Dark Side of the Moon

Carlisle. Population maybe 5,000 but I doubt it. If you want to do somethin you go elsewhere. Literally here is only one little "country store" in out town and that's it. There's not a hotel or anything so unless you're staying with family, you're staying in Concord. There's not really anything to see if you're not staying with family anyway so it doesn't really pose much of a problem. We also dont get many strangers. You can't walk into the little country store, Ferns, without at least recognizing three people and saying hi. Also, as middle schoolers when we "dated" or went on "dates", that's really the only place we could go. Not that it was really dating, obviously we were 8th graders so absolutely nothing happened other making things incredibly awkward and pissing off out parents.
So when a dark SUV rolled slowly past as my best friend Nicki and I were sipping our hot cocoa before speeding down Concord road to the high school, we both practically did spit takes.
"Holy crap! Did you see that? There's a dark SUV in town, someone alert officer Scott," Nicki said with a huge grin. This town was wealthy, wealthy enough to give each kid in our elementary/middle school (which are on the same campus) their own MacBook for free. Nicki and I both lived in the only middle-class neighborhood in town, so we liked to make fun of our friends with their huge houses. Officer Scott was our D.A.R.E. officer in 5th grade and we disliked him because we had a lemonade stand once and he drove right by us on his motorcycle. We were yelling our heads off at him and decided to become rebels after that. It didn't really get too far before we discovered our lack of badass-ness.
"Okay, Nick, what say you that since we're no longer legally obliged to attend school, we exercise our rights." I mirrored her expression. "Quick, pass me my keys," I hissed as I scooped up the navy Jansport backpack next to my chair and tugged my unwilling strawberry blonde hair into a comfortable ponytail. I bounced to the miniature parking lot outside Ferns and ran around to the drivers side of Rosie, the little red Volvo who was almost older than I was and was definately as old as my little brother Gunther, prying it open. My sweet car was not in the best shape but she got me around. Nicki hopped in the passenger seat and tossed me the keys. In one fluid movement I jammed the key into ignition, started the car, and shifted gears. I put my right hand on Nicki's headrest and cranes my neck as far as it would go. I slowly backed out and then in another gracful maneuver got my wheels on the road.
"Did you see which way it went?" I huffed excitedly at Nicki. It was early March, which in Massachusetts means you're still in those bitter cold months of winter. Nicki and I were both saving up to get butt-warmers installed in this car.
"I thought I saw them head towards Kimball's," Nicki said. She tuned the radio to some station with rock music on and bobbed her head. I rolled my eyes and couldn't supress a giggle.
"God, you are so your mother's child. Do you think we can catch up to them? I think they might be headed for Foss Farm." We passed the sleepy little ice cream spot that had been closed for winter. Kimball's is the only other place in town where kids hung out, but most years it's only open through late April or early May throughout October. But sometime in November they set up a home-made ice rink, made of wood and plastic and water from a garden hose. It always gets cold enough to skate so it's a free way to have fun. If I wasn't staring off into space I wouldn't have noticed the dark navy blue truck parked in the little rest stop a few feet ahead, on the other side of the road. I cursed and tried to slam the brake and do a turn signal at the same time. I ended up swerving and looking like an idiot. Nicki did her silent laugh that always pissed me off or made me laugh too but I just smacked her knee as she doubled over in hysterical laughter. I managed to turn into the rest stop without killing anyone. Unfortunately the people in the SUv apparently noticed my epic failure and were opening their doors to step out. While Nicki tried to get a hold of herself I smacked her again and got out of the car with my dark grey parka snuggled tight around my body. I thought I noticed some sort of red stain on the side but it was probably just dirt or clay, which we have a lot of up here in the freezing swamp that is Massachusetts. A gorgeous young guy came to meet me. He was buff, with short dark hair and some of the prettiest eye I'd ever seen.
"Hi! You looked like you needed help, so I figured I just stop and say hello or whatever. I'm Lindsey and thats my friend Nicki in the car. You lost?" I added a smile. I tried to pretend I wasn't noticing how hot he was and looked him straight in the eye. He stood nearly a whole head taller than me, though I was by no means short at 5'10. He offered his hand in greeting. I took it gratefully, still smiling.
