Riley's Box

Part 47

We continued on through the forest and my head whipped around when I heard a noise nearby. I quickly discovered that it was just a bluebird. I gave it a friendly wave.

"Hey, you're okay," Jason said kindly. "I've got you. You're a little jumpy. I don't think there's anything to be concerned about," he said. However, his statement had a silent word on the end, there, 'yet'. 

There wasn't anything to be worried about yet, as far as the shadow spirits were concerned. 

When it came to me, though, I was worried. I couldn't deny that fact. I was worried because of my heart and the fact that it was beating at ridiculous speeds. 

I wondered if Jason could hear it. 

He moved a little closer to me and entwined his fingers with mine. 

"Jase..." my voice faded out. 

My breath hitched a little, so I focused on calming it down. 

I clutched his fingers tighter. 

"So you don't fall," he said, with a playfulness to his tone, as he continued to lead the way on through the leafy, slightly muddy, path in front of us. 

His hand warmed my own. It was such a simple demonstration of his care for me, but it made the butterflies in my stomach seem to throw their own dance party. 

"Are there any berries in this forest? I'm hungry," Guttur said. "Pig- help." 

Invidia eyed the forest floor, as though looking for a pinecone that she could throw at his head. 

"We'll get you a McDonald's later," I said in consolation. 

This caused the Sins to look back at Jason and I. 

Their eyes all went wide. 

I wasn't sure why they did that, at first, until I realised that Jason and I were still holding hands. 

"Uh..." Jason said with a nervous laugh. 

Was he nervous, too? Was this holding hands thing making him feel things, too? 

Maybe. 

Maybe I was just being too hopeful. 

Adina gasped. 

"You're holding hands!" she said. 

"Before marriage," I added, glancing at Jason. 

I then realised what I had blurted and felt my forehead crease in mild nerves. Alright, big nerves. 

"I'm making sure Riley doesn't trip," Jason said.

I hoped he realised that he didn't have to defend himself. 

"You care about her," Prida said, with a small smirk. 

Jason's eyes sparkled with surprise, then. 

"Of course, I care about Riles. She's my best-" 

Invidia didn't chuck a pinecone at Guttur, she chucked one at Jason. 

"If you say that Riley is only your friend one more time, Jason, I will whack you," she said. 

Well, considering Adina was the one with fire powers, Invidia was certainly more feisty. 

Jason ducked under a low-hanging branch and chose to ignore Invidia's previous comment. Good choice, I believed. 

The Sins walked on a little further ahead, which left Jason and I to try to look out for a shadow spirit by ourselves. 

It was nice, almost tranquil. Almost. My mind was still full to the brim with questions and important matters that I had to wonder if I would ever get answers to. 

"I want to find the right girl, Riley," Jason said. He was still holding onto my hand. 

I really hoped that my palm wasn't sweaty. 

My eyes locked on his again and I tilted my head to the side in curiosity. 

"Let me amend that statement," he continued. "I've always wanted to find the right girl," he said. 

"Does Susie make you happy?" I asked him. 

He paused then and stopped in his tracks. His expression became thoughtful, as he considered my question. 

"I'm happy when I'm around her," he said at last. 

"So, she does," I said. 

He nodded and I thought that was that. 

We took a few more steps forward and reached a large, beautiful tree. Its branches were thick with leaves and it shaded us from the gleaming sun in the sky up above. 

"I need to talk to you about something, Riles," he said. 

"Then do it. We talk to each other. About everything. What colour is your toothbrush?" I teased. 

"Riley," he said, tilting his head to the side, this time around. 

"Jason?" I asked. "Riley isn't a colour," I said, a little more quietly. 

He took a step towards me and my breath hitched again. 

His arm was touching mine. He was so warm. 

"I'm happy when I'm around her, sure, but it's nothing compared to how I feel, when I'm around you," he said. 

"Jase..." I felt my voice fade. I didn't know what to say to that. What was I supposed to say to that? I wished, in that moment, that I was more worldly than I was. I didn't have a clue what you were supposed to do, when you liked someone this much. 

"Any time I write or read a romance, I imagine the girl in the book. Most of the time, she looks like you. That's nacho cheese, isn't it?" he asked me. 

"You're being so nacho cheese, right now," I replied, with a playful smile. "Jase..." I trailed off again. I seemed to be suffering with verbal dyslexia. I hoped it wasn't fatal. 

Jason's eyes twinkled with something. I couldn't quite determine what it was. He then shook his head, as though in disbelief about something. 

"Riley...I'm meant to like Susie, but you're the one person that I can never take my eyes off of," he said. 

My heart nearly stopped. 

What was he trying to do here? 

I wasn't sure exactly, but I also knew that I didn't want him to stop. 

A gentle breeze rustled through the trees. 

I reached up to try to smooth down the goose bumps that had formed on my arms. Something told me that they weren't only caused by the air. 

Jason smelt so good. How was this possible? 

"Jason, something is telling me that you need to tell Susie about this," I said. 

"I have a feeling I'm going to need to do that, too," he said. His mouth twitched. 

I managed a small smile, all the while I felt turbulent under the surface. In the best way, of course.