Wild Girl ✔️

chapter 6: flower

Rose

The cabin was cozy. With each step, my feet sunk into the thick carpet lining the floors and I sank a little further into the freedom that was these four walls.

I found the tiny bedroom — one bed and a dresser — and unpacked my clothing into the wooden drawers that creaked when opened. The photo of Caleb and I sat on top, the only decoration needed in this room.

The only reminder of my life back home that this room needed, too.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep and he was alive. That was the thing about dreams: they were a gateway to a different world — a world where Caleb was still mine.

Tonight, we were laying on sand as waves lapped at our feet. I could feel the sun kissing my face, warming my skin as Caleb's fingers stroked idle circles on my stomach. Even in sleep, his touch still burned through me.

I would have been content to sleep my life away if it meant spending the rest of it with him. But as the bright sunlight seeped into my bedroom window this morning, I quickly said goodbye to Caleb and welcomed the new day.

My first day of freedom.

The heat slammed into me as soon as I stepped out the door. My denim shorts and tank top clung to my body like second-skin. I pulled my hair up into a pony tail as I walked the small distance to the edge of the tree line.

It was an hour past sunrise. The world still seemed still, like the trees and the animals living among them were sleeping, the grass snoring as it swayed lightly. Soft wind blew tendrils of hair around my face as I walked deeper into the forest.

I wanted to explore this area I would now call home for the upcoming weeks. I was sure there had to be more to this forest than just trees and bugs. Beauty would be hidden deep within and I was determined to find it.

Twigs snapped beneath my feet as I walked, the buzz of insects was my exploration soundtrack. I stopped for a moment and peeked through two tree trunks, a dash of yellow catching my attention.

Pushing away the large branches, I stepped into the small clearing where a small yellow tent sat with a single chair outside. I was eyeing the tent curiously when the zipper began to pull down. A head with a mass of long brown hair popped out. A hand reached out quickly to brush the hair back. A pair of dark eyes stared back at me.

"Sebastian?" I managed to squeak out

His eyes widened as he cleared his throat. "Rose! What are you —"

I stifled my laughter as Sebastian climbed out of the tent, quickly zipping it up behind him. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of black sweat pants. I averted my gaze from his bare chest quickly as he ran a hand through his long hair.

"I woke up early to explore," I said, realizing how lame the words sounded.

Sebastian smirked, his gaze altering between myself and the tent behind him. "Explore?"

I gestured to the mass of trees around us. "Explore," I repeated. "Become one with nature. Maybe bird watch. I'm still deciding."

Sebastian's laugh seemed to wrap around us. "How was your first night?"

"Clearly not as interesting as yours," I teased, nodding to the tent behind him and his half-naked self.

His eyes widened as he caught what I was implying. Pink heat rose to his cheeks as he tugged a hand through his hair. A nervous habit, I decided.

"No. I wasn't ... There isn't—" I chuckled as Sebastian's struggled to speak. He sighed and picked up a t-shirt off the chair, tugging it over his head as his hair stood up statically. "I like to sleep out here sometimes." He said simply.