Page 12 of Out of Bounds

Olivia

Cold and tired from crying and feeling sorry for myself, I sit down at the foot of a pine tree. Looking ahead, I spot what looks like a tiny cabin. Wanting to get out of the snow, I run towards it. I'm almost there when I slip and fall into a deep ditch.

I wince in pain as I land hard on the ground. I carefully sit up and figure out how to climb out of the ditch, but the sides are too slippery and I think I may have sprained my ankle.

Way to go Olivia. How are you going to get out of here now?

I check my phone, but there’s no signal.

“Hello! Is anyone out there?! Hello! I need help! Hello!” I plop down on the ground and sit in a corner. I rub my ankle and bring my knees up to rest my head on them, tears streaming down my face.

“Olivia?!”

I raise my head. Who could that be? Am I hearing things? I sit still and wait, trying to decipher who’s calling out my name.

“Olivia!”

“Ohh!” I stand up, unsteadily, as I recognize Jesse’s voice. Tears of relief stream down my face. “Jesse?! Jesse, I'm in here! I'm here!”

“Olivia! Olivia!'' His voice seems closer and I hear the sound of someone running towards the ditch. His head emerges and I almost want to weep.

“Olivia? Damn it. Are you ok?”

“Yes. I'm just a bit shaken, and I’ve hurt my ankle, but I'm fine. I can't climb out of here. It’s too slippery.”

“Hold on,'' Jesse says as he scans the path. “I’ll find a way to pull you out.” He kneels down and extends his hand toward me. I can just about reach his hand. “Grab on and hold tight. I won’t let you go.”

I do as he says and he pulls me slowly out of the ditch, and we both fall on the ground together.

He shifts and pulls me up, then wraps the blanket, I must have dropped on the ground, around me.

"What were you thinking coming out here alone Liv?"

"I was looking for you! If you hadn’t have ran off, before you’d just let me explain, then …”

“Explain what?” he interjects. “That this was all part of your plan? To seduce me then write about it in your magazine?”

I stare at him wide eyed.

“Is that what you really think?” I choke out in a small voice. “I didn’t use you for a story. I would never do that.” I begin searching for my phone, and find it in my coat pocket. I take it out and show him the chain of text messages between me and Elizabeth. “Take a look at this. I simply sent Elizabeth one message, after she asked me how I was getting on, as she knew I was nervous about my first assignment.”

Jesse takes my phone, reluctantly.

“Go on. Read it. I have nothing to hide.”

Jesse reads the one previous message I sent to Elizabeth on my phone:

‘Hey, it’s going really well thanks. The interview is ongoing, and Jesse is a really lovely guy. I’m so relieved. He’s so charming, witty and funny. I can’t believe he’s actually single. He won’t be for long. I don’t know what I was worrying about.’

“You see? I didn’t tell her we slept together. She just came to that conclusion all by herself. I wouldn’t use anyone for a story. Not my worst enemy and especially not someone I love …”

“What did you just say?” Jesse interrupts, searching my face.

“I said she just assumed that we slept togeth …”

“No, the bit you said at the end …” he walks closer to me, our bodies almost touching.

“I said … I love you.”

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