the Forest of Emmitaenu

Taste of Fireworks

"Lara, are you alright?" Zeftx asked as they walked back to the hut. To Lara's relief after regrouping in the clearing they jumped right back into their search without the awkwardness of questioning. They didn't make it any further than the fork in the path before Jade announced that it was time to turn around. "You didn't run into any danger, did you?" His voice was gentle but his expression was intense, whittled with concern.

Lara considered his question carefully. She didn't know what to tell him. She had run into someone although she couldn't begin to identify him. Zeftx question was about anything dangerous happening to her and Lara knew she hadn't been in any danger.

"No, I'm fine," and for some reason she didn't feel like telling him or Jade about the stranger, at least not yet anyway. He didn't ask any more questions after that. Her well being had been his only concern. Together all three of them crossed the threshold again between the wild jungle and the ancient woodland where she had wondered off the first time. Lara peeked around in search of the glittery specks of gold but found none.

The rest of the way back Lara watched the sun sink slowly downward bringing new shades of gold, orange, red and violet to the bellies of the clouds. Her eyes raked the sky, taking it all in.

"King Sol is an expert painter," Jade commented after noticing Lara's fascination. Lara's brows furrowed in confusion.

"King?" She looked around expectantly but saw no one else. "Painting where?" Lara turned to Jade for an explanation. Jade just pointed to the sky and smiled. Ask Jade a question and get a Jade answer, Lara reminded herself. She shrugged it off. At the moment she felt a sense of accomplishment since they found the fork in the path from Jade's memory. Knowing that, tomorrow it would be easier to find her home.

They arrived in front of the hut at dusk. The birds above their heads chirped chattily like teenagers out late on a school night. Jade pranced in a jagged circle with one fist clutching a handful of her skirt and hiking it up high enough to avoid stepping on the hem. The other hand she held over her head, shaking an imaginary tambourine as she hummed along with the whimsical birds. Lara couldn't resist laughing and applauding. Catching Jade's contagious vibes, Lara even attempted to imitate the birds' whistles.

Meanwhile Zeftx hauled aside the heavy drawbridge of a door, the traps straining at his neck and his breath coming out in a whoosh from holding it till the task was managed. Lara forgot about her whistling as her eyes locked on him like a polar magnet. Returning her gaze Zeftx gave Lara a prestigious bow and stepped aside to let her through first. Jade followed Lara with Zeftx on her heels.

He wretched the door firmly back in place as Jade flitted to and from the kitchen first with candles and flints which she handed to Lara to light, then with mugs of cool tea which she handed to Zeftx before going back yet again. Lara placed the candles back roughly in the same places she remembered Jade putting them the night before and walked around one by one trying to light them as best she could with the two flint stones.

Watching Lara struggle with the stones, Zeftx set aside the cold mugs to help her. She was crouching over a knobby beeswax candle that had burned down to almost nothing night after night. Her facial expression was sternly fixed with the effort of focusing on her goal. She didn't notice him stoop right across from her over the same candle.

"Lara," he whispered her name. "Let me help you with that." She didn't register his words since her thoughts were growing so loud out of frustration at failing to lighting the candle that they blocked out the sound of his voice. She was biting her lip to keep from shouting at the stupid rocks. If Jade can do it so can I, Lara tried to prove to herself.

Zeftx reached forward to take the stones from her but she wasn't aware of his presence until his hands covered both of hers, pan caking the rocks in-between. Lara gave a little gasp and her head snapped up. They were face to face, noses tiny inches away from each other, frozen in place. She could feel the hum of his rapid heartbeat tingling her skin where her fingertips pressed against his wrists. It made her pulse feel like a sledge hammer beating a drum in comparison.

Lara watched Zeftx, seeing the series of emotions cross his face. His eyes were maroon with apple green specks planted in them. Twice he opened his mouth to say something, took a long deep breath instead, and closed his mouth holding the air hostage inside. Something about his eyes always made her feel hypnotized and frozen still.

Unable to blink Lara stared directly into his face and watched his eyes drop to their hands as she slowly turned them both over so hers were on top and his on bottom. Shaking slightly she dropped the rocks into his palms.  The second they left her hands she sprang to her feet and took two giant steps backwards. With her arms hugging herself and her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.  Lara watched Zeftx efficiently light the candles, making it appear as easy as if he were using a Bic lighter.

What just happened? She wondered. Lara couldn't believe the way she had looked at him, the longer she watched him light the candles the more embarrassed she felt for staring him in the eyes. Now that she couldn't see his eyes, she couldn't tell if he had felt what she felt, or if that was just another freshmen-fandom moment over a hot older guy, regardless of the fact she was technically a sophomore. He's nineteen years old, she reminded herself. Could nineteen year old boys like fifteen year old girls? Lara was suddenly tempted to ask.

"Yes!" Jade said with a chuckle making Lara jump in surprise while she reentered the room again with a tray loaded between both hands, "dinner is prepared!" Zeftx eyes flicked from Jade to Lara nervously before he relaxed, letting his brows smooth out.

"Yes," he repeated Jade, holding her gaze, "I see that it is." He picked up the mugs from where he put them aside and passed one to each of them.

"Bon appetite," Lara offered as a toast and they clicked their mugs together over the loaded dinner tray. On the tray Jade had arranged three bowls of jungle salad. The ingredients were all fresh and juicy sweet. The seasonings Jade added to the home dressing were spicy and collided with the natural sugary juices of the stripped fruits. In Lara's opinion the combination taste how fireworks look. "This is delicious," she spoke out loud. Jade and Zeftx both smiled at the compliment.