MIKAYLA
. . .
Thunder was amazing.
Being tall and muscular, and most importantly, well adept, he knew what he was doing.
His senses were as brilliant as a sword. He could hear even if I commanded him softly and he did everything I wanted him to. He was listening to my every ruling.
Because I knew horse riding, I didn't have to put on a saddle. I could ride a horse without a saddle.
Though Barak cautioned me, I didn't listen to him and jumped on Thunder's back.
On my single command, he took me away from Barak who was alarmed to see how I disobeyed him.
"Mikayla!" He called me loudly after Thunder leaped above the fence and traversed it. "That's not safe!"
Whoa.
Even Star couldn't jump as high as him!
"I know more than you, you baby Dawood!" I laughed, turning back to focus on the path while pushing away my hair strands that closed up to my skin because of the air.
Barak didn't say anything after that and I focused on riding Thunder. As I commanded him, he took directions and I didn't go far away from the barricaded side of the villa.
Though the field they owned was likewise considerable, I never enjoyed riding a horse within perimeters.
Soon enough Barak came, riding a white horse which he was equipping until now.
He caught my speed, holding the horse's neck barely. In a hurry to catch me, he also didn't put on a saddle and I grinned as I noticed it.
I could hear the sound of the rushing wind passing by my face and I was thrilled to do more.
"Are you scared without a saddle, baby Dawood?" I teased him, scrunching my nose as I faced him. I kept my voice loud enough to be heard by him.
"I have done it without a saddle, too." I watch his blond locks getting pushed back by the influence of the wind. "I was just worried about you," he answered me calmly like he always did.
"Of course!"
"Don't make him increase his speed."
Adrenaline scurried through my system just by listening to him. I lean forward, having Thunder run swifter. "What if I do?" I couldn't help but put on a challenge because I was excited to try what he told me not to do.
"You won't. It can be harmful," like I didn't know that. "And if you did, trust me, I know how to take authority from your hands upon Thunder because he'll listen to me."
Isn't he so proud of it?
I didn't do it for my own sake because I enjoyed commanding Thunder and being on him. After all, he was amazing.
I didn't keep him closer to the fence anymore and moved into the woods. Barak didn't say a word and silently followed me on Sunaina's mare whom she named Lucienne.
Sunaina owned a really beautiful white horse with long white hair. Among all the horses and mares, she was the most beautiful like one would love to use in Eden.
Lucienne wasn't as tall as Thunder or the rest of the horses but she was moderate. I could see she only took care of Lucienne's outward impression.
Even though the beautiful mare was the same breed as other horses, she looked less.
Still, Barak chose her.
At first, I was annoyed but later as he let me know that along with Thunder, he took care of Lucienne, too, I let myself take a sigh of relief.
However, Sunaina's narcissism towards Lucienne didn't let Barak train Lucienne and I see the results.
Entering the woods just reminded me of the time I'd take Star alone with me and remain within the periphery at least for two hours.
It gave me satisfaction.
The scent of green leaves was influential. The existence of a brook made the scent of soil dominate every smell and I couldn't help but spend my time more there.
I jumped down from Thunder and let him drink water from the brook while I waited for Barak to arrive.
He came after a few minutes and got down from Lucienne to let her join Thunder.
I run my eyes down his body. His hair is a mess and he settles down the locks through his fingers. His blue eyes shine under the bright blue sky.
"I've seen you like thrill too much," he says, sighing as he approaches me. "But you're an amazing rider, too."
"Thank you," I smile, looking back at Thunder and Lucienne. "Now I want to spend some time here. It's not dangerous and annoying, right?" Or else he wouldn't even let me enter the woods.
"Of course, you can. The area is safe," he says, walking by my side.
He steps upon the solid rocks, walking towards Thunder who is busy drinking water. I follow him, being glad that I'm wearing shoes or else it'd have been harder.
He goes ahead, leaving Thunder and Lucienne behind. My eyes, along the way, linger over the peaceful flow of water, striking against the smooth and shiny stones of the brook that are visible through the crystal clear water. The sound it makes seems like a tune, attended by birds and squirrels.
"You know the place?" I ask, reaching him and gripping his arm. I'm not skilled yet in walking upon huge and small rocks.
"My Dad showed it to me." He stops by a huge rock and I notice the stream is longer than I could see. He sits beside the rock and I watch him filling the cup of his palms to drink the water.
"It's beautiful," I mumble, looking around. I'm amazed. Huge trees and a bright sky. It's cooler here than the field behind. I loved it.
"Made by God, after all," he chuckles and looks up at me, droplets of water falling by his bottom lip. "You don't want the water?"
"Nothing like that. I was busy looking around," I crouched beside him and did the same as he did. He quickly holds my ponytail when I lean my head to drink some water.
Once done, I wipe my mouth and take a seat on the rock placed beside my legs. He follows the movement and glances behind me, at Thunder and Lucienne.
