CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: To Woo A Girl Like Me
The thing with dreams, they feel so real, one may not even realise that it was just a dream.
The feeling of someone nudging me awake is what my conscience comes to, only a half an hour in.
I ignore the feeling, as if it were a fly and would go away eventually. Either this fly got a lot bigger and stronger, or it wasn't a freaking fly in the first place. My eyes crack open and I glance up at the intruder of my beautiful sleep. The only person that could ever have the guts to do it, the one and only, Ivan Torres.
"I haven't slept in over twenty four hours, Torres. This better be good." I whisper yell into his freakishly annoyed and drained eyes. I give him a confused look.
"I'm not taking this shit anymore, Poppy. You're going to go over there and sort him straight, because if I hear another word from his mouth, I'm opening the window and using Andrew to help me throw him out. He's driving me completely nuts, Poppy. I'm not listening to it anymore, you broke him again. Now, go do whatever you need to, to fix the bastard!" He growls lowly, before delicately holding Diana's head in his hands and eyeing me the devil of all glares.
Wow.
Maximus must have done a number on him.
I inwardly scoff, good riddance.
He gives me a look, as if he could read my thoughts so clearly in my expression.
I close my eyes, just for a moment before standing. Everyone seems to be completely asleep as Ivan quickly sits in my previous chair. I sigh in annoyance, watching as he smiles in relief, letting Diana lean her head on his shoulder as he Sloan's his head back and closes his eyes. Looking severely at peace.
While I'm over here, standing on a moving bus as the rain hits more fiercely across the windows.
Maximus remains awake, a fist holds his chin as he glares out at the rain, mumbling under his breath, not noticing my presence. I sit down and learn of the scolding earful, "You freaking idiot, I told you she wouldn't sit with me. I don't know what the hell to do, Ivan. I confess to her and she just...nothing. I definitely should continue calling her 'Honey', I just can't believe she blushed and I...I freaking ruined it. Ivan, I can't believe I'm asking you this, but what should I-" he stops with a choked cough, his eyes widening and he slams himself flush to the window, I glare at him with my arms crossed.
He cannot seem to form words, his mouth keeps slacking open before closing as he gulps.
I roll my eyes, taking out my phone and looking through Pinterest, "I can't fathom why you're so shocked. Oh, and your 'supposed' confession, was not a confession or at least not the undying type. The most I interpreted by your words, is that you have developed a crush, you want more from me, you deliver more and you don't back out of it, you let it flow and see what comes, Maximus. I'm no expert on relationships, but I know that if you want one, there's really no point in backing out of it and if you call me 'Honey' one more time, you won't like the consequences, are we clear?" I straight out converse with him, only do I look into his shy lavender eyes when I stare sternly into them. He doesn't nod, or show any signs of even comprehending what I just said.
It infuriates me to no ends, but I sigh in defeat, glancing back at my Pinterest board, looking for more pins.
I give him a good fifteen minutes as he mauls over my suggestions, I'm thoroughly surprised when his arms lunge towards me and I'm wrapped up in his muscular arms as he delicately places me on his lap, sideways as my legs are splayed out in my previous seat.
I groan in annoyance, leaning back with my elbows on the small hold on the sides of each window seat. He secures both arms tightly around me, forcing me to look at him when they squeeze the freaking air out of my lungs. Those playful violet eyes stare back into mine, as his mood changes, mine grows worse.
"It seems you require all the more convincing, Honey. I will take some of what you said into consideration." He murmurs, pulling me fully towards him, I'm hesitant to wrap my arm around his neck. I remain with the closest arm to him, across his chest, hiding my blush as I place my forehead in his neck, glancing down at the screen as I flick through the images of different sports cars.
He chuckles, when he notices, taking the phone from my hand and saving a few he likes. I close my eyes for a moment, before falling into him as the darkness overcomes my senses, with a warm welcome indeed as Maximus tilts his head into mine and creates an even warmer atmosphere.
It's not the other students, or teachers, or the bus driver or even the rocky road that wakes me up.
