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William stood up, trying to be more formal. “Marie,” he began, looking deeply into my eyes, “I was hoping that you’d come, but why are you walking, don’t you feel queasy?”
“Don’t get your hopes up, William, I need your help,” I figured that William had money, so I had decided that he had some sort of transportation that would take me to Jeremy.
“What kind of help, Marie?” William searched my face for the answer.
“Do you have money?” I asked with hopeful.
“Everyone has some sort of money,” William looked puzzled.
I could tell that I had upset him. “No, I mean,” I paused, “more money, as in you have your own helicopter, or something that will let you fly around and look down at the flood waters.”
“Is that why you came back, to get money out of me?” William was enraged.
“No, William,” tears began to blur my vision, “I came back because I needed your help to find Jeremy.”
“Oh,” William said disappointed.
I smiled at him, hoping that he did.
“Of course I do,” William said a little stuck up, “follow me.”
I followed William down a hall, with Cassie and Debbie on my heels. We walked down a hall, got on an elevator, walked down another hall, and went up to the roof. William opened a door and we walked out. The sunlight filtered through the clouds in some spots. William ignored them, while I rejoiced; this is the first time I have seen sunlight since the hurricane had come. I looked around for William, but found him nowhere. Cassie and Debbie just stood there, looking bored. Suddenly, the floor begun to fall apart I jumped back, grabbing Cassie and Debbie by their shoulders. We backed up toward the door we came through. “William?!” I called, not seeing him anywhere, “William?!” I couldn’t see any sign of him. I started to panic. Then I saw the giant blue-green helicopter coming from the floor. I saw William in the driver seat; he was smiling at me, or more smirking at me. I smiled and waved; glad he didn’t seem upset anymore. My dirt encrusted clothes tried there best to blow around me. Cassie’s and Debbie’s hair swirled with mine with the wind coming off the great machine. Cassie and Debbie covered their eyes from the harsh winds. I looked at William smiling, thinking of finally finding Jeremy. Jeremy, who I hadn’t seen for days, who I was so worried about, and who I, had tried to find on my own. Jeremy, I thought, finally, we can be together. William motioned for me to come forward. I started to grab onto Cassie and Debbie but he shook his head “no”. I wondered why he wouldn’t let them come when he motioned me forward again. I went towards the helicopter. “What?” I yelled over the sound of the great machine.
“It’s too dangerous to let the girls come,” William answered, equally yelling over the engine sound.
I didn’t see how it would be dangerous.
“They could fall out, or get lost if we go out.”
I saw reason in his answer, “Okay, I’ll go find someone to watch them for this short while.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll do it,” William answered.
“That’s not necessary,” I tried to argue.
“If you wish, you may come with me,” he smirked at me being worried.
“I am going to go with you,” I retorted.
He cut the engine and hopped down, I followed. He was already trying to persuade Cassie and Debbie to stay when I got there.
“It will be much safer for you girls if you stay here,” William persisted.
“You’re just trying to get rid of us!” yelled Cassie.
“So you can abandon us here!” screamed Debbie.
“Girls, girls please!” I tried to shush them.
They both looked up at me with cow eyes.
“Well, they listen to someone,” William looked at me, his eyes knowing that I would tell them that they had to stay here.
“He wants to leave us!” Cassie said, on the edge of tears.
“He doesn’t care about us!” Debbie grabbed onto me.
“I care about you, girls,” I coaxed them, “would I leave you?”
“No,” they replied in unison.
“Then, please, follow us, and I’ll be back as soon as possible,” I promised them.
“Ok, we will” said the doubtful Cassie.
William smiled and gestured for them to go first. They went ahead of us, Cassie’s head hanging. William now gestured for me to go in front of him.
“Explain to me, again, of why they can’t come with us,” I said barely above a whisper.
“They can’t come with us because we care about their safety,” he answered in a whisper.
I looked at him doubtfully, but said nothing. That was when William put his arm around my shoulder. I gave him a look that said “What do you think you’re doing?!” He didn’t see it, or he didn’t care. I didn’t shrug his arm off though. “What am I doing?” I thought, “The only reason I’m still around William is to find Jeremy,” I screamed this in my head until Cassie and Debbie suddenly stopped.
“What’s wrong?” I asked them.
Cassie slowly turned around, and she saw William’s arm around my shoulder.
That’s when I shrugged him off.
Cassie’s mouth opened. “Is that why you wanted to get rid of us?!” she yelled at me.
William then put his arm around my waist.
“Cassie, I didn’t…” I didn’t get to finish
“You lied to us!” Debbie yelled seeing what her sister meant.
“You ARE going to leave us!” Cassie screeched.
“You’ll leave us just like Mommy did during the storm!” Debbie sobbed.
“Girls, listen!” I pleaded, but it was too late.
Cassie put her arm around her sister, sobbing with her.
I walked forward, William pulled me back.
“Wait a few minutes, they’ll be ok,” he whispered in my ear.
I didn’t believe him; I had to make them feel better.
“Just wait, they’ll be ok,” William smiled, “I promise.”
For some odd reason, I believed him. As if he knew that they were going to stop. I waited a minute, and they hadn’t stopped crying yet. With every tear that left their eyes, it tore a whole in my heart.
“I have to do something!” I whispered to William.
“Do you have to?” William seemed hurt that I didn’t believe him.
I didn’t care if he was hurt, at least not at this moment, “Yes, I have to do something.”
“Ok,” William said, not looking convinced that I was going to do something about them crying.
I started to lean forward, but William tightened his grip on me.
“What?” I looked at him.
He didn’t answer, he just looked straight forward.
I leaned forward, ignoring that he followed me with his hand still around my waist.
Cassie looked at me, “Go away,” she sobbed.
