Lessons in the Park

The Keep Writing Challenge assignment for today is to write a 250-word (exactly) story using the prompt "following."

Lessons in the Park

The man leaned against a tree only twenty feet away from Claire, giving her a full view of his face. His tawny hair gleamed in the sunlight filtering through the pines. Even from this distance, Claire could see the intense expression on his ruggedly-handsome face.

“He was here last week – and before that,” Maria nodded in the direction of Clair’s gaze. “He was watching you.” 

The man was attractive in an earthy way that appealed to Claire, and she oddly felt little unease at the thought that he might be following her.

As the friends worked on Maria’s English, Claire ‘s attention drifted occasionally to the stranger, who had used a few peanuts to entice a squirrel , and was now feeding it from his hand. He looked up, as if aware of Claire’s scrutiny, and tossed her a smile before pushing off the tree and sauntering to the banks of the nearby pond. He pulled out a bag of bread and crouched down to feed the loudly-squawking ducks then threw his head back and laughed as they swarmed him for the food.

“Nice man, I think,” Maria said. “Animals like him. And he likes YOU.” She waggled her eyebrows. “That boyfriend of yours could use some competition. He takes you for granted.”

As Claire dressed for her date that night, she thought of Maria’s comments about the attractive stranger. She pictured him, his head thrown back in laughter, and wondered if he really was attracted to her.

She smiled. Maria was right. Fletcher needs some competition!