Winter Hearts

Fallen Angel

Siana had noticed Leo's interaction with Mr Joon and realised immediately what it was about.

She felt like the princess in the midst of some kind of security operation that had to be protected at all costs - and she wasn't sure if she liked it that much. On the one hand, she felt wonderfully cared for and precious, but on the other, she felt as if a virtual shadow had fallen over her existence.

Was she going to have to be watched over, or have to watch her own actions, from now on? It felt stifling.

The feeling she used to feel when she first began living in Kuala Lumpur - that claustrophobic, restricted feeling - came up for her as she was being strapped into her parasailing harness with the final instructor, someone she knew who travelled in the same circles as some of her clubbing friends.

She nodded as he fed her instructions, even though they had both been through these flights before.

Her mind was on the gesture that Leo had made, putting his arm out to stop the camera from catching her. It seemed so protective and so presumptive at the same time, and despite her misgivings about what it meant for her freedom, his action made her ache to put her arms around him.

Watching him soar over the valley for a moment, she had felt an indescribable yearning to be right by his side, even though they had just been together just a few moments before.

He had flown away without looking back, making her feel a little silly waiting for him to do so.

Then she thought, why expect him to do that when she wanted him to enjoy every moment of his flight?

I just want it, she thought to herself, perplexed by her own petulant response. This is so not me, wanting something just because I want it.

"Don't worry, you'll be reunited in less time than you think. Meantime enjoy the jump, koukla," said her instructor, calling her a doll.

She smiled a little wanly. She didn't feel in the mood to respond.

She just wanted to be with Leo.

At last they were ready to go, and he shouted out final orders to the others left behind, one of whom would be doing a solo jump using the prepared but unwanted equipment. Siana had already spoken to the lead instructor who had agreed to waive the hire fees for the final jump. She was grateful to Mr Joon for insisting that she jump, because she realised that if she drove down she wouldn't see Leo for over an hour, maybe more if the boys didn't want to wait at the landing spot and wanted to move on to someplace warmer.

Now, she was standing a few metres away from the edge and was about to do a run-up to meet the air, and for the first time, was thinking less about the jump and more about the landing.

It was unusual for her to be impatient with something as exciting as this, and not caring for the rush that she would expect to feel.

She felt she was on a continuous high - and Leo was her addiction.

The instructor counted down and they began a slow trot towards the edge - and she could already feel the sail lift their weight before they reached the end of their runway, carrying them up into the air and over the chasm below.

Unlike the other instructors, hers was quiet, which she appreciated: their jump was not so much about the adrenaline rush, but about soaring high above for a few moments, enjoying their bird's eye view of the olive groves and small ancient towns below.

She looked below to see a herd of mountain goats running across an open area along the face of the mountain, which dipped down into the olive groves. She could hear the bells around their necks clanging in the distance, and their bleating. Other than that, she could hear the wind rushing through the parasail's lines above her head.