It took a while for Stuart’s brain to fully process it all. Once he did, he was back to his normal cheery self that this time wasn’t pinning for the girl by study hall. Just in time too.

Carter on the other hand, had something else in mind. He became suspicious of everyone around. The mere idea that his ingenious plan of stuffing pillows didn’t work, had him questioning what else didn’t work. What else did everyone know wasn’t true, but played along with instead.

Something in his mind clicked, and he knew what he had to do. He needed to leave right then and now. It didn’t matter he had 2 more period after study hall to go to, right now it felt like things were unraveling, and questions will soon be asked about what his mysterious habits were really leading him to.

He didn’t know, he couldn’t know. And Stuart wasn’t much help at the moment.

Carter walked towards the gated fence, during his study hall and wasn’t planning to come back until classes were over for the day. He walked towards the back of the building, the only area without any camera’s and climbed over it.  Once on the other side, he dusted his black school pants, and headed towards the nearest alleyway to avoid detection.

No one would notice, as long as Stuarts new found revelation didn’t go against helping a friend figure out some stuff before he could handle another day at school, it shouldn’t be a problem.  

He was stressed, looking behind him for no one in particular. The talk with Stuart being able to follow him, created a little tension in his already knotted bones. It was the fear that one day Stuart would be standing behind him wondering what he had just witness, because for Carter he wasn’t entirely sure himself what he wanted. Plus Stuart was the ideal good boy, he always followed the rules. That small part of him was his whole personality that could make or break anything and everything.

Carter called for a cab. He stopped hastily, as he climbed in the back. The driver, a seemly short man, had a greyish brown beard. The driver kept looking back at him debating whether he would ask someone who looked so young why they would want to go to a sort of secluded place, but he didn’t. Instead he drove past all the normal tourist attractions and into the busy city, to his favourite place.

Carter has this spot. It has the best view of the entire city. Right at the top of the city, there was a small forest. It had trees that covered every section up there, with barely any corporation, human, anything man made for a half a mile.  It was nice, it was peaceful.

When they arrived, Carter got out the cab, and closed the door. He looked up at the hill top close by that would take a good 15 minutes by the side of the road.

He paid the man who questioned his destination. “Are you sure you want me to stop here?” the driver asked. He looked around worried about leaving him in the middle of nowhere. The entire drive there Carter didn’t say anything but the address to drop him off and if he should get closer. Nothing give him the impression that he was meeting someone. He didn’t fix his hair, straighten his posture, he just sat there mindlessly watching the passing cars.

Carter nodded, smiling back at him. ”Yeah, this is perfect.”

“There’s nothing here but field and fields of grass and trees.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda the point.”

The grey breaded man chuckled, slapping the wheel. “I bet there’s a pretty lady waiting for you,” he said with   a hint of hope at end of his voice.

Carter just smiled, leaning into the car, hesitant to ask his request that he quickly, yet not fully formed in his head. “Hey,” he began tapping the car. “How about you help me and I help you?”

The man raised a brow, “With what exactly?” his voice deepen reluctant to hear the rest.

“Can you met me here in about an hour?”

The bearded man nodded with relief, “yes. I can do that.”

“And can you pick me up Saturday, maybe around 12:30?”

“I can also do that.”

“Good. I’ll give you the rest of the information once I figure it out.” Carter paid the man and walked off.

The man watched as he walked off down the dusty road that for some reason was underdeveloped.

Putting his hands down his black school pants, Carter strolled down and up the vast green hill and sat there underneath two trees that were tangled together creating a perfect cover. Nothing else happened, except his butt on the seemly wet grass that was probably watered before he arrived. He pulled his curly hair into a tight bun, and just laid there, on the verge of sleep. He felt the harsh winds blow against his exposed skin, until he slowly cover it with this blazer.

In times of stress when he just needed a room or a place to get away from the busy city and crazy teachers, this was his place. So far far far away that the town looked like a Lego set.

His place.

It’s been like this since his sudden feelings that pushed him back that lead him here by accident.

And like that he fell asleep. He laid there, his clothes getting stain, while his mind drifted off and off when suddenly a loud honk woke him up.

Weary, he looked at his surroundings then seeing a head outside a cab waving at him.

It was raining, and hard. Carter rush down the hill, almost rolling towards the back of the cab. He was lucky he had the trees to shield him from the majority of the rain fall.  

“You alright son?” the man asked worried. He shut the door behind him, pulling Carter up by his blazer, and setting him inside.

He nodded his head, while his body shook from the cold. “See if you watched the weather channel you’ll know it’ll rain later today. Is a good thing I saw it and came as quick as I could.”

“Thank you, “he said shaking. “How long was I asleep?”

“I wasn’t even gone an hour.” He told him. The man slowly began to in reverse, when he decided to ask a question about the boy who would soon become a part of his life as he was to him.  “So…what’s your name boy?” he asked.

“Carter….Carter Jones.”

“Well Mr. Jones, I’m Manny.”

“Nice to meet you Manny.”

“It’s nice to meet you to kid.”

****

Sorry everyone for the extreme wait, I actually forgot to post it here. 

I'll post 2 chapters per week.

Again sorry, and thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed it.