“Cassie, Debbie, I’m not going to leave you,” I coaxed.
Debbie looked at me, and then she saw William’s hand on the other side of my waist.
“William, please,” I started.
William looked at me intensely he wasn’t going to let go.
I put my hand on Cassie’s shoulder, “How can you believe that I was going to leave you?” I asked her.
“I don’t believe that you’ll leave us,” Debbie answered, coming toward me and then leaning against me for support. William moved closer toward us, his hand still around my waist.
Cassie looked at her sister, shocked.
“Cassie, I won’t leave you unless I’m sure your safe, and that you’re ready to be without me,” I pleaded.
Cassie looked doubtfully at William, who had moved even closer to me, “I believe you,” she admitted.
Cassie and Debbie were both leaning against me, their hair in my face.
William started to stand, pulling me up with him. He was too strong for me to object to. Cassie and Debbie stood up as well, and continued walking forward. We then reached the reception desk that we had been to so many times. “Excuse me, miss,” I said to the receptionist.
She smiled, recognizing us from before, “Yes?” she inquired.
“I was wondering if,” I began.
“If we could leave these two, lovely girls with you for awhile,” William flashed a smile, “only until we locate someone, of course.”
“Well then, of course I’ll watch these two angels for you,” she smiled back at him.
I felt a small bit of jealousy. I had just noticed how young the receptionist was, and how beautiful she was.
“Thank you very much, miss” William said as we were walking around to where the door and leaving Cassie and Debbie with this woman.
“It’s my pleasure,” she purred, “and, please, call me Daisy.”
William smiled as the woman took Cassie and Debbie’s hands.
I tugged a little at William’s hand that was on my side, he looked at me, and then smiled at some inside joke I didn’t know. “Cassie, Debbie,” I said looking at each of the girls as I said their name, “please behave for this nice lady, she’s been kind enough to take care of you while I’m gone.”
“You ARE coming back, right?” asked Cassie.
“Of course I am, Cassie,” I smiled at her as I leaned forward and hugged her.
“When will you be back?” asked Debbie after I had hugged her.
“As soon as I can be,” I replied.
William tightened his grip again, I’m not sure why.
“We should get going,” he said as he started to pull me along.
“Thank you, Daisy, for watching Cassie and Debbie,” I said.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” replied Daisy, concentrating on William.
William ignored her gaze as I waved goodbye to the girls. I saw Cassie and Debbie wave back, Debbie looking sad and Cassie looking doubtful that I’d return.
Once William and I were around the corner, I started laughing.
“What’s so funny, Marie?” William wondered.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” I said trying to stop laughing.
“Please, tell me,” he looked at me with pleading eyes.
“Oh alright,” I said laughing inbetween words, “Daisy was completely checking you out when we left.”
William didn’t change expressions, “How is that funny?”
“Oh,” I said realizing what had happened, “you didn’t notice did you?”
“Actually,” he began, and then he smiled, “I was too busy looking at your beautiful eyes.”
I stopped laughing, “Oh, c’mon, you didn’t notice her flirting with you?”
“Again,” William was dead serious, “I was too busy.”
My heart stopped, and then started beating as fast as a humming bird. I looked William in the eyes for the first time. I saw determination in them, “But what is he determined for?” I wondered.
Then I found out. William pulled me closer to him, so close that if I were to look at him our noses would almost touch. My heart did flips as he put his hand under my chin. He lifted my face to look at his. “Even if I did notice, which I didn’t,” he smiled, “I wouldn’t have cared.” With that he leaned closer to my face. Our lips met, my hands found their way to his hair, and my fingers combed through it. His hands reached to the small of my back, the first time the one had left my waste in ten minutes. He leaned me against the wall. I felt the cool wallpaper through my shirt, but I didn’t care. He pulls me closer to him now, close enough that our stomachs are touching. I think my heart might jump out of my chest it’s beating so fast. Every part of me was burning. I could feel his lips against mine, as if we were made for each other. This was intense. His hands pressed me to him, even closer now. I pulled away for one second, to catch my breath and to look into his eyes. My hands grab chunks of his hair, making his lips push harder on mine. He pulls away and looks into my eyes. I see a burning fire in them, and I know he sees the same fire in my own eyes. I don’t loose one more second; I pull him back to me. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I press my lips harder to his. My heart is going one hundred miles an hour. I feel his hands on my back, moving toward my hair, which still has mud and dirty water in it. He pulls away from me, “I love you Marie,” he kisses my neck.
“I love you too, William,” and with that I move his lips from my neck and put them back on my lips. I move my hands from his hair to his back and press him closer to me; I can feel the heat coming off of us. I kiss him again and again, feeling his lips against mine is the most intense feeling I have ever had. The fire burning in both our eyes, I don’t want to stop, no, not yet. He suddenly pulls away from me. His eyes hold something else, something I can’t make out. He backs away from me; my eyes are filled with want.
“Wait,” he says, five feet away from me now.
“Ok,” I breathe.
“Stay where you are, Marie,” he demands.
I put on a hurt face, “Did I hurt you somehow, William?”
He smirked, “No, Marie, no you didn’t.” He breathes in deeply, and closes his eyes.
I put my hand on my neck. I feel something on it, and immediately pull my hand away from my neck to look at it; I see red dots on my palm. My eyes grow big.
“William?” I say barely above a whisper, still looking at my hand.
“Yes, Marie?” he says from the other side of the hall.
“Can you come here?” I’m still shocked from seeing the blood.
“Can you wait just a few more moments?” was his only reply.
I stared at my hand in disbelief, wondering how that had happened without me noticing it before. I touched the same spot on my neck again, but this time with my other hand, there was even more blood on it now. “William!” I yelled in a whisper.
