Autumn III (Trying Not To Panic)

 CHAPTER 3

Don’t panic, I thought, do not panic. They could smell your fear they fed off of it and let it nourish them-
“So, everyone calls me Mae but my name is Maeve.” her nose wrinkled. “don’t ever call me Maeve.” I nodded, she motioned me to step closer to the group.

“This is Sienna Harris,” she pointed toward a tall pretty blonde girl sitting closest to them at the table. She nodded to me her face bored and disinterested, a second later she turned her attention back to her cell phone. “This is Emma Wallace.” she nodded to another girl who was about my height, maybe a bit taller with short brown hair, wicked green eyes and a douse of freckles across her face. She looked like pure mischief, and the opposite of Sienna, the bemused look covering her face made me want to step closer to the feral Mae and hide behind her.

When she spoke it was in a husky voice that I’d only heard actresses use in old movies that were recorded in black and white. “You’re Autumn Scotts-”

“Autumn Fernfield.” the correction was automatic.

“But your Dad’s last name is Scotts.”

I shrugged trying to play it off as no big deal. “When he and my Mom divorced she had our last names changed to Fernfield.”

In this group of rich kids I bet what I had just said was unheard of. After that Mae took me around the group introducing me to various people I would never remember the names of. She didn’t take me by Ciaran and he stayed on the opposite side of me, not matter which way I turned he was always the opposite. We ended up in the center of the group, between bodies. I could tell Mae revealed in it she liked being the center of attention, and the people like letting her be the center of attention.
Me, I was a whole other story sometimes. I was small for my age of sixteen soon to be seventeen. Standing at five’ five, with a willowy frame I was easily looked over and dismissed.

Nothing about me fit society‘s standard of beauty either. My skin was pale, the chalky kind where you could see my blue veins underneath a thin layer of skin. I had a strong lined nose that harden my face. I could never pass for a classic beauty. My lips were fine, I liked them they were full and soft and pink My hair was midnight black which did add a contrast to my face and hung until it reached lower than my mid back. But my favorite thing about myself was my eyes. Easily looked over before being ignored but they weren’t doing it now, there were people my age right now talking to me. They looked at me, sometimes even smiled when they caught me looking at them. It was too much.

Even as Mae said something that lulled the small group into laughter I mumbled an excuse that got me away from all the people. I had no idea where I was going only that it was away.
My feet started moving and I followed along heading toward the shadow of a building. The neighing of horses and the smell of hay told me I had walked to the stable. That was fine as long as it was quiet, pushing open the door I went inside.

The smell of beast was overpowering, but tolerable. there were two rows of stalls on either side of a singe walkway. four heads poked out the stalls eyeing me curiously.

“hello.” I murmured allowing my body to relax as I strolled down the row of horses taking extra care to avoid a large stallion sitting front and center to my left. Further down the line I saw a pretty chestnut mare. Her head leaned out the stall pricking her ears when I came forward she sniffed my hands. Her muzzle pushing against my hand asking to be petted. “Hello.” I murmured running my hand over her neck loving the feel of a steady pulse and her warmth. “Hello pretty girl.”

She neighed a soft sound in against my chest and I knew I was in love with her. “Oh you pretty girl.”

she butted against my chest uncaring that I had to hold onto her to stay vertical.

“Are you okay?” I jumped at the voice, I wasn’t alone anymore. Whirling toward the stable doors stood a figure. My body tensed as it came closer, it broke into a sweat when I saw it was a boy. I had met him but I didn’t remember his name. He was an extremely cute blonde boy. He had a straight lined face with chiseled features and strong nose. His ears were a tad to big for his head but instead of working against him they gave him character. He caught me staring and asked. “What’s wrong?” There should be more brown eyed blondes in the world. I thought but didn’t say that, my head shook back and forth instead.

“So you must be the sleeping beauty and runaway.” his smile was charming.

“I-” my hands were sweaty and smelled of horse and candy. My hair must have been full of hay from were I had plopped down, in other words I looked a horrible mess. If he saw what I was thinking he didn’t say anything.

“Why aren’t you out and about with everyone?” He asked curiously. “They are very curious to meet you.”

