Choices

An Extraordinary Love

Cha saw Tee sitting on the edge of the hill looking engrossed at the view in front of her she didn't even turn when he sat down beside her.

'I saw you walking here. Are you okay?' Cha asked.

'Why are being so nice to me?' Tee asked him without looking at him. 'I mean what is all this, bringing me food from the table when you know very well, I can do it for myself. Opening water bottles, you know very well I don't need anyone to do it for me.'

'It is all very strange for me as well, if I was to be honest.' Khun Cha replied.

'Then why even bother doing it? You didn't have to. We are not even friends. We hardly talk to each other.' Tee asked as she was confused.

'Answer me first before I answer your question. On that camping trip, why did you come back for me at the bridge when I said I was scared to cross? Why did you save me when we fell into the water? You didn't have to. We are not even friends. We hardly talk to each other.' Cha returned.

'What are you talking about? I didn't save you. We just managed to survive, that is all there is to it. We were both lucky.' Tee denied vehemently.

'Tee, Tee. I was there remember? I may have lost consciousness sometime when we hit the water, but I was not stupid, and neither was I blind.' Cha said gently to her. You saved us both.'

'I don't even know how you managed to keep us together with me unconscious in those raging waters and those rocks. I cannot even begin to imagine how much strength it took in you to keep us both safe. You managed to drag us both to safety, my unconscious ass, yourself and that freakingly heavy 20 kilo backpack on you.' Cha looked at her in wonder. 'When I regained consciousness, we were both at the bank of the river. You were flat on your back and unconscious this time. I tried to sit up but I felt heaviness on my side and my stomach I realized that your backpack was tied to my waist. I didn't know how you managed to strap your backpack to my body while we were floating in the rapids. I looked around; I didn't know where we were and how long and how far we have been dragged by the rapids. I looked at you and saw you shiver. I realized that it was up to me this time to take care of you. You needed to be in a safe and warm place.'

Flashback

Cha knew they have to seek shelter soon, as it was getting dark and with them exposed to the elements like, it cannot be safe. He looked around and from a distance; he saw an overgrowth of bushes shielding what seems to be a cave or a least a much safer place for them. He dragged the backpack which he could have sworn was heavier than the standard 20 kilo regulation backpack.

After dragging the backpack, Cha thought of how he will bring Tee to the cave, of course, he cannot drag her over there. She was not a backpack. He decides to try and lift her up. He places his right arm under her shoulders and the left arm under her knees and tried lifting her up. He was so surprised that he was able to do it that he lost his balance and almost dropped her. Tee moaning as if she was in pain brought him to his senses. He squared his shoulders and lifted her once more he was even more surprised to find out how light she was; he easily carried her into the cave.

The first thing he did was check out was how Tee was, it was important to know if she was injured or not. The way she kept moaning and groaning as he was moving her, she does not seem okay. But first things first, he must keep her warm. He too, must keep himself warm; if they were to survive, they must not die of frostbite if the temperature drops down. He had no idea how cold this place could get but at least the cave could keep them warm once they start the fire going that is if they could get a fire started, he was worried if everything in the backpack got wet too.