SAWYERS POV
"I'll tell you my favorite one." I whisper into her ear.
Opal looks at me with anticipation.
"Imagine standing on a frozen lake just north of the Arctic. The only noise comes from a gentle wind playing with the pine trees in the forest behind you. In front lies a vast and flat expanse of snow-covered ice stretching away into the distance until it encounters the dark..." Opal interrupts me, her small hands cover my mouth.
"Wait, shhh. Let me imagine." She says as she closes her eyes to picture what I'm saying. "Go on." She whispers, nodding. Her eyes still closed.
"Where was I? Right, dark haphazard barrier that is more forest on the opposite shoreline. Above that forest is darkness, an ink black sky, dotted with more stars than you'd ever believed possible. Suddenly, somewhere in the northern sky, a green smudge of light begins to materialise and slowly manifests itself into dancing stair rods of shimmering green light which skip across the darkness of space."
"Sounds beautiful." She heavily breathes out. "Have you ever been?" She asks, peaking one eye open. I shake my head,
"Never." I tell her. Her face falls at my answer.
"Then how do you know what it looks like. You describe it so perfectly." Her eye brows knit together as she pouts.
"Ever heard of... stories?" I roll my eyes.
"Right." She looks down at her hands. "Tell me about the fox."
"One of my absolute favourite myths comes from Finland you know."
"Do you know how to speak Finnish?" She asks and I glare at her. Her mouth shuts and she zips it up and pretends to throw the key.
"It was said that the lights were caused by the firefox who ran so quickly across the snow that its tail caused sparks to fly into the night sky creating the Aurora. The Finnish word for the Northern Lights is revontulet which means fire fox."
"I love that story. I picture a cute white fox." She sighs into her pillow.
This has been our routine for the past few days. I come in here repeating to her the stories my father would tell me. I am exhausted but deliriously happy. At night we are in our own universe, belonging only to each other, nothing else matters in these moments.
Tonight is different, my body pulses with awareness as our fingers intertwine. We've been sharing each others breaths for what seems like weeks.
My lips almost brush hers and I forget about the sickness taking over her body. Right now, in this room it's only Opal, me, and our kiss.
Something isn't right. I hear footsteps coming and I look down at her confused face.
"Always being interrupted." I huff out. She raises an eyebrow, more confusion crossing her features.
The door swings open behind me and I quickly turn pretending to look at her charts.
"Oh, Sawyer. Didn't think you were in here." Evan states.
"Oh, yeah. Just wanted to check something."
"I thought I heard talking." He says and I look at him confused. We both turn to see Opal pretending to be asleep. He doesn't know that she's faking, and his face falls.
"Nope. You probably heard me arguing with myself." I shrug.
"Will you be long?" He asks, ignoring me.
"Maybe. Just want to run a couple more tests and then should be done." I continue writing gibberish on the clip board I'm holding and he nods.
He quietly leaves the room and I finally hear Opal breathe.
I turn to her, we stare into each others eyes before we break out laughing.
"Why did you pretend to sleep?"
"I don't feel like talking." She says with a shrug. She yawns. "Speaking of sleep, have you gotten any lately? You look tired." She points to the bags under my eyes, then she scoots a little to the side of the bed and pats the spot next to her.
I raise an eyebrow up and she rolls her eyes and pats the empty spot beside her more aggressively.
I jump over to the empty spot beside her, our combined warmth engulfing the both of us. I lean against the wall so that I'm facing her. Her breath shifts ever so lightly, heavier now, laced with longing, as if she realized what she just has done.
Her hand is resting on my knee and something in me wants to rest my hand on hers. My breath comes out shaky, but I hide it with a small cough. She turns to me with a smile.
"I should probably leave, let you get your rest." I say and she swallows and nods her head. I can hear the way the air enters and leaves her lungs, as if it's an effort for her to breathe.
I begin to slide back across her body. I hover over her. She closes her eyes and leans her head back into the pillow, her lips slightly part as if she were in pain.
I lean down to her to whisper, "Shit, am I hurting you?"
Her eyes stay closed, she shakes her head back and forth. I prop myself up with one hand and with the other I trace delicately along the side of her cheek. Her eyes open as I do and she pulls me closer to her. The two of us almost one as we press against each other from hip to chin.
My mind fogs with the knowledge that my nearness affects her, that I am not the only one who feels this heat.
I hear a thump outside the door and I quickly jump over her. I walk to the door but she stops me.
"Wait," she says and I turn to her, I notice her face flushed red. I smirk.
"Are you going to be here in the morning? Can you make sure Jospeh and Evan don't make me drink any more of that kale smoothie?" She makes a gagging sound and I laugh.
"Sure." I tell her and slip out of the room.
"Thank you." She says while yawning.
I head back upstairs and I catch my brother leaning against the wall, a drink in his hands.
My smile falls when I see him standing there.
"Drink?" Evan asks and I look at him suspiciously.
"Something wrong?" I ask. He pours me a drink and I take the small glass.