“What?!” he wasn’t whispering.
I held up my palm to show him.
His eyes grew big, and then they….shimmered?
“What? How?” was all I could say, I was completely astonished.
He ran toward me and held both my hands in his, “Maybe we should go to the helicopter.”
“Maybe we should,” I said smoothing down my hair and shirt.
William smoothed his hair also, and then started walking.
“Stop,” I said pulling his shoulder so he would stop walking.
“Why?” he replied as he turned to face me.
“What’s wrong?” I searched his eyes for the answer, but they were just cold.
“What would make you think something was wrong?” his voice was dead.
“Well,” I started, “for one thing, just a few minutes ago, you wouldn’t let go of me,” I paused to calm down, “and now you’re barely looking me in the eye.”
He stared at me, not grasping my point.
“What I mean is,” I began again, “is…is….” I couldn’t finish, William still looked at me even colder, as if I were the oblivious student who didn’t understand one thing about the class I was in.
“What?” he said, his voice harsh.
I put my hand on my head, and I could feel the blood smear across my forehead. I couldn’t tell up from down. “Uh….” I tried to remember what I was talking about.
“Marie? Marie?!” William yelled as I fell to the floor.
“Marie, can you hear me?” William sounded concerned, but I was too far gone to care. My eyes fluttered and then shut. After that I saw nothing, heard nothing of the real world.
I saw a light coming toward me, but then I realized what it was. It was the twinkle that had been in William’s eye, not too long ago. I had a flashback of that wonderful kiss. How every nerve of mine was on fire, how I could only feel him against me, and how all I cared about was his lips on my own lips. Then I saw the blood on my hand, and how I couldn’t remember how it had gotten there, I didn’t remember any pain. As if shocking me to life, I saw Jeremy, my Jeremy. I remember the time in the cave, the times on the beach, and the time in that house and on the roof. I then saw Jeremy, in the water somewhere, clinging to a tree branch, yelling “Marie?! Marie?!” then he was gone and I was in darkness again. Now I heard Jeremy’s voice, “Marie, how could you? How dare you. Why did you do that to me?”
“Do what Jeremy?” I asked the voice.
“You know exactly what, Marie!” Jeremy yelled.
A picture suddenly flooded my mind, it was of my and William in the hall, just a few moments ago.
“Oh,” I said sheepishly, “that.” I could feel the tension build.
“How.Could.You?” was all the voice said.
“I’m sorry, Jeremy,” was all I could reply.
Then, the voice was gone, and images of me and Jeremy flooded my head once again. Me and Jeremy on the beach, us at my house a few months ago, when we first started going out all these pictures flew across my mind, like a slide show in fast forward. How so much change in such a little time?
Then, pictures of William came into my head. I saw our first kiss, and then how I got sick in the hallway. I saw William and me in the hospital room I was just in. I saw him moving closer and closer, then me telling him to stop. I saw every moment I had spent with William Ford.
“Marie? Marie, please don’t leave me. I didn’t mean to….” it was William; his voice was cut off by a crying sound. Was William crying?
“Don’t cry, William,” I said, but I was still in the darkness, I knew he couldn’t hear me. What did William mean by “I didn’t mean to”? I wish I could ask him.
I could feel wind running across my face, but I still couldn’t move or talk, I was still in the darkness. I could smell fresh air, and hear seagulls. The darkness brightened a bit, and then went back to its normal shade. What was happening that I wasn’t aware of? I heard an engine start, and then…. I heard wind whistling by me. I was in the helicopter.
“Marie, if you can hear me,” William started to cry again, “I just want to let you know that I love you, and what happened in the hallway was real, I wasn’t faking it. And the reason why I stopped suddenly,” William was crying again.
Now the darkness started lifting, and I could feel that I was gaining use of my body again. I drew in a sharp breath.
“Marie?” William said through his sobs.
My eyes stayed shut, I didn’t feel like opening them yet, I wanted to hear what William was going to say.
“I guess it was the wind,” William took my hand; his was much colder than mine was. “Oh, Marie, I wish that I could tell you why I stopped kissing you, but I can’t. You can’t ever know the truth.” William seemed upset at this last statement. He started to cry again, at least it sounded like he was crying to me. “But, you have to admit, that was a pretty intense moment,” I felt that William smirked at the point, “I had never felt that way with anyone ever before, Marie.” William played with my fingers; I tried with all my might not to smile. “I guess what I’m trying to say is,” William sighed, and then begun in a mocking tone, “what I’m trying to say is that I’m completely in love with you, oh, Marie, won’t you marry me and spend the rest of eternity in my arms?” William laughed at this, but I wasn’t so sure he was joking. He squeezed my finders, and rolled them around in his hand. I felt William pull me toward him, and keep his arm around me. He kissed my forehead, reminding me of Jeremy. I tried to stop it, but a tear rolled down my cheek; I know that he noticed it. “Marie?” William shook me a little bit. I didn’t move again, I suppressed my tears. William sighed. He pressed me closer to him. I was sure he could hear my heartbeat, it was speeding up. “I really do love you, Marie,” William pressed me closer in a half-hug, “that I wasn’t joking about.” Then William kissed me, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. I kissed him back, full throttle. He pulled away from me. My eyes opened, and I smiled. “Marie,” he sighed, “how much of that did you hear?” he smiled, but I knew he wasn’t joking.
“What do you mean?” I said in mock innocence.
He put his hand over his eyes and groaned, “Marie, Marie, Marie. When will you learn to lie better?” William said and then kissed me.
“What do you mean? I lie perfectly well,” I joked and then kissed him back.
“Well, I’m embarrassed,” he laughed.
