Find me

Chapter 65

Alice

When I woke up this morning, he wasn't there. I thought he might be angry about last night's fight, so he left. It wasn't a fight, but a debate. Fortunately, I was wrong. When I left the room, I found him outside the house. It was like he made some new friends here. There were a group of people, talking to him, laughing sometimes. I must say, he's great with people, unlike me.
Thirty minutes later, Alessandra walks in, "Good Morning, honey", she beams at me.
"Good Morning to you too".
I notice Luke's gaze on us, the eyebrows frowning together as he tried to hear us.
Within a second, he slides in, staring at her, he walks toward me.
"Alice, your practice starts today. Because I don't want to waste any more seconds" she told me. 
I nodded. His eyes are still on her, as he examines her every move.
"Okay, let's get started then," she told us and went out of the room. We follow her.
I poke my elbow on his arm, "Stop staring at her" I whispered.
He replied in low voice, "I'm not doing".
"Yes, you do".
He rolls his eyes, as he moves ahead.
We stopped in the middle of nowhere. Cliffs rise in front of us, the water spilling down as trees and foliage surround us, shielding us from heavy sunlight, but to the left, the trees clear a little for the river as it babbles over rocks. Granite and moss fill my nostrils, and I might enjoy the sight if I hadn't had this big problem ahead of me.
I look over at Luke, his feature look clear in the sunlight. Perfect eyes, perfectly shaped nose, perfect jawline. He's very, very handsome.
He caught me staring at him. I dropped my eyes. Shit.

I walk to her. She's watching the cliff next to fall, "Is everything okay?".
She glances down at me, and then at Luke, "Young boy? Can you come here?".
He rolls his eyes again. When he comes closer. I don't know why but I'm unable to meet his eyes. Maybe he caught me again. So I look at anything but not at him. God, what is happening? 
She turned to face him, "You are going to be her partner and help me in her training".
He raises his eyebrows, "Excuse me, when did I become your assistant?".
"I thought you are going to train me," I question. What? Partner? No way.
She sighs, "Honey, I am doing the same, just need some hand" she shrugged her shoulder, "Because there is something that this old hand can't do anymore".
"I don't know anything about training and all" His gaze looks out, over to me and then back to her. "By the way, why does she need a partner?".
"Because you guys are going to climb this cliff ".
"What?". I and Luke snap at the same time.
He scuffs, "Are you serious?". 
"Yes. I'm pretty serious. And don't worry, you won't get hurt".
He shoots back, "I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about her" he pauses, raked hand through his hair, "This is dangerous".
She scowls down at him, "The thing which is growing inside her is way more dangerous than this cliff climbing, young man".
And this time, he didn't argue. Only glared down at her, his chest moving up and down as he tried to control his temper.
He exhales as he storms toward the cliff. He took off his jacket and throw it on the rock, "How is this going to help her?" He growls, staring at her.
A faint smile appears on her lips as she speaks, "You'll find out soon", gesturing me to follow him. I swallow, my throat is dry and my legs are shaking. God, I hate this. Because I'm afraid of heights. My heart is drumming against my chest.
When I approached him, he ask "Can you do this?". He looks worried.
"As if I have another option," I say in sarcasm. "Shall we start?"
He nodded.
We start climbing. He's ahead of me, giving me directions, and telling me to follow his every move.
"How much more is left to climb?" I call up to him, a few feet above me. "I think, I'm getting sick".
He glances down at me as he pauses his climb "Not so far".
Panic made my stomach nauseous, "I hate this".
Luke is climbing again, sweat making his brown hair stick to his neck and temples "Come on hurry up, we need to finish this damn thing as soon as possible. And don't look down".
I nodded, mouth dry and heartbeat racing, I gulped the remaining saliva down my throat.

~~~~~~

Finally, we reached the top. And I can’t stop grinning as I catch the view. We can see the whole forest around us. Everything is peacefully silent. Just the chirping of birds, the sound of the waterfall. Everything is beautiful. I can spend my whole life here. This place is amazing.
I open my arms as I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with this fresh air.
When I look around, Luke is also enjoying the view. A smile played on his lips. He seems happy, more than happy. That worry is now washed off his face. He looks alive.
"You like being here, isn't it?" I ask
"And so are you," he say and looked down to meet my eyes.
Yes, I love this place. Now I get, why my mother came here. Because she needs peace just like me.
Luke’s soft eyes hold mine, and the way he stares at me makes warmth bubble up in my chest, and I don’t know why.
I look away, suddenly aware that my face is hot again. But his eyes stay on me. I can see him out of the corner of my eye.
"You know? Why she told you to do this climbing," he says, his chest touching my back as he walks and stood next to me. "Because you need to focus your mind, no matter how dreadful the situation is. And guess what, cliff climbing is the best way to teach that".
I nodded, "That makes sense".
He shakes his head, "Clever move" he let out a laugh in a sneer.
And I think it worked somehow. Ever since I came here, that voice is gone. But I'm afraid, until when.