Truce

Twenty Two // Whiplash

Twenty Two // Whiplash

Kaia

We were at the start line, head to head or rather, toe to toe, in between the walls at the beginning of the corridor topping the grand staircase. Jacob was shaking his legs out like a professional runner and I was sitting down, taking my socks of for more traction on the carpet.

This was serious.

I bunched my socks together and threw them against the wall, letting them drop to the ground a few feet away from me. Jacob blew out a breath and was still.

"Ready?"

"I was born ready," I smirked, psyching myself up. I toed the line and he matched my stance. He was a giant compared to me but I was on the relay team until year nine and Germans weren't generally interested in sport, according to my German teacher. I figured I had a good chance, but his legs were long so I drew up a few back up plans in my mind in case I fell behind.

Jacob put his phone on the ground and set a countdown from ten. As the seconds ticked down my heart began to beat faster and then, a stroke of brilliance hit me like a truck.

"Hey Jay?" I asked, peering at him from under my lashes, making my voice a little nervous. I used his nickname for nostalgic value, and I had to hide my satisfaction when his concentration lapsed.

Seven. Six. Five.

"I've been wanting to tell you this since you came back," I said and his stance completely altered. Instead of facing down the hall with knees bent, feet arching, his body was to me, legs straight, feet flat.

Four. Three.

"What is it?" He asked, taking a small step towards me that was all that was possible in the small gap from wall to wall. His voice sounded like he more than cared, but I didn't have the chance to feel guilt.

Two. One. Ding.

I sprinted off down the hall and left a cursing boy in my wake. It gave me two seconds at max but it was enough that I was ahead of him until the red scarf we had laid out halfway down the hall. I crossed it and then allowed myself to laugh, a breathless laugh that comes following a hard sprint.

I slowed to a jog and turned to see Jacob's reaction but he was still running, and he was running at me.

"Oh shit!" My eyes widened and I tried to dodge around him but he slowed just long enough to grab me around the waist and drag me to the ground.

Before I could wriggle or squirm away he was sitting on my legs, my arms pinned above my head and his face directly above mine. There was a shadow of a smile leering behind his stern look but he didn't show it.

That's when I realized how close his face was. It had been closer, but all I had to do was lean up and –

No!! What was I thinking? I couldn't do that. Why would I want to do that?? What the hell just happened?

But Jacob didn't notice. He was in the process of shaking his head at me, making a show to cluck his tongue in disappointment. "That was unfair."

I poked my tongue out and squirmed like a five year old but he just held me in place, his beautiful face lit by the warm glow of the hall lamps. They cast a shadow beneath his lips and it was as if someone had taken possession of my body because all I wanted to do was press my lips to his. But I couldn't and I wouldn't. I had to fight whatever was attempting to take me over and remain cool, calm and collected. I had to remain Kaia.