Unsteady

Chapter Two

          'Do you know something?' Pin said.

Zoe raised an eyebrow from where she was nestled between his chest and his jawline.

          'I'm really not impressed that this is my last night of having you.'

          He squeezed her a little tighter, and she let out a sigh. She'd been trying not to think of it, of Ted coming back from the mainland. It was almost like now that Pin said it, it was really going to happen. Until now she could push the thought to the back of her mind and focus instead on all the benefits of having Pin's Dad gone. She wasn't ready for that to end. Neither of them were.

          Zoe propped herself up on her elbow and locked eyes with the Moody Horse Boy she'd grown so fondly of in her time on the island. It was so absurd now how he could ever be seen as a horse thief, but fifteen year old Zoe was new, and sixteen year old Zoe was in love - thief or not. A feeling of dread fermented in her stomach as she thought of only being able to see Pin in the yard, so far away from where she wanted him to be. Having him next to her every night was a luxury Zoe wasn't prepared to lose.

          'I'll see you at the stables,' she croaked, not even half convincing herself. Pin scoffed.

          'Yeah, with Bob breathing down our necks. I just want to have you alone,' he said.

He slid his hand from where it rested on Zoe's arm down to her lower back, and then, taking her playful giggle as cue to go further. Time was of the essence - they had to make it count. Pin left it there as she moved on to what had been weighing on her mind since the day before.

          'What Marcus said yesterday, about the insurance costs - it's really getting to me.'

          'I can see why. Do you think he'll say it to anyone?'

          'It's hard to say. I shouldn't have even been listening.'

          'It's not like Marcus keeps things to himself anyway.'

          Zoe knew what he was on about. It was the same thing that disturbed her most nights, the reason why she couldn't talk to Marcus anymore. She could hear his words ringing through her ears. You kissed my girlfriend. She could see Pin hitting the sand, and the raging screams of two men at war. It was the day they learned Marcus tipped off Holloway - something else she tried not to think about.

          They lay in silence on Pin's bed. So much had happened in this room since Ted went away, and Zoe was smug knowing her and Pin had their little secrets. She tried to conjure up ways of sneaking him into her house once his Dad was back, but Rosie wouldn't have any of it, never mind her Mum. It was tempting to be disheartened but the summer had just begun, and Zoe was sure they'd find more adventurous ways of continuing their guilty pleasure.

          'So Becky and Holloway,' Pin prompted.

          Becky and Holloway. In a way, Zoe felt bad for betraying what was said on the hack. That was sacred girl-talk time and Becky and Jade trusted her to keep her lips sealed. But she was impulsive - something her Mum would humbly back up - and her eagerness got the better of her. Pin was shocked, to say the least.

          'Do you think she'll go?'

          'I don't know,' Zoe said. 'Becky is loyal to everyone at Bright Fields, but I know how much she likes Alex. They're really warming up to her over there, huh?'

          'Yeah, maybe a little too much,' said Pin.

          There was another silence. Zoe's eyelids felt heavy as she tried to resist sleep. It was a regular thing now, for her to feel completely exhausted before it was near her time to go to bed. Her stomach felt slightly empty, even though they ate dinner only an hour ago. With no other option but to succumb to her fatigue, she nestled her head softly on Pin's chest and embraced that feeling of safety he provided. It was her favourite place by far, where she could nod off knowing he'd be there to look after her. Zoe wouldn't trade Pin's chest for the world.