It's Maximus' snoring.
Even though it may be quiet to everyone else, he's snoring right in my ear. I groan in annoyance, jolting my head away from his, he wakes during a half snore, his eyes confused as he tightens his hold around my waist, he furrows his eyebrows at me and pouts.
"Why'd you move?" He murmurs, a husky voice arises due to sleep. I roll my eyes.
"Because even though you may not notice it, you snore like a freaking hurricane." I say snappily, definitely cranky from the lack of sleep. I try to wriggle out of his arms but he protests rather quickly, "I promise, I won't ever snore again." I huff at his 'apparent' promise.
What a bunch of crap!
"Maximus!" I grunt, trying to find a comfortable position and only now noticing how stiff my back had gotten.
I wince a little at the tight muscles, he sighs before slowly massaging my back, pulling me back in, he uses his other hand to guide my arm up and around his neck, before doing the same with the other and then shimmering me down his lap. I purse my lips with half closed eyes, not taking in the sudden fast breathing and erratic heartbeat that leaves his chest.
When his breathing doesn't come back to normal within a few minutes, I roll my eyes, once again, before lifting up, "Honey-" my eyes narrow as he whines.
"Maximus, clearly you're getting worked up with me on your lap!" I point out as more redness grows on his neck. His eyes narrow at my bluntness but, I really could not care less.
I continue, "Maximus, what is going on? You've been acting weird and let me remind you, I haven't slept for more than twenty-four hours and the most rest I've had on this ride, is less than an hour." I quit the ranting when he glances down at me with a soft expression.
He sighs, his lips twitch up in the smallest smile as he removes my hands from his neck, placing a kiss on the back of both of them before gliding them back around his neck. He pulls me so close that we're chest to chest.
"Poppy, I'm getting this worked up, as you so eloquently put it, because you're finally allowing me in to that crazily complicated head of yours and you're letting me hold you, alright? That means a great deal to me. I'll let you get some rest soon, but for a second, just enjoy the moment. I can barely get the air into my lungs with you being here with me, Honey." He breathes out, confessing yet another piece of what he may feel for me.
I sigh, leaning closer to him as his eyes widen phenomenally, "Alright." Is all I whisper, placing a tender, long, closed-mouth kiss on his jawline, he groans in appreciation at the affection.
I lazily run my fingernails down his scalp, all the while still flush against him, "Thank you, My Darling." He whispers, kissing along my cheek bone, before finally settling on the part of my neck that's exposed. This is definitely the furthest we've ever gone.
There's no point in allowing my heart to beat any longer in denial.
He doesn't allow his lips to run along the skin there though, surprisingly, he just pauses, unmoving and sighing before settling back in his seat, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths.
The rest of the ride for me, was basically just a small nap.
The rain increases as the bus slowly pulls up to the curb. The teachers shake a few students in deep sleep, before thanking the driver and asking a few assistants at the camp to help with the bags.
I sigh, Maximus still has is eyes closed and his arms have loosened. I lift myself onto my seat with no difficulty and he didn't even notice, luckily. I search for my phone before seeing it poke out of his jacket pocket, I quickly pull it out just as a yawning Diana and a tired Rosa-belle stand right next to our seats.
She glares down at me, "Ivan? Really?"
I roll my eyes, "He pushed me off after refusing to listen to anymore of Myers' whining." I point out, she sighs, glaring over her shoulder but, Rosa-belle giggles. We look at her in question before she whispers,
"They're all still asleep."
Diana smiles widely, before grabbing my small bag from the floor and nudging her head to go forward. I smile mischievously, leaving Maximus and the others behind. The teachers walk back on after letting us through first, Diana jogs ahead as we look for our bags inside. Once I've located mine, I roll it over towards a laughing Rosa-belle and a glaring Diana.
I roll my eyes, "What happened now?"
Rosa-belle continues to giggle through her explanation, "Ivan salivated the top of Diana hair." I release a puff whilst smiling as a disgusted Diana tries to brush her hair out with a special conditioning.
