Papina (Bearville County)

by Katie Hamstead

  I hurried down the stairs and grabbed a bow. There were only two other people down there, a retired couple, so the peace and quiet helped with my confidence.

  I raised the bow, lined up the arrow and shot. Second ring. Not good enough. I shot again and hit the edge of the target. I grunted, annoyed. I shot all six of the arrows, and didn't bull's eye once. I grunted and waited for the couple to finish their arrows so I could retrieve mine.

  "Bray?"

  Paul stepped up beside me, holding a bow. "Hey sheriff."

  His eyebrow twitched as he turned toward the target and lined up his first arrow. "I'm not much of a bow and arrow guy myself," he said and released the arrow. It flew through the air and hit the bull's eye.

  I grunted in disgust.

  "I prefer guns actually." He plucked up another arrow and it landed right up against the first one.

  "Looks like your aim is good either way," I muttered.

  He grinned and embedded a third arrow right along with the others. "It just takes a good eye and some practice."

  We fell silent as he fired the last few, all of them somehow squishing together in the bull's eye. The couple had finished by then, so we all walked over to pull out our arrows. One of mine dug itself deeply in, and I struggled and tugged at it to get it out. Paul watched me with a smirk.

  "Stop it," I growled.

  He chuckled and stepped forward, yanking it out like a knife in butter. I glared at him and snatched it out of his hand. I looked back at the target to grab my last arrow and paused. The hole looked like the holes in Forrest's back. I winced and jumped back as his battered body filled my mind.

  "What's wrong?"

  "I'm just seeing things. The hole from the arrow reminded me of the holes in…" I bit my lip.

  He stepped forward and looked at it, before looking at the arrows in his hand. "They took Forrest's bow and arrows, didn't they?"

  "Yes…" I glanced down at the arrows in my hand and tossed them down. "Argh, you don't think…?"

  He leaned over and picked them up. "There's nothing that connects any of the students here to it, except your ex's cousin, but that was cleared up quickly."

  He looked the arrows over. "But, several tribes' people own them, for cultural purposes. We could suggest the detective look around and see if maybe one of Nova's previous foster families owns one, or one of his other students."

  We walked back while he pulled out his phone and spoke to the detective. By the time he finished, the couple left, leaving us alone. I turned away, plucking up an arrow. But I couldn't shoot it. I sighed, slumping.

  He stepped up beside me and shot an arrow into the bull's eye again. "Get back on the horse, Bray."

  "Huh?"

  He looked at me with a smile. "Don't let the connection bother you. It may not even be what happened."

  I stared down at the bow hanging loosely at my side. He stepped closer and rested his hand over mine. My breath caught as I froze, but my heartbeat sped up.

  "You've been avoiding me."

  I swung away from him. "I don't want to talk about it."

  "I get that, but can't you at least let me back in? I thought we were friends."

  I gnawed on my lip, turning back to him. His eyes widened slightly, before I dropped my gaze to the ground. "I don't know how I feel about what you told me. It feels so soon, so fast."

  "I'm not expecting anything from you—"

  "Then why did you tell me?"

  He sighed. "Because I wanted you to know how much I care about you, and like I said, I wanted you to know I'm helping you for you."

  My cheeks burned. "I can't, I don't…"

  He touched my cheek. "I know, Bray."

  I looked up into his eyes, feeling butterflies fill my belly. I couldn't feel that way! What about Forrest?

  But as he caressed my face I took a deep breath, enjoying his tender touch. His other hand rested on my hip, pulling me closer. "Don't push me away," he whispered as he leaned closer to my ear. "I'm patient and I know how much you love Forrest. You need time, and I want to be here when you're ready."

  My heart pounded so hard I thought it would leap from my chest. My hand involuntarily lifted and rested on his chest, slowly moving up his neck onto his cheek. I looked into his face and he smiled with hope in his eyes. I pushed away from him. "You shouldn't… who knows if I'll ever be ready? I have so much baggage. I just… no. I can't let you wait for me."

