Page 13 of A Twist in Fate
6:43am.
Only fifteen minutes and the day starts. My heart is beating faster as each one goes by, until it's pulsating in my head. I lean forward, my head in my hands, trying to rid myself of that familiar feeling. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, inhaling the crisp summer air.
“Ivy, are you okay?”
I look up, my eyes meeting him. Lucas is a few steps away from me, his face full of concern. He cannot see methis stressed. The look on his face only makes my heart beat faster. He is wearing blue shorts and a white shirt, his outfit reflecting my own. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I'm fine,” I say, plastering a smile on my face but he just looks at me in confusion, before sitting down next to me on the steps.
“I thought we agreed you're not allowed to say sorry,” he says, smiling slightly. He is trying to distract me again. I don’t think it is working this time.
“Well, you agreed. I didn’t agree anything. Why are you awake? It's not seven yet,”I say.
“Don't try to change the topic, sunshine.”
Every time he says the same nickname he adopted yesterday morning, a blush creeps onto my face and this time is no different.
“Are you okay?” he asks again.
“Just a little nervous for today. It's not important, really. I am just struggling to calm down a little," I say breathless and a little embarrassed.
“Do you want to talk about it? It might make you feel a little better.” He offers me a smile as he speaks, “But if not, really don’t worry about it. I know you haven't known me for long and it can be difficult to talk to people you don’t trust.”
“I trust you.”
Even though almost every part of me is telling me to run from this situation, the comforting look on his face eases my nerves a little.
Releasing a sigh I say, “I am just worried they won't like me, or I'll do something to mess it up.” As I speak, his hand reaches across to rest on my thigh as if it was instinct, tracing small circles on it. “I just want to do well, I think, I'm not really sure why I'm so nervous.” The words I say start to come out a little breathy and I know at that moment exactly why I feel so nervous, and it had nothing to do with the day ahead of me but who I was spending it with.
“And it's like, the one time I need to stay completely calm about something, I can't,” I continue, feeling completely helpless and as if I can't control what I’m saying. “And now I am sitting on uncomfortable wooden steps, on the verge of tears, rambling to a boy I have just met a week ago and about stuff he definitely doesn't care about and—”
“I care, sunshine,” he interrupts.
He interrupts me, his smile is gone now, replaced by a stern look as he removes his hand from my thigh and brushes it against my own hand. “I know this whole summer is going to be different to one you've ever hadand obviously with me there it will be ten times better.” I laugh, which puts a proud smile on his face. “But I don't want you worrying the whole time, you'll regret it. If you feel anxious like that, I'm here if you want to talk because I do care about you.” My breathing steadies as he speaks to me. Actually, I think it stops completely.
I do care about you.5 simple words that lead to the fluttery feeling inside my stomach. I repeat those same words over and over in my head as my eyes meet his. The outside of his iris is ever so slightly green, which I had not noticed before until I was this close to him. His face is only a few inches away from mine and all I'm wondering is if his heart is beating as fast as my own. He shifts his focus to his hand resting upon mine and in any other situation like this I would have pulled it away instantly but now I physically can't. His eyes leave our hands and focus back on my eyes before flicking lower towards my lips for a split second. Is he going to kiss me?
“Ivy I-”
“Am I interrupting?” Bailey must have just left her room and is standing behind us, with her eyebrows pulled together in confusion. I quickly remove my hand away from Lucas’ and stand up, not meeting her eyes, as if I haddone something completely wrong. Have I just done something wrong?
“No, we were just saying we should go and wake up everyone else. I think James and Alec are still asleep,” Lucas says, then gets up and leaves abruptly.
“So,” she says, walking down the steps towards me. “Was there anything I was interrupting?”
“No,” I say, probably too fast, “he was just telling me about the plans for today as I was a bit nervous. You know I like a plan.”
“Okay, good.” She links her arm with mine, walking towards the boys’ cabins’. “Don't get me wrong, I love my brother, but with you leaving and being my best friend, you guys together would be far too complicated.” Her final word echoes in my head. Bailey is right. Anything I am feeling towards him, which I don’t even know what that is, doesn't matter anyways. I am leaving in a few weeks for University. He is leaving to continue college, which he has said he really enjoys. He is my best friend's brother. It would never end well.
After waking everyone up and getting breakfast, I find the dining hall very busy, holding at least 60 people.
Me and Lucas brought our group back to the cabins while they got ready for our first activity. We sit together on the steps opposite the ones from earlier this morning, not making eye contact and barely speaking and I hate it. Just because whatever happened this morning happened, it doesn't mean we can't be friends, so I say, “Thank you for what you said earlier. It was sweet and helped a lot.” I mean it. I feel a lot better now.
He looks at me and smiles. “You don't have to thank me sunshine. Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, thank you.” I smile back, my cheeks turning slightly pink and we fall into comfortable conversation while we wait.
Not long later, all six kids leave their rooms and come to us as we stand from the stairs. They look happy and are all carrying water bottles which is very needed as the sun has got much higher in the sky compared to this morning.
“So, everyone, this morning we have archery and then we have craft in the afternoon. For now we will go onto the main area. Has everyone got water and a hat?” Lucas is wearing a navy blue cap and after everyone nodsat him as he speaks. He turns to me and asks, “Where's your hat?”
