Page 9 of Jackson

"Kane, you do realize we're not in a Disney movie, right?" Maya shot back.

"Hey, life's what you make it," Kane retorted with a shrug. "Besides, I've already set it up. Tomorrow morning, you two, the great outdoors, and a chance to clear the air. I getting tired of you too fighting all the time. It’s getting old.”

Maya glanced at Jackson. She felt a jolt of excitement mixed with nerves—this was either going to help them get together or break them apart permanently.

"Fine," Maya conceded, shaking her head but fighting back a smile. "But if we get eaten by bears, I'm haunting you first, Kane."

"Deal," Kane said, grinning, knowing he was getting his way. "But just so you know, bears are more scared of you than you are of them."

Jackson scrubbed a hand down his face. He looked from Kane to Maya, the corners of his mouth twitching in reluctant amusement. "Comforting," he muttered.

"Great!" Kane clapped his hands together. "It's settled then. A date with nature—and whatever might happen out there.”

"That would be nothing,” Maya said.. “All I know is that I’ll get my interview after all.” She said smugly as she looked at Jackson.

"Interview only then," Kane said, all innocence. "Nature does its own thing."

Chapter Nine

Two hours in and Maya and Jackson came to an uneasy truce. Jackson was tired of fighting and rehashing everything with Maya. He knew he had messed up what was between them by leaving, but he wanted it back. He wanted her back. He just needed to prove to Maya he was all in this time.

"Watch your step," Jackson muttered as Maya was walking near an exposed tree root.

Jackson went to speak again, when a sudden rumble cut through the silence, the sound building until it became impossible to ignore. Their steps faltered. The birds, moments before full of carefree chirps, fell eerily quiet.

"Is that—?" Maya began, but the question died on her lips as her eyes caught sight of a massive rock barreling down the slope directly towards Jackson.

"Jackson, look out!" she screamed. Maya launched herself at Jackson, and shoved him aside, the two of them tumbling awkwardly in a mix of flailing limbs and grunts, their packs thrown opposite to them.

The rock crashed to earth with a thud, landing with deadly precision where Jackson had stood mere seconds ago. They sprawled on the leaf-littered ground, a tangle of arms and legs, both unsure what had just happened.

"Wow, did you just—?" Jackson's voice cracked as he propped himself up on one elbow, looking at Maya like she'd just grown a second head.

"Save your butt? Yeah, seems like it," Maya quipped, trying to catch her breath.

Maya tried to stand, wincing as a sharp pain sliced through her leg. Glancing down, she discovered a gash marring her skin. "Oh, great," she groaned, "Just what I needed. This day just keeps getting better and better.”

"Let me see," Jackson said, his hands surprisingly gentle as they examined the wound. "I’m going to need to clean that up."

"Fantastic," Maya sighed, rolling her eyes. “But look where are packs are.”

Jackson exhaled as his gaze followed to where Maya was pointing. Their once trusty backpacks, along with the lifeline of their phones, were now laying at the bottom of a deep gully.

"Seriously?" Maya's voice was flat, tinged with disbelief. "That's just perfect. The one time I actually need my phone..."

"And the first aid kit," Jackson mumbled, though his brows furrowed in concern as he eyed the depth of the ravine.

Maya grimaced as she tried to protect her leg gash.

"Here, let me—" He didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he stripped off his t-shirt, wrapping the soft t-shirt fabric snugly around her leg. His hands were steady. "There, that should slow it down until we can get you properly patched up."

"Thanks," she said, her smile faltering as a cold wind picked up, sending a shiver down her spine.

"We need to keep you off your leg for a while." Jackson said.

"Great, stranded and bleeding in the wilderness. Now there’s a great story,” Maya joked.

Dark clouds had begun to gather, as the thunder followed close behind. "Looks like we've got a storm coming," he noted, nodding towards the brewing storm. "And it doesn't seem like the friendly sort."

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