Willis looked at the pretty little quaint house gauging and sizing it up as one would the enemy on a battlefront. He felt like he was about to slay the dragon and rescue the princess locked up in the highest tower. Only, the dragon he had to slay was crossing the street and ringing the pretty little doorbell. Besides, he was pretty sure the princess in the tower wouldn't be too pleased to see him after what had happened the previous night. In fact, she would be furious.
What are you doing here Willis?
He asked himself for the umpteenth time, scratching his head in frustration and eyeing the house warily. The events o
Him.It was him.It was Willis Reeler.Willis Reeler was in her home.Willis Reeler was in her backyard!And he was... Staring at her hair?
He had asked her mother's permission. Leigh told herself she did not want to be impressed by his good mannerisms but the truth was, she actually was impressed. He had told her mother that he was taking her on long overdue tour of the town and would have her back by nightfall.They were now speeding along the local expressways to where Willis had earlier termed 'The Wonder of Wild Oaks' when she had asked him where they were going first and had said nothing else on that or any other matter ever since.Fifteen minutes passed and the only sound was the wind rushing through the rolled down windows carrying the heady scent of earth and oak.Was he really not going to say anything? She stole a quick glance at him. He seemed relaxed and concentrated on driving. Perhaps too concentrated. Was he ignoring her? After practically dragging her out of her house? No way. Desperately, she raked her brain for anything that could serve as a conversation and would not really seem
"How can anyone be so cruel?" Leigh cried. "They murdered her!" She continued in the same high pitched, half sob she had adopted for the past five minutes since the waiter had served their meal. He had suggested they had lunch at a great sea food place close to the aquarium where he had been willing to swear the food was absolutely divine. The thought of bringing her there had even excited him to the point that he had ordered the house's best. As it would turn out, the house's best had also been Leigh's best, only she liked it a whole lot more out of the plate and very alive. She had been visibly shocked when she was served on a more or less silver platter. He had had to actually beg her not to go after the waiter in annoyance-- hell, it was a restaurant that sold seafood what had she been expecting? Sea weed and salt water?-- either way, she was now half crying- half lamenting on the elaborate dish spread out in front of her while he could not wait to dig in. He had not even known
"There she is!" The first girl whispered to the giggling red head who would be her gist partner...or minion. Depending on what grade of 'bitch' she was."She is so shameless! Spineless slut!" The giggling minion spewed out in disgust, agreeing with her bitch mistress."How could she even dare!""She
The next day, Leigh didn't see Willis in school neither could she get through to his phone. She had expected him the previous day till he had called to apologise and told her that something urgent had come up and he would not be able to make it. Asides from not being able to get through to Willis, she had no further encounters or bullying. It was like the entire school went back to ignoring her or maybe it was Carol's presence that intimidated them. Her friend had taken to following her whenever she went. Even to the restroom and Leigh could only say she was grateful for it. She had told her mom that she tripped and fell down the school staircase not wanting to get her mom all worried. Though her mom had not totally bought the lie, she eventually let it go and had silently tended to Leigh's wound instead. Her body still ached
Willis stumbled into the apartment with only few minutes to spare for anything other than a quick shower and sandwich. He had been gone for a day. One full hellish day where his parents had forced him to come with them to the house for a Sit-down. They had to them, talked sense into him. Told him that he was already a man and it was about time he stopped pulling stunts and faced the reality of life. In their words he was 'no longer a child and was a man'. His father had especially told him that the unmerited freedom he had was what led him to act out like a petulant, rebelling teenager.
Seconds turned into minutes as they stood in each other's embrace, each engulfed in the other that they lost sense of time and everything else. "You might want to sit down for this," Willis said, finally pulling away. His eyes looked sad. Leigh mused. So so sad, she had the sudden urge to fight all his battles and carry his burden with him. Instead, she simply sighed and plopped down on the nearest chair. He paced. That said a lot of things about how disturbing the events he turned over in his mi
"Mom!" Leigh yelled at the top of her lungs. "You forgot the carrots again!""What?" Samantha, buried under a pile of ingredients, sauce and kitchen equipment, gasped and hurriedly tossed the carrots to her daughter. Her auburn hair stuck out under her cap at different ends, each strand coloured or covered by spices, flour and something sticky she suspected was more than just butter."Why did you have to say we would cook?" Samantha wanted to know, she was way over herself trying to get the stuffing INTO the turkey and not spilling out of it. Now, the third turkey went into the