  I spun and hurried up the hill.

  At the top, Megan met me, with Donny and Jackson in a small cart. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Did you have to choose archery where you were so hidden away?"

  "Sorry. I'm not very athletic, so I didn't want people watching me make an idiot of myself." I grabbed the handle.

  She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Come on, with looks like yours, you must have been a cheerleader or a dancer."

  I snorted. "No, I wasn't considered attractive until college. I was a huge nerd."

  A wide grin spread across her face. "No way."

  I shrugged. "Glasses and everything."

  She chuckled, then glanced over my shoulder. Her eyebrows shot up and she looked back at me.

  I glanced back as Paul step up onto the last step, his gaze fixed on me. I swung back around, feeling a flush coming on.

  "Bray," she said in a low voice. "Did something happen between you two?"

  "No." I pulled at the cart.

  "Something did happen!" She grasped my arm. "Come on, you have to tell me. I know you've been avoiding him. He complains to Clint about it all the time."

  I grunted and pulled free of her arm so I could hurry away.

  But she followed. "He told you, didn't he? I told him not to tell you too soon, but—"

  "Don't you need to be somewhere?"

  She grinned. "Yes. We'll finish this when I'm done."

  She hurried away.

  I grunted and made my way to the bleachers. Sarah met me along the way with a wide smile. "This is fun, isn't it?"

  I forced a smile. "Yeah."

  We reached the bleachers. She plucked Donny up so we could climb the stairs. "I was on the track team in High School, so it's fun to still be able to experience these things. I was always best at high jump and hurdles."

  "I can see them going hand in hand," I replied as I lifted Jackson up onto my hip.

  We walked up a few levels and sat together.

  "Have you done anything?" she asked.

  "Just some archery."

  "Really? I totally had you pegged as a powder puff girl."

  I snorted. "Gross."

  She giggled, then cut herself off as she sat up. "Paul's coming this way. We usually do the three legged race together."

  I clung tighter to Jackson, hoping that was the only reason he was heading right for us.

  "Sarah?"

  "Yeah?" She turned and smiled at me.

  "Have you ever liked anyone other than Paul? I was told you've liked him since high school."

  She blushed and giggled. "No. I've loved him since…" She trailed off as her eyes lifted and she smiled. "Paul, are we…?"

  But he grabbed my arm and gave me a sharp tug.

  "Ouch!"

  "Sarah, watch Jackson for her?" he asked.

  Sarah’s jaw hung open. "But we usually—"

  "Bray needs some cheering up."

  I spun back to him. "But…"

  He pulled me down the stairs behind him.

  We dashed across the field where we stopped beside Megan and Clint. She winked at me. I glared at her, knowing this had to be her idea. I looked up at Paul. "You know, I'm not much of a runner."

  "So?" He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as a rope was tied around our ankle and another around our knees, joining us together.

  "So? I have the coordination of a… something bad…"

  He laughed.

  "And I could probably be outrun by a sloth."

  He lifted me under my arm and I yelped with surprise. "I'll carry
you if I need to."

  Megan giggled, and Clint elbowed her, cutting her off.

  Paul took me to the start line and set me down, with Megan and Clint to our right.

  Glancing toward the bleachers, I saw Sarah with the two boys on her lap. I felt awful. She just said she's been in love with him for… well, she didn't say how long, but she would have said a long time. Either way, she said love.

  But then, he'd said that to me.

  He squeezed my waist. "Are you ready?"

  I looked up at him. "No."

  He grinned.

  A moment later, the starter gun fired.

  He tugged me off the line and I yelped. Megan and Clint flew ahead in perfect sync while I growled. "Why are you making me do this?"

  He grinned, holding my arm firmly. "Come on, Bray. Just enjoy it."

  "I just… argh!" I tripped and grabbed onto him.

  He laughed. "Okay, one step at a time. Inside leg." He tapped on my leg joined to his.

  I lifted it and let him guide it. I let out a quick laugh as we took several steps. He held onto me, helping me get into a rhythm. Finally we made progress, even though most people had finished.