"I'm Tyler. I'm looking for a place called Great Brook Farm, here on a camping trip. Could you point me in the right direction?" He seemed forcedly polite, like he was only talking to me because he didn't want me to be embarrassed or something. Ha, me embarrassed. Its like he's known me my whole existance.
"Yeah, sure. You go back towards the center of town and then you just take the exit for Lowell road in the rotary. Follow Lowell Road for a little ways and eventually you'll see a sign that says 'Great Brook Farm' that has a cow and an ice cream cone on it, should be on the right. Though you'll have to be careful, I heard some wolves recently moved in the area. And there's always bears but you look like an experienced camper so you probably already knew that. Well, I guess you should be on your way. Actually, do you want me to like, lead you there? I've lived here most of my life so I could practically draw a map for you," I said quickly. God, why do I always ramble when I get all hyped up? Nicki was probably having an aneurism in the car laughing so hard.
"Actually yeah, that'd be great. I'm a horrible navigator, so I'll need all the help I can get," he chuckled. He gave me a slight smile and I turned so he couldn't see my starstruck expression. God I'm a bumbling idiot, blushing at a perfect stranger. But Nicki saw and she was having a real hoot over there.
"Sounds great," I called behind me. Nicki had finally changed the radio to something good before I decided to just turn it off. "He's going to follow us to Great Brook Farm," I explained. Nicki nodded with a smug expression. "You are going to shut up right now before I set Keagan loose on the rats when we get home." Keagan was one of Nicki's cats. Nicki's mom was a vet so they had 3 cats, Keagan Max and Sneakers, 2 dogs, Annie and Otis, 2 (domesticated) rats, Peanut and Tinker Belle, and 4 massive goldfish, Mort Fishy Joey and Hamilton. I named Hamilton myself. Nicki's parents are divorced, so she has an additional dog, Saluda, and 2 cats, Sable and Princess Sammy. Her dad lives over in Chelmsford so she switches back and forth every other week. She has two brothers, one is her twin Cam and the other is older and in college named Cody. So anyways; Great Brook Farm.
It took less than two seconds to get there. But this time I made Nicki get out of the car to talk with me. Moral support, so to speak. "Hey, glad you found it. I don't want to intrude or anything but do you want any help setting up? Oh, sorry this is my friend Nicki," I said pulling Nicki forward. She did a little wave and rubbed her bare hands together then stuffed hem back in her pockets.
Tyler glanced back at his truck hesitantly. "No thanks, I've got it," he said. I faked a wry smile and nod before he touched my forearm lightly. "But hey, maybe you can give me the grand tour sometime later, yeah?" I reminded myself that I was a big strong woman and not the same 13-year-old nerdtastic girl who watched vampires versus werewolves flix in her basement. I beamed with genuine confidence.
"Do you have a pen?" He looked confused. Nicki, the ever present martyr produced a sharpie. I reached for his hand. Before I could grab it he snatched the sharpie from me and tugged on my hand. "Hey!" I squeaked in protest.
I didn't snatch my hand back though I wanted to. His skin was especially warm, plus the fact that I am totally all 13-year-old girl inside, mine was practically singed. He had scribbled a phone number into the palm of my left hand, all ten digits with a (703) area code. "Text me later," he said quickly.
"Wait, so your from Virginia? Your license plate says Florida." He stopped, startled again. In an instant he was inches from my face, and Nicki took a surprised step back. "How'd you know that?" His eyes had completely changed. Once dormant and sweet, they were aflame with a deep forest-y green. Actually I thought of the forest staring at them.
"I-I-My parents-We-We lived in Northern Virginia a while ago and thats where our cell service has my parents cell numbers registered so they-they have a 703 area code at the beginning of their phone numbers. Why are you angry?" I stuttered but towards the end I realized he was a little afraid. He was worried about something. Maybe he ran away from home?
"I-I-Just forget it." He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck as he went back to his truck. I turned around and Nicki looked as shocked as I felt. I was kind of stunned and yet not surprised. People who aren't perfect make me happy, it gives them more dimension and... I can't finish that statement. I was scared of the side to the new boy in town I had just seen. I was glad I didn't end up leaving him with my number. The guy was a total paranoid jerk. I was not that desperate. Right?