The Stranger / Chris Evans x OC

Chapter 64: Lost in the Woods

AMELIA

Tamara walks us through more of the garden, speaking as she guides us through the different areas. 

She shows us even more flowerbeds, and I notice all kinds of different flower types, not just orchids anymore. 

I spot tulips, lilies, daisies and a huge space where tall sunflowers are growing proudly. Tamara tells us about the different types, and she mentions a few that I don't recognize, and also explains how they have people who take care of them every day, and that they sometimes change depending on the season. 

I'm holding Chris' hand as we walk through the garden, stopping once in a while when I want to explore a particular flower or look at them closer. He doesn't seem to be too captured by them himself, his focus constantly on me. 

Whenever I glance up as I speak, I notice that his eyes are always on me, and not on the flower I'm talking about. It makes my stomach flutter every single time I glance up at him only to realize that his gaze is already on me. 

As we're walking a little behind Tamara, I look at him again and whisper, "So, what do you think? Was it everything you dreamed of?"

"Oh yes," he replies with a quick nod, "Definitely." 

"Really?" I ask with a chuckle, "Because, and correct me if I'm wrong, it doesn't seem like you're that interested in looking at the flowers." 

Chris smirks as he glances at me, "No? You don't think so?"

"Nope," I say as I grin at him, "It kinda seems like you're more interested in looking at something else." 

"Oh, well," Chris says, shrugging, "I've already told you, I've seen more beautiful things. Why not just look at that instead?" 

I blush a little as I smile shyly, squeezing his hand in mine before I whisper, "Good point." 

Tamara leads us onto a bridge and as we reach the other end of it, the space slowly changes from looking like a traditional garden to having a wilder aesthetic, almost like it was part of a forest and was left untouched. 

The atmosphere changes as we walk through a mostly green space, less flowers around us. The fragrant flowery scent from earlier fades and is replaced by the smell of trees, leaves, grass and moss. 

In this space they have sculptures as well, but they're made entirely of greenery, and they have small paths and ponds throughout. 

We walk by a sculpture of a woman that is absolutely breathtaking and Tamara proudly explains that they adapt this particular sculpture depending on the season. During winter time, she has lights in her hair that makes her look like a goddess. 

"She already looks like a goddess," I whisper to Chris and he hums, "Yeah, an earth goddess."

We walk past the sculpture and Tamara leads us up to a path filled with trees, with a small stream in the middle of it. 

"This is the forest experience," Tamara explains as she takes a step back and gestures for us to walk off the path, "Feel free to walk around and explore. Take as much time as you need." 

We walk off the path onto dirt and grass, everything around us enveloped in a deep green shade as the trees overhead casts shadows everywhere.

I squeeze Chris' hand as we walk through the forest-like space, his fingers laced with mine. 

The entire thing is breathtaking, it has a feel of wilderness and true nature to it that the other areas didn't have. It feels like everything here is allowed to grow freely, without a plan or a purpose, whereas the flowerbeds were more strategically placed and designed. 

Chris and I walk further and I hold his hand a little tighter when we start walking on cobblestones next to the stream. The sound of the running water is calming and before I know it the only thing I can hear is the stream beside us and the leaves rustling in the wind. 

The grass and plants scattered about are all covered in a deep shade of green, the trees shielding us from the burning Atlanta sun. Chris leans in closer to me before quietly asking, "Is this what you were talking about? When you told me about your favorite color?"

I smile widely as I look up at him, nodding, "Yeah, this is exactly it." 

I glance around at the scenery before looking back at him, gesturing with my free hand, "You see how the trees make the green a different shade?" We take slow steps on the path, allowing us to take it all in as we go, "How it's a different shade down here than when you look up?"

He glances up to the crowns of the trees, the green color of the leaves a lighter shade when touched by the light. 

He nods, a smile creeping onto his lips before he says, "Yeah, I see that." 

I tilt my head upwards as well, looking in the same direction as him as I whisper, "That's it. That's the color. I love the deep shadowy green at the forest floor, and I love how it gets lighter when I look towards the sky." 

His thumb caresses my knuckles as he keeps his gaze upwards, admiring the treetops, before he drops it lower again, "I get it.. I like the deeper green shade best, though.." 

"Me too," I say as I turn to him, grinning, "That's the color, my favorite one. Makes me feel calm." 

He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes as he inhales and I do the same. 

The scent of trees, leaves and forest hits my nostrils and I can feel it practically vibrating through me, enveloping me. 

"It feels like I could get lost in this," he whispers as he takes another deep breath before he exhales, "Like this is a place I would like to get lost in."

"Exactly," I reply with a smile on my face, my eyes still closed as I tune everything else out. 

It's just me and him here, just the trees and the leaves rustling in the wind as we stand there, side by side, and let the world pass us by while we get lost in the woods. 

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