I guess she doesn't realise that until she takes a shower, the particles of his saliva will still be there.
Diana grumbles, "This is all your fault, Poppy!"
I shake my head, "Technically, it's Myers' because if he hadn't been such a whining toad, we wouldn't be in this situation." Giggling but they both stare above my head, slightly frightened.
I sigh, closing my eyes, "He's right behind me, isn't he?"
"You're going to get a serious tongue-lashing and not the good kind." Diana squeaks out.
The sound of two bags slam against the carpet before I'm the one who screeches when I'm lifted into the air before slammed into a very hard chest.
That was not good for my nose, "Whining toad?!" He growls, mockingly at me, by the twitch of the lip, the caress with me in his arms and the fact that his unapologetically vibrant heart, beats at least twenty more beats within the same amount of time in his normal pace. If he'd ever wanted to actually growl at me, it'd never be in such a serious matter. I on the other hand, do not have that kind of condition, nor the symptoms he shows under my diagnostics.
I simply shrug, something tells me that wasn't the right answer when his nostrils flare, this time, not so much in a mocking manner, he argues, "This kind of stuff is private, Poppy." When has he ever allowed anything between us, to remain private.
I scoff, "You literally did the exact same thing, with Ivan."
He sighs in defeat, slowly bringing me back to the surface, nonchalant as he shakes his head in an excusing manner, "That is not the same."
I shake my head, now look who's in denial.
Trevor sits next to Diana, whispering a few words which make her frown but listen. I stay out of it while Ivan converses with Everdeen, Ryan and Maximus. Though they are right beside me because Maximus was annoyed at the fact I didn't wake him up, again.
Diana ends her conversation with Trevor, as she places a kiss on his cheek, before taking the surprisingly will hidden pack of cards from his pocket.
"What shall we play as they take time to prepare us for orientation?" Rosa-belle leans back into Andrew, smiling as she shoots out, "Last card!"
"Who's the best at reading other players?" Ivan scoffs, throwing two kings, a diamond and a heart. Classy, he could have used those two as last cards.
Carter glances at Diana, indifferently, while Rosa-belle glances at Carter, confused. None of them seem to know who's best at reading other people.
Trevor doesn't care as he puts a pick up two of hearts on the deck. Maximus smirks as he throws another two down, looking to me. I decide to save mine, and pick up four. He loses the smirk, frowning, he had not wanted me to pick up, thinking I'd have a back up plan.
But, why ever reveal a back-up plan, when the first plan hasn't gone down in ashes yet.
Ivan and Andrew smirks, both last card, but if I'm reading it right. Andrew will have a heart, Ivan, clubs.
I put the Ace down, and look up to Ivan and Andrew as I slide the five of diamonds to Carter, who's just before Andrew.
"Diamonds." I say, before Carter smirks and slams the card down. Andrew bristles, annoyed, before picking up five more cards.
We fist bump from behind, and that's when Ivan throws down his cards, "You two are hard-core cheater beaters." He grumpily crosses his arms, making another tantrum.
My group seems to understand quite quickly as Trevor shoved Carter, "I knew you two were up to something." Scoffing. Carter chuckles at the looks on their faces.
Maximus collects my cards, also throwing them in the pile, "Never knew you could be a cheater, Parker." He says, raising an eyebrow.
"You don't know everything about me, Myers." I comment, standing to walk towards the large lunch table, making a tea, he stands closely behind me as he delicately traces his fingertips along my clothed arms.
"But, I would like too, honey." He whispers low, before raising his arms over my shoulders, leaning his chin on the top of my head, while he makes his own. I furrow my eyebrows at his sudden behaviour, though rolling my eyes suffices as I refuse to comment further.
"You've changed." I comment, turning around with my tea, taking a sip and looking into his confused irises.
"What do you mean?" He asks, unsure of the answer. I smile slightly, uncertain if I should continue but he leans further down, trapping me between two muscular poles as he levels his eyes with mine.
