The Winter Rivals

Chapter 12| Shawn Watson

31st September 2008
The time following my encounter with Jess was split between the library and my bed, surrounded by stacks of books to distract myself. I must have read around ten books in attempts to rid the anxiety living rent-free in my mind.

In contrast, Jess carried on with his day nonchalantly, seemingly unaffected, which only served to frustrate me further. I wished he would have felt angry- to experience the same turmoil and apprehension I was going through. I wished his emotions would have left him dreading contact with me in the same way my own emotions had done. Just as I felt progress was being made, that his solid concrete walls were coming down, he slapped them in my face as if it were all a cruel game.

When the fresh scent of morning slipped in, I found myself in such a deep sleep, tired out from the exhausting thoughts, that when the blaring alarm sounded, it felt as if someone had dug me out of my own grave. Disoriented and chilled, I hurriedly reached for my robe, shivering in the cold as goosebumps rose on my skin.

Creeping down the stairs cautiously, I scanned for Jess, my tension easing upon not finding him. As I entered the kitchen, a cup of hot chocolate awaited me at the breakfast nook, accompanied by Mariam, Tora, and Rowan. "Ah, she's awake," Rowen smiled cheerfully, "We're heading into the city for some shopping. Tora has been raving on about taking a break from filming, and Mariam is worn out from editing the last of the footage she got of Jess on the slopes."

Joining the others at the table, I wrapped my robe tightly around me, smiling genuinely for the first time in a while. "That sounds lovely," I beamed, "What time are we leaving?"
Rowen took a leisurely sip of his tea before responding, "As soon as Jess is ready."
Instantly, my smile faded into a disgusted scowl, though I tried to conceal it by raising the oversized mug to my lips, hiding my expression as I drank.

As I savored each sip, my eyes fluttered shut, the image of the red-headed woman flashing in my mind. I made a mental note to ask Mariam to research her and see if there were any pictures or articles connecting her to Jess and Luke Quinn's story.

Placing the now-empty mug back on the table, I rose from my seat. "I'm going to get ready; I won't be long," I forced a smile.
Why did Jess have to come?

Delving into my bags and suitcases, I retrieved a dark greyish-blue off-the-shoulder jumper and slipped it on, pondering what to pair it with. My hand rummaged back into the bags, discovering a pair of thermal, skin-colored tights and a little black skirt. Just as I reached for them, a small note slipped out, prompting a puzzled expression to settle upon my face, creasing my brow. Unfolding the piece of paper, I soon realized it was Shawn Watson, James Ross's cameraman.

Contemplating for a moment, I decided, Why not? Just a text will do. My fingers danced across the screen as I typed the words, 'Hi, it's Elora from the ski event. Sorry I've only just messaged.'
Pressing send, a sudden blush painted my cheeks, the warmth swirling in my stomach.
Despite my reluctance to get ready, I sighed, going through with it anyway.

11:20. AM
The city was bustling with swarms of shoppers, diving headfirst into the Christmas spirit a good three months too early. Much like London, Spiez had already filled its shop windows and floors in festive decor, despite the calendar only showing September. Shoppers rushed in and out of the brightly lit stores, their arms burdened with bags, reveling in the holiday ambiance as if it were the actual Christmas day itself.

Jess, on the other hand, seemed thoroughly displeased as he observed the lively scene, his expression no different from the one he wore when he first laid eyes on me in the backseat of the car. His face contorted in a disgusted scowl, standing out starkly against the beaming locals who looked just like characters from Who-Ville; he seemed more like a spoilt child who had found coal in his stocking.

Tora rolled her eyes, playfully jabbing Jess's arm, teasing him to lighten up. "Cheer up, grumpy. You look like you've just killed somebody; you're going to scare the kids." Jess, unmoved, ranted about the crowd's lack of manners. "I'll cheer up when these people stop practically bumping into me. It's like they don't know how to walk," he grumbled.

As I felt a light buzzing coming from my bag, I swiftly retrieved my phone, my eyes scanning the screen. The message I read caused a blush to creep up my neck, 'Don't worry about it. That skirt looks pretty on you, by the way.' I glanced around the crowd before meeting Shawn's gaze as he leaned casually against a charming wooden coffee hut, chatting away with the owner. He hastily ended his conversation, purchasing two hot drinks before striding over to me.

With a smile forming on my lips, I excused myself from the group, suggesting they continue without me. Confusion clouded their faces, except for Jess, whose eyes burned with anger as he watched me approach Shawn, his hand gently resting on my waist as I reached him. I could still feel Jess's eyes burning into the back of my head, and I silently prayed he would find somebody else to focus his attention on.

Shawn lit up with a boyish grin as he handed me the hot paper cup, his cold fingertips softly brushing my hand. The brief contact sparked a butterfly-like sensation in my stomach, though it wasn't nearly as powerful as the feeling that consumed me when Jess so much as looked my way. I struggled with these conflicting emotions, resenting myself for such reactions and harboring even more bitterness towards Jess for evoking them.

Instead of expressing my true thoughts, I simply said, "Thank you. How comes you're here?"
Shawn shook his head, chuckling, "Well, don't sound too happy to see me."
My eyes widened in realization of how my words might have sounded, "No, no, that's not- I just... I mean..."

"No need to get embarrassed, I'm just teasing," he laughed, and I couldn't help but notice how strikingly handsome he was.

As the afternoon unfolded, I browsed the shelves of various shops while Shawn assisted me in finding the cutest clothes. Despite dressing solely for myself and not placing much importance on his opinion, I still sought his input just to be conversational.

"You have terrible taste in clothes," I laughed, my hand instinctively moving to cover my mouth. Shawn responded with an exaggeratedly offended gasp, "How dare you!"

"Did I lie?" I retorted, a hint of smugness in my tone.

Interrupting our playful bickering was a familiar voice, "Elora, we're leaving. Come on," the voice was low and mumbled. Before I had a chance to say goodbye to Shawn, my wrist was grasped, and I was pulled in a different direction.

"Jess, let go of me! Why would you do that?" I protested.
He rolled his eyes, huffing as if unbothered, "You can talk with it later. We're leaving, so hurry up." Releasing my wrist, he reached for my hand instead, sending an unusual sensation rippling through my skin.

When we had finally reached the car, Tora and Mariam were engrossed in a seemingly serious conversation with Rowen. While shopping with Shawn, I had messaged Mariam describing the red-headed girl in the photo and requested her to do some research. I pondered if that was the topic of their discussion, but before I could find out, Jess yanked open the car door, instantly silencing the vehicle.