Summerfield (3 page)

grin before exiting the kitchen.
She and I were most definitely going to have to have a talk later on.
Chapter Three
When I was thirteen I decided I needed a guitar. I was going to learn to play and become famous for it, obviously. But as I sat in the horse stable, trying to strum along to the Youtube video playing on my phone I realized what a stupid idea that had been for the thirteen year old version of myself. As it turned out, I had no talent. I’ve hardly learned anything in the four years that I’ve had the guitar.
"I like it." Said a smooth and gentle male voice from behind me.
I turned quickly to see a smiling Ben leaning against the door to a horse pen.
Maybe it was a bad idea trying to practice in a horse stable.
"How long have you been there?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Not long. You ready for that drive now or you want to go later?"
"Yeah, I'm ready." I sat my guitar back in its case, grabbing it and the
two of us made our way to my dad's old truck. "We're taking this?" I
asked, my jaw dropped a bit as I ran a hand over the rusty green paint
on the passenger door. I hadn't been in this thing in so long. I was
sure it'd be all dust by now.
"Yeah, of course. You don't know how to drive. I'm not letting you
touch my truck." He spoke seriously, but I could see the amusement in
his eyes at his own teasing.
"This is payback for those stupid baseball cards, isn't it?" I asked as
he climbed into the driver’s seat.
"Yes, now get in." He instructed over the roar of the engine being
brought back from the dead. This truck probably hadn't been driven for
years.
I climbed in slowly, as if afraid that at any moment it might swallow
me like a big green monster it looked and sounded like. Maybe that was
an overreaction. "Are you sure this things okay to drive?" I asked,
unsure.
He looked over and gave me a reassuring smile, trying to calm my
nerves about the rusty old truck. "It's perfectly safe. I wouldn't
even allow you in the truck if it weren't."
"Okay, I trust you." I murmured as Ben began backing out of the spot
it had been parked for so long. The engine roared even louder. Let's
just say, it was going to be a bumpy ride. "I guess."
I heard him chuckle, reaching over and taking my hand away from the
seatbelt that I had been clinging to since we had begun driving. I
instantly relaxed at his touch and had to refrain from shivering at
the minor contact. I blushed, hoping he hadn't noticed.
"Belle, it's okay. It's not going to come alive and eat you." He said
mockingly.
I glared at the blue eyed boy. "You can't possibly know that for certain."
He chuckled and our conversation soon became casual and relaxing. I
was very surprised by how easy it was to talk to him. Usually I wasn't
always very comfortable with strangers, but I don't know. I felt safe
with Ben, like I could trust him.
"Okay, we're here." He announced proudly, probably glad that the truck
hadn't died so that he could rub it in that he was right. He turned
off the engine and I could see that he was looking at me from the
corner of my eyes. I was a little too caught up in the fact that we
were in the middle of some unknown field that I had never been in
before.
"Where exactly is here?" I questioned, the fact that I was anxious was
evident in my voice.
"Well...I'm not exactly sure."
"Oh, God." I muttered to myself, my heart beginning to beat a little
faster. "This is how all those really awful horror movies start. A
girl alone with a boy she barely knows in an empty field, neither of
them knowing where they are and an evil green truck." I was only a
little aware by how incredibly dumb I sounded when I turned to Ben, a
fearful expression on my face. "I don't want to die Ben! I never even
learned to play the guitar!”
Ben sat next to me, a hand over his mouth trying to hide his laughter
and entertainment by my panicking. "Belle, would you relax?" He
chuckled. "I know where we are. I just don't know the name or
anything. This is where my dad taught me to drive."
I took a couple deep breathes and began to relax a bit. "So...we
aren't going to die?"
"Not unless you crash us." He remarked, handing me the keys to the
truck. "It's your turn."
Yeah, that made me feel so incredibly better.
I moved over to the driver’s seat, taking a breath to calm the last of
my nerves. I had only driven a couple of times before, but I was sure
I could remember the basics. Well, we could only hope anyways.
"So, um...one question." I said. "Which pedal down there makes the truck go?"
His eyes widened a bit, looking a bit alarmed for the first time.
I giggled to myself. "Just kidding."
He let out a breath, leaning back in the seat and making sure he had
his seatbelt buckled.
"You okay?" I asked, noticing that his expression was now looking a
little like mine had before.
"Yup, yup." He nodded, then glanced at me. "Have you ever driven?"
"A couple of times."
He seemed to calm a little at this as he leaned a little more
comfortably into the seat. "Okay, go for it."
