We held each other on the shore until the sun hiding, forced us to return to reality.
On our way back, even the silliest things made us laugh. Heather kept daring me to do stupid things; seeing who could jump faster over a random log, or who could hold out the longest while carrying the other on their back. It felt as though we were on vacation in a different dimension where problems and walls didn't exist.
I did my best in the contest and carried her for as long as I could. Meanwhile, she hugged me from behind, some of her wavy strands falling softly around my cheeks. Despite my efforts, I eventually grew tired and let her take over, but not before she gave me a smile of satisfaction and confidence.
"I'm totally going to win this." She said, her gaze fixed ahead as she gripped my legs tightly.
"Oh, is that so?" I murmured, placing a tender, lingering kiss on her neck from behind.
"Don't think your sweet kisses will distract me. I'm not falling for that." She teased, though I noticed a shiver run through her.
'Let's see how you handle this,' I said, reaching around to tickle her sides. She started to wiggle.
"Stop it, you goofball!" She protested, though her steps were unsteady, betraying her laughter.
"What did you just call me? I won't stop now." I said, intensifying the tickling.
Heather tried to resist, but it was clear that laughter was winning the battle. I felt her grip on me starting to weaken. Suddenly, a stray piece of wood caught her foot, and she stumbled. We tripped three times before both tumbling into the grass, still laughing.
"Ok, I can't take this anymore!" She said catching her breath on the grass.
"I never said it was over once we hit the floor." I said with a grin, jumping on her and continuing to tickle.
"Oh. My." She gasped as she rolled to avoid me, but it was too late. I caught her.
"That's what you get for being so insufferably competitive." I said.
"Okay, okay, you win!" she shouted.
I finally stopped and pulled my hands away, letting her catch her breath. I lay down beside her with a wide grin on my face.
"Are you content now?" She asked with a smirk.
"Not quite." I said, leaning in to capture her lips with mine, those lips I couldn't get enough of.
· · ·
The night before the meeting, we finally got to sleep in real beds. After thoes weeks in a cell, sinking into a soft mattress felt like hitting the jackpot. Michael had left us a room in the Phoenix Group's common house, which wasn't very big, but more than enough compared with that smelly cell. Two single beds fit perfectly, one on each side, separated by a worn wooden nightstand. Michael and the other soldiers were sleeping in the other ten rooms of the house.
Heather fell asleep quickly, as usual, while I, well, you know, sleep was never my strong suit, so I stayed awake. The process of not sleeping was always the same. First, I'd drift into a light sleep, and for a few moments, it would feel like I might finally manage to fall asleep. But then my heart would start pounding like frantic drums. Cold sweat, like ice, would trickle down my neck and back, from behind my ears and the tips of my fingers, spreading an uncomfortable tingling. Then, like the swift slash of a katana, sharp images would invade my mind. The smoke from the drones the day my parents died, Michael's screams when we were separated at the border, the gunshot hitting Heather, and her blood gushing through her fingers as she tried to cover the wound. And then, suffocation. Drowning. Constriction.
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SILVER EYES (GXG)
Romance[2024 WATTYS SHORTLIST] Grace had no idea what she would find on the other side of the wall when the gates opened. Even less so that they wouldn't let her brother cross. Why? A blue-eyed and fierce commander, named Heather, holds the answer. She clo...
