A Work In Progress

Chapter 23

After I spoke to Harry, I sighed in relief as I looked up from my phone. Only to see Landon walking towards me. I rolled my eyes. So much for being relieved.

"Alright. Alright. No need to get defensive, or mean or arrogant." He grinned as he walked towards me in those ripped jeans and plain white t-shirt. I looked at my phone and started typing in annoyance at how good he looked. It is not fair. Good, decent people deserve to look that good. Good, decent people deserve to have that beautiful messy hair that he has. Not him. He doesn't deserve it. Nope.

"What does the evil spawn want right now? Can't the evil spawn see that the amazing Amelia is having a wonderful time enjoying life?"

He laughed, forcing me to smile a little. "You got defensive, mean AND arrogant." He thinks he knows me so well.

I typed as quickly as I could, "And the evil spawn still hasn't gotten the clue. I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU NOW."

"Aw come on princess, you don't mean that." I looked down at my phone to type when he bent down to my level on the log that I was sitting on to gently kiss my cheeks. I saw his shadow growing on me a he bent down but I sat there, unbelieving of what he had just done. I looked up at him in widened eyes, with my skin burning. From the sun, not from the totally inappropriate and completely out of line deed that he had done.

Is it so bad that I wanted it to last just a little while longer?

"Ok. Good. Sorry for the kiss, but that caught your attention for one second. So I guess not sorry?"

I smiled as I tucked my hair behind my ear. He had been a jerk and really irritating the past few days, but it is Landon. He is one of the only one I can trust with almost the entire truth after Alex. I briefly considered telling him the plan, but I decided to sleep on it.

"Amelia, I'm sorry for the past couple of days. I was carried away by keeping you safe. I know you don't need my protection. You are strong, smart and full of life. " He paused to see me grinning as I took a bow.

"Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to take the day out of planning. I know you are planning to do something that Phil won't agree with, and you are going to do it no matter what. I know you, and you aren't fooling me."

He was still smiling as he looked at the ocean and not me, even if his solemn voice contradicted it.

I tried to laugh it off and mouthed, "You don't know me at all if you think that I would risk Farrren's life."

His grey eyes searched for answers in mine, but he got up and pulled at my hand to make me stand as well. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell Phil anything. I can only tell you that I'll be here for you if you fall."

I really considered telling him everything but instead I fake vomited and giggled as I typed, "Man, that just might have been the most cringey thing that you have said in your life."

He chuckled as we walked to his car and he said, "Would you prefer it if I said, 'I'll make sure to give you a good burial when you die in a ditch somewhere'?"

I typed really fast and jogged beside him to flash it in his face, "Yes. Thank you! That is all I want to hear from you. Witty banter, not cheesy pick up lines. Reserve it for the idiots who sleep with you."

He looked at me disgustingly and said, "You do remember that you were one of those idiots right?" Walked right into that one now, didn't I? In my head I'm thinking how I should be going to Alex to plan the heist, but I missed this. I had two whole weeks left and as there was a very good chance that I will end up 'dying in a ditch somewhere', I decided to go along with the flow. I missed this. I missed him, and he was very much like the chocolate cake that you know you shouldn't eat but you keep going for piece after piece and end up hating yourself for it.

That sounds way dirtier than it sounded in my head. I promise, it isn't like that. At the same time when I was thinking this, Landon looked at me and laughed a little. A proper laugh... almost as if he knew what I thought. He quickly looked away and said that I just had a funny look.

He looked at me and said, "Time to get out, princess."

I looked out the window of the car to see the fair that was supposed to open two days from now. As I got out of the car, retying the bun in my hair with the pin, he chucked a tub of Ben and Jerry's butter pecan ice cream at me which I caught, surprisingly. I remember that it was always his favourite. I took my phone to text Alex that I was with Landon and that I didn't know when I would be back. I removed my cardigan and tied it around my waist.

As I looked at Landon shut the trunk of his car with a big pack of dorritos, a couple of beers and two spoons. This was going to be a good lunch.

"I paid the guys setting up the fair to open a few rides just for us. Not all the rides are open yet, obviously. I thought we could go up the lighthouse after we go through some rides.

I mouthed, "Sounds fun. Not a date though."

He smiled and said, "Wouldn't dream of it." It was really exciting. It has been ages since I had gone to the fair.

I wanted to go on all the rides, but I was hungry. And everyone knows melting perfectly good ice cream is a crime, so I suggested that we go to the lighthouse to eat first.

I'm not even going to try and phrase how beautiful the sea looked from p the lighthouse, words can't justify it. I sat down beside Landon on the makeshift lighthouse floor thinking it was a shame that the lighthouse was a temporary model made just for the fair.

We ate the ice cream and crisps in silence for a while staring into the sea. I love Phil for holding me hostage in such an amazing place with the beautiful ocean in front of me. It was smart of her. I might have plotted an escapade sooner if not for it.

"It makes me a little sad that you don't trust me with whatever is going on in your head. But it is unfair of me to expect anything from you when I'm not ready to do the same. So lets make a deal."
A day off? My foot. He wanted information.

I scoffed and nodded as it dawned on me. He thought he could buy information from me by giving me ice cream and taking me to the fair.

I got up to leave as he said, "I didn't try to buy information from you. I wanted some time with you. I truly missed you. You won't believe me. Because you don't trust anyone, but yourself."

What did he just say? About buying information? There is no way that I could have said it out loud.

"I recently found one of the pins. Your mom gifted this to me when I was born. I have always had it, but I never realised..."

I crouched in front of him and mouthed, "Where?"

He opened his palms to show me the pin, where the spoon was a second ago.