When Confidence Collides

Chapter 9: Most intimate thing

I sat on my favourite bench in a park drowning in the warm sunlight, surrounded by wise trees waving in time with the breeze. I watched as people of all ages, races and heights walked past. I got a call from Sarah early this morning insisting that I didn't go into work for the rest of the week as she had come down with something and she had yet to work out if it was contagious. It was Thursday today so I only had two days left before the weekend, but I'll take what I can get. To be fair, her voice did sound more hoarse than normal and I didn't mind having a day off especially when the weather was as good as it was today. So, the first thing I did after coming off the phone to Sarah was jump in my car and drive here.

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved nature and being outside. I had always been a tomboy rather than a girly girl. I wasn't the type of kid to have dolls and make them talk to each other instead I would be outside; whether that be playing soccer, climbing a tree, running, or just sitting under a tree, I was always outside even when it would be raining: walking in the rain is my favourite.

I sat there peacefully thinking about any and everything just enjoying my day off. I heard a contagious laugh from my left and saw a little girl.

I watched as the little girl, probably around the age of 4, ran up to her Dad with a soccer ball in her hand. Giggling, she gave him the ball and he booted it in the air. She ran after it, her light blonde hair waving in the wind behind her, her stopping exactly where the ball was slowly descending. She caught the ball.

I watched as she turned around and looked at her Dad. Her face brightened into a huge grin at her Dads reaction: he ran towards her, picked her up, and spun her round in a victory way. I sighed deeply as I watched them laugh in unison being reminded of me and my Dad when I was her age. Why did this keep coming up now? After so many years.

Not wanting my mood to be dampened any further, I got up off the bench and went for a walk.

I stopped at a flower garden.

I lightly held a head of a rose in between my fingers, being careful not to break it off. I brought the red rose to my nose and deeply inhaled, taking in the sweet scent. I found one discarded on the floor broken from its stem. Picking it up, I put it behind my ear and continued walking.

I found myself near a pond. It was not the type of pond that had litter all along the edge, this one was surprisingly and satisfyingly clean.

I crouched down next to the edge, no barrier stopping you from falling in. I carefully placed myself as close to the edge as I could get without falling in. I looked down watching my legs dangling over the muddy slope, lightly kicking them.

I was deep in thought, watching the trees dance when I felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder.

"Be careful, Ivy. You don't want to fall in," I heard a deep voice from behind me quietly say, making me jump due to the lack of conversation today.

"Holy fuck!" I blurted out. I twisted my body round and stood up to be faced with the one and only Jace.

I must have taken a step back when Jace made me jump because his hands instantly found themselves placed around my waist, pulling me towards him.

"The whole point of me saying that wasn't so that you go and step even closer to the water," he told me; his hands still wrapped around my sides.

I stood there and looked up into his blue eyes, only now realising the little specks of green carelessly scattered around his iris. We stood there just looking at each other before a buzzing sound came dangerously close to my ear.

I ran towards the path, waving my hands around my ears trying to get away from the bug that had come close to me.

I hate bugs. Bees, wasps, flys, anything that makes that annoying buzzing sound.