𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐂reed

“My offer to teach you how to cook still stands. I’m not as good as my mother but I am alright.” Anthony replied sending her a soft smile once more.  “I can understand that. There were things back in New York that I felt the exact same way about.”

Willow smiled back at him, “I’d like that, honestly..” She told him, smiling back at him as she rolled her bottom lip under her teeth before looking away from him again. “Yeah I am sure, but I can’t help but think even New York takes better care of their stuff than Ashton.”

“I’ll happy to whatever you want to do for old time’s sake.” Colton replied with a small smile. She had been one of his best friend’s growing up and he wasn’t against going down memory lane with her. 

“Okay then!” She grinned as she tugged his arm slightly, indicating for him to follow as she motioned towards the door. “Which shop should we try for snacks?” She asked.

“Yeah she’s great a cooking.” Anthony confirmed knowing he’d been really lucky that way. They’d always had good meals to eat. “I feel like that is the case about a lot of stuff in Ashton from what I’ve heard. They are building a lot of new stuff and sort of ignoring old stuff.” He added knowing that was an issue in a lot of places though, not just Ashton. “It seems like it would be, especially because there isn’t a lot of water in Ashton.”

 “Gosh I wish I was good at cooking. I mainly just live off of salads and such, because it is easy.” She said, even though that wasn’t true. She chose to eat salads and such because she was on a strict diet as her self image wasn’t the best. She hated her body, always had. “Yeeah unfortunately it seems to be very true..” She said, emitting a sigh, “I just wish they took better care of the things that has always been around.”

“I guess that is very true. We have seemed to be bringing up the past a lot today.” Colton agreed with a nod. Which was something he didn’t find himself doing these days.

 “We have! So I think it is just mandatory at this point.” She chuckled back at him, “Seeing we are already on a trip down memory lane and all.”

“That is understandable. A lot of my friends used to come to my place when we were kids for similar reasons.” Anthony replied, feeling that at some points his mother was taking care of half the neighborhood. Some people were just like that.  “Well, it seems like it would have been a pretty cool place back then, not that it isn’t cool now.” He added, not wanting to offend her by any means.

Willow chuckled, “I take it your mom is a good chef then?” She asked, assuming as he mentioned his dad hadn’t been around much growing up. “It was, and let’s be real it is a bit more run down now than it was.” She chuckled. “But I still come here sometimes, even if it is just to like study or something, it is really nice during summer.”

“I mean we could.” Colton replied with a small shrug. “What’s got you in such a nostalgic mood today?” He asked, a little curious about all this talk of when they were kids.

Willow shrugged, “I don’t know I guess seeing you and hanging out, as well as all the talk about the past.” She said with a smile.

“Exactly, it’s awful.” Anthony replied knowing he’d heard bits and pieces about what had happened and that it all sounded pretty bad. “I am sure she was fantastic.” He added, not sure if she was talking about her in the past tense because she was no longer with them or simply because she was referring to the past. Anthony allowed for her to pull him through the bushes. “I can see why you’d come here. It seems like the type of place you could be alone.”

Willow nodded eagerly, “Oh she is! She used to bake and like feed me all sorts of stuff all the time, I even think some of my friends used to come around just to try her cookies.” she chuckled, loving her grandma’s baking more than anything. “She still does, but I just don’t really have a sweet tooth anymore.” She lied. She nodded again, looking op at him with a smile, “I used to like spend a lot of time one the pier over there.” She said and pointed at the very run down piece of wood sticking out into the water.

“Yeah sure why not. I actually haven’t been there since before I moved away from this place.” Colton replied with a small nod. He was always willing to walk down memory lane with her.

"Great!" She smiled before getting up from her seat and grabbed her bag, "Maybe we should go and get like capri suns and snacks we used to have as kids just to make it as authentic as possible." She chuckled.

“I mean I wouldn’t blame them. Those kids have been through something unimaginable.” Anthony replied feeling for the students and their families. “I’ve grown pretty used to it now, so it’s not that bad.” He added with a shrug because he didn’t want her to feel sorry for him or anything. Anthony knew he was actually a lot better off. “If they don’t now I am sure that they will eventually.”