I turned the key in the ignition, bringing it to life once again. I
slowly switched to drive, pressing the gas petal lightly. Well, I
thought it was lightly but apparently the truck disagreed. It jolted
forward, startling me and Ben both.
"Ease up on the gas." He instructed.
I did as told and lifted slightly off the petal, keeping both hands on
the steering wheel to guide the truck.
"Okay," Ben nodded, sounding more relaxed. "Now keep the truck along
the tracks there and watch your speed. It's an old truck so don't push
it."
I simply nodded, my hands gripping the steering wheel to keep it along
the tracks that were formed through the field. "So...” I began to ask
after a while of doing this. "Is this about it?"
"You’ve' got a turn up ahead. Don't jerk the steering wheel though;
just lightly turn it to the right when the tracks turn right."
Soon we came to the turn and I made it with ease, smiling in pleasure.
"Ha, I did it."
"Yeah, you did." He grinned, locking my gaze for just a second before
I turned back to the tracks that substituted for the road.
We drove around the field for about thirty minutes before we decided
it was about time to go home. First though, we decided to park for a
while and climb onto the bed of the truck and just hang out. It was
nice and peaceful outside. It was a beautiful day. I had very much
missed the sun. I didn't get very much of it after being locked up in
prison-I mean, school, for so long.
I smiled in delight as I leaned my head back, enjoying the weather for
the first time in quite a while. "I forgot how nice it was here. Good
weather, open fields. It's actually really pretty."
He smiled, shaking his head as he sat on the other side of the back of
the truck, just looking out at the golden field, the sun beating down
giving it a certain glow. "You just realized that? You've lived here
your entire life."
"Not the past year." I commented, surprised by how easy I could say it
without having any kind of grudge behind it. Now that I was here
again, I didn't want to think about Lavance.
"So you prefer it here in Summerfield, Ohio instead of your school?"
He asked, gazing at me.
I shrugged, closing my eyes only to feel the sun's warmth.
"Summerfield may be boring, but it's...home." I finished, smiling his
way even though my eyes were still closed.
"Yeah. Where is your school anyways?"
I snickered a bit at the question. "Fossil, Oregon. Which describes
the mood of my school just perfectly."
"Why is it that your dad sent you to boarding school anyways?"
I shrugged. I had asked many times before I left just why he was
sending me away, but I never got a straight answer. "He never really
told me. He just said it was best, but it was only what was
best for him. After my mom died he just couldn't quite handle it. I
don't know." I sighed, looking up at the blue clear skies and smiling.
"I guess it doesn't matter. I met the greatest best friend I could
have asked for while I was there, so I guess it was worth it."
Ben nodded before his ringtone of an unfamiliar song began playing against the silent
bliss the field held. "That's my Dad. Hang on a sec." He excused,
answering his cell. "Hello?- Hey Dad-No, I'm kind of hanging out with
Belle-Yeah, Darren’s daughter." He paused, giving me a glance. "Hang
on," He told his dad before putting down the phone for a moment. “My dad wants to say hi.”

I motioned for him to give me the phone, answering with a cheerful, "Hello?"
"Well," Muttered Joe Stanley through the other line. "I haven't
heard your voice in forever Mara Belle."
I refused to let the name slip bug me. I guess Dad wasn't the only one
who still called me Mara Belle. "Yeah, haven't seen you since I was
about five, I think. How are you?"
"Oh, I'm just fine, sweetheart." I smiled subconsciously. I forgot how
much I had always loved Joe. He was one of my favorite people when I
was younger because he was just so friendly and energetic. Plus, he
was my Godfather. I had been awfully upset when I heard they were
moving away, but I was happy that they were back now. Especially Ben.
"How about you? How are you holding up with your old man?"
I laughed a bit. "I'm keeping him in order I guess. You know, it'd be
awesome if you, Cynthia, and Ben came over for dinner Friday night. I
know Dad would love to have you guys over and I'd love to see you." I
offered.
"That sounds great sweetie. Tell your dad he's got a couple hell
raisers on his hand for Friday night."
I laughed with Joe. "Will do. It was nice talking to you."
"You too, Hun."
"Here's Ben." I turned the phone back over to his son so that they
could finish their conversation as I lay back in the bed of the truck,
starring at the sky again. For the first time in such a long while...I
felt happy, peaceful, and blissful even. Today had been one of the
best I'd had in quite a while.
Ben hung up the phone and lay down next to me, starring at the sky
himself. "My dad just asked me if I was on a date with you."
I just gazed at him a minute before breaking into a fit of laughter. I
didn't know just why I found it so humorous, maybe because throughout
the day I had actually hoped that was the case. "Well, just imagine
what my dad will think."