  "I'm doing it!" I laughed. "I can't believe I'm doing this!"

  He held me firmly around my shoulders as I let him guide my leg. "All you had to do was trust me."

  I smiled. "Trust you won't…" But I hesitated with my joined leg and I tripped.

  He scrambled to get hold of me, but I slipped out of his grip. I hit the ground and he landed on top of me. "Ouch." But I laughed. "You weight a lot."

  He chuckled. "Let's just finish this race."

  His arms wrapped around me and he lifted me. He carried me to the finish line where we came dead last.

  He bent over to untie us as Megan rushed over. "Second! Best yet!"

  Clint stepped up beside her. "It helped that the usual winners didn't compete."

  "Who are they?" I asked.

  He nodded down at Paul. "Him and Sarah."

  I drew a sharp breath. "Oh no. I knew I shouldn't have—"

  Paul shot up beside me. "You needed cheering up. That's way more important than winning. I actually heard you laugh again."

  I flushed, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

  He smiled, his gaze locked on my face.

  "I should get back to Jackson."

  Megan wrapped her arm through mine. "They're about to bring out the food. Why don't you go with Paul while I get the boys?"

  I met her eyes, gritting my teeth. All she did was smile.

  Sarah joined the circle with the boys in tow.

  Megan huffed.

  "Hey. You guys hungry?" Sarah asked.

  Clint and Paul exchanged a knowing look. Paul tilted his head and they walked away from us.

  Megan snatched the cart from Sarah. "When are you going to get the hint?"

  Sarah blinked. "What?"

  "Paul!"

  Sarah turned red as she gritted her teeth. "You're such a dog. Just because you married his best friend, doesn't make you all-knowing about him."

  "Stop," I said.

  They both looked at me, irritation in their eyes.

  "I don't think this is an argument worth having."

  Sarah's cheeks turned redder, while Megan rolled her eyes. "Bray, she needs to accept he's not into her before she turns into an old maid with a million cats." She turned to Sarah. "Just because you gave him your virginity, doesn't mean you have a claim on him. If that were the case, I wouldn't be married to Clint."

  My jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"

  Sarah turned so red I think she'd give a tomato a run for its money. "Shut up, Megan."

  Megan ignored her and turned to me. "Paul took her to his prom. They had a brief thing around about then, and so they—"

  "Shut up!" Sarah grabbed her arm.

  "But Paul realized he just wasn't that into her when she—"

  Sarah slapped her shoulder. "I said shut up!"

  "Megan." I scowled.

  But she grinned. "Truth hurts, huh, Sarah?"

  "I can't believe Clint married you," Sarah said under her breath.

  Megan threw her a filthy look. "I can't believe you can't see that Paul is into Bray!"

  I flinched.

  Sarah gasped. She shot me a frightened look. "But Bray's not into him, so he should get over it. Right, Bray? You're still in love with Forrest."

  I winced as a stabbing sensation pierced my heart.

  "Sarah!" Megan slapped her shoulder.

  I couldn't handle the conversation any longer, so I hurried away. My heart felt like it had torn open, and the joy I'd felt only moments earlier, vanished. I reached the line for food and glanced back at Jackson.

  Sarah and Megan bickered above him, but he and Donny didn't pay any attention as they played with a rope. I wanted to run to him and throw my arms around him to cry, but I couldn't bear going back to them. I hadn't realized they held so much animosity for each other. Things seemed far more complicated than I'd realized after what I'd just heard. I wanted nothing more than to stay out of it until everything with Forrest had cleared up. Then, and only then, would I even consider…

  "Bray?"

  I jumped at being torn from my thoughts.

  Clint and Paul walked up in front of me. Paul offered me a plate with a hamburger and chips, and a small bowl of chili. "I got you something, and I hope this is okay for Jackson."

  I slumped, before rubbing my eyes. "Couldn't you just leave me alone for a while?" I hurried away.