I giggle, tilting my head to the side as I raise my hand, palm face down as it slides up his t-shirt covered chest, while his leather jacket remains unbuttoned. His eyes remain unmoving, but certainly darken to the violet colour, before I fix his collar.
Smirking as I then remove my hand.
He grunts leaning further in before whispering, "Temptress!" I roll my eyes as he places a warm hand on my lower back, leading us to our seats as we listen to the schedule for today.
We were happily obliged to choose our own groups, to wander in specifically clear zoned areas to complete our given tasks and required achievements, to pass this overall assignment.
But, who said we couldn't have our own fun, along the way.
He glides me in between his legs once every student is gathered in the main room for a safety talk, along with an opening for orientation when Maximus glides his arms around me too, forming a barrier around me. Tasks are given strictly to each collaborated group, where either Andrew or Trevor were the two who put our names altogether as one large group, before Maximus suddenly suggests, "We'll deal with the tents, and all our bags. Would you like to do the worksheets with the girls? Basic first aid and all that." He says, making me turn to him, a light gasp on my lips.
He's done this before.
Greek salad for the lady.
I decide to be daring, considering how daring he is...I wear the damn pants in whatever relationship this is. Placing my hands on his Jean-covered thighs while other students disperse, I stare at him, side-glancing Diana's smirk.
"Are you suggesting woman must stick to the theory and men should work with the practical work, physical work that girls have been stereotypically positioned with no upper body strength to build a tent, Maximus?" I ask, lowering my voice, hands on his knees.
"No, Poppy-"
I place a finger on his lips, sliding my thumb along the curve of his lower lip, he hitches a breath, I was being very daring and his reaction urged me to keep going, heart thumping a racket in his chest, "I swear, if you say 'you're trying to be a gentleman', I want you to look at how closely my knee is to your precious little jewels." I say, tilting my head at him.
He shocks me.
"Baby, believe me when I say, I'm definitely not little." He even looks down for emphasis. I almost choke on my own spit, did my confidence up-level his somehow? Who the hell is this man right now?
I place my hands on his shoulders, going further with this considering he was all too obliged to as well, "I know a very long range of martial arts, something you've already seen first hand. I can read the truth in you, Maximus. Answer my question." I murmur, sultrily.
I watch him take a deep breath, looking at me gently, "It's cold outside, and windy. Men are generally larger and we generate more heat with greater muscle mass and I don't want you getting hurt out there, Poppy. It's be safer if you stayed inside until we've completed the job and I want you to look around, most of the girls in each group are staying out here while the boys make the tents. They're being sexist, I'm being protective of your health and I need you to trust me on this. I'd like you to stay inside." He tells me, sliding his hands over my arms in a coaxing, caressing manner.
I scrutinise him, "I know I've truly met my match with you, Baby, when you start spewing shit about science in your need to keep me safe. Fine, make the tents, we'll do the paperwork." I mutter before the girls follow me into moving the other room once I step out of his embrace. He could have his way for now, but not for long.
******
He lifted a hand to caress the corners of my jaw, the feather of a touch. Like a delicate tickle, his index finger strays across the apple of my cheek, just to brush a single strand behind the shell of my ear.
The touch sends tendrils of weightless butterflies through my stomach.
I wait in anticipation to see what he may do next. His other hand, invisible to my eyes, holds the back of my neck in such a possessive way that I gasp silently.
The warmth embedded underneath his skin is such a stark contrast to my cold surface, he even shivers silently after sharing his own gasp.
"You're one dangerous creature, Poppy Parker." He murmurs against my cheek, seductive, but not sexual.
I play along, "Dangerous, why?" I whisper into his neck, his eyes close in delight as my breath sends goosebumps across his shoulder. He elicits an airy inhale from my throat, as a curious smile dances on his twitching pink lips. He leans in, ever-so-slowly, gracefully laying his temple against mine, an audible inhale of my hair sounds after.
I refrain from giggling, not wanting to betray the perfect danger of this longing moment.