“Don’t be,” I explained, “it was sweet of you,” I kissed his cheek. William was driving the helicopter and we were buzzing above flood waters and roofs of houses.
“Do you remember where you were rescued at?” William asked, keeping his eyes on the waters below.
“Yes,” I remembered, “you still want to help me look for Jeremy?” I was shocked and hopeful at the same time.
“I offered, so I will,” William said. It seemed as though he liked repeating himself.
“Ah,” I said, “but you don’t want to,” I pointed out.
“Well,” he began reluctantly, “no, I don’t want to,” he admitted.
“But you are,” I smiled, “and that means the world to me.”
He smiled, and then cleared his throat and let go of me, which made me almost fall over sideways, “I’m glad I’m making you happy,” he emphasized the you.
“Don’t be that way,” I squeezed closer to him.
“What way?” he said, pushing me away.
“William,” I warned as I moved closer to him.
“What?” he asked keeping his eyes on the waters below.
“Oh, c’mon,” I said, moving closer to him that I was almost on top of him.
“Marie Brooke,” he smiled, “are you trying to distract someone driving a helicopter?”
“William Ford,” I answered mockingly, “are you pouting?”
“No,” he said, but I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.
“Land on the next roof big enough,” I said, not joking anymore.
“Ok,” that was all William answered.
I moved closer to him, he kept both hands on the steering wheel, or whatever it was called in a helicopter.
“Are we near where you were rescued?” William asked me, he was serious again.
“I think so,” I answered, I thought we were, but if not I know how to swim.
“You think?” William raised one eyebrow.
“I can swim,” I began, “we’ll find it.”
William chuckled a little and mumbled, “You’re really stubborn.”
I laughed too, I’m not exactly sure why, but I laughed. We landed on a nearby roof. I looked around to see any signs of footprints. William had not yet turned off the motor of the helicopter. “What is it?” I asked.
William started straight at my neck, “Nothing,” he seemed distracted.
Remembering, my hand flew to my neck, “Sorry, I had forgotten,” I apologized.
“No, its ok,” William said pulling me into his lap.
I felt comfortable like this, “You sure?”
“I’m sure,” William answered as he kissed me, “are you ok?”
“Yes,” I smiled, “I feel just fine,” I kissed him, not holding anything back I wanted him to feel the same way I did. I felt a little uncomfortable, but that was only because I was still wearing what I wore on the beach. My thin skirt was covered in mud and dirty water, same with my shirt; my swimming suit was under these.
“Good,” he breathed, relieved that I was comfortable. Or was it because I was conscious?
“William,” I began, as he looked at me, straining to hear me over the motor, “what you said while you were flying, did you mean it?”
“Which part did you hear,” he laughed a little, “and what part do you mean?”
I sighed, “The part about how you can’t tell me why you stopped,” I stopped to sigh, “and that you actually do love me, that you didn’t act on impulse when you said that.”
“I can’t tell you, and I do love you, Marie,” William kissed me, “but about impulse, well,” he let it stop there.
“So you did mean it!” I said smiling on the outside, but on the inside I wasn’t sure if I had meant what I said.
“Of course I did,” William sounded hurt, but I was sure he was joking, “but the real question is did you mean it?”
“Damn!” I thought; I had almost gotten away with that. I kissed him with much more heat and intensity than I had had before, I was trying to distract him, or let that be my answer.
“Is that a yes?” William wondered when I had stopped.
“Do you think it was a yes?” I breathed, hoping I didn’t have to answer.
“Yes,” he said and then kissed me. I kissed him too, but with less intensity than before, I shouldn’t push it. He stopped to look in my eyes; I looked at his to see what he was searching for. I saw fire in his, but I’m not so sure there was fire in my eyes. Whatever he was looking at, or for, he stopped and kissed me again. His hands wrapped around me and pressed me toward him. My side was pressed against his stomach, which, my guess is, it must have been uncomfortable for him because he shifted me so that my stomach was against his stomach. My knees were bent and in his lap after he moved me, I wasn’t going to put one leg on each side….was I? He pressed me closer and my heart sped up. I could feel the fire coming up in my eyes, and I knew that I wasn’t going to stop, not willingly, not yet. I wrapped my hands around him, keeping his lips against mine. I kissed him again, only this time with all the heat and intensity that I could give. I could feel the want in his lips, as I knew he felt the same in mine.
He pressed me closer to him, not wanting to let go. It’s strange, if you think about it, I never had a moment like this with Jeremy, yet I was so convinced that I loved him. I kissed him again, still not wanting to stop; I don’t know if I ever could. “Marie,” he breathed inbetween me kissing him.
“Yes?” I stopped only to answer.
“Uh… Never mind,” he kissed me after that last word. I was so dazed by the heat in that last kiss that I had almost forgotten that he wanted to say something, almost.
I pulled away from him, breathing heavily and still wanting to kiss him, “What where you going to say?”
“It’s nothing,” he smiled at me and then kissed me, with more heat and intensity than before.
I felt a little out of it and started to kiss him back, but stopped, “Will you please tell me what you were going to say?”
“Why is it so important?” he sighed.
“Because I want to know,” I gave him puppy dog eyes.
“It’s nothing important Marie,” he kissed my neck like before, only on the other side, away from the blood.
That’s when I remembered my neck and the blood that had been there that was now dry, “William,” I said calmly.
“Yes, Marie?” William looked at me; the fire in both our eyes was gone.
“How did that blood get on my neck?” I asked him, no longer being pressed against him.
“I’m not sure,” William wouldn’t look me in the eye.
“You know, don’t you?” I knew he knew, but I also knew that he wasn’t ready to tell me.
“Yes,” he admitted.
“But you aren’t going to tell Me.” that wasn’t a question, I knew he wouldn’t.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I did,” he stated, the motor of the helicopter was still going.
