Poison-H.S.

Chapter 17.

We both sat in silence.

We haven't spoken in about ten minutes. The only sound is the distant chirping of birds. I feel like I need to say something, but I don't . I just stay quiet, I don't even try to open my mouth.

Now that he's here I can't think. I just can't lie down and remember all the things I've been trying to think about lately.

I feel as if he was reading my thoughts and sees everything I know. I don't want him to know what I have going on in my head. I don't want anyone to know.

A bug appears flying and perches in my hand. I almost jump and scream, but I don't want to be the first to make noise.

Instead I hold back and try to push the insect away naturally. It falls a couple of centimeters beyond me and I beg it doesn't come crawling back. I have not heard a noise from Four in a while. Is he sleeping? I can't say because we are both back to back, with nothing but the great trunk separating us.

If I take a quick look, I doubt he'll see me.

Maybe I can sneak out and leave him here? All I would have to do would be to get up quietly and make sure I don't step on any branches.

I slowly turn my head and extend my neck to look behind the trunk between us.

When my head is around the tree, Four has his head turned towards mine and is looking directly at me.

His eyes meet mine and our faces are only inches away. He has a mocking smile drawn on his lips when he sees me. I move quickly back to my original position.

My heart is beating intensely in my chest. I didn't expect to find Four looking at me. I also don't want anything to happen.

The last time his face was so close to mine, he kissed me, and I don't want that to happen again.

I have to admit, when he did kiss me, it calmed me down, and I liked how he made me feel.

Butterflies emerged in my stomach, and unknown thoughts appeared in my head. Things that normally wouldn't think of ...

I know he'll notice how my face turned pinkish as soon as he discovered me looking at him. I hate how pale my skin is, and how easy it changes color. The last thing I need is for this to go Four's head, believing he has some kind of effect on me.

He knows what he's doing, but not in a good way.

When I am close to him I feel that he releases this energy, energy that makes me see things and the choices I make from a different point of view. It's beginning to cool down out here and the clouds now cover what had been a blue sky. It will probably start raining soon.

Four is staying surprisingly quiet, so it wouldn't hurt if I lie down, close my eyes and think for a couple more minutes. I throw my head back and close my eyes. I remember the first time I came here.

It would be five years ago. In the middle of my science class I came here to do a field work. We were supposed to travel around the institute collecting organisms. Regina convinced me to ditch the rest of the class. We ended up crossing all the tracks and sports fields. There were a few more trees at the time, but this is the only one that caught our attention. The others were normal pines, but we were surprised to find a willow out of nowhere in the middle of a pine forest.

We sat under the willow tree to eat our lunches. It was funny because my father and his mother had given us the same food. A sandwich of ham and cheese with bread and a couple of apple slices, plus a juice.

Regina and I were like the same person, despite being so different. We both had the same tastes, but we acted in totally different ways. Everyone knew us as the two girls who had been friends since pre-school. Almost all of them distance themselves when talking about relationships, one minute they are friends and the next they are the worst enemies.