His ponderously beating heart sends a shock through the very tips of my fingers as they graze his chest, hesitance dances in my veins.
Longing and something else indecipherable...in his eyes, in his actions, causes a tilt of my head in curiosity, a dangerous sort of curiosity.
"Because I see that look in your eyes, I can even feel the hesitance in your touch, Poppy. That is why you are dangerous and we are in deep trouble...no doubt in it." He says softly, those earnest violet eyes pierce mine like a butterfly pinned to a board for inspection.
Mine narrow in, what look?
I raise a cautious eyebrow, I stare, unblinking as he gently pulls my body flushed to his.
The air feels too bloody hot but, he's in no position to let go while his vine-casing arms wrap around my torso and draw uneven circles, figure-eights and different shapes along my exposed skin. Surprising me, I had not realised my shirt raised up a little.
Even then, he still feels hesitant, unsure if he's on uncharted territory but, with no objection on my part, he just holds me.
The song, 'Blue Jeans' by Lana Del Rey, happens to echo in the background. Why on earth would Lana Del Rey sing a song in the middle of the woods?
Maximus enraptures my attention like a Venus flytrap when he starts murmuring those words, those lyrics into my hair like the melody touched him deeper than I could have imagined, 'Blue Jeans' by Lana Del Rey.I scoff inwardly, one of our friends were up to something. Obviously no good too.
"Myers, that tickles!" I shriek when his hot breath shapes across my ear, his chest shakes with contained chuckles before he practically smoothes out my giggles when his shoulders hunch in around me.
It's almost as if he wears invisible wings that bind us together, warmth clouds my judgment, the tip of my hair grazes his chin.
"What kind of trouble, Maximus?" I murmur into the cold air, he chooses swaying under the never sky. Like we have forever.
"The pleasurable kind, My Darling." He whispers softly on the top of my head. I roll my eyes at his suggestive tone, smacking his arm lightly in the process. His chuckles swivel through the air around us, creating a warm aura in contrast to the icy breeze.
It allows me to breathe and not feel like the world doesn't have enough supply.
"Such a romantic. Why is it that I always feel as though you read up on a whole bundle of cliche traits, to get a girl into your arms for the night, hmm?" I scoff before delicately lift my head from his bulky chest, he manages to pull the rest of my body even closer to his, his hips now touch mine as he tightens his vines.
He shakes his head in a slow motion, before gliding his hands around my waist, up my torso and to my arms, where he glides them up and practically intertwines my fingers around his neck.
My nails scrape across the skin at the nape, it causes another twitch on his lip and a shake of his hips as he runs the backs of his fingers down my arms, torso and waist, before taking their rightful place at my lower back.
"One: I am a romantic. Two: the only girl I want is currently stuck to my hip, where I want her to be. Three: I wrote the book on how to woo a girl as hard to catch as you are, My Darling." He says, his sensual ways create tingled shoots that end at my toes. He poses a peculiar argument.
I raise another eyebrow in question, our eyes never stray from the other, not even for a moment, "Are you indirectly telling me this isn't your first time trying to woo a girl like me?"
He sighs with a smile, "No, My Darling. This is the first time, and the book is currently in progress," He murmurs, before leaning further down and whispering into my forehead, "Under editing and soon to be published."
My jaw drops as if completely unattached altogether, he chuckles before, for the first time, his arms lift me in a weightless manner. He pulls me high enough to ravish but, delicately place an open mouthed kiss on the side of my jaw.
My veins and arteries sizzle in unison, My Lord!
"I thought you mentioned you'd never kissed someone before?" I ask, breathlessly. His touch triggering feelings in me, feelings I have never felt before.
He smiles with his lips still grazing and gliding along my jaw, "I haven't. Kissed anyone before, is what I mean." He murmurs, before continuing his ministrations.
I'm so relaxed I almost fall to sleep on top of him when suddenly those lips curve towards my neck, where he decides devouring the skin there, will certainly get my attention.
Oh, my poor, poor heart.
