FORBIDDEN

CHAPTER 7. VALERIE.

It felt like we'd been walking for thirty minutes. Tom had made sure to hide from the workers when we passed the plantation, I wanted to laugh at that, the plantation was completely empty Master Smith (Tom's father), was having a meeting about who knows what with the men this morning.

We walked into the woods next to the plantation and kept walking straight I didn't know where Tom was taking me. But somehow, I trusted him.

"There it is" he says pointing at a tall outstretched bush that seemed to stretch on for miles.

" There, is what?" I asked completely confused.

He walked up to the bush and placed his hand palm up against it, slowly patting at it. "What are you doing?".
Before I could get the answer he was suddenly swallowed up by the bush.

"TOM!" I called walking towards the bush. I put my hand on the hard surface of it no way could a person pass through this. I felt a strong urge to go back and get help. I started to turn when I felt the sudden smoothness of a hand holding mine, I was suddenly tugged backwards, a violent scream escaped my mouth as I fall through the bush, tiny branches that scratch at me and hold onto my dress, not wanting me to leave. I finally feel fresh air rush into my raw throat when a hand suddenly cuffs my screaming mouth.

"Shush Val, it's just me."a deep voice speaks next to my ear with a mild chuckle.

"You think that was funny, you disappearing in there and then a random hand pulling me in" I say trying to calm my shaking voice but failing horribly.

"I'm sorry... Wait you were worried about me" he says this with a mischievous smile.

" Stop smiling like a retarded ninny. I was just worried what the master would do to me, if I came back without you, and some one found out I came here with you and didn't return with you!" I say glaring at him.

"Right. Sorry" he mutters his eyes fixed on his hands.

"And maybe it's because I do care about you." I mutter. His eyes fix on me with a gleeful look. "As a friend" I add.

He smiles at me and turns around. "Welcome to my beach" he says opening his arms wide and motioning at the beautiful view in front of me.

I gasped, I hadn't even noticed that we'd walked into a beach, I stare at the sun, a fiery orb, that looks like it’s gradually receding into the waters below. The sky consists of an assortment of shades, a blend of reds, oranges and yellows. The waters below mirror this effect. The waves are tinted vermilion, with underlying streaks of blue that clash with it. The sand below my feet is the same color, making me feel like a firewalker – daring and bold. The contrast created between the dark waters and the luminous sky makes the horizon look like a meeting of two worlds – the known and the unknown. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and I’m speechless as I stand before this magnificent sight.

"You haven't see the best part" he says taking my hand, I feel the tiny sparks fly up my hands to my arm.

We run down the beach, the wind whips my face, blowing my hair back. The salty air makes my eyes water and my feet tingle. The sand is soft beneath my feet, as I run close to the ocean, dodging the waves that try to push me over. I almost fall – the water makes me slip, and I stumble , Tom catches before I fall face first on the grainy sand. I look at him i surprise.

"What?" He asks looking at me. He has a puzzled expression on his face. "Nothing " I reply, he slowly raises an eyebrow and chooses to ignore it.

We keep walking forward untill I see a small hill on the sand. Instead of going on the hill to get to the other side Tom keeps walking into the ocean. The water is reaching upto his knee when he looks back at me. "You coming?" He asks.

"Where?"

"Come on I'll show you"

I follow him and step into the water it feels cold, I feel the soft sticky sand on my feet. Tom takes a turn and disappears from view.

I feel confused but I still follow him ,I turn to where he had just disappeared to and find him sitting on a rock inside the mouth of a cave , it's huge and dry, the walls made of weathered black rocks, that crumble off and litter the floor, it's not that big of a cave so the light is able to illuminate the whole thing, leaving no side in darkness.

"Wow". I mumble stepping inside.

"I know right. I found it when I was nine ,it was a safe haven for me whenever I was angry or just wanted to think. I actually remember falling in here, when I went walking one day with my dad. He never saw me fall since he was busy with something"

I can't help but imagine a nine year old Tom falling from the hill at the top, the boy I imagine is the boy Luisa was holding.

" Look" he says snapping me out of my day dream up ahead is a perfect view of the setting sun.

"it only looks like this from here"

"it's amazing I can sit here forever"

"We just might have to"

" What do you mean?" I ask.

"Storm cloud" he says pointing at an approaching cloud in the horizon.

" Seriously. Just leave it to mother nature to turn things around" I grunt kicking at the sand inside the cave.

" You believe in mother nature?" He says raising an eyebrow.

" What. Oh, no. It's just an expression" I reply.

"Oh"

It doesn't take long for the rain to come, big heavy raindrops pouring down heavily, forcing us to go to the back of the cave. Even at the back I feel cold the goosebumps work their way up my arm. I try to rub my arms but it doesn't work. That's when I feel the jacket Tom had been wearing envelope my shoulders. " Hey. You should wear it ,it's yours"

" I don't feel cold, and your the one who needs it most" he says looking at my sleeveless dress from where we're sitting on the cave floor.

<>I look at my wet shoe's, which I had in the water a moment ago. I still feel cold even with the jacket around me. As if Tom was reading my mind he gently wraps his arms around me, if this was a different scenario, and we were in the farm and not in a cave with no one in sight I would have slapped his arms off me.
But just this time I let them go around me. I feel suddenly warm with Tom's chest behind me, I feel his chest rising and falling with every breath ,I also feel the tickling of his breath against my neck, sending intense sparks there.

I didn't know when but my head flopped backwards onto his shoulder and I somehow ended up nuzzling into his light soft neck ,the rain beating outside making it way too easy.
I felt my eyes getting heavier, so I let them drop and faded into sleep right there with Tom's arms around me and mine around his waist as my head lay on his shoulder.

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