Ripples in A Pond by Rose Kephart (reading an ebook .TXT) 📖

was no longer that short annoying little stick. No she had grown a lot. She was starting to fill out and Jason seemed to be the only one to notice. Robbie was always off in his little world but at the same time always hanging out with the other three guys.
“Oh I heard we’re going to Typhoon Lagoon Disney!” Lily said, her voice had changed from the little girl squeal to a more mature sultry tone.
“Really? Isn’t that like a water park?”
“Yep it sure is, and you guys are riding every ride with me. I refuse to be told I’m going by myself so be prepared!” Lily absolutely loves water rides, and roller-coaster so this theme park would be the best ever! This was something that guys had no problem with; most girls wouldn’t want to ride all the rides so taking Lily along would be fun. They were all excited about the trip. It would be the highlight of their year a start a chain of events that would change Lily’s life permanently.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After the end of the year trip Jason did something really speratic. He asked Lily out. She’d had a crush on him for so long that she said yes before she even thought the word. For that last week of school they had been inseparable, and now they had been “boy friend and girl friend” for a whole month. Lily was a little clingy when it came to Jason. She didn’t get jealous but she constantly wanted to talk to him. He didn’t like this so much but since he liked talking to her he would call when he felt like talking.
Jason would be going on a mission trip to Arizona for two weeks and he needed to tell Lily. They hadn’t spoken yet that week but then again it was only Wednesday. He knew if he didn’t call Lily she’d soon call him, so he picked up the phone and dialed her cell.
He listened while the phone ring and then a cheerful Lily answered. “Hey! You called me! What’s up?” she spouted off. It was very apparent she had jumped when her phone rang. He liked her but… she was becoming annoying.
“Hey, I don’t know I just wanted to talk to you. So I called.” He said, trying to sound as happy as she obviously was.
“Aw, that’s so sweet, thanks I wanted to talk to you too, but didn’t know if I should call.”
“Oh, well my dad is sleeping so I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Yeah I suspected that, so how are you what’s up?”
“Um, nothing really, I was volunteering at the put-put station at camp.”
“Really? Did you have fun?”
“Eh, it was kind of boring.”
“Are you sure? You had fun last time?”
“Well… there was one thing, promise you won’t get mad though…”
“Hahaha I promise, nothing you do ever upsets me.”
“Okay, well these girls came by the gold area and well they kinda stayed there flirting for awhile… but I said I wasn’t interested in the one girl said we should hang out, so don’t worry.”
“That’s nice, and I wasn’t worried I know you’re a good guy and you’re handsome so girls are going to flirt.” Lily had lied just a little, she didn’t like those other chicks were hitting on “her guy” but then again there wasn’t anything she could do about it so she’d just pretend it didn’t bother her.
“Hey honey…?”
“Yes…” Lily said she had been just a tad side-tracked with her own thoughts that whatever Jason had been saying she didn’t hear him.
“Well what do you think?
“Um… about what?”
“My mission trip, I finished fund raising and I’ll be gone for two weeks starting next Tuesday.”
Lily froze… she didn’t say anything for a second then lied again. “That’s great I’m so happy for you, you’re leaving Tuesday though?” she really wasn’t happy at all, now she knew she wouldn’t see anymore of him. Two weeks... gee they’d be headed back to school a week after that, and then everything would be weird.
“Yep two weeks spent in Arizona building a church.” Jason said enthusiastically, he thought Lily was happy for him, so the undertone of everything she said never registered in his small almost 14 year old mind. See he was happy because while on this trip he wouldn’t have to call her or worry about her calling him, he wouldn’t have to worry about what he said or how long she’d want to hang out. He’d be free for two weeks.
“I guess we won’t be talking for those two weeks then.” Lily said she tried to sound okay with that but she just couldn’t pull it off, and Jason still didn’t get it.
“Nope, I don’t have a cell phone so I don’t think I’ll be able to call.” He knew he could use a counselor’s phone but he wouldn’t tell her that.
“Okay well we’ll just hang out when you get back, call me before you leave okay?” Lily was a little anxious but Jason agreed.
They stayed on the phone talking for another hour before Jason said he had to go. When they hung up Lily didn’t hear from Jason again. He never called before he left.


