Unforgivable Lacerations

Chapter Fifty-One

My feet sunk into the ground as if they were elevators descending to the floor below when Edward placed me down after the journey. It was merely Edward's plastered smile that made me excited for whatever we were about to do- something he still refused to tell me. 

This morning, whilst I forced myself out of bed, exhausted, for it was a late night last night due to the gala and the piano playing- not to mention how the hours of dancing had worn me out- Edward had queried whether I would like to go to the creek again. Apparently, as the snow had now melted, there were more things to do. 

"So now the snow has cleared, what do you plan on doing?" I questioned as I searched around the area some more. The trees were still bare as they poked up into the sky, the grass was hardly visible as the thick mud was smeared everywhere, and the water beside us gushed quicker than before as no ice was surfacing.

Edward smiled, "As the snow layered the branches, we couldn't climb them. Well, I could but you couldn't, and because I know how much you love being independent, I didn't want to anger you by making you climb on my back," Edward playfully mocked. "Although I would have liked you to," he winked.

I rolled my eyes but couldn't wipe the grin off my face, "So..." I drawled. "Climbing trees?"

"If you want," he shrugged. "And if it gets to the point where you don't want to climb further, I'll either carry you up or sit beside you, depending on what you want. But, I can tell you now, there's an amazing view from the top of these trees."

"Okay," I agreed, wanting to do something active and fun. "What tree?"

"Follow me, I'll take you to the biggest," he smirked. I shook my head and walked to him. "Oh look, you're already there." I laughed and stepped away purposely.

"Start walking before your ego begins to suffocate me," I ordered playfully, placing my hands on my hips.

"Okay," Edward sang, laughing. The two of us proceeded to walk through the dense forest, surrounded by trees that looked extremely similar, mostly bare, and eerily silent too. The only sound I could detect was the squelch of our footsteps beneath us, in an unintentional rhythm as we trekked. 

"It's here," Edward said quietly as he stopped in front of a large oak tree. The trunk was immensely broad, the first branch was over ten foot above me, and the only possible way I would be able to climb it would be the vines that scaled the bark. 

"Can I go on your back, please?" I asked, looking over to Edward. Wordlessly, he crouched down for me to get on. "I bet this was your plan to get me on your back," I joked.

"It wasn't. Honest," he said, stalking over to the tree. "Hold on tight." I did as he said, maybe a little too tight, as he worked like Spiderman climbing the tree- hands silently slapping against the wood. 

If there was anything Edward was honest about, it was certainly his opinion of the view. 

Naturally, with the sight of the beach in the distance- something I wasn't aware existed- the view of the creek, and the cluster of treetops, I released an awed gasp. The beach, how beautiful it was, as the sand created a white band beside the vast blueness of the sea, acting like an award for the people who endured the maze of the trees. 

"Wow," I breathed, clutching onto the tree as Edward settled me down, but never taking his arm around me back. "A bit windy," I said as my hair flew around like I was in the middle of a photo shoot- which must have been both due to the sea and the height. 

Edward was just glancing at me the whole time, not bothering to look at the jaw-dropping view. Not once. We sat in silence as I snuggled closer to him, he then tightened his arm around me before beginning to speak.