“It’s so many people.” I shuddered, I hadn’t been around so many people and so close in a while.

My hands skimmed over the chestnut’s muzzle, the warmth of her nose was calming, soothing. She nibbled on my fingers blowing a gust of hot air at me to find out they weren’t edible. “Sorry.” I murmured to her wishing I had a mint in my pocket to give her.
“Here.” I jumped when a hand came in front of my face. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” he said.

“I’m Danny by the way.” he extended a hand to me. I shook my head.

“I smell like horse.” I explained because he looked offended. “I’m Autumn.”

“Oh, I know who you are.” he purred. “Everyone here knows who you are.” I paused. “Your Dad has been talking about you two none stop since he told us you two were coming.” he went on.

That was even stranger, how could he talk about us when he knew nothing about us. “How do you know my Dad?” I asked leaning against the stall as well.

“We live next door, but that’s not saying much since the houses around here are acres apart, we live at the end of the street.” I nodded. “I guess that makes up neighbors.” he grinned not at all awkward about my lack of talking.

“I guess it does.” I murmured fighting a smile, it was hard when his was so infectious. “Does that mean anything?”

“It could.” he nodded his face very serious. “if you want it to I suppose.” he tilted his head upward to look at the beams. “I go for morning runs, and swims at night, we could do something in between.” he winked.

"I don‘t think so." I mumbled blushing bright in the dim light, praying he didn't see the heat seep into my cheeks and neck. I hated being so darn pale; it had its setbacks.

He must have seen because his smile grew and he didn't look away. Even when I hastily buried my head against the horse’s neck. I felt his eyes on me. When I finally turned back to him he was still looking at me and didn't look away when I raised a brow in his direction.

“Fine.” he muttered, even had the nerve to look disappointed. “how about just the running? Or the swimming could be good too.”

“I don’t swim, never learned.” I shrugged making it seem like no big deal.

“No problem.” he said easily. “if you’re anything like your brother, you’ll catch on- what’s wrong.”

“Nic. . . .” I shook my head, Nic was fine he had always been braver than I was. “It’s nothing. what were you about to say?”

“I was just about to say, I can teach you to swim.” he rocked on heels when I raised a dubious brow. “Really, I’m a certified life guard and everything. I know how to save a life.” he winked again and I looked away.

“It‘s-” he began when a shadow fell over the barn.

“Hey!” a velvet coated voice rang into the stable. “what are you two doing in here, alone.”

Ciaran stalked into the stable looking between the two of us. My face grew hot, burning hot even though I knew we had been doing nothing. Though if he saw the way I looked, he would think something had.

“I was roping Autumn into going running with me in the morning.” Danny breezed easily steeping in front of me hiding me from Ciaran’s calculating eye.

“Oh, well everyone is looking for her.” Ciaran went on glaring at me with his x-ray vision. “Her Dad said she hasn’t eaten anything all day.”

Danny rounded on me as if I had committed a crime. “what?” I asked defensively finding the big athletic looking boy unnerving. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

“you need to eat something, that’s what.” he stated my offense as if it was the ultimate wrong doing. “You will not be falling out on me at six o’clock in the morning.”

“six in the. . .” I groaned making him chuckle, slinging a causal arm around my shoulder carefully tucking me into his side he ushered me from the stable and back toward the crowd. I flinched but if he noticed it he didn’t acknowledge it. Ciaran followed at our side, his dark blue eyes shooting daggers in my side the whole way.

“You found her!” Mae exclaimed looking at me as if I had been very naughty.

I was relieved to see that she no longer surrounded by the whole group. “Come on,” she grabbed my hand pulling me away from Danny. “everyone is eating, Kevin said you needed to eat something or you’ll get sick.” I stiffen, but only for a second when I realized she had said more.

“yeah, I guess.” I muttered letting her lead me back toward the group. It seemed that half the party had left now only five or six remain. Danny’s mom and the Moongoods along with Dad,
Trista, and my brother and sister.

The four of us stalked toward the food tables, Mae and I leading the way, Danny and Ciaran bringing up the rear, stares burned into the top of my head that I had to work to ignore. Was it Danny or Ciaran? I wondered briefly before we were intersected by Dad and Mr. Moongood.

