47 Days Before the First Letter

I awoke in the cabin styled room Casper had first brought me to. This was strange because I clearly remembered falling asleep in the home theatre. I stretched my arms above my head, yawning. Light seeped into the room slowly through the thin curtains as the sun took its place in the sky. The morning was warm and cosy.

A new pink toothbrush caught my attention on top of the bedside table.  Beside it was a warm towel and a note that read "Freshen up. Breakfast is at 8." 

I found Casper in the kitchen shortly after. He was wearing a sweat-soaked, grey tracksuit as he made breakfast. Omelette, I guessed.

He looked at me and my brain became scrambled. The next few words that I blurted out were regretful.

"Did you touch me last night?"

We both stared at each other wide-eyed before he burst out laughing.

"No. Did you want me to?... Did you dream about me doing things..."

Yikes...

"NO! Stop! I didn't mean it like that. It came out wrong... I uh... Home theatre then to the room." I babbled.

"Yes, I carried you. Tucked you in. You don't weigh as much as you look."

"Hey! You calling me fat?!"

"KIDDING. Chill out." He laughed... "But... What if I was."

His evil smirk made me so annoyed I swear.

"I'm not fat, you're a weakling."

"What did you just say to me?" He shot me a glare.

"What... What you heard," I stuttered awkwardly biting down on the sandwich he placed before me.

He smiled and turned back to the stove. "Did you sleep well?" He asked.

"Yeah... I... Well, my brother and I have shifted houses a lot and every time we moved into someplace new, I always had trouble sleeping the first night..."

He switched off the burner and leaned against the counter, listening attentively.

"Yeah so.... That didn't happen here. Maybe I was too tired from the drive. So in short I slept well."

He smiled. Not a smirk but an actual smile.

"Do you have a cat at home?" He asked.

I gave him a confused look.

"No, my brother is allergic to cats. I love cats though. Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, you kept muttering sweet kitty my baby while you slept so I was wondering."

I nearly spat my juice. I gulped hard my throat hurt for a second.

"What are you hiding what was that about? You have to tell me." He nudged his elbow into my sides.

"I'm not telling you."

"Come on tell me."

"No. It's embarrassing."

"Tell me... I won't laugh. If I laugh you can give me a dare or something."

I sighed. His persistence was commendable.

"Well, as a kid.... You're already smiling!"

"Okay sorry, Jesus... I won't see. Serious."

He gave me a straight face.

"As a kid... I was always scared of sleeping alone... So... My grandma gave me a big stuffed toy cat to cuddle..." I looked up at his face and he didn't laugh. Not at all. Just a small smile.

"That's... Adorable."

Thirty minutes later... I found myself standing in front of a huge treehouse near the lake.

"I thought you agreed to take me home?" I whined.

"I will. Just not yet."

He climbed up the rope ladder stairs of the treehouse and prompted me to follow. I did, for reasons unknown.

We sat on the protruding platform that extended off the side. Above us was a massive filter of tiny dark green leaves branching off the mighty oak. Ten feet below us was cool clear water. The golden sun reflected over the glistening fluid surface and the gentle wind pushed slight ripples through the calm lake. The whole scene was spectacular and serene.

I untied my hair and sat hugging my knees, closing my eyes to the wind that swept across my face.

"Derek Woods is my favourite place in the entire world," he whispered.

I didn't know if it was the golden water or the cooling wind or the scene as a whole, but at that moment, Casper's voice couldn't have felt more calming. Still hugging my knees, I turned my face to him as he spoke. His voice was deep and low.

"Ever since I was nine years old, I've come here for my holidays. I wouldn't trade it for the world." He smiled to himself. "Derek Woods gives me the time to be myself, away from... my father."

Silence prevailed. I wanted to know more but it was obvious he was done talking.

We sat there for quite some time, continuing to admire the view without a word spoken amidst us. He stood up to leave and I followed his lead. As I was tying my hair into a bun, he suddenly turned around and pushed me off the damned platform!

I felt a rush of adrenaline possess my body before I splashed into the water. I fought to the surface, desperately gasping for air. I caught my breath and wiped the water off my face when I heard a second massive splash.

"You idiot!" I yelled. "What is wrong with you?!"

He was smiling like a mischievous five-year-old. His grey eyes, sparkling in the sun.

"Oh come on, don't be a spoilsport. Everyone needs a little thrill once in a while." He waded closer to me. "I know you had fun." His face twitched into a smirk. He pushed locks of hair away from my face when I slapped his hands away.

"Your loose screws will get me killed."

"No, it won't. You won't die until I allow you to," he bragged.

We waded out of the water and walked onto the grass.

"Can you take me home now? Please." I begged him.

"Alright."

We followed a trail barely passing ten trees and came up to an open field. At a distance of nearly hundred metres, my house stood in clear view.

Just. Straight. Ahead.

My jaw dropped and Casper's annoying laugh rung through my ears.

"It's just here? My house is just around the corner?! And I've wasted so much time with you because I thought we were a long way off!" I slapped his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I brought you down this same path. It's not my fault if you have a weak memory," he teased.

"I don't have a weak memory. You rushed me through, I didn't pay attention."

"Your fault."

I frowned at him and ran off to my house.

"I'll see you soon...." his voice echoed behind me.

From this direction, my room was easily visible. The front door would have taken longer to reach.

No wonder he climbed up the balcony.

I paced up and quickly pressed the doorbell. Mrs Edmund opened the door to my drenched presence.

"Goodness, you're soaked."

I rushed in. "Yeah, that stupid fellow pushed me into the lake."

She laughed heartily.

I turned back around to her. "I hope you weren't worried. I didn't plan on staying over but then..."

"Casper is a good boy. I wasn't worried as much." She smiled.

I smiled back and ran up the stairs, straight into my bathroom.

I had a cold shower and made sure I wore all my clothes this time. Then I hopped onto my bed with Winter's End. After reading for a while, I placed the book down thinking about everything that had happened.

Casper was intriguing and he sure knew how to make a lasting impression. I wouldn't deny it. I was glad to have met him. And the best part? He was easy to talk to. I did get tongue-tied now and then but it wasn't the same as everyone else. It was because he made my heart race, whatever that meant. And although it wasn't quite like me, I wanted to meet him again.

But I realized this was a bad idea. I barely knew him and I wasn't too keen on appearing desperate so I pushed the thought away.

Night fell quickly and I didn't see Casper again.