When We Fall Silent

Chapter Nine

"Where are you taking me?" I asked for the fifth time.

"Hn."

I huffed, crossing my arms and turning to look out the window. Maverick had been avoiding all my questions the moment I got into the car. He refused to even give me one hint as to where he was taking me. I watched as the trees along the road grew thicker and thicker, as we went further and further from civilization. We did live in Pennsylvania, so acres of trees and mountains were plentiful.

"You're taking me to the woods to kill me," I accused him, shooting a sharp look at the silent, brooding man.

Maverick let out a snort, shaking his head. His black ruffled hair swayed with movement, making my fingers twitch with a peculiar desire to touch the soft locks.

"If I was gonna kill you princess, I wouldn't wait to drive into the woods for that and suffer while you incessantly complain and whine about where we're going."

"Well maybe if you just told me where you're taking me, I wouldn't whine and complain," I shot back.

A pair of obsidian eyes caught my gaze and I had to hold back the flutter in the pit of my stomach. My mind slowly drifted back to that conversation with Katerina.

"Has no one ever surprised you before?"

His question hung in the air as I mulled over past memories. I settled back into the passenger seat, my eyes slowly drifting away from his dark ones. I examined the trees as they passed, the mirage of colors blurring together. The sun was so bright and warm on my skin, a small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

"Not really," I finally answered after moments had passed. I could feel burning holes in the side of my face where his eyes kept glancing over. I kept my eyes trained on the outside world not up to continuing the conversation.

My past was full of curve balls and uncertainty and nothing really came as a surprise but felt like meticulous chaos. Now that my life was stable for the most part, nothing really surprised me and no one really attempted to surprise me. Not even Katerina.

This was new.

After another half hour of silence, the car slowed down to a halt. I craned my neck trying to figure out where we were but all I saw were trees surrounding a small parking lot, which was more just a space of gravel for cars to park on. I stepped outside, breathing in the slightly chilly air. It was almost October and the weather was starting to feel more like fall. I was thankful for the hoodie and jeans I had put on earlier, knowing it would only get colder in the shade of the trees. Maverick had on a long sleeved, casual shirt and jeans himself. A warm flannel was wrapped around his waist. I was once again jealous of how good he looked literally wearing anything.

"So, what's the surprise then?" I threw my arms to gesture to the trees around us, watching him expectantly.

Without answering me, he walked around to the back of the car, popping open the trunk and pulling out a small basket. My jaw slacked as he shut the trunk, locked the car, and walked right past me in a whirl of mesmerizing cologne.

I growled under my breath, catching up with him. We started the trek onto a small, flat path that twisted and turned deeper and deeper into the forest. I didn't bother asking what the destination was because I knew he wasn't going to tell me. I decided to enjoy myself and take in the scenery.

The evergreen trees loomed over us and cast a gentle shade on the path. I watched the sunlight throw specks of light on the small plants and flowers the shade had yet to cover. It was serene. While there were sounds of birds and insects ringing, it remained peaceful. There was a softness in the area and a welcoming aura. I couldn't help but feel relaxed.