Crimson Nightmares (#WATTYS2016)

Chapter Eight

My mind drifts off towards Joshua, and I find myself hoping he'll be there too. After we reach the hockey field I start stretching. My gaze catches Joshua's as he and his teammates run laps around the track field. He smiles and waves, so I do the same.

A bunch of giggles erupt beside me, and I catch some of my new teammates whispering behind their hands. My cheeks heat up and I lower my eyes to start practicing my dibbling. For the rest of the hour I try to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

After practice is finally over, I take a moment to sit under a giant Marula tree's shade, and drink some water while I catch my breath. Our coach must have been a slave driver in a previous life. Kathy had run off the moment we'd finished, she had a ballet class. Natalie sits a few feet away from me, her face red from the sun and strenuous activity.

"So, are you ready for your date with the oh-so-gorgeous Joshua Steele?" she asks then.

"It's not a date... we're just hanging out," I say as I stand up and get my stuff together. "I'm heading to the showers."

Natalie takes another sip of water before she gets up too. "Are you at least going to admit that you like him?"

I keep silent for a moment as we start walking towards the bathrooms. "I do a little bit, yes. But his rep scares me to be honest. There's something that draws me to him though."

"Yeah, he's hot as hell!" I look at her and then we both start laughing.

After I'm showered and fresh, I redo my hair in a messy bun. There isn't really enough time to do anything else, so we make our way to the parking area where Natalie's mother is already waiting for her.

"I gotta go; we're visiting my gran today. Good luck with your date!" With that she's off.

"So it's a date now?" Joshua speaks behind me suddenly, and I slowly turn around to face him.

What am I supposed to answer to that?

"She refuses to call it anything else," I say, smiling sweetly at him. "For it to be a date, I'd have to be wearing something nicer, and maybe a little makeup."

He smirks, devils dancing in his glorious eyes. "A rose by any other name..."

I nudge him in the ribs with my elbow and walk ahead towards the motorcycle. He helps me to get on the monstrous machine once again, and I tingle where his hands touch my hips in support.

We pull into the small coffee shop's parking area a few minutes later. The sun, which had been burning every breathing thing in its path the entire day, seems to have disappeared behind a cloud. I shiver from the sudden drop in temperature and look up at the sky. There are a number of clouds banding together above us, and even more forming on the horizon.

"Do you think it's going to rain?" I ask Joshua.

Following my gaze to the dark clouds above us, he nods. "It'll probably be pouring within an hour..."

"Should we head home and skip the milkshake for now?" I ask while hoping that we can somehow still have our not-a-date date. I've been looking forward to it more than I care to admit.

"I'm not giving up my milkshake," he says with a mischievous look on his face. He winks at me and I wonder if I should worry, but then his face turns serious again. "I'll get my dad to give us a ride if we get rained in, don't worry."

It's as if he read my mind. I shake my head. "I trust you," I say simply.

His eyebrows lift in surprise. "You do?"

"Uhm..." I'm a little stunned myself. "Well, yes. You've given me no reason to distrust you." I smile and hope he can tell that I mean it.

Yes, he does seem to have a reputation. He hasn't done anything that made me uncomfortable though. Everyone deserves at least one chance.

"I'll do my best to hold onto that then my fair Juliet," he says. Nothing is more precious to me."

We look at each other for a minute, neither him nor me saying a word. Our eyes seem to communicate in their own language, saying all the words that we've left unsaid. When thunder strikes somewhere close by, I jump forward – and he grabs onto my arms.

Warmth and comfort radiate out of his body, and I feel drawn closer. Like a moth to a deadly flame.

.

.

.

A/N:

Thank you for reading this chapter! I appreciate your continued support so much. <3 Please remember to vote and share if you liked this chapter! ;)

What did you think of this chapter? Let me know in the comment-section below! How do you think the date between Joshua and Juliet's going to go? Do you think Joshua was being sincere?

Stay tuned, things are going to get exciting in the next chapter! :D

Please note: There won't be an update next week. I'm going to spend some time rewriting the chapters that have been uploaded thus far.

Next update: 29/07/2016