"We may have trouble." Evan says and I place my drink down.
"What kind of trouble?"
He takes a swig of his drink and he sighs.
"Jethro." He says.
"Did you tell him now isn't the time?" I seethe.
"I did." Evan places his glass down. "He heard we were in town and wants to party like old times." He raises his eye brows up.
"Have you tired..." Evan cuts me off.
"Yes." He replies before I finish.
"Did you..." he cuts me off again. My cousin can never take a fucking hint.
"Yes." He sighs.
"When?" I ask.
"When what?" Evan questions.
"When is he coming?" I cross my arms.
"He's already here." Evan pours himself another glass.
That explains the thump I heard downstairs.
"Cousin is in town." Evan lifts his glass up before exiting the room.
I don't feel like dealing with his stupid ass so I head to bed.
The morning sun hits me right in the face. I peak an eye open to check the time. Seven in the morning. I groan getting out of bed. Evan has night watch over Opal. Although his drunk ass probably didn't do much of anything.
I'm too lazy to put a shirt on, and slide on some loose joggers.
I walk into the kitchen and start brewing some coffee.
"Finnigan." I bite and I hear him crunching on an apple.
"Why that tone? Surely I deserve a nicer welcome. One that includes my first name." Jethro's demanding voice boils my blood. His posh accent echoes in my damn ear, I'm sure they're already bleeding.
I look down at the cut up fruit and yogurt I'm making for Opal. I calm my anger and turn to him with a smile.
"Cousin. What a surprise. Here make yourself useful." I hand him a mop and walk straight out of the kitchen.
"Good morning everyone." Evan says, stopping me from leaving. His hand presses firmly on my chest as he forces me back into the kitchen.
"Go ahead. Tell him Sawyer." Evan says and I glare at Evan. Jethro turns to me, confusion lacing his features.
"I'm listening." Jethro says and my eyes travel to Evan who's eyes are wide. The chewing of Jethro's apple makes me twitch.
"Right. You see..." I'm cut off my Jethro.
"Evan was telling me about this new club. We're going today. The boys are back." He mischievously smiles.
My glare is pinned on Evan who is trying to hold back his amusement.
Evan and I both stay quiet and Jethro looks between us.
"What was that thing you needed to say?" He questions. Another bite out of his apple.
"Right, the thing." I walk over to him, grab the apple from his mouth and throw it away.
Jethro gives me a what the hell look and I sweetly smile at him.
I know Evan wants me to come up with some bullshit lie.
"Evan got a girl pregnant. And she's forbidden him to never party again." I feign disappointment as I pat him on his shoulder.
Jethro's eyes widen in shock as he turns to Evan. He forgets about his apple and he walks towards Evan.
"The rules. What happened to the rules?" Jethro loses it. "Tell me it's all a bloody lie." He takes Evan by the collar, shaking him slightly. Evan glares at me and pulls Jethro from his grasp before he clears his throat.
The rules include only one: sleep with as many girls possible, lose if you get a girl pregnant. It's been an on going streak for as long as I can remember.
It's my turn to smile. Sweet revenge.
"Excuse me while I make a kale smoothie." Evan dismisses Jethro's question.
"Since mister knock up over here is out. I guess it's only down to the two amigos." He rubs his hands in a mischievous way. "I hope you haven't lost your charm, Pierce." He aggressively pronounces the "p" in my last name.
My smile falls when Jethro turns to me.
"No need for the smoothie. I got it." I tell Evan, ignoring my cousin completely.
Jospeh walks in, shock on his face.
"What is he doing here?" Jospeh asks, repulsed that he's waking up to this.
"Since when did you become a person?" Jethro asks with just as much repulsion. The last time he says Jospeh was probably four years ago. Pretty sure he still thinks Jospeh is twelve.
Everyone stays quiet. We all know there's no arguing with him. He makes you think you're lower than him. Tries to out better you and belittles you.
There's no one smarter than him. In his world at least.
I drink the last bit of my coffee and skillfully sneak out.
"When did everyone get old on me?" I hear him complain. I roll my eyes. I'll let everyone else deal with him.
I slip downstairs, I know he's hasn't been in this part of the house.
I open the door leading to Opals room. Her face is gaining some color. Shes staring out the window. She doesn't turn to me right away and I raise an eyebrow.
"Good morning." I softly greet. She doesn't turn to me, and continues to stair out the window. "Hey, I made you breakfast." I get a tray to place it on. She finally turns to me,
"Oh. Thank you." She says solemnly. She grabs the food without looking at me.
"What's wrong?" I ask. She takes a bite out of her food.
"Hmm, what?" She says, playing dumb.
I give her a pointed look and she sighs out.
"It's just I've been cooped up in here. I want to walk and go outside smell the air. Touch the grass. Draw." She says her eyes lighting up.
I'm already shaking my head no before she finishes. Her face falls, and she glares at me.
"Why not?" She whines.
