HAVEN ✓

Seventeen

Walking quietly from heel to toe was fine at first, but after another hour of rolling my foot repeatedly, my muscles are fatigued. I stop when a cramp shoots through the arch of my foot suddenly.

"Sour suckers!" I drop to the packed ground and grab my foot, not knowing what else to do. "Ahh! Son of a sea snake!"

"What is your problem?" Luke casts me a look of blatant repulsion.

I know I probably look ridiculous writhing on the ground gripping my foot in pain, spewing tongue twisters, but I can't employ the effort to explain myself at the moment. So I just sit there in misery and wait for the pain to pass.

It doesn't.

I take off my shoe to help relieve some of the pressure, but the movement seems to trigger a new network of pain sensors and my toes separate in electrical response.

"Slippery serpents in syrup!" I quip, flailing uselessly. This is the longest cramp of my life, and definitely the most painful.

When Luke grips my foot, I nearly scream.

"Hold still," he commands. He cups my blistered heel in one hand and clasps the arch of my foot with the other. Slowly, he stretches my foot back and forth. I bite my tongue, suppressing my screams of agony and nonsense.

His fingers are forcing the muscle to move, pointing my toes to the sky, and then to the ground to work out the offending knot. Gradually, the spasms cease to a dull ache. Luke uses his thumb to rub circles in the soft flesh of my inner arch, massaging out the soreness. It's not until I begin to relax that I register how rough the skin on Luke's fingertips are.

Just as fast as the cramp began is the speed in which I become hyper-aware of our intimate interaction. And also the fact that my feet are super sweaty.

A crimson flush sweeps over me from head to bare toe, embarrassed for all the reasons.

"Better?" Luke asks. I nod and slowly pull my foot out of his grasp. My heart is beating so hard, I wonder if he can hear it.

"So are you going to tell me why you were uttering complete nonsense, or am I going to assume the heat is causing mental distress?"

I cringe, stuck between wanting to laugh and cry at the same time.

"I've always been a little clumsy," I begin, my blush receding only the slightest. "When I was little, I was quite accident prone. When I would get hurt, my mom would tell me to say tongue twisters."

Luke arches one eyebrow, and I can't help but smile at the absurdity of explaining myself to him.

"It's a distraction, like rubbing your elbow after hitting your funny bone. The brain prioritizes sensations. Like just now, saying tongue twisters works my brain in a way that distracts me from some of the pain."

Luke nods in acceptance. Or maybe he's just relieved and thankful for my sound mind. I wouldn't want to travel with a lunatic either.

Straightening, Luke surveys the area. "We'll stop here for lunch. You could use a break anyway," he says, digging through his pack. I want to argue that I'm fine for pride's sake, but my feet really do hurt. I can't help but remember how gentle his hands were on me, and my face ignites once more.

Slipping my shoe back on, I stand and attempt to dust off my shorts. There are little green spiky balls stuck to my clothes, and I have to pick them off one by one, which is annoying, because there are dozens. I'll have to pay more attention where I sit next time.

I pull out some of the dried fruit and nuts Sol packed for me and drink from my canteen. I hope Luke knows how to find water, because this one container certainly will not last us the entire trip.