22 June 2012
I didn’t say anything to Jason until we got far enough into the woods that I could let scout off the lead. We had reached a little brook with slightly raised ground on one side. I’d always loved this place; the water made little bubbly noises as it washed over the pebbles, and right behind the brook was a large oak tree, that must have been there for centuries, as it was so tall. It made a very comfortable place to sit and read, as ground was mossy and soft, and two roots made an almost armchair-like seat. The leaves on the tree were beginning to get an orangey colour, for autumn, but were not yet falling, giving the whole place a very mellow feel. It erased all of my bad feelings towards Jason, leaving only a strong feeling of contentment. I turned towards him and smiled.
“So what was it you wanted to tell me?” I asked. Jason looked at me, his brown eyes yet again burning into mine. I suddenly felt queasy, nervous about what he was going to say to me. Jason leaned back against the tree he was standing in front of, and said, “Raine, I don’t know much about what’s going on between us, but there is something I need to tell you, something I have known for a long time. l love you.” And he leaned forward, and kissed me.
I didn’t know what to feel as he leaned forward. Angry? Confused? But then his lips touched mine, I felt nothing of the sort. A warm feeling began to grow in my chest, getting hotter and hotter, spreading to my fingertips as I held on desperately to the back of his neck. He had his hands wrapped around my back, holding me to him. My chest was now burning, getting ever hotter until…
“Ah!” I clutched at my chest, the heat had been so intense, so real, that I broke away; I was unable to bear it.
“What is it?” He asked, looking worried. “Are you ok? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no, I-“ I had been kissed before, but it hadn’t hurt so… “Would you mind checking my temperature?” I asked him he put the back of his hand on my forehead, his face full of concern.
“You’re fine, look, just tell me what happened” But it was gone. There was no point in making a big fuss of it, when It was probably just my imagination.
“No, it’s gone now, I’ll be fine. What else did you want to say to me?” he sat down between the roots of the tree, and I sat beside him before he continued.
“I don’t think we have a choice.”
“In what?”
“Do you… love me back?” He asked slowly, avoiding my eyes. I had to think about that before I answered, go through all the emotions I’d felt while I’d been with him. Happy, when I met him, when he pulled up beside me to give me a lift, betrayed when he didn’t answer my questions, and when he kissed me…
“Yes. I love you too.” I smiled; I liked the sound of those words. I kicked off my uggs and moved position so that my feet where in the brook and my head was on his lap. I tried to clear my mind so that I could focus on what he was saying.
“Alright, I’m just going to come right out and say it, whether or not you believe me is up to you. I don’t have a choice about whether or not I love you.” He told me.
He sighed, then took off his shirt and then turned around so that his left shoulder was facing me.
“Look.” He pointed at a heart shaped mole on his shoulder. “It appeared the day I met you” He turned back around so he was facing me again. “It’s exactly were our were our shoulders touched in Spanish. And I don’t think that that’s a coincidence. I think you might have one too.” He had got to be kidding.
“I’m not about to take my shirt off in the middle of the woods to check!” I yelled hysterically, and we both laughed
“Why don’t we go back to your place then and check?” he got up and checked his watch. “We should have some lunch while we’re at it too- Its two o’clock already. “ Two o’clock! I looked at my own watch.
“God, your right!” I called scout, who had been chewing on a nearby stick the whole time, and put his lead back on him. Jason reached out to hold my hand as we walked back through the woods.
“You’re going off topic again. When I agreed t meet you I was expecting answers, not more questions.” I said. “Why do you think you don’t have a choice? About loving me?”
“Well, when our shoulders touched in Spanish, I felt really warm in my chest, but then it grew really hot, and well- as soon as you moved your shoulder, it went, but it was definitely real. Definitely.”
“Just like me in the kiss…” I murmured.
“Is that what happened?” He asked.
“Yeah, just how you described it.” We walked in silence for a moment until I prompted, “So, what else makes you think that?”
“Errrrm, well, I sometimes get these uncontrollable urges to protect you.” He hung his head. “Sometimes not even when I’m around you. I cant help it…” He kept looking at the ground.
“What do you mean?” I asked gently.
“ I mean like… Like Mr. Doyle.” I stopped dead in my tracks. That was him? But it can’t have been! Except, the worst thing was… It made perfect sense!
“You!” I turned around and glared at him.
“Yeah, and another guy too, on Wednesday.”
I”I saw him! He was just slumped on the ground, completely unconscious.” I lowered my voice slightly, scared. “ That was you?” My voice choked. “But why?” He turned around so he was looking straight at me.
“I told you, I love you. I don’t have a choice, I need to protect you.” Then he bent down and kissed me again.
It Was A Wednesday Chap. 6 • Opuss № I