I refrain from moaning even when he starts to use his teeth, "Maximus, we are not doing this here." I tell him, still breathless. Wondering what he'd be like if he ever kissed me on the lips.
He splays one more cherished kiss on the spot where he'd used his teeth, before he slowly removes his head from my neck. A wide smile dances across his sparkling face, I give him a weird look before a flashing sound comes from the side of us.
Maximus taps my behind, I whisper a sudden, "What?"
"Your ankle is sore and don't deny it, it's been a long day. I'm carrying you back." He states before tensing his muscles to hold my waist in one arm and taps my thigh, trying to direct it around his waist.
"You have got to be kidding me!" I whisper yell to his profile, he sends me a stern look before nudging his head in the direction of my thigh.
"Maximus!" I whisper again, indicating to let me down.
"I can wait here, like this, all night, Parker." He whispers with another kiss to my cheek.
I give him my own stern look, but he just smirks, holding me with one arm, I mutter 'showoff' to his face, he retorts by mouthing the words, indicating to himself, 'being a gentleman'. I'm left hanging in the air for a few minutes before sending a narrow-eyed look down at his profile. He has the gaul to whistle.
I sigh before just giving up, lifting one leg around his waist while he lifts the other for me. I'm completely flushed to his upper chest as I wrap my arms closely around his neck, my head leaning on the inside corner of my arm while he tucks me in closer.
He holds one arm underneath me and the other runs smooth circular motions with his thumb, on my back.
Stubborn prat!
I huff in his hold before closing my eyes and leaning in further, "I am far too tired to argue with you on this."
His arm that held my back glides up before eventually tangling in my blonde curls, he runs his fingers and swirls around one of them, before he pats down my hair twice, then goes back to his previous ministrations.
"You look comfortable, Princess." I wave Ivan off, too tired to deal with him as well, the others follow either in front or beside Maximus, while he walks us back to his stupid individual tent, after claiming he forgot to pack in mine and I'll have to share his because no one else has any room.
After asking anyone else if they want to switch places with me, Maximus literally attached me to the hip.
It's at least fifteen minutes into the walk when Maximus finally quiets the others from attempting to tease us.
"They're right though, it was a kiss but, it wasn't the kiss, Maximus." Ivan murmurs beside us, the others, including Maximus, seem to think I've fallen asleep on his shoulder.
"I'm waiting for the right time, you nimrod. I want it...I want it to be perfect for her." Maximus whispers harshly at the start, but thoughtful in the end. I sigh in content in his shoulder, he freezes for a moment, thinking I'd heard him, but he doesn't notice a change in my heartbeat. When I'm still under peaceful relaxation, he continues talking to Ivan.
"How's the waiting doing for you two, though?" Ivan asks with a scoff, Maximus has his hands full with me, so he refrains from growling at Ivan and just sharply leans his head to the other side of me, probably glaring at him.
"Well, as you all rudely interrupted before, what do you think?" He lashes out quietly, still annoyed about that, if my eyes weren't closed, I'd be rolling them.
"Your about mid-way." Ivan notes with a chuckle. Maximus grunts a little, causing a stir, which obviously worries him a little as he starts stroking my back again, thinking it easily strokes me back to sleep.
It's close, but I can still hear everything.
Being a light sleeper has its perks!
"What? You think I should try and ask her out on a date again? It's not like I haven't tried before, Ivan. I kept having to bring it back to the excuse that I was referring to the whole group, when I asked. I guess having the word, 'No' said to me all the damn time, brings out the, 'I mean as a friend' part." He argues, I didn't realise he'd felt that way.
Being a light sleeper...also has its downs!
"You don't mean 'as a friend part', though, right?" Ivan asks, hesitant at first, to await Maximus' reaction.
Maximus physically shakes his head, "No. I don't mean, 'as a friend' part."
They're quiet for a few minutes before Ivan clicks his fingers, "Why not just take her out on a drive, on a nice cruise along the park, beach or whatever, just don't tell her it's a date, but slowly soothe her in on the idea of dating?"
