I look back at Aaron scornfully.
He walks toward me and puts his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him. I shrug his arm off my shoulders, as he says, "I'll walk you to the gate. Come."
I suppose I am being rude to Aaron, but at this particular moment I can only think about Jared. Horrified I wonder what Jared is thinking. Does he think I like Aaron after all?
In silence, I lock my locker, and then we walk up the hill toward the gate. I start to offer Aaron a lift home, but then I notice two cars up from where my mom is parked, Jared is waiting.
I catch his eye in his rear view mirror glaring at me and I wish I could walk up to his car and ask him what his problem is. Instead, I look down and dejected I climb into my mom's car.
My mom's cheery smile fades when she sees my face. "What's wrong, Elizabeth?"
I put on my fake smile and reply, "Just tired."
She is still looking at me worriedly and I do not want her to feel guilty because she is happy, so I smile convincingly and say, "Really, just tired."
My mom starts the car and Esther begins to chatter from the back seat, but I am not listening to either one of them. We drive past Jared and I glance in his direction, seeing him staring at me fixedly.
I watch him in my side mirror until my mom turns the corner into the village, he is arguing with Aaron.
When we get home, I go straight to my room and lying on my bed, I stare out of the window. I want to go out to my little gathering of trees, where I always seem to feel better, where I am able to leave all the hurt and then carry on as always, but the rain is continuous.
My mom calls from the bottom of the stairs, "Elizabeth, do you want some tea?"
I call back, "No thanks, Mom."
" Okay," I hear her mumble and then I hear her start a conversation with Esther.
My mind keeps nudging toward thoughts of Jared. Here I am, on the other side of the world and once again all I can manage in the romance department is another going nowhere, unreciprocated crush.
The light darkens quickly, so I decide to go downstairs to see what there is for dinner. I am starving.
Downstairs I walk into the kitchen and find everyone there, talking about his or her individual day. Sean looks content. He has started on the left wing of the manor and he is planning to renovate the entire building within a period of two years.