Open Heart: MC X Sienna

Under the Still Water

Felix Alexander's POV

I couldn't sleep.

All night.

Couldn't sleep.

It felt like hell.

It feels like hell.

"You awake already, buddy?" Elijah questions still half asleep as he turns to change sides. I don't bother replying and he is too lightheaded to ask again. Weird how I had expected it to make me feel more content and relaxed, however things are the exact opposite. My eyes sting by the morning due to all the silent tears that I shed the previous night.

I wash my face twice, thrice or maybe more than that. I will just lie that I got a dust allergy or something because no one can hide them puffy red eyes!

My excuse seems to work on the first man awake. Rafael. He shows me his concern but I brush him off, assuring that I will be fine as the day goes on. One by one, everyone receives this reassurance except Sienna. Obviously she knows what is up so she never asks. She did not bid me good morning and neither did I. We avoided eye contact all throughout breakfast and didn't talk. Not directly, not indirectly. I am convinced that this is how the rest of my life is gonna be.

We have to return today but on our way back, we will pass my the 'Sapphire lake', another famous tourist spot of the park. To get away from everyone, I take the longer but smoother descent down the hill with Elijah. He keeps on talking about how pleasant the weather is and how things used to be when he and his Dad went camping. Sorry, Elijah but I hardly heard 10% of it... or maybe even lesser than that. He never realises that I am not even replying in 'hmphs' and 'hmms' after a while because he is so engrossed in storytelling.

When we rejoin the others, Sienna and I share an awkward glance but she looks towards Jackie and they begin talking. I have no such luck and no one to turn to.

It is only an hour's walk till the Sapphire lake. The lake is named 'Sapphire' because it's water is damn blue. It is because of those blue algae found in it's depths. It was not naturally this blue, the park owners did put in some effort and artifice to make it go this blue. All of this information is provided by Bryce and his tourist guide that none of us bothered to read except him.

"I don't know about you but I'm feeling like going in for a dive" Jackie exclaims as she throws down her backpack and begins undressing.

"Bikini, Jackie!" Sienna yells at her, blushing furiously.

"Yeah, yeah!" Jackie stops mid-way during taking her top off. Rafael and Landry are both watching her jaw dropped.

"Mouths shut, boys" Bryce literally shuts Landry's mouth who is immediately agitated by the action. Rafael on the other hand, clears his throat and scratches his neck nervously.

All of us pull out our swimming trunks and head towards the portable changing rooms placed at a distance from the lake. The girls change first and then the guys.

"You know, we hardly need all this" Bryce says pointing to towards the changing rooms "It looks like a portable potty, right Felix?". I smile in reply. He can go change underneath the open sky. I will not.

After changing, we walk back to the lake. Gladly, there is no one around but us.

"Hallelujah people!" Jackie yells and cannonballs into the lake.

"Hallelujah x2 people!" Bryce follows suit and joins Jackie by a cannonball as well.

The two begin splashing each other like kids.

"Ugh, this water must contain so many bacteria. Why do you all not care about your health?" Landry complains. Hands across his thin and bony chest.