Chapter 16 - Undercover

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I walked out the huge ornate door that led to the Summer area and was immediately greeted by warmth

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I walked out the huge ornate door that led to the Summer area and was immediately greeted by warmth. The ground was a carpet of lush greenery, covered in dense vegetation and moss-covered rocks. Tall, dark green trees with fruits of all colors shielded the view from the sky, letting slivers of sunlight through. I could hear a distant waterfall. Birds were chirping, frogs were croaking, and insects were buzzing, creating a relaxing harmony of sounds. I sighed contentedly and basked in the warmth. Part of me longed to lay on the grass and nap in the sun.

I walked further into the jungle and to my astonishment, there were treehouses on a majority of the bigger trees. They were all unique, with different styles and structures. Some had walls made of wooden logs, some had spiral staircases, some even had bridges that connected to the other treehouses. Do my people live here? I saw a family laughing by the swings, a group of women deeply engaged in gossip while sharing a fruit platter, and a father teaching his son how to climb a rope ladder. It's so peaceful here.

Someone else caught my eye. Someone in particular.

Liam leaned against the balcony of a treehouse, his elbows resting on the wooden railings of the balcony. His dark brown hair glinted in the sunlight, showing streaks of caramel that reflected the sun. He looked out towards the horizon with those inviting eyes, a smile forming on his lips. He looked dashing, even from a distance.

Part of me wanted to go over to him, to tell him about the Stealthy Feline, and to ask how he's doing.

I sighed and was about to look away when he locked eyes with me.

Shoot.

A look of confusion passed his face. He climbed down from the treehouse and jogged over to me.

I can't run away now, can I? I'll have to improvise.

"Have we met before?" he asked.

"No," I said.

"I'm sorry, you just look really familiar," he said as he brushed his hand through his hair.

There was an awkward silence between us.

He held out his hand and said, "I'm Liam, what's your name?".

"Sum-"

I stopped myself before I could say my name. I need to come up with a fake name, fast.

I frantically darted my eyes back and forth, looking for inspiration for my fake name.

Aha! I spy a bunch of sunflowers in the distance.

"Sunflower," I said as I shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. You seem lost," he said.

"Oh, I was just on my way to Clammie's," I said.

Please don't say you'll take me there.

"That's just down on the beach. I can take you there if you'd like," he said.

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⏰ Last updated: Feb 18, 2021 ⏰

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