Chapter 6
“All Good Things Must Come to an End”

Jason had a great time in Arizona he learned all kinds of knew things and enjoyed the time he spent with the other kids his age there. He only thought of Lily at night when everything was quiet. He missed her but he still wanted to be free of her so he wouldn’t call. Every day was the same, work, work, work, and then work some more. At the end of the day they would play games and sing songs. They would eat there dinner and head for bed, and Lily would pop up again. On Sabbath they held a service just for youth and the kids who came to help with the mission trip would lead the service. He felt drawn closer to God. This was good for him.

Lily on the other hand, didn’t do much the two weeks Jason was gone. She thought about him everyday and missed him a lot. She did her usual chores and went out side to walk around but still didn’t do much of anything. She went to work with her mom a few times but that definitely wasn’t fun. She did read several books and discovered she was a pretty good reader. But she thought about Jason more than she possibly thought about anything else. She couldn’t wait to see him when school started again and knew he could wait to see her, or so she thought.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lily knew what day Jason would be back in town but she decided not to call him. She figured when he wanted to talk to her he’d call. She waited two whole days knowing that he would pick up the phone and call but he didn’t. Finally the third day before she went to bed she’d had enough. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed his number. His mom answered the phone on the fourth ring in a cheery voice. “Russell’s house.” She said. “Hi Mrs. Russell its Lily, how are you?”
“Oh hey Lily, I’m just fine, you want’n to talk to Jason?”
“Yes ma’am, is he available?”
“He sure is just wait a sec while I get him.”
Lily waited for a little bit and then heard him, he answered with a questioning, “Hey” like he didn’t know who had called or didn’t expect the person who had called.
“Hi, it’s Lily…” she trailed off, listening. She thought to her self, “Gee his voice has gotten deeper, in only two week, so weird?”
“I know, I uh I missed you Lily. Sorry I haven’t called I’ve been really busy.” “Yea right he’d been busy, doing what? Playing video games? He couldn’t find some time to at least say he was alive!” Lily was getting mad now, he sounded as if he truly didn’t care.
They continued talking for fifteen minutes. In that time he told her about his trip and how he’d been one of t he music leaders. That he really liked guitar and would probably try and take lessons. She listened studiously and tried not to think about all the opportunities he’d had to talk to her and all the times he mentioned his friends who talked to everyone while they were gone. She thought maybe he didn’t realize just how bad he was making her feel, but she stayed silent not saying anything until he said the three worst words a male can every say. “I’ve been thinking…” now she knew something was up. She sat very still and prepared herself for what she could almost hear coming next.
“What have you been thinking about?” she asked quietly…
“Well, I’ve been thinking that…” there were those words again. “Well maybe we shouldn’t go out anymore…Because well my mom says we’re too young and I think it’d be best if we were just friends.” He stopped speaking. She was quiet, but managed a small “oh” and then was quiet again. She knew it was coming but wanted to believe it wouldn’t. “He had been such a nice guy why was he doing this!” she heard him stop breath for a second and then let out a sigh.
“You’re not mad right?” he asked, trying to convince himself it seemed.
“Oh, um no I’m not mad, if your mom thinks we’re too young, then she’s probably right.” She was holding back the few tears that had sprang to her eyes. She’d never cried over a guy before, and where tears were concerned she never really ever cried. But this, this hurt and she was fighting for some control.
“Oh that’s great I’m glad you agree. So then um, yea friends?” he said, he knew she had to be sad he could hear it in the softness of her voice, the way all excitement had left her. But he couldn’t take it back now.
“Yea…friends.” She said back, she barely got it out and the tears started to flow. No sound just tears.
“Okay, well, good. Um Hey Lily it’s late and I have a big day tomorrow. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay… night Jason. Bye.” This was the first time Lily ever just said bye to Jason usually they chatted a little longer and then finally hung up but this time she just said bye and pressed end on the phone.

Lily laid in bed still and quiet for a long time, she didn’t know how much time even passed but throughout it tears flowed and no sound left her lips. After this time passed she sat up very quickly, and was shocked by the dizziness that engulfed her. She waited while it cleared and then vowed never to cry over another guy again. She swore to herself right then that no matter what tears wouldn’t be in the equations. No boy or man was worth the trouble. She got up and walked to the bathroom. As she looked in the mirror she saw that her face was slightly swollen and her eyes bloodshot. She blew her nose, washed her face and walked back to her room. She climbed back into bed a prayed, “Lord, let your will be done in my life and take away some of the stupidity that is me for ever thinking that boy was worth my time…and Lord why did I ever go out with him. Give me an answer when you finally get my message. Amen” She closed her eyes and was accompanied by sleep before she finished her angry thoughts towards Jason Russell.