He slowly turned his head to stare at me with wide eyes. "What?"
Another fit of giggles irrupted from my lips. "Just joking. If my dad
thought I was dating you he'd probably send me to a year round all
girls’ school."
"That or he'd fire me."
I shook my head. "Nah, he wouldn't. He respects Joe too much. Besides,
we have nothing to even worry about. We're friends, right?"
He smiled. "Of course."
"Cool, now it's probably time to get back. My dad may have a hissy fit
if we're too late."
"Good idea. We can come out another time and I can teach you more
stuff." He said, jumping from the back of the truck, offering a hand
to help me.
I felt shivers running though my body, spiraling down my spine. I'd
have to learn to get a grip on that. "Thanks." I muttered as I landed,
both feet securely on the ground.
We climbed back into the truck, this time Ben was in the driver’s seat
as he once again tried to roar the truck to life. But unlike the last
two times we had started it, it did nothing. It made a low rumble but
didn't start. Ben tried it again and instead of a low rumble all we
got was white smoke from under the hood.
Of course I, being me, went in to full panic mode. “Um! I
think the trucks on fire Ben!"
Ben seemed amused by my worry and simply chuckled as he got out of the
truck and lifted the hood. I saw more smoke rumble out.
"Are you dead?" I called out my window. The only response I got from
him was laughter. "This is no time to be making fun of me!"
More laughter.
"Relax, Belle. I swear, you're going to give yourself a stroke. It's
fine, just a small engine problem." He explained, opening his door
again and grabbing a wrench, then quickly going back to look at the
engine.
"Is it going to blow up or something? Because a girl likes a little
warning before she's killed."
Ben was suddenly at my window, a grin on his face. "I have a feeling
this summer is going to be quite a bit more entertaining with you here."
"What's that mean?" I asked, opening the truck door. I didn't feel safe anymore.
"Nothing." He shrugged. "You just...amuse me."
I put a hand on my hip as I stared him down as he continued to work on
the engine. "Was that meant to be insulting?"
He shook his head, chuckling. "No." He denied as he used the wrench to
tighten a thingy-mcbob on the truck. Okay, so you could say that I
wasn't exactly mechanic suave.
"So is the old senior here going make it home or do I need to call my dad?"
He shook his head, glancing at me for a second. "No, I've got it. Try
getting the truck started for me."
I nodded, climbing into the driver's seat and turning the key in the
ignition. "Hey, I didn't explode." I announced proudly. "I'm quite
pleased with that."
Ben closed the hood and returned to the window, opening the door. "I
think it just needs some wires tightened, but it'll be fine to get back to the
farm."
"Okey dokey." I smiled, pleased with my non-death as I jumped out of
the truck and practically skipped over to the passenger side.
"You know," He said, looking at me from over the top of the truck.
"You're kind of an odd girl."
I simply shrugged and grinned. "Trust me, I'm going to be your
favorite part of this summer. Odd personality and all."
---
I stared down at my plate of food during dinner, glancing towards my
Aunt and my dad every once in a while. It wasn't necessarily an
awkward silence, it was just that I wasn't use to quite dinners. When
you eat every meal with about a hundred girls all around you, you get
use to the noise.
"So Dad," I began, breaking the silence and earning his attention. "I
talked to Joe Stanley today."
He seemed a bit surprised by the news. "You saw him?"
I shook my head, taking a bite of the fish that Aunt Ella had made for
dinner. "No, he called Ben while we were hanging out and so I talked
to him for a bit."
"Well, that's good. He's been asking about his favorite Goddaughter."
"Aren't I his only?"
Dad nodding, smiling. "Sure are. That's why you're so special."
I laughed a bit, which seemed to only make my dad smile a bit more.
"Well, I hope it’s okay but I kind of invited the Stanley's over for
Friday night to dinner. Is that alright?" I asked, hoping it
would be. I knew my dad loved the Stanley's, but I didn't want to push
him.
Dad grinned and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Of course. It'd be nice
to have everyone together. It was nice of you to invite them."
"Yeah, it's just been so long since I've seen them that I thought it'd
be a good idea. Sorry for not asking you first."
Dad simply waved it away, no signs of anger were apparent. "It's
perfectly fine. I'm looking forward to it."
"Good. Um...I thought I'd help with dinner and things so that
Ella didn't have to do all the work."
"Thanks, Hun." Aunt Ella smiled kindly. "That's sounds great."
"Yeah, and you could even invite your boyfriend." I mentioned
casually, smirking as I looked down at my plate.