 “Yeah.. I feel so bad for them you know? Like I can’t even begin to imagine all the things they have seen and experienced..” She said as she bit down her bottom lip ever so slightly. “Yeah..” She nodded back at him with a faint smile, “I am glad I had my grandmother growing up.. She was amazing.” She said, smiling at the thought as she continued towards the overgrown path ahead, “Come one.” She said, pulling his arm a little as she guided them through the bushes and on the other side was a nearly dried up lake and a little pier. 

“Yeah that is definitely the least you can do.” Colton replied with a small nod. He liked that him and Willow had known each other so long it was easy to joke about this sort of stuff. “Sure, where do you want to go?”

 Willow shrugged, “Hm.. How about we head out to the playground? Like we used to as kids?” She suggested with a smile, “I am feeling nostalgic!”

“It was a pretty screwed up situation. I am glad it is over too, and not just because I benefitted from it ending. I just hate the idea of those students going through that nightmare.” Anthony replied shaking his head at her. The entire situation made him feel sick to his stomach. “I’m just trying my best to make up for our very absent father.”

“Yeah, I even heard one of them was admitted somewhere to deal with everything because she wasn’t coping well.” She sighed a little in frustration. She felt sorry for the kids and it was still shocking to her it had been some locals. Looking at him when he mentioned his father, her face saddened, “I am sorry to hear that..” She said, relating to it a lot more than she cared to admit, “I am sure they’ll all appreciate that though. Even the teenagers.” She reassured him with a smile.

“I guess it is good to know that you will be faithful to me while you are spending all my money.” Colton replied with a wink. He was still pretty sure him and Willow could have some fun together if their timing wasn’t so horrible.

Willow laughed, “I mean it is the least I can do, right?” She winked back at him a bit teasingly. “But for now I guess only time will tell! Anyway, you up for going for a little stroll?” She asked.

“Yeah, she’s in high school and she was really scared when everything was happening around here.” Anthony explained knowing that he couldn’t blame her in the slightest. “She wanted some family around so I decided to give this place a try.”

 “Oh I can imagine!” She exclaimed, knowing she had been terrified too, “I am just glad all of that is over.. The town is going to need some time to recover, I am just glad the people were caught.” She said and shook her head in thought. “That is very kind of you.. See, you are a great older brother!” She said, nudging him a little again. 

“You’ve known me long enough that you shouldn’t even have to question that fact, you know.” Colton replied knowing that she’d known him a lot longer and a lot better than most people in his life now.

 “I was only joking with you, silly.” She said, “I was just speaking in hypotheticals you know. Besides, I am not the type to cheat either, so at least there is that.” 

“I mean I know the siblings I have that are closest to me in age appreciate things I’ve done for them.” Anthony replied knowing that they understood a lot of sacrifices he made after their father left. “The youngest ones and I aren’t as  close. Although my sister and I have gotten a  lot closer since I moved here.” He added, even though his sister was busy with her own life they did try to spend time together when they could.

 Willow looked back up at him while smiling, not even doubting that for a second if she was being honest. “Did you move here because of her?” She asked him out of curiosity, not seeing it as any other possible reason to want ot move here except if you were here for college really, and she knew he wasn’t.

“Yeah exactly that is the hold thing. I’m not a cheater, Willow. If I’m with someone I only have eyes from them.” Colton replied with a shrug. Although he was sure it was something people found hard to believe about him.

 “That is good to know.” She chuckled back at him, “Because if we ever did get married and you cheated on me I would sell those embarrassing photos of you as a kid to the press in a heart beat.” She smirked, obviously teasing as she believed what he was saying. 

“Okay, perfect.” Anthony replied, interested to see the place in question. He liked spending time with Willow and getting to explore places that she had liked to go when she was younger. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon, that was for sure.  “I hope none of my siblings secretly feel that way about me.” He joked in an attempt to try to lighten the mood.

Willow looked at him as she chuckled, “I mean they might, but they’d be awfully silly too, because you seem like a really nice guy.” She told him truthfully with a smile as she continued down the path, “But if they do they will grow out of it, I am sure. I know I would have loved to have a protective older bother or something.” She added with a shrug as she had never felt that comfort.