I dropped the subject, knowing he wasn’t going to tell me, “Aren’t we wasting gas by keeping the helicopter going?”
William laughed, “No, I turned the gas off,” he kissed me and I kissed him back and I could feel our heat rising.
“Ok," I sighed, "good,” and I put my hands in his hair again, and pressed myself against him. He pushed me closer to him, and kissed me, but this kiss was different. This kiss felt different than the others; just like that look in his eyes was different before.
He stopped and turned his head, only this time I was expecting it, “We should probably get out and look for Jeremy,” he moved me so that I was next to him and then turned off the motor and got out of the helicopter.
“Probably,” I mumbled a little disappointed.
I could feel the tiles on my bare feet. “How long have I been bare foot?” I wondered. I walked around the roof. I couldn’t see anything familiar. Though, I had only spent a few minutes, at the most, on the roof, and I was paying more attention to finding Jeremy than to what the roof looked like.
“See anything familiar?” William asked me as I bent down to look at a broken tile.
I snapped back up, “Nothing yet.” I continued to look. I saw mud, but mud was on every roof. Nothing, I saw nothing familiar, not even a footprint. Is fate trying to tell me something? Am I not meant to be with Jeremy? If I wasn’t meant to be with Jeremy wouldn’t William have distracted me enough to let me ignore Jeremy’s voice in my head?!
William was suddenly next to me, “Found anything yet?” his eyebrow raised in fake interest.
“No,” I sighed, “and I bet you’re just the happiest person alive because of it,” I turned away from him, my emotions starting to get the best of me. I walked to the other side of the roof, going to the edge. The water made swirls and lines as it flowed with the current. The current! If there was a current the day Jeremy fell off, he wouldn’t even be near here! Hope and despair came at me at the same time. There was hope we could find him, but then we might never find him. A silent tear fell down my cheek.
William wiped it away. How long had he been standing there? “You know,” William began in his apologetic voice, “I’m not happy if you’re not happy.”
I had to smile at this, “William,” I looked him in the eye, I saw want and need, “do you have a boat?”
He looked at me strangely, “Yes,” his eyebrow rose, this time in question.
“Do you have one in the helicopter?” I was getting more hopeful and I shouldn’t be.
“It’s more of an inflatable raft,” he admitted, “but if that’s what you mean, then yes.”
“Can you get it for me,” I batted my eyelashes, “please?”
He laughed, “Sure, Marie.” I was glad to see the old William again.
“Let me help,” I said once I realized how big it actually was.
“I got it, Marie,” William grabbed it with one hand and tossed it onto the roof.
I could feel my eyes get big, but I refused to let my mouth drop, “O-Okay,” I stuttered.
William laughed again, “You want to get the pump?”
I wasn’t paying complete attention, “What?”
He cleared his throat, “Do you want to get the pump for the raft, er, boat,” he smirked at my misuse of the name.
“Sure,” I said still out of it. I walked to the back of the helicopter and put my foot on the step to get in. “Ouch,” I mumbled as I hit my head on the top of the helicopter. I heard William laugh somewhere behind me. I searched around for the pump but couldn’t find it. “Okay,” I was starting to get a little mad, “where’s the pump, William?”
“You mean it’s not in there?” he pretended to be shocked.
“Just tell me where it is,” I was trying really hard not to yell.
“Okay, okay,” William was now next to me, but I don’t remember hearing him come in the helicopter, “calm down, here it is,” he had had it with him.
I was practically steaming when he finally stopped grinning at me.
“What’s wrong?” he actually sounded concerned, “If it’s about me laughing when you hit your head, I’m sorry, really I am,” he put his arm around my waist to give me a half-hug.
“No,” I sighed, I wasn’t sure why I was mad, “I’m not mad about that.”
“Then why are you so angry?” he turned me so I was facing him.
I crossed my arms and looked down, “I’m not.”
“You’re not?” William looked surprised.
“No,” I sighed, “I’m not mad,” I uncrossed my arms and wrapped them around him.
William laughed and muttered something that sounded like, “I’ll never understand you’re emotions, Marie.”
I squeezed him tighter, wanting to feel comfort, “So, you had the pump with you?”
He put his arms around me, “Yes,” he laughed, “that wasn’t why you were mad was it?” he kissed the top of my head.
“I told you I wasn’t mad,” I looked up at him.
He laughed, “If you say so.”
“William?” I needed to tell him something. But how could I explain it?
“Yes?” he tightened me in his embrace.
“Do you believe in fate?” I could feel my heart swell up.
“I’m not sure what I believe in anymore,” he gently kissed me.
I turned my head to the side and pressed it against him, I felt him flinch. “What do you mean?” I wondered out loud, not expecting him to answer.
“I’m not sure myself,” I could feel William shift his weight.
“Do you want to tell me something?” I looked up to search his eyes.
“Maybe,” William smiled, but I knew he did. He didn’t say anything else.
“Can you tell me?” I was still looking up at him.
He sighed, “I don’t know if you would believe me, Marie.”
“’I’m not sure what I believe anymore,’” I said quoting him.
He laughed, “Yes, there is something I want to tell you,” he sighed, “but I will wait to tell you,” William eyed my neck again.
“Do you not like blood?” I was serious.
He laughed, “Sorry, that’s not it.”
“Then why do you keep looking at my neck?” I felt self-conscious of it now.
“I’m just worried, that’s all,” he looked away when he said this. Not two seconds after he said that, he looked back at me and said, “Marie,” he had a more serious tone now, “do you love me?”
I was shocked by his question, but I knew the answer now, and I knew that fate would help me with the consequences, “Yes,” I looked into his eyes, “I love you.”