  I rushed to hide behind a building, and slid down onto the asphalt. Why was this happening to me? I wished Forrest could just hold me and tell me everything would be okay, but then, if he were there, none of what I'd just experienced would have happened.

  I grabbed my ponytail and slipped the band off to let my hair fall around me, hiding my face so I could cry.

  Someone sat beside me, so I turned away. A hand rested on my head, gently stroking my hair. I knew by the size and touch who the hand belonged to.

  "Paul, just go away."

  "Braydon." He sighed and brushed my hair hack from my face.

  I turned and clutched at my face.

  "Bray, I should have told you about Sarah. I'm sorry. I was a stupid kid, and far from immune from a pretty smile and strong advances. I don't know what I was thinking, but she made some very forward moves and I went with it. But the moment she said she loved me, I knew I wasn't being fair to her—"

  "I don't care about all that," I said. "I just…" I buried my face in my hands again. "I don't need these extra complications."

  "Bray." He caught my hands and pulled them away from my face. "I don't want to see you cry anymore. I will do anything to make that smile stay on your face and the laughter I heard before ring in my ears every day."

  He touched my cheek, brushing my tears away. "Don't cry, Bray."

  I looked up into his incredible eyes.

  He caressed my face and softly kissed my cheek.

  I took a sharp breath as tingles shot through me. I grabbed onto his wrists as his lips wandered up and kissed my eyelids. My whole body seemed to ignite as his thumbs brushed my cheeks and his lips soothed the heat from my crying.

  What was I thinking? I shoved him off. "What are you doing?"

  Disappointment filled his eyes. "I'm trying to help."

  I shook my head and turned away. "You're not. You're the reason why everything is so complicated."

  I turned and met his eyes. "Sarah's in love with you. I won't be that friend. The one who steals the guy her friend is in love with. And Forrest, I can't do that to Forrest. How can I just…"

  I bit my lip, my heart pounding as my tumultuous and confusing feelings swelled inside me. I dropped my gaze onto the ground, unable to look him in the eyes. "We won't ever happen."

  He let out a long breath. "I just…" His fist clenched. "I respect that you still hold onto Forrest, I do, that's why I haven't pushed you. But never? That's coming fro
m your friendship with Sarah."

  I shook my head and stood. "So?"

  "So…" He jumped up in front of me. "I don't want to be with her."

  "She loves you. She's loved you for years. I won't steal that from her like someone stole my love…" My voice caught as tears welled in my eyes. "From me."

  He clasped my chin. "It's different for me and her than you and Forrest. You know that. I've never loved her back. I've never been hers."

  I pulled away from him. "Just leave me alone." I marched past him, hoping in the fading afternoon light, no one would notice my puffy eyes.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Megan sighed as I stared at the catalogue. I glanced across at her. "I can't afford any of this."

  She stretched her hand out. "You know the hotel has a very nice events hall, and I know considering the circumstances they'd give you a good price for decoration, catering, everything."

  I groaned. "It's his first birthday, not his twenty-first. And, I want Nova to be there."

  Megan glanced up at the kitchen ceiling. "How's she doing?"

  I let out a puff of air as I leaned back. "The time in custody made her regress dramatically. She barely acknowledges me anymore. I just don't know what to do."

  Megan grabbed my hand. "Just keep showing her you love her. She'll come back."

  "I hope so."

  She patted my hand. "All right. Party. You have a nice sized yard. We could get people to bring a plate of food and set the table out the back again. I'm sure we could scrounge up some decorations for you too."

  "In two days?" I rubbed my temple.

  "Yes. Just watch me."

  I met her gaze and smiled. "Thank you, Megan. My finances are starting to dry out. I don't know what else I can do to bring in some extra money."

  She frowned. "I thought you worked?"

  "I do." I rubbed my eyes. "But it doesn't cover everything. It's meager. I'm afraid I might have to sell this place and move back to Vegas."

  She gasped. "No! You're not allowed to do that." She glanced around. "Maybe if you downsize?"

  "We don't have anything left to downsize."