Timeless (Enoch O Connor x OC)

16: Seven for a Secret

Six whole months since Victor's death. We still mourned for him every day and every time I went downstairs for breakfast I still expected his bright smile to greet me. 

But everyone was healing.

 Bronwyn had stopped crying and holing herself in her room.

Emma's depressive mood had lifted.

Enoch pushed me away less and less when he was sad.

And I was beginning to get used to the sorrow and moving on.

We had begun doing things like before. Playing in the garden, watching the loop reset and visiting the town. We had even begun playing Raid the village again but I could tell that whenever Hugh would pause while explaining the game, he was waiting for Victor to finish his sentences. 

I hadn't had another message in my dream, luckily. Horace hadn't either or he just hadn't told me about it. It was quite stressful waiting for when what I dreamt would come true; the finding the wight and hollow and then falling out of a clocktower. Not too soon I hoped because Enoch and I hadn't made much progress in our relationship since the day Victor died. Sure, we knew everything about each other's pasts but we weren't really anything more than friends. Even though he'd told me he liked me he hadn't made a move. Maybe he's shy, I thought, as I wandered into the garden after breakfast.

Outside I found all the children and Miss Peregrine as well.

"Ah, perfect, there you are June," she exclaimed as I walked up to them.

"What's going on?" I asked, Miss Peregrine usually didn't join us outside until the afternoon.

"We shall be going on a walk to the beach and take a swim," she announced, the children chattered in excitement. Even though I had been in this loop for a while I hadn't seen anything apart from a little bit of the town and the house.

"Do you usually go to the beach?" I asked curiously.

"Last time we went was before you came so I believe it's due time we went again," she told me.

Everyone ran back into the house to put on their swimsuits underneath their clothes. I didn't own a swimsuit since I hadn't swum since my very first loop. I knocked on Emma's door and asked to borrow one from her. She handed me a modest yellow two-piece bathing suit. The straps crossed on my back and the bottoms were white and yellow striped shorts. I put it on underneath my dress, it wasn't a perfect fit, a little tight around my hips but it would have to do.  

We set off around the trees instead of going through, the sea on our right. Black and white sheep dotted the grassy lands and tufts of clouds rolled, across the blue sky, lazily. The calming sound of the sea lapping against the rock far below us filled my ears. 

I was walking beside Emma on the small dirt path but I noticed Enoch walking by himself behind everyone and slowed my pace to walk beside him. Emma gave me a wink as I left her side.

"Hey," I said as I matched Enoch's pace.

"Hullo," he replied with a smirk, "couldn't resist joining me back here?" 

"Ugh whatever I was just being nice," I said as I began walking quickly again to catch up with Emma. Before I could get very far Enoch grabbed my wrist.

"No wait I was just teasing," he said with a laugh. I slowed down again and realized his hand was still wrapped around my wrist. I looked at him to see if he'd let go. Instead, he smirked and slid his hand down my wrist, and held my hand. 

We were holding hands. My face felt very warm all of a sudden and I gave a nervous laugh.

He was blushing too but he covered it with his usual sarcastic smirk.