Remember the Past

Chapter 24

 The fire quickly takes and Colin sits so his back is against a tree trunk. I walk over to him and sit down leaning my head against him. He shifts his position and opens his arms to hold me. I feel goosebumps run down my arms as he runs his hands down my bare skin. I left my sweatshirt in the car, leaving my arms bare and vulnerable. I hadn't realized how cold I had gotten since we left the sunlight.

He unzips his hoodie and I gratefully take it. We scoot towards the warm flames. The heat makes me sleepy and I find myself laying on his lap, but he doesn't seem to mind. Colin begins to gently rub my back.

I have now come to realize that all of Colin's movements are gentle and polite. I thought boys were suppose to be emotionless, inconsiderate with a tough and quiet exterior, but that's not what I find to be true at all.

My breath catches as Colin's fingers run through my hair. He flinches away. "Sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?"

I turn my head to meet his eyes. I grab his hand. "Don't stop."

I see a smile that I can't explain appear on his face and he happily obliges.

I turn my gaze back to the fire as he asks. "What do you miss most about the Confine?"

"Who says I miss it at all?" But I do miss it. I so do. Why am I suddenly so defensive? This is Colin. He is my first and only true friend.

"Okay," he says pausing to think. "Than what do you love most about being out here?"

I smile. "That's easy. The beauty. There is so much here."

I close my eyes and focus on the feel of his fingers through my hair and I imagine the beauty that I am referring to. I picture the green grass, shining sun, chirping birds. I compare the blue sky and meadows to my drawings that are idle in comparison. I had no idea how much more spectacular Earth's true beauty truly is. I picture the lake and my mind quickly flicks to Colin. With his perfect skin, light brown spiked hair, and deep eyes and that smile...