On The Hill

Chapter 16: the sand valley

//AN: the video is to play in the background as you read, feel free to play it if you wish, if not I hope you enjoy  <3 \\

"I'm sorry I never responded, I really am. I tried so hard to get through to you but every time I did, it would never send" he sighed looking deep into Arya's eyes," that's the flaws of living here I guess, the service is non-existent" Robin laughed, scratching the back of his neck.

"It's ok, I thought you didn't want to speak to me again" she looked down at the ground.

"Of course not, I've missed you. It's been so boring here without you, no one to share all this with" he smiled, gazing out to the seemingly endless trees.

"I've missed everything about this place, at home is just not the same, especially the last few months" she sighed, her eyes scanning the ground.

"What do you mean?" Robin lent down to see her face. She looked up at him, she didn't want to get upset in front of him, it was supposed to be a happy reunion.

"...my nan passed away in March" she blinked to keep the tears away.

"Oh Arya, I'm so sorry, I wish I had been there for you" he placed a soft, gentle hand on her shoulder, soon pulling her into a warm hug once again.

"I'm here now" he spoke in her ear, so kind, so soft.

She felt so at peace, storm sat by them, watching out into the distance, they sat where they had first met, seeing the sea come into the shore, from the woods.

"Here, I nearly forgot about it" Robin reached into his pocket, slowly and carefully bringing out a chain with a gem on it.

Arya looked at the familiar necklace, she gazed up at him in awe,"you kept it?" She spoke.

The glow from the gem was mesmerising, Arya had forgotten about how beautiful it was, she smiled.

"Of course I did, you told me to" he smiled, placing it in her hand, he closed her hand. She beamed up to him, feeling the coldness of the chain, creep under her skin.

"Have you seen the swing?" Arya asked to Robin, seeing his face,"the one in the sand valley".

"Yeh, it's been their for a few months now" he smiled, looking at storm who now lay over Arya's lap.

"You wanna go try it out?" She grinned at him, watching him brush his hair from his face.

"Of course"

—

"Come on" Robin called from ahead, holding onto some low lying branches, as he walked over the uneven ground.

"I'm coming Robin, wait for me" she chuckled, trying to duck under all the leaves and protruding branches.

It was hot under the trees, the heat seemed to radiate from the ground, the only thing that kept the temperature down was the breeze from the coast.

Arya stopped, feeling her phone buzz in her pocket; she took it out and read the message, of course it was him.

-why won't you message me back, Babe, we need to talk-

"Who you texting?" Robin peeked out from behind, standing over Arya.

"Oh! Uh... no one, just my mum..." she quickly put her phone back in her pocket.

"Oh..." Robin followed behind her now, she cringed at her attempted cover up. She wondered if he noticed the message?

They came out from the trees to see the big dip in the landscape, the sand valley. A swing sat in the middle, swaying from the long piece of rope that was tied to a branch very high up.

"How did they even get the rope up there?" Arya, tried to carefully get down the steep hill, towards the swing. Robin followed close behind, steadying himself as he surfed down the sand.

Arya took one step too far and couldn't stop herself in time, she went tumbling, Robin stumbled to catch her. It was a long way down and every attempt to stop herself failed and Arya just tumbled further and further down. There was a point where she stopped tumbling so violently but was still falling at speed.

Sand flew up and storm watched from the bottom as the two came rushing down, it was quite a sight to behold.

"Robin!" Arya could hardly get her words out, she felt a firm hand grab her waist before she got too far. They both fell and slid on their sides, sliding to the bottom.

Arya turned to see Robin checking her for any injuries, "Are you ok?" He asked, his eyes wide and serious.

"yeh- yeh I'm fine... thank you" she could feel her cheeks go red like usual in any awkward situation.

"I thought I wouldn't catch you in time" he spoke with a laugh, pulling the girl onto her feet.

"Anyway... where were we" he smiled, brushing down his trousers. Arya felt like an idiot, only she could fall down a hill in the woods, I suppose Robin was used to it by now.

She looked to see the swing, which was now in arms length, grabbing it as she pulled herself onto it. Taking a deep breath after her fall.

"You sure your ok?" Robin came up behind her. Arya nodded, adjusted herself on the small plank of wood.

Robin began to push her after checking she was ok. "Wait, Robin no!" Arya called as she held onto the rope for dear life. He carried on pushing it higher, smiled as he did so. She was swinging so high, right under the roof of the trees.

Arya yelled, as Robin pushed her higher, she could see the sea from the highest point, which made her feel nervous.

"You ok up there" Robin called from the ground, as Arya flew up into the trees.

"Noooo! Let me down!" She laughed but also wanted to get off at this point. As she closed her eyes, she felt the motion of the swing stop.

Opening her eyes, Robin stood in front of her, his eyes looking deep into hers. Arya could see his perfect face up close now, his eyes had greens and blues and tiny, faint freckles detailing his cheeks.

"Your eyes are very pretty, you know" he spoke, his voice was so soothing and calming. Arya felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up right.

"T-thank you" she stared back.

His breath smelt of peppermint and a vague hint of coffee. Most of all, Arya could smell his aftershave, the masculine sent she loved so much, much better than...

"I should really go back, my parents will wonder where I am" Arya slipped off the swing, she never did good in the silence.

"Oh, yeh of course" helping her get down, he scratched behind his ears.

Arya immediately regretted her choice, she could have stayed in that moment, It could have turned into something but something told her not to.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Arya clipped the lead onto storms collar. She smiled at him before gently tugging on storms lead.

Robin watched as she got further and further away, he sighed once she was out of sight, he too realised how much he'd missed her.