"They are done," he says, looking back at me.
"Do we have to leave now?" I don't want to see Sunaina this quickly. Can't we stay here for an hour at least?
"No. We can go anytime. Don't worry about it. Are you afraid that the place isn't safe?" He frowns slightly, looking confused as he asks me.
He begins removing his shoes, and putting them aside.
"No, I also want to spend some time here. And I'm not thinking about animals. However, I wonder if there are snakes or frogs in this water." I hate frogs.
"I haven't seen frogs in this brook," he clarifies. "Yeah, we found snakes here."
I stop moving my feet and look down. My gorgeous toes are declined in the water, resting upon some smooth brown and white stones, and my shoes are placed beside them. I quickly pull my legs up to hug them and grab the pair of shoes to place on another big rock.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Oh, you got scared. I wasn't expecting that," he laughs. "Where's that bold and thrilling horse rider?"
I purse my lips, glaring at him. "I don't like reptiles, okay?" He still laughs, mimicking my words and chuckling once again. Holding my laughter on his pathetic mimicry, I hold some water and splash it on his face.
He stops right there, gasping a little. Now it's good. "Why do you always have to be naughty?" He grumbles, frowning at me.
"You were making fun of me, weren't you? It's for that," I utter, scowling back at him.
He scoffs and attacks me with water just like me.
I gasp at the cold touch of the water droplets. Oh yeah, the temperature is still less. "How dare you?" I get down from the rock and hold water in both my palms to attack his face.
He protects his face through his arms, laughing. "Your small hands hold only three drops of water, Mikayla!" He shows his face, still laughing. His eyes squint lightly and his shoulders jerk.
I don't even realize when my face swells because of his teasing. It was embarrassing. "Like you hold so much water in your hands, huh?"
"Let me show you," he grins and steps down from the rock. He folds his pants and steps deeper into the water which I can only dream of because I find underwater way too risky except for small swimming pools.
While I'm busy gazing at him in a haze, he fills water in his palms and splashes on me, wetting the area below my nose.
I come back to earth, jumping back. That was indeed too much.
"How was it?" He chuckles, filling more water.
My eyes widened. "No, Barak, you won't do it!" I warn him, glaring through my eyes while I step back, the rocks pressing hard against my heels and toes.
A devilish spark shines in his marine eyes. "Yes, Mikayla, I will do it," his deep tone warns and he throws some more water at me.
Goodness, I'm done with it!
Bending to accept his silly challenge, I also start rippling water on him. He continues his playfulness. Sometimes, he uses his arms to shield himself and sometimes he becomes too cold to throw a lot of water at me.
We don't realize when we get too lost in it that I end up laughing hard.
Once he realizes it's too much, he stops. Spilling the sound of glee he experiences, he comes back to the rock. So do I, squeezing my cheeks that hurt now. So does my stomach.
I plop upon the rock carefully and take a deep breath.
"That was fun," he sighs, operating a hand through his wet hair. He looks at me and I watch his eyes slightly widen. He blinks and looks away.
"Don't you think you're naughtier?" I mutter, narrowing my eyes at him. "And why that reaction?"
"Your shirt," he points to my chest and as I look down, I see my wet shirt is now sticking to my chest, displaying my pink floral corset bra.
Just great.
"Oh yeah, thanks for noticing," I mutter, being glad about it. Or else I'd have to go out like this.
He gives me an unchangeable and funny reaction, looking half muddled, half amazed. He surely expected me to yell at him for looking there but I saw how he looked away already.
I know he isn't a pervert.
Ignoring his reaction, I unbutton my shirt and take it off. He chews his bottom lip and looks away silently. I caught a glimpse of his red ear tip.
Goodness, I can't help but find this cute!
I put the shirt in my lap and then pull off my hair band. I let my hair rest on my back and wore the white lacy scrunchie on my wrist. Taking my shirt, I hold it by its shoulders.
I sigh. I have to keep it like this.
"Are you going to sit this awkwardly until the shirt is dry?"
"Sorry about the shirt," he says, still not looking at me.
Collecting my shirt in a ball, I throw it at his face. He quickly holds it, turning his neck to look at my face in confusion as to why I did that. His eyes flutter not even an inch away from my face.
"If you're sorry about it, hold it until it's half dry."
"Okay," he agrees and clasps my shirt by its shoulders. His gaze runs down my shirt and he secretly smiles.
"What are you thinking now?"
"That how small is your shirt."
"Of course," I roll my eyes, stopping on his back. "You aren't as wet as me, by the way."
"Only if your small hands could hold some more water."
My jaw flexes the next instant. "I'm not that small, okay? I reach your ear when I stand beside you."
He looks at me, holding my shirt in the air, but not between us as a curtain. "Of course, when you wear heels. Without them, where would you reach?"
I purse my lips, earning myself a chuckle from him. He only earns a death glare from me.
"Okay, okay, I'm not teasing you about it. Happy now?"