"What do you mean?" Maximus asks in hopeful confusion, absentmindedly using his thumb to run smooth circles along my lower back, kind of like a small massage.
Though, it tickles, a little.
"I mean-" he drags his words, already tired of Maximus' oblivious ways, "-after school someday or if you decide to hang out on the weekend or something. You take her out, somewhere nice, fun or entertaining, something and somewhere you know she'll like, and you don't necessarily spoil her, but you do be affectionate, just not suggestive. You take her out, have a great time, just the two of you. It will show her what she's missing, essentially. It'll warm her up to the idea of dating, but, you have to do this at least a few times, don't just outright ask her if she'd like to date you." He explains, skilful words leave from him, enough to almost cause my eyebrow to raise in serious suspicion, but that would cause an unnecessarily ruckus between us three.
The others are a few metres ahead, laughing loudly because Maximus slowed down when they wouldn't quiet down.
"Take her out, for a coffee or something nice, and I'm allowed to hug her if she allows it, but not act in a way that would suggest a more sexual approach, not that I would. Is that what you're saying?" He asks, with a huge amount of hesitance on his part. Confusion adds to the mixture.
I'm so closing to laughing my head off, I have to bite my lip and try extremely hard not to even think about laughing.
Ivan gets the privilege to laugh though, "Yes, essentially."
"How am I supposed to do that when just about every weekend and every few weeks, she's away for more than a week, doing god knows what and still comes back looking more bloody angelical than the last time I saw her?" I refrain from 'awe-ing' once I hear those frustrated words leave his mouth.
"Well, that's on you. We've already asked the others and even they don't know what she's doing, but unlike them, I don't think her family goes on that many trips in less than a few months. Something else is going on with Princess, I just haven't a clue as to what it is or how to find out what she's doing?" This is bad. If Ivan starts doing more digging into what I'm doing, I'll have to leave for longer periods of times after a while.
Maximus is quiet as he thinks it over, "She's most likely to shut down if you ask, I've already tried but she always manages to divert the question to something completely different."
"She's kind of got you wrapped around her finger, though." Ivan comments, I'm tempted to gasp, I so do not!
Maximus chuckles a little before sighing in defeat, "There's no point denying it, now." Seriously, take CHARGE, be a man, Myers!
Be my man, Myers.
"Tell Poppy to wake up, they're serving dinner already!" Diana shouts out a few metres in front of us. Maximus is tempted to growl at her for shouting, I can tell when he attempts to block my ears and his chest rumbles. I roll my eyes, before slowly removing my arms from his neck, only for him to stop me at his advances.
"There's still a good five minutes, Darling." He says softly in my ear, not wanting to let me go yet.
I sigh in defeat, he could keep me in his arms as long as he wanted, just not like this, "Yes, and it'd be good for me to try and walk it off, Myers. Besides, I need to stretch my legs." I murmur to him.
He frowns at me, but Ivan buts in, as usual, "They seem pretty stretched as it is, Princess." My head whips past Maximus and towards a smirking Ivan.
"Shut up, Ivan." Maximus snaps at Ivan, though it wasn't a severe telling off, as Ivan keeps the smug smirk on his face but raises his hands in mock surrender.
"Alright, but stay close, you hear me?" Maximus mutters before slowly lifting me up than gradually down, I hold onto his upper arms. I nod, once my feet touch the ground, his hands remain on my waist once I roll my ankle over.
"How does it feel?" He asks.
"Alright, I guess." I mutter in answer, using the top of my foot to bounce a little, I let go of his arms to remove a strand of hair in the way. He slowly lets go when I indicate to him that I want to walk forward, so I turn with my back to him and take a few steps forward, he sharply inhaled but considering it's only a sprain...I've been through worse.
"You alright, Poppy?" Diana asks, I hadn't realised she was right behind me. I rotate my ankle and lean on it more, the sharp jolt that I had before surprised me, but now, oddly it feels fine.
