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Post by Thursday on May 23, 2006 21:29:04 GMT -5
I smiled. "I wonder who it's for?" asked Anna. "Who knows," I said." But it makes me feel good even though it's not for me." At the time I didn't think much of it, just a smile in my day. I figured it would be a one time thing but over the next few weeks the signs kept popping up everywhere. This was a small town and all the kids who lived in the neighborhood saw them and were often talked about. It made me grin thinking about the person who was causing such a commotion. Since they were posted on a stop sign they were always tore down within hours. Either the neighborhood patrol or people who it pissed off. People who were cynics and didn't believe that such romance still existed. But they always made me smile and sometimes I would just walk to the end of my street and stare at them. The messy,slanted, handwriting and hasty tape job. They always said something encouraging like I love you! Or you're beautiful. A few got a bit deeper though. Carrying some hidden message meant for the true recipet. The one one I often recalled said, Your world is out of control I know. But I'll here to help you through. I love you and I hope you love me. These were the kind that struck a chord with me. The word hope often appeared though I knew it couldn't mean me but some of the messages sounded so like my life I raised an eyebrow. They made me think of Quinn.
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Post by Thursday on May 23, 2006 21:35:16 GMT -5
The week after the dance I avoided Quinn. I had gotten so much crap from Anna and Madsion and Macy about not going to the dance I knew Quinn would say something worse. He tried to talk to me but I didn't return his messages and I had no classes with him at school. I wasn't too concerned about. My attention was on another man. My dad.
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Post by Thursday on May 24, 2006 7:30:57 GMT -5
His and Elise's relationship seemed to be growing everyday. She was at our house for dinner or we went to her restaurant. My dad was estatic. I'd never exactly told him I wasn't thrilled about it so he thought I was okay with it. But I wasn't. Not even a little bit. I'd see him talking, holding hands with her. I remembered a time not so long ago when we had done those things with Mom. One day I remember they were planning on going on a trip to the coast. Dad had just finished packing when the phone rang. He picked it up and asked," Hello? Oh, hey sweetie." I groaned inwardly. It was Elise. "Oh that's terrible. Well we could...I know Hope! She can do it! Okay I'll see you in a few." "What's going on dad?" I asked. "Well Elise's sitter fell through." "She has kids!" He looked uncomfortable. "Well... yes. She has twin girls." "How old?" "4" "So what? I'm babysitting?" "If you don't mind. Elise says she'll pay you." "It's fine. For the whole weekend?" "Yes," He said smiling and then he came over and gave me a big hug. "I love you sweetie. Thank you so much!"
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Post by Thursday on May 25, 2006 21:03:19 GMT -5
I tried to stay positive as my dad ranted about how much fun it was going to be to watch the twins. It wasn't long before Elise arrived. Both hands behind her back. "Hey guys. Kids come here," she said yanking on her hands. Two little girls stepped forward. Besides their clothes they were exactly alike. Both had long dark brown hair and blue eyes. "Hope, this is Alexis," she said nodding towards the left twin." And Alexandra," pointing to the right twin. "Hi," I said kneeling down to their height. "Mommy!" whined Alexis or was it Alexandra. I was already confusing them. "I wanna bake cookies!!!" "And I want to play wit my dollie!" said the other. "Girls... this is Hope. She'll do all those things with you. Now Robert and I have to go." "No mommy! Stay! Stay!" When Elise finally pried her hands away from the twins, she and my father exited quickly but not before Elise came and stood beside me and squeezed my shoulder. "Thank you so much Hope." "No problem," I muttered. After I shut the door I turned around to face the girls. "So what do you guys want to do?" "Cookies!" "Dollies!" They screamed at each other and then started pulling each other's hair. It was going to be a long weekend.
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Post by Thursday on May 29, 2006 0:05:03 GMT -5
As the next few hours wore on, I could see I wasn't going to sleep that night. Even if Alexis and Alexandra(I've just started calling them both Alex. They don't seem to mind.) do settle down I have a mess the size of Alaska to clean up. First we had to play dolls but Alexandra didn't like that very much so she put Alexis' doll in the microwave until we could bake cookies. Which we started to until they both hijacked allthe flour and started World War 3 with it.
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Post by Thursday on May 29, 2006 0:22:39 GMT -5
By 9 o'clock that night I was exhausted. I was slumped against the kitchen counter up to my ankles in flour and sugar and god knows what else. The girls hasd wandered upstairs and I think were having a grand old time trying on the entire contents of my wardrobe.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 4, 2006 20:59:36 GMT -5
I was trying to ignore the strange thumping noises coming from up stairs when I heard the beep of our security system and an oddly familiar voice call," Hello?"
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Post by Thursday on Jun 4, 2006 21:20:37 GMT -5
I stood up quickly and glanced at my reflection in the window. God, I was a mess. My hair was wild and mussed and my face and apron sported enough flour to bake 5 cakes. I was doing my best to clean up when he walked into the kitchen. A huge grin settled over his face. "Don't you even dare," I said to Quinn. "And have you ever heard of a doorbell? What if I met you at the door with a shot gun?" Quinn grinned even bigger it seemed. "Hey, I was invited. Your dad called me. He was worried when he couldn't get a hold of you." "Oh, I was probably busy chasing down two little demons." "Oh?" "Yeah, I got stuck babysitting." "Whose kids?" "Elise's" Quinn looked puzzled. "My dad's new girlfriend," I clarified. "Crap, Hope. Why didn't you tell me?" "It's okay. He's so happy I can't make myself do anything about it." "But if it bothers you, you should tell him." "I really don't know how I feel about it yet. If she's anything like her kids though," I said glancing up," The old man better watch himself." Quinn laughed. "Would you like some help?" I sighed with relief. "That'd be great."