“You promise? You’re not lying, or trying not to hurt my feelings?” he was suspicious, I could tell.
“I, Marie,” I paused to breathe, “love you, William Ford,” as soon as I said those words I knew they were true because my heart started to hum.
He sighed relief and mumbled, “Good,” and then he kissed me. I could feel his relief and love flow through to me. I wrapped my arms around him tighter, pressing myself against him. He tensed, but I ignored it. He kissed me again, and I looked at him as he did so. I saw that different look again, and I could feel him starting to pull away from me. He’s not going to get away from me now. Before his lips left mine I pulled him back to me. I could feel the difference in his kiss. He tried to pull away again. I looked in his eyes, that different look was still there. I pushed myself to him, causing him to lose his balance. He started to fall over, but grabbed the driver’s chair before we fell all the way to the floor. He couldn’t push away now, but I did lean away from him so he could stand up. I kissed him again, full force. I wasn’t holding anything back from him. William tensed as I tightened my grip around him. I looked in his eyes, that strange look was still there, but the fire was over shadowing it. I smiled. I kissed him again, this time he kissed back. My lips had barely left his when he pulled me back to him. I could feel the want and need in his kiss. He pushed me tighter to him, his hands at the small of my back. My heart did flips again, and then it started beating faster. His kiss felt so right, so normal, so……perfect. Every nerve in my body was on fire. My hands went to William’s hair, my fingers entwining with it. Suddenly, he moved one of his hands from my back, but still held it firmly with the other. His other hand took one of mine from his hair. I could feel his fingers interlace with mine, our palms pressed as close together as our bodies were. This was, by far, the longest amount of time I’ve ever kissed William. I felt me knees begin to wobble. I took my hand from William’s immediately. I wrapped both my arms tightly around his neck. I felt a small difference in his kiss. William started to pull away from me again. My legs started shaking. If William were to let go of me, I would fall. I wrapped my arms tighter around his neck and pressed my lips against his.
My legs were practically limp when William finally noticed that they were moving. He took his lips from mine, laughed and then took my hands from his neck. I looked at him questioningly. He just laughed again and let my hands go. My legs kept wobbling; no matter how calm I was they wouldn’t stop. William was laughing as I grew more and more frustrated. I finally just gave up and sat down on the floor.
“Don’t be upset,” William coaxed.
“Why shouldn’t I be?” I crossed my arms in a fake pout.
William crouched down next to me, “Come on, Marie,” he laughed again, “it’s not your fault you can’t handle me,” he was joking around.
I decided to see what would happen if I acted like I took it offensively, “Can’t handle you? What’s that supposed to mean?” I added a little bit of attitude to see what he would act like.
His smile faded, “I was just joking,” he paused, “you knew that, didn’t you?”
I turned my face to the opposite direction, “It wasn’t funny.”
“Marie,” he whined, moving so that I was looking at him, “you knew I was joking.”
“What if I didn’t?” I started to smile.
“Marie!” he exclaimed and kissed me, “As I said, you knew I was joking.”
“Yeah,” I admitted, “I did. I mainly wanted you to come down here,” I kissed him back.
“Oh,” he said inbetween me kissing him, “you mean so your legs won’t give out?” William laughed and kissed me again.
I put my arms around his neck, “That’s exactly what I mean,” I kissed him back. I could feel the difference in his second kiss.
William pulled away from me, this time I let him, “We should go pump up the raft,” he got up, grabbed the pump, and left the helicopter.
I got up and followed him. I felt the roof tiles against my feet, and the wind blowing against my face. For some reason the world felt new, as if I was just born. The sky seemed brighter and I could hear birds chirping. How long had it been since I had heard any other bird beside a seagull?
William was already to the raft and had already pumped it up halfway by the time I had gotten to him. “Why did you need this?” William said, concentrating on the air flow going to the inflatable raft.
“I need this because this isn’t the roof that I was on,” I explained.
William’s eyebrow rose questioningly.
“You see how the water is moving?” I pointed to a leaf drifting, “Even if this was the roof I had been rescued from, Jeremy fell off, he could be anywhere by now,” I sighed, I was disappointed in not finding Jeremy.
“Good point,” William was starting to sound jealous, jealous of Jeremy. William sighed, “What happens if we never find Jeremy?”
I took in a sharp breath. Okay, even if he didn’t like Jeremy, he didn’t have to say that. I could feel my heart being tugged at, and I knew that I still had feelings for Jeremy. My vision started to blur with tears that threatened to spill over, onto my cheeks, letting William know how upset I was with even the thought of not finding Jeremy. I tried to breathe again, but it came out sounding choppy and unnatural. I sat down on the tile, my legs feeling its rough surface, and pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I tried to calm my breathing, but the thought of me never seeing Jeremy again was mortifying. Why did William have to bring it up? I felt like someone had tortured my heart and then shot it, but didn’t kill it. My breath became uneasy again. I put my forehead on my knees and tried to calm down.
William looked at me with my knees to my chest and my head on my knees, “Marie, I didn’t mean to,” he stopped, knowing that it wouldn’t help any. He came over and kneeled beside me. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in my ear. I felt his arms wrap around me. I looked up to see his face close to mine. I put my head back down, fighting tears. I could feel myself being lifted, but I didn’t look up. I didn’t feel the tile anymore, I felt William. I could tell that he had pulled me into his lap to comfort me.
I moved my head from my knees to see what was going on. I looked up at William, and I could tell how sorry he was.
“I really am sorry,” he reminded me.
