I Won't Let You Choke On Your Misery
Chapter 12 - Sunset
The sun was starting to set, turning the sky a candyfloss pink. It had been a great day so far, me and Alice were sat with our stuff watching the boys kicking around a football. I caught Alice eyeing Zack.
“What?” She smiled at me devilishly. I didn’t need to ask her what intentions she had.
“Who’s up for a swim?” Alex called at us, way back from the shore. Alice jumped up enthusiastically.
“C’mon Rose” She grinned at me, holding out her hand.
“You know what? You go ahead; I think I’ll stay here.”
“Rose, you love swimming?” Her forehead creased. I lifted the bottom of my shirt, flashing her my scar. She understood.
“Do you want me to stay?” She looked concerned; I tried to reassure her with a smile.
“No, no its okay, I’ll call for you if I change my mind” She gave me a slight smile and headed towards the water. As I watched her, I saw Jack looking over. He was staring at my stomach. He looked at me with a pained expression, meeting my gaze. I couldn’t bear the thought of him torturing himself over it. I tried to smile at him, but he had already dropped his eyes to the floor. I looked back over at Alice. She was splashing around with Zack, who clearly loved it. I couldn’t help but grin at seeing her so happy.
Jack appeared in front of me, his smile back in place. He said nothing, holding out his hand. I took it, eyeing him with intrigue.
“Take your top off.” I asked myself if I’d heard it right. What?
“Jack –“
“Just. Trust me.” He interrupted me with a smile. He took off his shirt and I was trying my hardest not to stare at his torso. I thought about it for a minute and huffed. Giving in I did what he asked, throwing my shirt on the floor. I consciously held my hands over my stomach. I desperately wanted Jack to stop blaming himself and stop seeing it as a big deal, but I couldn’t help it. He pulled his shirt over my head. It was massive on me, falling to just above my knees.
“Now you can come for a swim with me” He grinned, taking my hand. It was such a sweet gesture, I couldn’t turn him down.
I cautiously dipped my toe into the water. I jumped back, cringing away from the icy water.
“There is no way I’m going in there! You’ll have to kill me first.”
“That would be a shame, how about I make you instead?”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up.
“Jack, no. NO! Put me down!” I couldn’t help but laugh. He carried on, walking into the water. I wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to escape the cold a little longer. But I couldn’t escape it forever. It was so cold it took my breath away, I felt like I would start losing my toes before long. He stopped as the water touched just below his shoulders, looking up at me.
“See? It’s not that bad!”
“Pfffft. Yeah okay.” I said sarcastically. He loosened his arms, letting me float down onto my feet. The water came right up to my neck, perfectly calm and reflecting the pink sky. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he turned, pulling me into a hug. No words passed between us as we watched the sunset, not wanting to think about when today had to end.
“What?” She smiled at me devilishly. I didn’t need to ask her what intentions she had.
“Who’s up for a swim?” Alex called at us, way back from the shore. Alice jumped up enthusiastically.
“C’mon Rose” She grinned at me, holding out her hand.
“You know what? You go ahead; I think I’ll stay here.”
“Rose, you love swimming?” Her forehead creased. I lifted the bottom of my shirt, flashing her my scar. She understood.
“Do you want me to stay?” She looked concerned; I tried to reassure her with a smile.
“No, no its okay, I’ll call for you if I change my mind” She gave me a slight smile and headed towards the water. As I watched her, I saw Jack looking over. He was staring at my stomach. He looked at me with a pained expression, meeting my gaze. I couldn’t bear the thought of him torturing himself over it. I tried to smile at him, but he had already dropped his eyes to the floor. I looked back over at Alice. She was splashing around with Zack, who clearly loved it. I couldn’t help but grin at seeing her so happy.
Jack appeared in front of me, his smile back in place. He said nothing, holding out his hand. I took it, eyeing him with intrigue.
“Take your top off.” I asked myself if I’d heard it right. What?
“Jack –“
“Just. Trust me.” He interrupted me with a smile. He took off his shirt and I was trying my hardest not to stare at his torso. I thought about it for a minute and huffed. Giving in I did what he asked, throwing my shirt on the floor. I consciously held my hands over my stomach. I desperately wanted Jack to stop blaming himself and stop seeing it as a big deal, but I couldn’t help it. He pulled his shirt over my head. It was massive on me, falling to just above my knees.
“Now you can come for a swim with me” He grinned, taking my hand. It was such a sweet gesture, I couldn’t turn him down.
I cautiously dipped my toe into the water. I jumped back, cringing away from the icy water.
“There is no way I’m going in there! You’ll have to kill me first.”
“That would be a shame, how about I make you instead?”
He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up.
“Jack, no. NO! Put me down!” I couldn’t help but laugh. He carried on, walking into the water. I wrapped my legs around his waist, trying to escape the cold a little longer. But I couldn’t escape it forever. It was so cold it took my breath away, I felt like I would start losing my toes before long. He stopped as the water touched just below his shoulders, looking up at me.
“See? It’s not that bad!”
“Pfffft. Yeah okay.” I said sarcastically. He loosened his arms, letting me float down onto my feet. The water came right up to my neck, perfectly calm and reflecting the pink sky. I wrapped my arms around his waist and he turned, pulling me into a hug. No words passed between us as we watched the sunset, not wanting to think about when today had to end.
6/6/13