Wild Girl ✔️

chapter 4: black

Sebastian

I refused to let my mind drift back to Violet as I delivered the wood to each cabin. This is what she wants. To get under my skin. Allowing myself to give in by talking to her daily was dangerous enough. I couldn't dive off the deep end again.

I needed to relax, to distract myself from the girl who'd been occupying my mind everyday for the past two years.

The sky was beginning to darken as the sun set. Another day spent hiding away in between the trees.

I knew I couldn't do this forever. Living out here, pretending my life back home didn't exist. Buying these cabins with every last penny I had saved was an attempt to start new, to get the hell out of the town that ruined my life.

I took out loans to afford this place, to have a business I could call my own. I had moved here to escape. But how can I escape when my problems literally followed me here?

Violet's face popped into my mind like a balloon and I pushed it right back down.

I walked inside my cabin, threw a frozen pizza into the oven and sulked to the bathroom. Waking up every day at five in the morning was beginning to wear me down.

The shower nozzle creaked as cold water came blasting through. I jumped back suddenly, turning the knob and waiting for the water to warm up.

"Weird," I mumbled to myself after a minute passed and the water still ran cold.

I wrapped a towel around my waist and stepped into the bathroom, turning the sink's knob to the hottest it would go. The water poured out instantly.

It was freezing cold.

"You've got to be kidding me." I tugged my clothes back on quickly, ignoring the exhaustion creeping into my bones, and went to the front door to grab my boots and a flashlight.

I stepped outside and stopped for a moment, sighing to myself. Even after living out here for two years, the night sky never ceased to leave me speechless.

"Sebastian! Hot water ain't workin', son!"

I turned to the left at Rick Walter's voice, current renter of cabin two. He was standing on his porch, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist as he yelled across the grass to me.

I looked away quickly. "On it, Rick." I waved before turning on the flashlight and walking around back to the hot water tank.

"Need some help?"

The flashlight tumbled out of my hand as I jumped. I turned around ... Violet.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," I grumbled, picking up the light and turning my attention back to the knobs.

She leaned against the cabin wall, watching me with her arms crossed. I peeked at her from the corner of my eye and she smiled.

I swallowed and turned away quickly.

"What's the problem?"

I didn't answer. Unless she knew how to fix a damn hot water tank, her presence wasn't exactly necessary.

"You can't ignore me forever, Sebastian."

"I'm not," I gritted my teeth, "ignoring you."

Her maniacal laughter filled the air. "What do you want from me?" She yelled. "I'm here because of you, Seb. Not the other way around."

"That's not true." I replied, now turning to face her. The darkness didn't hide the sadness in her eyes.

"Tell me that you want me to leave then," Violet said coldly. "Tell me that you never want to see me again. Tell me!"

I buried my head in my hands in defeat. She knew ... She knew I would never do that. I remained quiet and, when I looked at her again, she smirked triumphantly.

"That's what I thought."

I ran a hand through my hair. This game was never-ending.

"You're stuck with me, Sebastian. You can't get rid of me no matter how badly you try to convince yourself that you should. You want me here." She took a step towards me. "I came here for you. Because I couldn't let you go," she whispered.

"It's been two years, Violet." She reached out to touch me, her hand pausing in the air.

"True love doesn't have an expiration date, Sebastian."

Her hand reached out slowly, upwards towards my face. I paused, waiting for it. Electricity vibrated between us as her fingers slowly moved closer —

"Sebastian!" The two of us jumped at the sound of Rick's voice. I quickly composed myself as he came storming around the side of the cabin, still wearing nothing but a towel.

"Any luck, son?" He said wearily, his eyes darting around the trees.

"None," I replied, shoving my hands into my jean pockets. "I'll call someone to check it out in the morning."

He grunted before tugging his towel further up his waist. "Alrighty then. You have a good night now."

As he walked away, I turned around, expecting to find Violet waiting behind me. She wasn't there.

My eyes searched the darkness for her silhouette and came up empty.

I sighed. Shutting off the flashlight, I walked back inside.

* * *

The phone began to ring as soon as I walked through the door. I quickly tugged off my boots and dashed across the room, my muscles aching.

"Purple Woods Inn," I grunted, shutting my eyes as I sank into a chair. "Sebastian speaking."

"Hello," a female voice piped up on the other line. "I'm interested in renting one of your cabins."

"For when?" I asked, sliding the reservation book towards me and flipping to today's date.

"As soon as possible." She said quickly.

My curiosity piked. I was used to guests renting rooms here for relaxation, but the urgency in this woman's voice told me she was looking for more than calming walks through the wilderness.

"One minute," I replied, flipping through the book to find the earliest availability. One renter was due to leave the day after tomorrow. That would have to be soon enough. "The earliest opening I have is in two days."

"Wonderful!" I winced, tugging the phone away from my ear as her voice boomed through. "How close is the nearest town?"

"An hour drive."

"Perfect." Now, I was very intrigued. I silently hoped that I wasn't about to rent my cabin out to a wanted criminal.

"How long is your stay?" I clicked the pen open and circled the date.

Another pause. "A month?"

"You don't seem too sure about that."

"It may ... need to be extended."

"Extensions are fine as long as you notify me in advance. Can I get your name?" I asked, pulling out the chair opposite me and resting my feet on it.

"Rose."

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