“It’s okay,” I said, trying to ignore the pain in my heart. I looked around and saw that we where in the raft, floating quietly down what used to be streets but was now a river. I didn’t remember hearing us hit the water or William getting in the raft. How is it that he is so quiet when he moves? I leaned my head against his shoulder and removed my arms from around my knees. I felt him stiffen like he usually does when I get close to him without warning. As his arms stayed around me I remember what he said in the helicopter. He had said it mockingly, but I wasn’t sure he was joking. “William?” I said not looking at him but looking at the water going by us.
“Yes, Marie?” William spoke barely above a whisper.
“Do you remember what you said in the helicopter?” I inquired.
“Which part?” he chuckled.
“Do you remember the part about you asking me to marry you, or were you actually just joking around?” I was sure he was joking, but he stiffened even more and didn’t answer for awhile. I had another question to ask him, but I wasn’t sure how to.
“Do you want me to be joking about it?” William was speaking barely loud enough for me to hear him. He wasn’t joking.
I wasn’t sure whether I did or not. Why did I have to being this up? I shouldn’t have said anything about it, but I was too curious to resist asking. I looked at him, searching his eyes to see what possible clue might be there. I didn’t find anything. He was looking me in the eyes too, waiting for my answer. I said the first logical thing that I had said in a long time, “William, I do love you, and I am in love with you,” I paused long enough to let him think about this, “but I think I should wait longer and get to know you better before I answer,” after all I had only known him for about two days, and that’s only if you counted the time I was unconscious.
“Fair enough,” he said as he kissed me gently. I felt the raft rock as the current got stronger. I pressed myself closer to William; I didn’t want to be separated, not from him, not from anyone. He quietly laughed at me being scared. “I’m not going anywhere,” William reassured me. I believed him, but I wasn’t going to let go of him. I wrapped one arm around William and pressed myself closer to him, I felt him tense again, but I didn’t care, I wasn’t letting go.
The raft rocked again as the water’s current started getting faster. I could feel my heart skip a beat. I pressed myself even closer to William. I felt William’s arms wrap tighter around me. Was he scared too? I didn’t look at him, but I knew William was staring at me. I turned my head to look at him, and, I was right, he was looking at me. “What?” I wondered. Why was he looking at me?
William kissed me, but it was more of a want kiss than anything. I kissed him back, not as much as I should have though. I looked in William’s eyes, but I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, his gaze wasn’t at me anymore, it was what ever was behind me. I slowly turned around, hoping it was nothing.
It was something, a big something. We were in the back of the raft, which was slowly moving toward a tree. It was a huge tree, just floating directly in our way its branches low enough to almost touch the bottom of the raft. I barely turned to William and said, “Are there any oars?”
“I think so,” William moved me off of his lap and hastily started looking for oars. It was too late now. The tree was about to hit William, who was still looking for oars to get away from the tree.
“William, look out!” I yelled, but he wasn’t paying attention. I quickly put myself over him. I startled him when he felt me against him, which caused him to loose his balance and drop so that he was on his stomach. My stomach was against his back so that my body provided a human shield.
The moment was so quick that William wouldn’t have been able to get me out of the way if he were to try. Suddenly I felt a pain rip across me back. I screamed as the branch dug into my back and moved toward my neck. It tore the shirt I had on over the shirt of my swimming suit but it didn’t tear completely through my swimming suit top. I could feel it barely miss my head. I clenched my jaw and rolled off of William, too dazed to realize that I had rolled onto my back and was causing even more pain. Though I tried not to, another scream of pain escaped through my lips. All I can think about is the pain, the undeniable pain. My heart was beating unevenly, too much in shock to function correctly. I accidently screamed when William picked me up.
“Oh, God, Marie,” was all William could say when I screamed.
“Sorry,” I said through my teeth, trying not to think about the pain.
“Don’t be sorry, Marie” William kissed my cheek.
I tried my best to smile, but I’m sure it looked more like a grimace. I was in more pain now than I had ever been before. I could feel the blood coming from my back, the twigs that stuck to where they tore. I couldn’t think strait; all I could focus on was the pain, the horrifying pain. Black dots danced across my vision, threatening to let me slip into unconsciousness. How could anything be this painful? It felt like one thousand volts of electricity going through my body at once. I wanted to be unconscious, but I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let myself. I was fighting to stay out of the black, out of the same haunting dream that kept coming back. “Are you okay, William?” I had to make sure I was the only one hurt, inside and out.
William laughed nervously, “I’m fine, Marie, but what about you?” I could tell he was upset that I had gotten hurt, and not him.
“I’m fine,” I lied. I couldn’t tell him how much this hurt. He couldn’t know how much pain I was in, how much that I wanted to see nothing, feel nothing. I wish I could go into a dark abyss and never come out, not until the pain was gone. I clenched my teeth, trying not to cry or scream in pain. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe evenly. It didn’t work. My breaths came out broken, tears about to pour. I didn’t want William to see me cry, I couldn’t let him. I opened my eyes, they were glazed with pain.
William was searching my eyes as soon as I opened them. “You’re lying,” it wasn’t a question; he knew I wasn’t telling the truth.
“I’m telling the truth,” I paused so that I wouldn’t scream, “I’m fine.” I closed my eyes and tried my best not to cry.
William was cradling me in his arms, though he was sitting down and should let me sit on my own. William pressed me closer to him, still looking into my eyes. I looked at him, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to suppress my screams much longer. “I know that you hurt,” William let that sink in, “and I want to help, but how can I if you won’t let me?” William was looking at me intently.
I looked away, cringing at just the slightest movement, “If you really want to help me,” I paused to take in a sharp breath, “you won’t let me go,” I shut my eyes and tried to focus on something other than the excruciating pain.
“What do you mean?” William asked after I had opened my eyes.
I opened my mouth to answer, but I suddenly felt a surge of pain ripple through me. I clamped my mouth shut before I was able to scream. Since I wasn’t gong to scream my body responded in a different way. Instead my back arched and a low murmur of a scream escaped my lips.
