Ultramarine -- REWRITTEN

Fourteen. [c.h.] -- REWRITTEN

          Two days and two nights slowly crept by with nightmares, yearnings, and wishes occupying the restless hours. Harry was gradually becoming more sensitive to my situation, which I found odd but comforting at the same time. I couldn't stand being pitied, but he seemed to (to some extent), understand why I was becoming more snappy, uneasy, and quiet. It wasn't a good idea to keep my thoughts to myself knowing that they would ultimately explode into an emotional breakdown, but the pandemonium happening in Harry's mind was loud enough to temporarily distract me from my own problems. The sound wasn't as loud as it had been the days after the initial stop, but still unlike anything considered normal. He was learning to sort and control the anarchy.

          When it was a little too quiet or when I found myself thinking too much, I worked out. The healthy burn diverted the attention away from my woes. Even though my legs would be ready when I ran, my lungs wouldn't be. But the ability to punch would be enough to knock someone out to give me a head start.

          I refused to sleep more than I needed, unwilling to subject myself to the misery of my dreams. Waking up in a cold, concrete cell instead of a warm, sandy beach was more agonizing than having a nightmare where I was tortured. Both had their cons. It was a blessing when I didn't remember anything at all--a wish I had despised years ago when I wasn't being haunted by my ghost of regrets.

+++

          I lay facing the sun. The warm, blissful glow that tanned and pleasantly burned my skin. I only saw red, and could imagine the sound of wind whispering across leaves. Grass tickled my bare arms and hands as the fragrance made its way to my nose. I danced my fingers between the green strands, the tips often digging into the cool, soft earth. If I tried hard enough, I could smell salt water burning my nose and heard the distant sounds of waves kissing the shore. Seagulls would call out while crabs would scuttle along the rocks. I opened my eyes, seeing the four brutal walls frame the sun. My hand shaded my eyes as I carefully observed each wall.

          I stood from the grass and brushed myself off before approaching the building opposite of the entrance to the courtyard where Harry remained. My hand touched the wall, finding it too slick to climb up. After frowning, I pursed my lips and casually walked along the wall. I searched for any edge of a window where I could climb (if I were lucky). All windows were too high up to grab even if I were to jump. After turning two corners, I faced Harry, who had watched all of my movements. His voltaic jade eyes fixed onto mine while I stepped around him, placing my hand back on the wall on his other side. I faced away, continuing my hunt.

          "To spare you some time, there's no crevice to help you climb up," he remarked.

          "Doesn't hurt to double check." I looked up the side of the building, the sun shading half of the smooth white wall. "If I did find something, would you stop me?" I questioned, stopping in my tracks and turning to face him. My other hand was pressed against the wall.

          "Of course," he answered without hesitation while I frowned. A sly smile curved on his lips and a dimple became exposed. My heart fluttered at the sight. "But I can't say whether or not I would trip first trying to catch up to you, or if I would forget to alert Aria."

          For the first time in days, a tight-lipped smile spread across my face and my heavy heart felt a little lighter. He continued, "maybe I'd be on my monitor as you climbed up the building and would finally turn to look when you were on the rooftop." A bigger, more amusing smirk found its way to his face as his dimple deepened in his cheek. I grinned and chuckled, a vibration that was sadly becoming unfamiliar in my chest.

          "Maybe you'd tell them that I knocked you out while I climbed the wall," I joined. He chuckled and shrugged.

          "Maybe."