Chapter 08
I try to ignore the tingling sensation and the goosebumps on my skin when Logan takes my hand in his. I try really, but it's a failure. So I slowly pull my hand away. I just can't take the weird stunts my heart is making or the sudden flush on my skin and the last thing I need is for him to notice. So I pull away.
He doesn't notice. And even if he does notice, he does make a show of it, and for that I'm grateful. I think it shouldn't really matter, I think it shouldn't make me feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest any minute, because we're friends-just friends, but it did.
"So, do you know where we're going, or. . .?" I ask.
"Nope. We're just going to wander around until we find our horses." he says. "Not all those who wander are lost, right?"
I freeze.
He chuckles a laugh and tugs at my arm so I start to move again. "I know where we're going, kitten." he says and I let out a breath I didn't know I've been holding. "Now, come on."
We continue walking. Logan pointing at the occasional bird as they us by. We stop to watch a particularly beautiful bird and I'm saying "It's beautiful." and Logan tells me that it's beautiful just like me, and I feel myself flush almost instantly.
"You look cute when you blush like that, kitten." He says.
"Shut up."
He shakes his head. "No seriously, your nose goes all pink like a kitten."
I look up at him to find he's already smiling at me. And if it's even possibly for me to blush some more, I know I just did.
"Look!" I scream. I point at a nearby bush and Logan follows my line of sight. There's a chameleon changing colour to green, and it blends miraculously into the background. Chameleons are lucky, I think, they're hard to spot. They can hide when they don't want to be bothered. They can get some alone time whenever they feel like it. Sometimes I find myself wishing for chameleon superpowers. Especially when I don't want people to see me blushing. People like Logan-who gives me a hard time about it.
"Can we go now?" I say after a while. "It's getting cold."
He rubs both his hands down my arms to keep warm and takes my wrist in his hand and pulls me forward saying "Yeah, sure, let's go."
My mother calls me to say that she and dad are leaving town. Logan looks at me and asks if everything is okay so I explain. "My parents are leaving for Germany for the week."
He screws his face a little. "And where are you staying?" he ask, concern on his face.
"Home?"
"Alone?"
"Yeah sometimes I do play that movie to keep me company."
"Ha. Ha." he says. "But seriously though, all alone? Don't you get scared?"
I shake my head no. "No, I've gotten used to it-my parents travel all the time." I tell him. "Sometimes my friends would sleep over."
"Well," he says. "I gotta say you're pretty brave for a kitten."
"That's because I'm not a kitten."
Silence.
And then a scream.
I scream loud and clutch to Logan's arm so hard that under different circumstances I would've been worried I might the circulation off of his arm, but right now we're under pressing matters. I'm chilled to the bones when I see what was circling around both our legs. Longs enough to circle two pairs of legs, twice. Cold, cold, and sweaty and scared and Logan's is running a hand over my hair and telling me not to be scared, but all I am is a bundle of nerves.
The dirty yellow snake, splashed with crimson spots. And the sight is scary enough for me to pray that when we die it would be quick and not so very painful.
But Logan is holding me tighter and my head is nestled in his chest, and I know it doesn't make sense but I feel calmer. If only just a little bit.
Now, at least, I won't die with heart failure.
"Logan?" I whisper. "Did I tell you how glad I was to meet you?" I say. He chuckles and a smile take over his features as he looks down at me.
"I'm serious. I had a great time." I tell him.
"You really think we're gonna die, kitten?"
I nod furiously.
"Try not to move." he's saying. "It might as well leave us unharmed."
It's no use-shiver after shiver runs down my spine.
"Hey-" he says. "Hey, look at me-" he cups the side of my face with one hand and forces me to look up at him. I stay silent. His eyes, good God, his eyes.
"Yeah, that's not helping." I whisper so quietly I'm not sure he even heard it.
He caresses my cheek with his thumb and my lips part even though I asked them not to, and he's telling me that I'll be fine, he's telling me not to worry and I try to listen.
"Just try not to move." Logan instructed, "It might as well leave us unharmed."
I'm looking into his eyes trying to read those unspoken words, those unwritten letters, those unexpressed feelings and I'm lost and I'm falling and I don't even know what to make of myself anymore, and I didn't notice that the snake has already started uncurling from around us-decided that maybe we weren't high for its appetite.
We look at each other for a second longer. Logan swallows hard, takes my hand in his and we take off, running away.
And this time I don't let go.