The Willow - On Hold

The Question game.

Chapter 2

The Question game

"Hero!" Lillyal shouted. He stopped and turned around coming face to face with her.

"Yes?" He replied almost looking bored, although something in his eyes flashed, but only briefly and she wasn't quick enough to notice.

"What are you doing here?" Lillyal whispered "Are you stalking me?"

"No, I've already told you the council sent me." He whispered back barely audible and suddenly very serious.

"So... What's the council? And why would they want you stalking me?" Lillyal asked him a but wary of the answer. Hero furrowed his brow at his shoes and started to pace

"I shouldn't be telling her this...oh I suppose she'll find out sooner or later." Hero muttered talking more to himself than Lillyal.

"Ok," Hero said turning to her "meet me at The Willow after school."

"Sure." Agreed Lillyal, still wary but pleased to have somewhere (other than home) to go. As Lillyal discovered she had not only science, but every other class with Hero as well. She used just about all her class time to extract the answers to the textbooks questions, only stopping occasionally when the teacher walked past. When the two got on the bus Lillyal subtly rolled her eyes and as she was texting her mother on her very un-modern phone as she asked Hero

"Is there anywhere you won't follow me?" He contemplated this for a moment and answered

"Your house," and with a wink "unless you want me too."

Lillyal felt her face go red and silently scolded herself as she tried to hide behind her hair. She sent the text telling her mother that she would be staying late at school and could find her own way home. When the bus stopped and Lillyal and Hero got off many wolf whistles and death stares followed them. It seemed to her that despite his name Hero had attained quite a few fans during his first day at school, and even she had to admit that he was quite good looking.

*

As they got closer to The Willow Lillyal became more relaxed and felt more at home. When they finally reached the clearing with the magnificent tree at it's centre, Lillyal let out a deep sigh and physically felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. She felt Heros gaze burning at her neck she turned around to find him grinning at her.

"What?" She demanded.

"Don't think I didn't notice that." He replied.

"Notice what?" She asked, marvelling at how easily and how often he picked up on her emotions.

"The way you relaxed when you got here as soon as your feet crossed into the clearing."

"I don't know what your talking about." she did and he knew it "race you to the top?" She asked indicating to The Willow.

Ok, you're on. 3,2,1... Go!"

Lillyal and Hero took off and leaped from branch to branch like wildcats barely touching down before lauching off again.

*

Hero beat Lillyal to the top but only just. As his prize she stuck out her tongue at him and he smiled as she sat down.

"Want to play a game?" He asked cocking his head slightly.

"What kind of game?" Lillyal replied thinking back to the wolf whistles from the bus.

"A question game." He said

"Oh...Ok, how do you play?" She asked not sure if she was relieved or disappointed that's ALL it was.

"Well. I ask you a question and you answer and then ask a question. You ready?"

"Yep. Do you want to go first?"

"You just went. Did you mean to do that?"

"Oh. Umm, no. So where'd you learn this game?"

"It's a game from my home town. Have you played it before?"

"No. Where's you home town?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. Did I mention that?"

"No you didn't. Ok so why don't you put up your hand in class."

"Don't want to. Why is there a spare seat next to you in every class?"

"Did you say we didn't have to answer the questions we don't want to?"

Hero chuckled

"Nice subject change. Yes I did. If I asked you to would you close your eyes?"

"Hmmm. Yes. Why? Are you asking me to?"

Hero rolled his eyes

"Obviously. Are you going to or not?"

"Ok, ok. You happy now?"

"Very. Can you see anything?"

"No. Why?"

"Because." Lillyal's eyes squinted as if to show Hero that they were closed, as he lent in and kissed her on the mouth. Lillyal gasped and her eyes snapped open, she almost leapt back before remembering they were in a tree.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT!?" She exclaimed trying to figure out if she was angry or ecstatic.

"Because I felt like it. Didn't you want me to?"

In response Lillyal started climbing back to ground level, before she got much further than two branches down Hero's hand warm and strong clasped her wrist. She turned to face him, she had decided what she was. She was furious.

"I didn't really get a choice did I?!" She spat. Before Hero could say anything more Lillyal was grabbing her bag and heading out of the clearing. If she had looked back she would have seen Hero's face fall into the most heartwrenching expression.