"I'm not a kid."
"Sometimes you feel like one."
"Oh, what childish thing did I do to you?"
"No," he smiles, the dimple forming on his cheek, "It's about you being cute sometimes. You can't be a baby again but I wonder if I'll have a girl like you."
That shuts me up.
"You were always a bold girl." I hug my knees and put my chin on it. My eyes behold his pretty and dreamy smile as he speaks, "A walking lioness, ready to tear apart. What if our daughter is like you?" He looks at me, hoping for a reply.
I sit awkwardly, not knowing what to say. It changed all of a sudden. All the sassy replies and cruel denials fade away from my memory and I struggle to think of a reply to give to him.
How hopeful he looked, I couldn't afford to lose that peaceful look in his eyes.
"I-I don't know," I shrug, hiding my face in my knees. Please, blushes, don't come or else he'll see it!
"But I know," he says, getting my quick attention. My big owl-like eyes stare at him. "I haven't imagined her yet but I feel she'll be as bold as you."
And as beautiful as you.
Suddenly, an image of a blonde baby with big blue eyes and a simple smile flashes before my opened eyes and I squeeze them shut, not wanting the vision to let go on.
I don't want a baby with him!
"Barak!"
"Hm?"
"You should talk to Ezra," because I don't want to talk about a baby with you. "Because he wants to."
"We talk whenever I visit Ávila," he clarifies, turning to face me. "But he's always nervous, so he leaves in a few minutes. What would he want to say to me?"
"He wants to hear God like you do."
"You mean the Holy Spirit?" He smiles eventually. The confusion is gone.
"Yes."
"Of course, I'll tell him that. God is more excited to talk with us than we are."
After that, we sat in silence. None of us speak to each other and in my mind, there are thoughts about our childhood.
I listen to the sound of nature with closed eyes and think of the moment we were in high school.
I was sitting on a bench, memorizing the formulas when he came from behind and threw a frog on the pages of my opened notebook.
Its wet feet wetted the pages and I screamed from the top of my lungs, leaving my notebook and jumping away from the bench.
That was horrible. My soul left my body at that time while he laughed, teasing me and sticking out his tongue.
At that time, he had many girls around him who genuinely liked him but one thing I wondered about...
"Have you had a crush on someone in your childhood?" I ask him, opening my eyes and looking at him.
He turns to face me, hanging my shirt on his arms as the elbows are perched on his knees. We both weren't expecting this question to come out of nowhere.
"All of a sudden, why do you ask this?"
I roll my eyes. "Curiosity, and nothing else. Can't you answer me straight?" I crave to know the answer.
He grimaces. "I was just asking."
"Tell me," I ask in a singsong manner, moving on the rock.
He stares at me for a while and then nods his head.
I gape at him. "What? You had a crush on a girl? Who was she?" I sit upright, all ears to listen to the name.
He sighs. "It's not necessary to know the name."
Curiosity touches the peak at this. "But I want to know. Come on, tell me!" What's so special about her name?
"I don't want to," he shrugs, getting up from the rock. It pisses me off. "Now we should leave."
"Why can't you just tell me her name?" I insist, jumping on my feet to push them into the shoes as he also does it, ready to leave.
He is pissing me off by hiding her name like it's precious and I'll kill her the moment I hear her name. If it were possible, I could've done it, by the way. No problem!
"Because I don't want to, simple," he answers me calmly, giving me the shirt to put on. I do it while he ties the shoelaces. I don't have to do it since I never bothered to untie the laces.
"And that's what I'm wondering about. What's wrong if you tell me her name? Why do you want to hide it? It's not like something wrong will be done to her if you told me her name."
"Nothing will happen to her," he affirms, and that's where the third emotion inside me switches on along with frustration and apprehension, "But as I said, I don't wanna share her name. Now, stop forcing me, Mikayla, and let's go home."
Who the hell is that girl that now he's even ignoring me for her sake?
He walks away, leaving me pissed off. Frustrated, I turn to glare at his back and utter, "You're a bastard!"
He stops and turns to look at me. He sighs and walks back to me. I watch him with narrowed eyes, breathing heavily.
My chest burns anxiously for that girl's name. I wonder how he manages to make me feel something like this when I hate him to the core but the thought of another girl residing in his heart pierces my heart.
"Come with me," he gently holds my hand. The softness of his actions is a cool breeze on my scorched heart but why this affectionate side to me when he hides from me something that I desperately want to know?
He turns to lead me away.
I swat away his hand, slapping the back of his palm. "Leave me!" I utter, having him obey me.
"Why are you mad about it?" He asks, his arm reaching to hold my shoulder.
I step back, flinching back from his touch. "So the way you're stubborn about it!" I turn around and leave with Thunder, in boiling anger.
. . .
3k+
Any guess what's gonna happen next?
Thanks for reading, by the way.
Hope you liked the chapter.
Stay happy, stay beautiful.
Jesus loves you <3