Previous chapters of the Vista Falls story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

Last time, to thank the teens for all of their help at the Wildlife Sanctuary, Mr. Jaquith gave Delia, Rick, Ward, TJ, Vera, Lucy and Kate each year-long passes to the movies. Everyone was thrilled—except Kate. While they discussed which movie they wanted to see, Kate became more and more upset. Finally, Kate declared that she didn’t want to go to the movies at all. Kate’s cousins, Vera and Lucy, didn’t understand why Kate had been so against going to the movies the previous few months since she had always loved to go before. Kate made strange excuses and clearly didn’t want to talk about it. What did the teens do? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 2: Movie No
By Joseph Crisalli

“What’s up, Kate?” Lucy said more gently. “Every time we go to the movies, you think of a reason you can’t go. You’ve been doing this for months. Why?”

“I don’t like to go to the movies.” Kate argued.

“Sure you do. You always loved it!” Vera shook her head.

“I don’t anymore. The sound of people eating popcorn bugs me.” Kate said.

“Look, Mr. Jaquith went out of his way to get us these passes…” TJ began.

“I don’t want to go.” Kate began to cry.

“Leave her alone,” Delia spoke up.

“No!” Vera said. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this right now.”

“No, we’re not!” Kate shouted.

Vera took a step backwards.

“Did you just shout at me?” Vera asked softly.

“I’m sorry.” Kate blushed.

“Listen, Kate…” Vera began.

Lucy quickly interrupted. “It’s okay. Kate, if you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. In fact, I won’t go either.”

“Oh, Lucy,” Rick frowned.

“No, really, it’s fine.” Lucy shook her head. “We can go to the town square and walk around, if you like. I know you wanted to get some new shoes for the wedding tomorrow, we can look for some. And, Eben DeLorca has opened his estate jewelry shop. We can look at all the pretty old jewelry.”

“That sounds fun.” Kate nodded slowly.

“You guys go on ahead.” Lucy smiled at her sister and her friends. “I’ll go to the movies with all of you another time.”

“Okay,” Rick shrugged.

“Come on everyone, let’s go.” Ward said.

“I’ll see you two back at the house later.” Vera frowned.

Once everyone had left, Kate smiled shyly. “I appreciate you staying with me.”

“That’s what cousins are for.” Lucy grinned. “Besides, it’s too pretty of a day to be in a dark movie theater.”

“Should we go to the square now?” Kate asked.

“In a minute. You wait here a second while I go catch Mr. Jaquith. I forgot to tell him something.” Lucy said.

“Okay.” Kate nodded. “I’ll go in the wildlife room and check on Fred.”

Lucy ran out of the Wildlife Sanctuary’s side door and hurried along the path to Cascades Park where Mr. Jaquith’s cottage sat proudly by Old Martin Creek.

She spotted Mr. Jaquith near the dock and raced to catch him.

“That new chair goes pretty fast!” Lucy panted.

“It sure does.” Mr. Jaquith smiled. “Is something wrong, Lucy? Why are you running?”

“I wanted to talk with you privately.” Lucy said. “It’s about Kate. Everyone went to the movies, but Kate didn’t want to go. She hasn’t wanted to go in months. She used to love going to see a movie, but now, anytime anyone mentions it, she gets all upset and acts really weird.”

“Has she mentioned why?” Mr. Jaquith asked.

“No.” Lucy shook her head. “We’ve asked her and she won’t talk about it.”

“Any ideas?” Mr. Jaquith asked.

“Not a one.” Lucy sighed.

“So, you’d like me to talk with her?” Mr. Jaquith smiled.

“I was hoping you would.” Lucy grinned.

“Sure.” Mr. Jaquith said. “I’ll go back with you right now.”

As they made their way back to the Wildlife Sanctuary, they met Mr. Dinello walking along the creek bed.

“Jeff!” Mr. Jaquith waved the man over.

“Oh, hello!” Mr. Dinello said cheerfully. “How nice to see you both here. I was just taking a walk and rehearsing the little speech I’m going to make at the wedding reception tomorrow.”

“Are you excited?” Lucy asked. “It’s an honor to be the best man.”

“Yes, it is!” Mr. Dinello said happily. “And, yes, I am excited. I guess more than anything else, I’m happy that Sam and Jenny will be getting married. They’re going to have a great life together.”

“They will.” Mr. Jaquith nodded.

“Where are you two headed?” Mr. Dinello asked.

Lucy explained that they were going back to the Wildlife Sanctuary to talk with Kate and why they were going.

“That’s not like Kate.” Mr. Dinello frowned. “Something must really be bothering her. Would you like me to come along?”

“I think that would be great.” Lucy smiled.

When they reached the Trotter Wildlife Sanctuary, Lucy started toward the side door.
“Lucy, I need to go in the front,” Mr. Jaquith smiled.

“Oh, of course!” Lucy blushed. The side door didn’t have a ramp on the stairs like the front door did. Mr. Jaquith couldn’t get his chair up to the side door. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“I forget sometimes, too.” Mr. Jaquith nodded.

As they approached the front door, Lucy noticed something unusual at the top of the ramp. “What’s that?” Lucy pointed.

Mr. Dinello walked up and picked up a large bouquet of red roses. “Flowers. Pretty ones, too.”

“Who are they for?” Lucy asked.

“I don’t know,” Mr. Dinello shrugged, handing the bouquet of roses to Mr. Jaquith. “There’s no name on the card.”

Mr. Jaquith set the flowers on his lap and opened the card.

He read aloud. “For Nature.”

“That’s all it says? ‘For Nature?’” Lucy’s eyes widened. “No signature? What does that mean?”

“I have no idea.” Mr. Jaquith shrugged.

“Why would someone give flowers to nature? Nature makes its own flowers.” Mr. Dinello wondered aloud.

Suddenly, Kate came running out of the building in tears!

“I knew it!” Kate screamed. “I knew you didn’t really want to go shopping with me!”

“I do!” Lucy said quickly. “I told you I was going to see Mr. Jaquith first. We ran into Mr. Dinello on the way back.”

“Save me your excuses!” Kate shouted. With that, she began to walk off hurriedly.

“Where are you going?” Lucy called after her cousin.

“What do you care?” Kate shouted over her shoulder.

Mr. Jaquith sighed, studying the flowers in his lap.

“Now what do we do?” Lucy asked.

What should they do?

Voting results for how the story continues:

Vote!

Vista Falls Ch. 2: What should they do? They should all try to catch Kate? 50.0% Mr. Jaquith should call Kate’s aunt and Uncle? 31.3% They should let Kate go and try to find out who sent the flowers? 18.8%   Version 2.03

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