'll be home." He grabs my wrist before I can walk past him and I stop dead in my tracks. My gaze turns icy as I look at his hand and then at his eyes. "Remove your hand. I don't have time for a guy acting hot and cold. Either you want me or don't." He drops my arm and storms off to his van. I yank his door open and start the engine. He looks at me angrily before he gets into his van. "I'll pick you up two days before school starts." "Go to hell. I'll get a bus." "Over my dead body." "Sounds tempting." I glare at him and he sighs giving up. He finally pulls out of the driveway. I sit down on to the stairs heavily and sigh. 

I know I was mean but I don't know what to do when I'm around him. I haven't felt warmth since I left my aunt's farm so long ago until he walked into that classroom. The only way I could protect myself from the people in my school was to let go of the warmth and to put up an icy front. I failed at protecting myself from Joshua and now I was falling hard... 

I sat there for a while until I hear footsteps. I look up as my aunt and Anne sit down. One on either side of me pulling me into a group hug. "So? What is the verdict?" "I have to go home but I said I'd go back a day before school starts." "That's two weeks from now." Anne says quietly and I nod tears suddenly threatening to escape. "No, there's no time for that, Crissy. Let's go to town and stock up on water balloons so that we can prank the boys tomorrow." "Aunt Izzy, do you still have the water-guns?" "You know I do." We quickly stand up and grab the keys. "We'll drive down to the boys first to let them know we're heading to town." My aunt says. Anne and I jump onto the back of the van. Holding onto the rail by the roof so that the wind doesn't pull us off. My aunt starts the van and then we're off to the lands where the boys are busy. 

Tom wolf whistles and Anne turns bright red before blowing him a kiss which makes Tom blush beet red. I laugh shaking my head. They truly were meant for each other. Tom walks over and casually picks her up off the van. Anne smiles pulling him into a kiss and I look away a sudden throb in my chest. Jared walks to my side of the van. "Hey, Christina." "Oh, hey Jared." I say casually hoping I hid my emotions fast enough. We fall into an awkward silence before my aunt grabs our attention. "So, you heading to town on the back or in the cab?" I smile brightly. "I suppose I should've guessed." My aunt says laughing before getting into the van. Anne joining her. "You need some company?" Jared asks. "When you put that way, I'm probably gonna need a strong arm to hold onto me so that the wind doesn't blow me away." I say sticking my tongue out at him. He smiles. "Sorry forgot I'm dealing with an independent woman." He bursts into laughter as I blush remembering the silly fight we had gotten into the time he had tried to help me get on to the van.

Before I can say anything back my aunt starts driving. I turn around to face Jared and he waves goodbye with a bright smile on his face. I smile back sweetly allowing my smile to show a promise. A promise for payback and tomorrow he'd get it...