Page 8 of A Twist in Fate
While the next three days are filled with the same boring drills and emergency procedures, I still have more funthan I ever have. It's painful to know that once this summer is over, so might my friendship with the people I’ve just met.
I open my eyes to the morning sunlight pouring through the small window in my room. It's Sunday morning, which means this is the last few hours where we are alone. I get up quickly and check the time.
6:36AM.
At home I would wake up as early as five thirty to go on a run and then call Bailey as she would be staying up doing schoolwork, so now that I have caught up with the jetlag, I had assumed I would be waking up at that same time, but now waking up over an hour later feels much better. Either way, trying to set myself a routine for when the children arrive. I slip on some nylon shorts and a comfortable, baggy t-shirt. With my shoes on, I silently leave out the door and run in the direction of the lake hoping to catch the sunrise. The low sunshine is escaping through the small gaps in the trees which look bright green in some areas whilst others are yellow in the sunlight.
The thin pathways in the woods are dry but much more comfortable to run against than the roads and paths in London. I used to wear headphones every single time Iran but I forgot them this time and I never thought I would enjoy it without the sound of my favourite artists, but I do. I can hear the light sounds of birds waking up in the distance and the small crash of waves by the beach.
As I reach the pier, I stare at the sun rising slowly, creating pinks and oranges across it. It's beautiful. I can start to feel the sun's heat hitting my face. From the left of the pier, you can see the town with all the small buildings clustered together and the few lonely ones as the trees turn into more fields.
After a few minutes I grab my phone to take a photo of the sunrise, but the peace I am feeling is short-lived when I read the time on top of my phone.
7:08.
Shit.
I need to be back with everyone at the camp at seven thirty to eat breakfast because every day I need to be there at that specific time to wake up the girls in the cabin and today was supposed to be my practise day, to make sure I would have time to go for a run in the morning.
I get up quickly and start running back through the trees towards the camp. I can't really see anything with how much I am rushing, passing the sound of the birds, only quickly glancing at the wooden signs pinned to thetrees directing me back to my cabin. My pulse is fast in my chest and feels as though it's surrounding my ears. The trees start to disperse, and I pull out my phone checking the time again, whilst still running.
7:12.
Apparently sprinting like my life depends on it doesn’t make me run any faster, but just makes me panic more. I look up from my phone and instantly run into something.Someone.
The next thing I know I am on the floor, scrambling to get up. “Fuck I am so sorry, I was on a run and then I lost track of time and-”
“Really, don't apologise,” the man says, interrupting me and my eyes meet with those familiar blue ones. The ones I've been thinking about all week. “Are you okay?” he asks, helping me up. Lucas has lost the same small smile he always has. His face is now full of concern. His hands are on my arms holding me up, scanning across me for any injuries.
“I am so sorry, Lucas, I just—” he interrupts me again, tilting my face up so my eyes meet his. It wasn't until now I realised they had been glued to the floor as I spoke.
“Ivy,” he says sternly, “Don't apologise. Actually, you're not allowed to apologise. You didn't do anything wrong. It was completely my fault, and I should've moved out the way so please answer my question. Are you okay?” I don't think he notices his hand resting upon my flustered cheek, which I am entirely blaming on my run back here and not the placement of his hand.
“Yes, I'm really okay, just a bit embarrassed,” I say, looking down again, moving his hand away from my cheek. Lucas awkwardly places his hands behind his back.
“So, you were on a run?” he asks, smiling again.
“Yes, I was and then I got distracted when I got to the pier and now, I am late. Wait, what time is it?”
He picks up my phone from the floor and passes it to me.
7:16
“Okay I am so s—” He gives me a look before I continue, “I apologise but I have to go.” I dart off again, running towards my room but before I close the door I hear him yell.
“That's still a way of saying sorry, sunshine!”
Trying to ignore what he said, I quickly rush in and out of the shower, style my soaking waves, get changedand spray some perfume. Today I'm wearing a light pink top and another pair of denim shorts, but these ones have small daisies on the pockets. I pick up the necklace I wear most days and clasp it around my neck. It is gold with a small yellow gem in the middle. My grandma left it to me when I was younger, and I try to wear it every day. At least the flush has left my face and with the product in my hair I look presentable. Hopefully the heat won't make my hair frizzy like it usually would be when it's twenty-seven degrees outside.
Sunshine. That's what he called me. Where the hell did that come from and how the hell did he say it so casually?
That name made my cheeks redder than ever. That name warmed my chest in an uncomfortable way and made an unfamiliar flutter erupt in my stomach. I quickly push the thought out of my head, leave my room and walk to the dining hall, picking my phone out of my pocket and checking the time.
7: 49
Yeah, I'm late again. The hall is much louder each day as it gets closer to everyone arriving. The children arrive from 2pm until 5pm so today will be extremely busy from the start. I walk towards the table where almost everyoneis sitting. “Sorry I'm late, what's the plan today?” I ask, sitting down next to James.
“For now, we just relax but we need to change into our house shirts before the children arrive,” Bailey says.
