chapter 3

Joel POV

Man, here goes another GMA week. I had been going to these since

I was 10 and my sister started getting big. This year Luke and I

would have a chance. We had decided to stay at the Opryland

Hotel, just to be closer to all the things we were to do. I had actually

gone to the lobby to leave and get something to eat. That was until I

saw her. This girl with curly, strawberry blonde hair. I noticed she

was reading a book Rebecca had co-written.

I walked over to the couch she was sitting on and sat down next to

her. She looked up at me shyly through her long eyelashes, to

reveal very beautiful hazel eyes that held some sadness in them. I

wanted to know why they looked that way, but knew it wasn't right to

ask out right, so I introduced myself, "hi I'm Joel. What's your

name?" "Sara, it's nice to meet you Joel," she said with an accent

that sounded Texan. "Yeah same here Sara. So what are you here

for?" "GMA week, a vacation, with my mom." "Oh cool, me too.

What's that you're reading?" I noticed as she put her bookmark in

it's place that it was of that weird series called Twilight. She said,

"SHE by Rebecca St. James and Lynda Hunter Bjorklund." "Oh

cool, I've read all of Rebecca's books, she's my sister."

The look of recognition came across her face, she knew who I was. I

asked her, "do you have any siblings?" There was a sadness in her

eyes while saying, "no, I'm an only child. I know you have four

brothers and two sisters, thanks to this book...and the others I've

read." I chuckled a bit and replied, "yeah I remember the reprint of

the first devotional had wacky photos of us in it." "Yeah, but it was

still pretty cool to have them in there." "So, what showcases are

you going to this week?" "I really don't know my mom only told me

we were going to the Doves, and staying here." "Oh well my brother

Luke and I are playing one. I can get you into that one if you want," I

offered her. She said "sure that sounds like fun," she actually

smiled. She then looked at her phone for the time and said, "I

should really get back to my room, my mom will start to freak out if

I'm gone too long." "Oh well how about we trade numbers so we can

meet up through out the week?" "Sure." She gave me her cell as I

gave her mine and we put our numbers in each others phones.

I offered to walk her to her room which she accepted. We walked to

her froom in an awkward silence. I wanted to ask her about the

sadness in her eyes when I asked about siblings but knew it wasn't

the right time though, and I couldn't think of anything to say so we

were silent. When we got to her room I stuck out my hand for a

handshake, which she did. Truth be told, I wanted a hug more than

anything but didn't want to scare her off. I walked to the room I was

staying in with my two younger brothers, Josh and Luke. Josh took

one look at my face and asked, "what's her name, Joel?" I told him,

"I have no clue what you're talking about Josh." "Whatever Joel."

I went to take a shower to be able to think in peace. The first

thought that came into my mind was Sara's face when I asked about

siblings and the sadness in her eyes. I wanted to know why it was

there and more importantly I wanted to do anythign the have her not

in that pain. I never believed I could feel the hurt of someone else so

much. That I could even like her with only talking to her for only an

hour. I got out of the shower, dried off and got dressed. When I

walked out into the room, Luke took one look at my face and asked,

"so, what's her name?" My reply was, " I have no clue what you're

talking about Luke." "Whatever Joel." What was up with my

brothers? Well I ignored them and went to bed and dreamt of Sara.