Quarantine

Chapter Nine

"Shopping? You brought me shopping."

He raised his eyebrows at my response as if it were somehow more shocking than the fact that we were out in public; in broad daylight.

"So much for not being seen!? Hero, we could have ordered!?"

"Thought you didn't approve of amazon prime." He quipped.

"I don't, but on this occasion I might?!" I counter.

He smiles and rolls his eyes. "Can't have it both ways Jo.. I know you like to think you can, but." He turns to look at me.

Ugh, I've had enough.

"Where are you going?" He calls after me seconds after the car door slams shut behind me.

"Away from you." I yell, ignoring the sounds of Hero's trainers making repetitive sounds against the gravel as he jogs after me.

"Jo?! Wait a minute." He calls after me again.

"No." I shout sulkily over my shoulder.

"Wait up!" He catches up to me and grasps my right arm with ease.

"What?!" I snap, turning to face him.

"Where are you trying to go!?" He snaps back at me, matching my energy.

"I already told you!" I frown.

He replies but whatever it is he said, I fail to hear it. I'm too busy focusing on what I am seeing behind him.

"There's no way I will let you.. Wait." He turns around to see what it is that is causing my eyes to widen so much.

"Why are there so many people around the car?.." I ask, still frozen to the spot and wide-eyed.

"Hero...?" Why isn't he answering me.

"I know, I've seen. Just don't make eye contact and we'll be fine." He finally faces me again, pulling his face mask up and over his mouth.

"It's a bit hard not to.." I continue to look at the swarm of people gathering.

Soon, there's so many of them that I can't even see the car.

I knew something like this would happen.. If only Hero wasn't so stubborn! If only he had listened to me..

"Do you trust me?" Hero interrupts my negative inner monologue.

"What?" I frown, looking back at Hero.

"Do you or not? It's a pretty simple question which requires an equally straightforward answer.." He says impatiently.

"Okay, okay. Yes.. I guess."

"Take.. My hand." He calmly instructs me.

I look down at his extended, waiting hand and then back up at him.

Noticing his gaze is fixed on someone or something, I meet it to see that there is a small crowd approaching from behind me.

"Now.." His voice is tense.

Surely he didn't think they had realised who we were.

As if reading my thoughts he took my hand in his own and said: "We can never be too careful."

Sure enough, an eruption or squeals emanated from the small groups mouths. I watched in horror as they quickly produced their phones and began to record and take pictures.

Letting go of my hand, he pressed his own against my side to push me into action.

"Go." He instructs me. He's standing there as if he is ready to sacrifice himself or something, making me want to laugh in spite of his seriousness.

"OH MY GOD! JOSEPHINE?!! HERO?!? WAIT!!" A member of the group called.

"Jo, what are you waiting for?" He says pulling the mask away from his face so that it's hanging on by one ear. "To give them your autograph to match the photos?! GO!!" He snaps me into motion.

Turning on my heel, I begin to run.

The next few moments after that are a blur, filled with a mixture of anxiety, excitement and pain in my lungs.

Everything seems to have slowed down; like we are somehow running in slow motion.

Hero has overtaken me. Of course he has. How he could not, the length of my legs are no match against his.

He turns around to look at me, the wind slapping my hair against my face and flapping his white open hoodie around his back; revealing more of his plain black t-shirt.

I look at his face. To my surprise, he is actually smiling?! Must be the adrenaline.

Snapping his head back around to face forwards he calls back over his shoulder almost instantly: "Down here!"

Once again, his hand reaches out for mine and pulls me down a backstreet, one that runs behind a row of houses overlooking the marina in front of them.

I can tell we are close to the ocean, I can hear it.

I stop, trying to catch my breath as my chest continues to rise and fall at a rather alarming rate.

For a moment, I thought I could actually rest, but apparently, we are not done.

"Quick!" He grabs at my arm and I follow as fast as my legs will allow to keep up with him.

Eventually, we come to a halt at a large stray palm tree. Looking behind us he leads me behind it so that my back is pressed against the fence.

"We should.. Be ok now.." He tells me between laboured breaths, his hands resting on his slightly bent knees. "Ah, shit." He fully stands, his eyes fixed on something that I cannot see from where I am stood.

He takes a step towards me. "Stay very quiet." He tells me as he towers over me.

I nod my head eagerly and force a small smile, not that he can see it from behind the face mask.

"Sorry about this.." He says, pressing himself against me.

"It's okay.." I mumble, knowing that he's only doing this because we are so exposed right now and at risk of being seen.

Removing his mask again so that it's resting under his chin, he slowly removes mine.

"Apart from the obvious.. Are you alright?" He asks me quietly.

I don't speak but nod my head and look up at him.

"Are you?" I ask in an equally hushed tone.

He responds with a short nod, the same way I had done.

"You know you could just stand beside me.." I suggest a little awkwardly.

"I could.. But I don't want to risk exposing you." He tells me gently, leaning his head back a little to check if the coast is clear.

"However.. If it's really bothering you that much, then I will move." He says stepping away completely, his gaze fully focused on me.

Before I have time to tell him otherwise, we are interrupted by a series of frenzied shouting.

"There! Down there!" The frantic and familiar voices from earlier shouted and echoed down the narrow walkway.

This time, Hero was frozen; watching them in a daze as they ran towards us.

Waving my hand infront of him to get his attention, I took one last look at the group of young adults running towards us, grabbed his hand and held it tightly.

"Come on." I say, beginning to run again.

He doesn't argue and before long, we are sprinting side by side, leaving the group far behind.