Page 11 of Love so Hot

He scoffs, shaking his head as if to clear away my words like cobwebs. "This is bigger than us, Willow. Bigger than your ideals of purity in protest."

"Maybe so, but I have to believe there's a way to win this without compromising who we are."

With a snort that could rival any bull, River pivots on his heel and storms off, leaving me alone with the ghosts of our argument swirling around me. My heart feels like it's caughtin rip currents, pulled between the shores of attraction and the undertow of conflict.

"Great," I mutter to myself, staring after him, "Now I'm getting poetic." But beneath the sarcasm, a resolve begins to crystallize. No matter the odds or the opposition, I won't let that tree fall. Not on my watch.

Chapter Six

Willow

As I trudgeinto our makeshift camp, the setting sun bathes everything in a warm, golden glow that almost makes me forget we're basically squatting in the woods to save the planet. The smell of vegetable stew wafts over from a huge pot bubbling over the fire, making my stomach growl. My fellow Earth Defenders are scattered around—some chatting by the fire, others doing their best tree pose by the... well, trees. A few of the others are off meditating, communing with nature.

I make my way over to grab some stew, my legs still a bit wobbly from sitting cross-legged for hours during our meditation protest. As I reach for a bowl, Sage appears next to me with her usual serene smile.

"Mind if I join you?" she asks, already ladling stew into her own bowl.

"Be my guest," I reply, plopping down on a nearby log. "Though fair warning, I'm not the best company right now."

Sage settles beside me, her flowing skirt pooling around her legs. "I noticed. You seemed upset earlier, after the protest. When you were talking with River."

I nearly choke on a chunk of potato. "Geez, is everyone watching me or something? That's the second time today someone's said I looked upset around River."

"Perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something," Sage says with that annoying wisdom she always seems to have.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, maybe it's telling me to get better at hiding my emotions."

Sage's eyebrows furrow slightly. "Or maybe it's an opportunity to explore those emotions. Would you like to unpack that?"

I stare into my stew, suddenly finding the carrots fascinating. "Maybe? I don't know. I'm not even sure where I'd start."

As the chatter of the camp flows around us, I can't help but wonder if I'm ready to dive into the mess that is my feelings for River. But then again, when have I ever been ready for anything involving him?

Sage takes a thoughtful sip of her stew before asking, "Maybe start with how you feel around him?"

I let out a long sigh, my aqua hair falling in front of my face as I slouch. "Confused, mostly. It's like... I want to impress him. Do things that'll make him notice me, take me seriously."

As the words leave my mouth, I realize how pathetic they sound. I'm supposed to be this wise, seasoned activist, not some lovesick teenager.

Sage tilts her head, her eyes reflecting the golden sunset. "I see. And do you think feeling like you have to prove yourself to someone is a good thing?"

I snort, stirring my stew absently. "Probably not. But hey, at least I'm self-aware about my terrible life choices, right?"

"Perhaps," Sage says with a gentle smile. "What did you and River discuss this afternoon?"

I groan internally, remembering our heated conversation. "He wants to go big at tomorrow's groundbreaking. I was pushing for a more peaceful approach, but..."

"But?" Sage prompts.

"But I'm worried he'll choose someone else to help lead the Earth Defenders if I don't get on board with his plans," I admit, the words tasting bitter in my mouth.

Sage's eyebrows shoot up. "Willow, you're a founding member. You should have a say in our approach. In fact, wasn't it you who first invited River to join our movement?"

I blink, momentarily stunned. "Oh. Yeah. I guess I sort of... forgot about that."

As I sit there, feeling like the world's biggest idiot, I can't help but wonder how I managed to lose sight of my own power in this organization.

Sage leans in, her voice gentle but probing. "Why are you seeking his approval so much, Willow? Is there perhaps... a different kind of approval you're really looking for?"

---