"Yes, it's better. Thank you, Myers." I tell him whilst answering Diana, I don't look up at him, but I assume he nods in confirmation.
"C'mon, I don't know what they're serving but it smells delicious!" Diana exclaims as she attempts to help me over a small log but I just step right over it, Diana looks at me for a second before whispering,
"Were you faking it?"
I tilt my head, the thing was, I wasn't faking it.
I shake my head and stare at my leg weirdly, "I had a sudden sharp jolt a while ago and unfortunately, Myers, noticed. That's why we stopped and...got distracted."
I explain and look away when she wiggles her eyebrows at me, with a twitching smile.
"When are you going to plan that date, Poppy?" She asks as we walk closer to the others in front, Maximus and Ivan are a bit behind us.
"What date?" I look to her confused, she gives me a stern look, and just as she's about to open her mouth, Rosa-belle squeals in front of us, as she runs to the lunch line.
Girls first, it seems. Andrew shakes his head at her and stands to the side, waiting for the others, but still remains next to her.
"TREVOR!" Diana squeals next to me as Trevor throws her over his shoulder and runs down the hill like Superman saving the girl...from having to hike down a small hill.
Carter and Everdeen smile at them as they jog down. The rest of our student peers remain next to small fires, surrounded with logs to sit on, cheers and laughter fill the air more than the smoke does, it seems.
I slowly make my way down, with the others not far behind. Once I've joined the line, Maximus, Ivan and Ryan are jogging down the hill in unison.
I glance around, even at the stars, before I'm tapped on the shoulder by Andrew, who nudges his head down, holding out a plate for me. I smile at him in thanks, he nods in return before going to get his.
I follow after Rosa-belle who copies Diana and Trevor, sitting around an unoccupied fire. I sit on the grass next to them, with my back leaning on the log behind, before stabbing into my potato, slowly eating.
Someone heavy sits on the log next to me, before a fork moves around on the glass plate, Maximus wears his new Nikes shoes, that's how I noticed it was him.
A few of them tell scary stories of scars that'd gotten back when they were little, Andrew Ryan and even Ivan played a few songs that made the other girls in the group, enchanted with the melodies.
I didn't speak much, but I listened. Maximus was the same, he was just hanging back with me, curling my hair around his finger every now and again.
Though, when he starts racking his fingers through it, I sigh in content and close my eyes in comfort. Comfort that he so graciously gives me, which is why I lean my head on his knee as he continues his ministrations. They piped up when I did that, lingering longer but, never straying from the task of getting me relaxed.
It works. It works well.
So well, in fact I'm so close to falling asleep, if it weren't for the teacher in charge to go over safety rules and regulations.
I notice Maximus listens, but I don't bother. I do, however, stand when he says it's time for lights out, and to take care of each fire from each group.
Trevor takes care of ours, tipping a bucket of water over it but not standing above it so the smoke doesn't flow up into his face.
We wait for him to finish, Diana attempts to help him, but really she's just moving a stick back and forth.
Maximus smirks as he leads me to the tents the boys insisted they were to set up. I glance warily up at him, he catches it, smiling down at me and kissing the top of my head.
"What are you up to?" I wander, slipping away from his hand as what I'd hoped was my tent, but when I take a better look, there's only one very large tent and another's that fairly small.
Maximus encases me from behind, turning me slightly to the little tent.
"That's our tent, honey." He murmurs across my hairline.
My eyes narrow, my arms cross stiffly and my aura grows a hint darker.
Oh, hell no!
I feel like I should have had these kinds of conversations with Maximus. You know, cut deep straight into the bone. A snippet of his jewels is cut if he thinks he can pull a stunt like this and not get a surely assertive time out, the old 'sit in the corner and think about ones actions' kind of time-out, but knowing him...it'll fly right over his head and drop like a sack of unused bullets from a useless hand gun and a man who knows nothing about how to shoot a damn weapon when he just has to use his violet eyes to get other males to drop dead.
Maybe my period is coming on soon.