The Sheep In Wolf's Clothing

12

We've been walking for awhile. I haven't felt this nervous walking with Milo. We'd almost kissed and now we're acting like it never happened. I tried to keep my heart from racing but instead it got faster than before. I take a deep breath and observe our surroundings. The clouds were mellow as they blanketed the sky with little pockets of blue escaping its grasp, the sun shone through the trees just as it did when I got lost, heat rushed over my skin as the sun played hide-and-seek with the clouds. The air was warm as it flowed around our bodies and the wildlife around buzzed. It was still early in the morning, yet it felt like it was the afternoon.

   "You're gonna have to leave soon." Milo shattered the silence.

    "Yeah, I can't stay here for long periods of time." My voice turned astray, it never occurred to me that I'd have to leave Milo and go on with my life.

    "You'll be back right?" I glanced at Milo. He had his hands in his pockets kicking a rock nearby.

    "I won't leave you guys here. I need to help you, right?"

    "But what comes after that? You're going to stay here until our problems are solved. Then what? You're just going to leave me? I mean, us? You're just going to leave us?"

   "I don't know, Milo."

   "What do you mean you don't know?!"

   "Milo, stop it." He held my shoulders and grasped them tightly.

   "I'm just not sure yet, okay? I don't know what comes after this. I can't leave my family, but I can't leave you either, so I don't know okay?" Tears filled my eyes. I really don't know. I can't just leave.

    "I'm sorry, I-" Milo let's go of me, noticing my tears.

   "It's alright, I just-" He wiped my tears with his sleeve.

   "I didn't mean to."

   "I know. It's just hard to think about it." Milo pats my head then begins to walk, I tread behind.

    More time rushes by as we walk through the woods. None of us speak a word after our argument. I tried to distract myself, but I can't stop thinking about him. I focused on Milo's back. His shoulders were broad, and I saw the veins in his arms as he rolled his sleeves up. I studied him for a few more seconds until I heard the faint sound of water breaking the quietude.

    "We're here." As we walked closer, I could see the falls.

     Water rushed down a river and over a cliff that was high above the ground. The sound of water made everything else get lost in its flow. I walk to the edge, and I was terrified at the drop.

    "Wow, that's one big drop." I say stepping back.

    "It is. One push over and you either get crushed by the rocks hidden at the bottom, or you drown by the tides." Milo says as he leans on a large rock within reach.

    "Sapphire, do you trust me?" He asks looking down at the body of water.

    "Yes, of course I do." I reply smiling at him. Then I heard something rustle.

    "Milo! Are you gonna do it?" I look behind myself as Dylan yells at the tree line.

    "Yeah! I'm going to!" Milo screams back.

    "Be careful!" Evette was there too, accompanied with Ziron.

    I stare at all four of them. Why're they all here? I ask myself. Then I heard footsteps behind me. I tried to turn around as quickly as I could but, I wasn't fast enough.

    Milo grabbed me and held my body over the falls.