"You two should eat." it was Mr. Moongood who spoke to his to children.

Ciaran, who had been so painstakingly quiet spoke up then. "Aiden-"

"we are not going out to eat tonight" he said firmly.
I thought it was very rude to call your Dad by his name. What was wrong with Dad? But then I remembered all those pissed off times I’d cursed Kevin to the lowest pits of hell.

"But-" Ciaran went to argue. Leaning forward in his chair intent and jaw set stubborn. Mr. Moongood cut him off before he even got the next word out. Turning the slightest bit in his chair he sent his son a stern look.

"No." was all he said before turning back in his chair toward my Dad. Ciaran made a face behind his father’s back. Apparently he didn’t take rejection well. And he had just been denied in front of everyone. I loved it.

A giggle escaped my throat and those eyes instantly turned on me. He looked me over once again in what I guessed was suppose to be intimidating roaming over my face and down then back up. It worked but I never got my eyes to go down to the ground. All I could do was stand there and do my very best to breathe, not blush, and stop shaking. Satisfied that I wasn’t anything special he got up from his bench and walked toward the food brushing past me in the process. “Rude much.” I muttered. Some one beside me snorted. Danny.

My eyes found the ground before he turned back to me again. We stayed that way for what felt like an eternity until I heard.
“Ciaran.” it was Aiden. His Dad said something, I wasn’t sure what and just like that. Ciaran was on his way again. Away from me.

"Come on." Maeve tugged me and it was only then I realized she hadn’t let go of my hand in the first place. She led me after her brother to the food. It was all cooked and smelled meaty and- my stomach rolled again. I hadn’t eaten meat in years. I don’t even think I could stomach it anymore. Looking over the brown meat fresh off the pit, I spotted it. Green. Oh happy day, they had salad and carrot sticks and celery. That’s what I filled my plate with. Digging into the cooler I pulled out a Coke.

Looking about there was no place to sit; Nic sat with Alanna and Sage at a round table that had been placed near the pool for them. There were no extra seats and they looked to be having a lovely time. I’d rather burn to death then sit with Trista even if I was positive she would be charming in the presences of company. In the end there was only one place to go. Squaring my shoulders I walked over to the seat beside Ciaran; Maeve sat across from me with Danny. her attention focused on her plate of sausage. It changed to me as soon as I sat; she wrinkled her nose when I sat down with my plate.

"W-What?" I asked puzzled looking at my green leaves and vegetables on my plate.

"Sweetie, why are you eating rabbit food?" Maeve eyed the food as if someone had regurgitated it.

"I-Its a salad." I stammered defensively Maeve just wrinkled her nose; blue eyes eyeing my plate then looked at me.

"It’s rabbit food" she said again her face twisting into something between a scowl and a grin. How she did it, I had no clue. "don’t you want some real food?" I eyed the sausage. “It’s really good.” she popped a piece into her mouth.

“It was alive once, munching in a pasture and being fattened up. Never expecting it was be-” Oh God I was going to be sick. My stomach clenched then went rolling on an unforgiving rollercoaster.

“Well it doesn’t sound very appealing when you put it like that.” she said slowly giving me a “you are so weird look.” It was quickly gone. “Just try it though.”

"No thanks I’ll stick to my rabbit food" I took a bite of my salad. Maeve looked at me with mock disgust. I think it was mock.

"It’s rude to stare Maeve." I said irritably, it was easy to slip up and speak when I wasn’t looking at her directly. Looking over her shoulder was easier than catching her eye. She turned away quickly blushing slightly but didn’t look repentant as she turned back to her food. I couldn’t help but feel the bench and table vibrate. Ciaran, I realized was laughing. Silently, his lips curled trying to hide a smile and failing miserably. Danny wasn’t hiding anything, he shook the table with suppressed mirth looking between me and Mae who was growling looking down at her plate. She must not like being reprimanded anymore than her brother. I dared to take a look to my left. . .

Ciaran sat as far away from me as he could get. I was unsure of whether it was to be rude or if it was for my benefit. My money was on rude.