Chapter 6

UNEDITED

The following Friday evening 11 PM

A knocking on River's bedroom window startled her out of her sleep. Automatically she grabs onto the blanket and backs up on the headboard. Her lips trembled and the pumping of her heart rattled her eardrums. She dared to peek over at her window and hope she wasn't going to see a ghost. "Calm down River, you're being paranoid." Maybe she didn't hear a thing.

*Knock Knock Knock* Then it comes back.

She squeals and nearly hits the ceiling.

"River." She could hear someone whisper.

Her eyes widened. Oh, God. Whatever it is, knew her name. She pulls the blanket over her head.

"River." The whisper comes back. "It's Landen. Are you awake?"

"Landen?" She says to herself. Removing the cover, she edges herself out of the bed and pulls back the curtain. The window is on ground level so he is standing right on level with her, and dressed in a grey suit. Some things she's never seen before. She opens the window. "Are you kidding me, Brenner?"

"I need a favor." He inserts quickly

She sighs. "Now?"

"I'll meet you at the front door."

She closes the window, and like the scaredy-cat she is, she turns on every light switch she passes through the house. Rooms she had no intention of entering "What is it?" She asks once she opens the front door.

"You're not going to invite me in?" He leans against the door frame.

"Come on Brenner." She whines. "I'm so tired. I worked a twelve-hour shift today."

"Okay okay." He takes his phone out of his pocket, presses a few buttons, then hands it to her. "Ask for Zara."

"Zara?"

He nods "A hot as hell Indian girl I met recently."

"Why don't you call her yourself?" She yawns

"Her parents are annoyingly strict."

"What are you doing here anyway?' She changes the topic.

"It's actually a strange thing. See, my parents live in that house right there." He points to the main house. "I had a meeting with my dad. Business, you know. Now call."

River rolls her eyes. She hits the send button, places the phone to her ear, and lets out a breath. Then she hears the first ring, then a second, and then a third. "Hello." An older man's voice appears.

"Hello." She replies.

"Yes?"

"Um... Can I speak to Zara?"

"Who is this?"

"My name is River sir."

"Where do you know Zara from River?"

She panics and looks to Landen for help. Right away she could tell he wasn't going to be any. He lifted his brows like what are you looking at me for.

"Um...School?" She replies.

"What Is this phone call about?" The man continues his interrogation.

River opened her mouth but isn't nearly as prepared for this as she needed to be. "Um... girl-talk?"

Zara is already sleeping." *Click* No goodbye, nothing.

River looks down at the phone strangely.

Landen laughs

"Was this a joke?" She places a hand on her hips and acts as if she was going to toss his phone at him.

He shakes his head. "It's... your facial expression."

"Whatever, your girlfriend isn't available so take your phone, and next time, text like a normal person. You scared me half into my next life" She places the phone in his open palm.

"I don't do girlfriend, and I don't think I have your number."

"You're not even going to apologize?" She shakes her head disappointedly.

He pulls out his phone. "What's your number?"

She opens her mouth as if in shock, but in a sarcastic way. "Well, I'll text it to you. Like a normal person." She begins to close the door.

"Wait." He holds it open. "Be ready by noon tomorrow."

"For what?"

"Since it's your fault Zara can't make it, and you wanna act smart. You're going to have to come in her place."

"How so? What?"

"Noon tomorrow. Be ready, I don't want to be late"

"Yeah... No way."

He folds his arms. "About that day I locked you in the closet... You know, I'm not so sure that was me." His roguish smile appears.

"Landen." She glares at him.

"And you know, since I saw you last weekend I can't stop remembering how much fun pranking was." His smile grows.

"That was only fun for you." She sets her jaw in place and gives a challenging stare. "That was a subtle threat, Brenner. No way I'm going with you. Maybe if you would've asked nicely."

He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly and begins walking away.

She bites down on her lip. She couldn't live in fear of Landen. "Where?" She shouts.

"Tomorrow, noon." He doesn't glance back.

By noon the next day River was in Landen's car's passenger seat, on her way to an unknown destination. "So where are we going?" She asks.

"A racing car arena." He replies simply

"Wow. I've never been to a race before. So, this is your form of entertainment?"

"You could say that."

"I like the nature channel." She weirdly admits.

He glances over at her for a second like she was an alien. Why?

"A lot of reasons. Mainly, it floats my boat. What's it to you?"

He shakes his head in obvious amusement.

"Don't laugh. I'm really intrigued by nature. I wish people would see the world the way I see it."

"What do you see?"

"Life." She proclaims.

When he arches a brow, she turns slightly in his direction and holds up her hand. "I know, I'm losing you but let me explain." She grabs his hand from the armrest and places it over her heart. "A beating heart, energy, life."

"Okay."

She releases his hand and tucks hair behind her ears. "People stop realizing that nature has life. That nature is life."

"You're a tree hugger."

"So what." She defends. "Nature has given us life, and it's not even a second thought. We destroy it so carelessly. "

"Technically some of it is being preserved." He defends.

"I wouldn't call clearing multiple acres of wide life to build one mansion, for one rich family, to live in it all by themselves, as preserving it."

He shifts eyes away from the road and on her for longer than a moment. "You may have a point there."

"I mean, how can people not see that if the earth grows, and sustains life, that she herself is alive too. She's destroyed every day for convenience and greed. And it's not just the trees, it's the oil leaking into our oceans every passing second, and the plastic we continue to use isn't biodegradable-."

"You're really passionate about this stuff." He cuts her off.

"I wish more people were. And I wish I could do more. But unfortunately, only the higher-ups can, and they won't. They like the way they live. They don't care about the earth's future."

"Well, you've converted me." He puts his palm in the air and smiles. "I, Landen Evan Brenner swear to always recycle, and will never, ever, cut down a tree in my life, so help me God." His roguish smile never fades.

River giggles and looks out the window. "Idiot."

"So, am I officially a Tree hugger?" He lays his forearm behind her seat.

"Yes." She rolls her eyes. "You're officially invited into the Tree hugger committee."

"Good." He eases the car into a parking lot. " Because we're here."

He takes out a racing red and orange uniform and a helmet out of his car trunk shocking her once they arrive. That's when she registered that he was not watching races but participating in them. "You're going to be racing?"

"Practicing...Come on." He leads the way.

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