Jethro is here and I don't trust him. That's mostly it.
"You need rest." I tell her. This time she huffs out and throws her self back into the pillow.
"I've rested enough. I'm done. I feel fine." She throws the covers off of her and pulls the IV drip from her arm.
"You can't." I grab her and gently sit her back down on the bed.
"Sawyer. You can't make me stay in this room forever. Isn't kidnapping me enough?" She bites.
I look down at her, my eyes widen at what she's saying before I'm stone cold with her.
"I can and I will." Why am I being selfish?
She looks at me with disbelief.
"Get out." She says. She pushes the food I made from her and places it on the floor beside her.
"You need to eat."
"Are you going to tell me when I can use the bathroom too?" She argues, her voice rising.
"No, but..." she interrupts me. She's irritating me.
"Then get out. If this is the only room I can be in then I'm in charge and I. Want. You. To. Leave." She says each word with force.
"I'm not leaving until you finish your breakfast." I command, harshly. I stand there, my arms across my chest.
She's breathing hard, her anger rising.
I sit down, and tap my foot. Letting her know I'm serious. She sits on the bed a scowl on her face. Her arms are crossed. She sits like that for a couple minutes, refusing to look at me.
I see her mind working but my reaction is late. Before I can stop her the bowl full of fruit and yogurt is being dumped on her head.
"Fille stupide." I curse and she turns to me.
"I know every curse word in French because of you, Sawyer. Stop calling me stupid." She huffs out. She grabs more yogurt and rubs it all over herself.
I pull the bowl out of her hand.
"Looks like I need a bath." She smiles up at me, her eyes challenging. She knows she has to go upstairs for the shower since all bathrooms downstairs are just that bathrooms, just a toilet and sink no showers.
I pinch the bridge of my nose as I steady my breathing.
"It's getting sticky." She complains and I pull her out of bed.
If she thinks she can out smart me she is sadly mistaken.
"I'll be back. Stay put." I tell her as she stands in the middle of the room, yogurt dripping from her hair.
I run upstairs.
"Woah. Why in such hurry?" Jethro stops me at the top of the stairs.
"Don't have time for you." I push him aside.
I rush to find a bucket and fill it up with warm water. I grab a small bottle of shampoo and get multiple towels.
"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" Jethro follows me through out the house.
"Fuck off." I bark, which doesn't work.
"The car will be here at eleven tonight. Be ready." Jethro warns before leaving me alone.
I angrily stomp down the stairs. I harshly swing the door open and I startle Opal who jumps as soon as I come in.
Then tension in the room is in full swing. I try hiding my amusement that out of all things she doesn't listen to the one thing she listens to us me telling her stay put. She's still standing in the spot I left her in.
"What are you doing?" He voice shakes.
I throw her a towel and put the bucket of hot water on the floor.
"I told you you're not leaving. And that's final. Homemade shower." I stare at the bucket, proud of my work.
She stares at the bucket on the floor. I see her mind racing, shes stuck. She doesn't know what to do.
She will either kick the bucket of water all over the floor or throw it at me. I'm anticipating it.
"You're the worse person in the world. And I hate you." Her voice is dark, full of venom and I shrug.
She glares up at me, her eyes sending laser beams straight through my chest. She feels the water and crosses her arms.
"I won't be here later on. Night clubbing with the cousin." I tell her. I don't know why I'm telling her. I'm hoping me not being here will hurt her.
Her face slightly falls before a scowl returns.
"I don't care." She says. "Get out." She doesn't even have the courage to look me in the eye. She sighs, defeated. Her fingers tracing the water.
If my cousin finds out she's here it will get ugly.
I'm protecting her. If she hates me so be it.
"Jospeh will bring your lunch."
"I'm not your prisoner." She keeps trying to argue.
"I know." I reply softly.
"Then why are you treating me like one?" She questions her eyes shooting daggers at me.
"It's hard to explain." No it's not. Why am I lying to her?
She rushes to me and I smell the sweet smell of banana and strawberry yogurt.
She places her hand behind my neck.
"Try me. Explain it." She whispers.
"I can't." I tell her, looking down at her. The smell of the strawberry is luring me in closer to her lips. I snap out of my lustful thoughts.
She creases her eyebrows and her lips fall.
"You can't or you won't?" She asks, her voice clipped.
"Both."
She balls her hands into fists and she hits my chest.
"Leave." She pushes me toward the door.
"I've been trying to." I remind her and her face morphs into anger. Her cheeks heat up.
"Fine." She lets go of my shirt.
"Fine." I spit and walk out slamming the door. I hear the bucket hit the door and water splashing everywhere.
"Seigneur donne moi de la force." I mumble, shaking my head at her actions. (French: Lord give me strength)
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Hey everyone!
Triple update! I tried posting this Friday night but I was at the mountains and there was no signal or strong enough WiFi. I had hoped it would publish but it didn't. Also glad it didn't, changed a few things around :p
Hope you guys enjoy! ❤️