Amy

I'm surprised as soon as my dad calls me down. Who could possibly want to speak to me here? I mean I don't know anybody here for starters. 

I carefully make my way down the stairs, apprehension building in my chest. I'm not anxious... I'm more interested in what this could be.

"Amy," I recognise the tone in my dad's voice just from that word - he's just as shocked as I am "Erm... Verity from next door's here for you..."

"I just wanted to know if you wanted to come shopping with me?" She adds quickly, almost desperately, but hidden underneath a cheery overtone. Well, all I can say is I was not expecting that. She didn't say a word with her mum there and then suddenly she's eagerly asking to go shopping?

"Erm..." what if I get lost? What if she dumps me and I don't know where I am?; What if things get awkward because I can't see? The usual questions flood my mind, just like they've been doing for the past nine years. Sometimes I choose to ignore them, sometimes I listen - it all depends on the context. Unfortunately, right at this moment, I'm way too curious to think about the prospects of being kidnapped (bad idea I know) "Sure is that's ok..."

"As long as you tell me where you are at all times!" My dad warns me, a hand on my back. He always does this when he's nervous and feeling protective. "Whereabouts are you going Verity?"

"I was just thinking of taking the train into town if that's ok Mr Rivers?" And then she's back to her formal persona again. I hear a sharp intake from in front of me for the second time - why is she so nervous? She's a very confusing person. 

"Sure that's fine. And please call me Will." I can hear the cringe in his voice - he hates being called anything else because apparently 'Will' still makes him sound young or something. I don't know because I always start laughing half-way through the explanation. "Call me if you need anything." He half-whispers into my ear and I give him a smile before picking up my cane and bag from the hallway.

"Verity?" I wonder for a split second if she left but no, that wouldn't make any logical sense. I guess I'm still jittery about the whole in a completely new place thing.

"Oh I - I didn't realise that - well that.." she stumbles over her words and the more she does the more I like her. It's weird I know but she seems... I don't know... like she cares. 

"Oh no, it's fine seriously most people don't either!" I try to shrug it off; it is true after all. I don't blame her for not knowing. "But do you mind leading me?"

"Oh yeah sure" I find her extended hand, slowly stroking over her soft skin, climbing her cold arm before I reach the crease in her elbow. I don't know why it takes me so long - it doesn't usually - but something about it gives me a warm feeling inside for no apparent reason. I couldn't explain why if I tried.

"And... erm... I'm going to be a step behind you but you can just walk normally." The familiar words I could recite in my sleep feel different in the context of her, maybe it's just because she's the first person I've had tell here. I hate starting out again, but I guess Verity was at least making it easy for me; some people are horrendous at understanding but she doesn't seem like that which is nice. 

"Oh ok." She sounds as breathless as she did at the door as we make our way down the paved driveway. The air is in that muggy state that it takes on in the morning when it's not obviously raining but water droplets still collect on your face. I have to wipe my cheeks slightly before continuing.

Silence engulfs us for a few minutes, but in a calm way that doesn't feel awkward.

"So are we taking the train or...?" I don't want to sound rude as we trudge through the mushy leaves of what I assume is the wide pavement of the suburb. The looming sense of the unknown is both exciting and nerve-racking, the thought of going shopping with a complete stranger still very present in my mind. I can hear the birds all around us, signifying the possibility of trees lining the road like they do in movies centred around first world problems. Verity's arm is stiff in my hand, her muscles unwaveringly tense as we walk at a faster pace than I'm used to.

"Erm..." Her breath catches in her throat, our speed decreasing momentarily before she resumes her voice. I decide to describe it is melancholy "I think the train would be best if you don't mind I don't know, yeah."

"The train's fine don't worry," I respond, slicing the flustering tension created by her overthinking. Why does she seem so upset all of the time?

"Oh sorry," Why is she apologising?

"Hey, it's fine; you didn't do anything wrong." Her arm loosens and then tightens again. This seems like the only indicator of her mental state at the moment - the only real one anyway.

"Oh, sor-"

"Don't! Seriously you have nothing to apologise for!" I can't tell if my pleading scares or finally calms her, but her arm relaxes ever so slightly and stays like that. I don't meant to be forceful at all, I just hate the idea that she's uncomfortable in my presence. 

"Ok." She takes an audible gulp as we turn a corner. What corner I don't know, and yet again I have to shut my brain's paranoia down about being completely dependent on one person. Despite my hand still feeling hot from the warmth radiating from her body, she's undeniably good at leading. It feels like we match strides, our bodies syncing together right down to our heartbeats. Mine is still racing for some reason.

"I'm guessing you're nervous like this for a lot of the time?" Should I have said that? Probably not. Can I take it back? Hell no. I'm just going to have to hope she doesn't take it the wrong way.

"Yeah," She admits, letting out a breath I didn't know she was holding, "I don't know - I always seem to care about shit that I shouldn't." 

"No I get what you mean; all my old friends called me the 'mum' of the group for the same reason." I don't particularly want to tell her why that came about - dodgy parties, smoking weed and spiked drinks don't seem like her cup of tea.

She laughs faintly, distracting me and for some reason filling me with happiness. I guess I'm just glad that she's starting to feel more comfortable with me when she was so tense before. 

"We're at the station now," She informs me and then "There's a step right in front of you." My cane hits the hard concrete, a gust of wind blowing through my shoulder-length hair. I wrap my coat a bit tighter around me and feel her hair closer than before, small strands gently pressing on my face as I surpass the steps leading presumably to the platform. I don't wipe them away.

"Erm...ok," She leads me further onto the slated path "There's a seat right here." She takes my hand and places it on the cold metal of the chair. My breathing is crazy just from this one action as I sit down, my stomach having a party inside my body.

"Thanks" I feel her sit beside me and silence finally claims victory over us.