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Post by Thursday on Jun 15, 2006 22:30:29 GMT -5
Together we cleaned up the giant mess the twins had made and restored order to the kitchen. "Okay," I said as I untied my flour stained apron. "Are you ready for this?" "Ready for what?" Quinn asked suspiciously. "To face two little monsters."
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Post by Thursday on Jun 15, 2006 22:37:18 GMT -5
We walked up the stairs following a train of clothes, my clothes I might add to my room. "On three," Quinn said with mock seriousness. "One, two, three!" The door flung open to reveal Alexis and Alexandra passed out on my bed. "They look like angels when they're sleeping," I say walking over to them. "Angels with dirty faces," Quinn mused. I picked up a few of my shirts, all covered in flour and tossed them in the laundry basket. "Do think this makes me look fat?" I hear Quinn ask. I turn around to find his holding one of my bras up to his chest. "Give me that!" I hiss snatching it from his hands. Quinn is shaking from laughing so hard. I stomp on his foot and he composes himself. "I couldn't resist," Quinn says by way of apology. "Well it did look cute on you," I say picking up more clothes and folding them. "Didn't it?" he says in a high squeaky falsetto, trying to sound like a girl. "Shhh! You'll wake them up!"I whisper laughing.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 22, 2006 17:07:42 GMT -5
We finish picking up my clothes and walk out to the balcony. I take a deep breath, breathing in the fresh night air. All around us the street lamps cast a soft glow on the quiet street. "Thanks for all the help Quinn," I say turning to him. "No problem. I miss you Hope. i feel like I haven't seen you in forever." he says. In the dim light his expression is hard to read. "Yeah, sorry about that. I figured you were kind of mad at me for the whole dance thing," I say leaning against the railing and looking down. "To be honest? I was a little," Quinn says and comes to stand beside me. "I'm sorry-" "It's really okay," he says turning to me and smiling. I smile back and don't turn away. A piece of my hair blows loose from my ponytail and flutters around my face. Before I have a chance to move it my self Quinn pushes it back, his hand grazing my cheek, giving me chills everywhere.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 22, 2006 17:20:35 GMT -5
I feel like I did that day at the Dairy Queen. Like Quinn is about to kiss me and oh how I want him to! I'd never felt like this before. Our eyes are locked and we're standing close together. Quinn gently places his hand on mine and then, then one of the girls starts crying loudly and saying my name. "I'd better- better go check on them," I say turning away from Quinn. "Yeah, let's go," Quinn agrees. We walk back inside where Alexis and Alexandra are both sitting up in my bed. "Hope!" they exclaim at the same time when we walk in. I walk over to them and promptly fall over as they both throw their arms around my neck. Behind me I hear Quinn laugh. "Where were you? When's mommy going to be back? Whose that boy? Is he your boyfriend?" they say all at once. "Okay okay okay!" I say. They both quiet down. "It's alright. You girls just go back to bed." I say tucking them back in. "Good night girls," I say as I turn out the light. "Nitey nite Hope and Hope's boyfirend!" Quinn and I walk out. "Sorry about them," I say as we head downstairs. "They're cute," he says grinning.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 26, 2006 22:59:09 GMT -5
"I know it's late," I start to say. "But do you want to watch a movie or something?"I ask. Quinn smiles at me. "Sure." Quinn picks the movie while I make some popcorn and a find an old quilt from the hall closet. I walk back out into the living room and Quinn already sitting on the couch, the lights out and the movie menu lighting up the room. I stare at him doubtfully over the movie choice. It's an romance war movie. "I thought you didn't like chick flicks?" I ask as I settle down beside him. Close but not too close. "This is no ordinary chick flick Hope," he says as he grabs a handful of popcorn. I spread the quilt out over my lap and Quinn pulls some over his and we watch the movie. Together. Just like that. And halfway through when rest my head on his shoulder, he doesn't push me away but put his arm around my shoulders and pull me closer.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 26, 2006 23:08:13 GMT -5
I wake the next morning to the rays of the early sun streaming across my face. And Quinn's. We must have fallen asleep during the movie. Now I was tangled up in the quilt and his arms. I don't move right away. Just lay there against Quinn's chest listening to him breath. It felt so right. I felt like I'd finally just given in about my feelings for him. I'd stop trying to ignore them and push away deep inside of me. For one moment I was just enjoying his arms around me not thinking about anything other than him.
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Post by Thursday on Jun 27, 2006 1:35:16 GMT -5
I must have fallen asleep again because when I wake up Quinn is gone and I'm tucked neatly in the quilt. I sigh and roll over on my side and spy a note sitting on the coffee table underneath a bagel. Sorry, family crisis. Call you later. love, Quinn. I sigh. Of course. He didn't mention anything about last night..well what was there to tell? I flopped back on the couch cushions. Only that I think I'm in love with you! Crap. What was I going to do? Suddenly it came to me. I needed to talk to Macy.
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