I was about to roll out of William’s arms when he tightened his grip and whispered, “I’m not letting go.”
I was going to tell him to let go, just this once, but I decided better. I slipped off what remained of my thin shirt and took it in my hands. I tore it into even size shreds. “William, I need you to take these and wrap them around me, with the tied end on my stomach,” I paused to breathe, “I would do it myself, but I can’t really move,” I tried to smile reassuringly.
William laid my legs down softly to rest on his knee. He took the shredded pieces of my shirt from me and laid them down in front of us. He took the first strip and wrapped it around my hips, where the cut began. His hand on my stomach sent a shock through my body, but not the bad kind of shock. He was trying to tie the strip with only one hand, but that was impossible to do. I took the piece of cloth in my hands and tied it in a knot. I flinched when the other piece of cloth touched my open wound. William sighed, “Are you sure this is the only way to help?”
“I can’t think of any other way to stop the bleeding,” I paused to think, “can you?”
“There has to be a better way than this,” William started.
I cut him off, “What’s wrong with using this idea?” I tried to ignore the pain of William holding the cloth to my back, his hand moving with the rock of the raft.
“Well,” he began, trying to ignore that I hadn’t let him finish, “the cloth will dry to your back with the…the…b…blood,” he stuttered, and then paused to gulp, “and it will hurt even worse when that cloth has to be taken off.”
“Oh,” I couldn’t imagine a worse pain than the one I was experiencing at this moment.
“I know you can’t think of a pain worse than what you feel right now,” he began.
I cut him off again, “I’m not in any pain,” I didn’t want him worrying.
“Marie, you’re not a good liar,” he looked into my eyes, I didn’t interrupt, “I can tell that you’re in pain, so don’t try to hide it. The pain will be much worse if someone,” he shut his eyes, probably hoping that he wouldn’t have to do it, “has to rip those from your back,” he emphasized “rip”.
I sighed, “What am I supposed to do then,” I looked down, then back up at him, “bleed to death? Continue to feel all this pain?” I wish he had the answer.
“I….” he paused, “I don’t know, Marie,” he sighed, the cloth still rubbing against my back.
“I’m sorry, William,” I could tell I was worrying him.
William accidently jerked the cloth when the raft moved violently. “Why are you sorry?” William tightened his grip on me as the raft moved again.
“I don’t want to worry you,” I paused and clenched my teeth when William accidently let go of the cloth and it stuck to me, “do whatever you think is best. Just do it soon,” I could feel the cloth start to fall from me.
William noticed that the cloth was sticking. I saw the worried look in his eyes. He grabbed an end of the piece of cloth; I shut my eyes knowing that he was going to rip it off. He quickly yanked it off. It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would. “Are you ok?” William was worried that he had hurt me.
I could only nod, if I would have opened my mouth I would have screamed from the pain, it was getting worse now that I felt the wind blowing on my back. “Just get the other piece off,” I said through my teeth. I put my hands on the knot I had tied, my hands were shaking. I couldn’t keep a grip on the knot. “William,” I paused to muffle scream, “you’re going to have to set me down, and untie the knot,” I muffled another scream, “ignore me if I scream when you set me down, you need to get the other piece of cloth off if you think that it will help.”
William nodded his head, “Okay.” I could tell he was uncomfortable with setting me down, but he knew he had to. He cautiously let me slip. Soon, I felt my back hit his lap. I let out a blood curling scream. A thousand bolts of pain rumbled across my back, sending waves of pain to my brain. I screamed again, gripping William’s shirt. “Sorry, Marie,” William apologized after each scream, “I’m really sorry,” William put his hands on the knot that sat just above my hips. I held in another scream as the pain hit my brain again. I felt William’s hands moving effortlessly across my skin. How could he be so calm? My skin tingled where he was touching it, I forgot about the pain for a few moments and focused on his skin on mine and how wonderful it felt. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, it was even and calm. I could feel William slowly move the rag off me. I opened my eyes and saw him concentrating on removing the cloth fully. I put my arm on his shoulder, and pulled myself up so that I was sitting up straight. “Does this help any?” I said, ignoring the pain and concentrating on his touch. My hair fell over my shoulders; it went down to my collar bone.
“Yes, thank you,” William paused before he was about to rip off the cloth, “are you ok?” William looked me in the eye.
“I’m fine,” I wasn’t lying this time, I meant it, as long as I was with him, and I could feel him, I was fine.
William took my hand in his, “If you feel any pain I want you to squeeze my hand, ok?”
I smiled, “Okay,” I could feel his hand against mine and it sent electric shocks up and down my spin, only this time, it felt good. William’s hands were so much colder than mine, but that’s because my temperature was rising with every second his skin touched mine.
William was about to rip off the cloth when I squeezed his hand. “I haven’t done anything yet, Marie.” William almost laughed.
“I know,” I wasn’t looking at him anymore, “I just thought that you should know,” I paused to hold back tears, “that…that…” I couldn’t finish.
“What, Marie, are we by the roof you were rescued at?” William was trying to get me to look at him, but I was too shocked.
I shook my head, “No,” I paused, “look,” I pointed to a van that was stuck on a tree, its branches through the windows and blood smeared across the van.
William looked to where I was pointing, “What? It’s just a van,” William paused to look harder, “with blood on it,” William’s hands immediately dropped. I wished he would hold my hand again; then maybe they wouldn’t be shaking.
“It’s not just a van,” I was trying to keep my voice from shaking, but it wasn’t working, “its’ my mother’s van,” I used my other hand to cover my mouth. I felt pain, ten times worse than before. It was pain from my back and from the thought of whose blood was on that van.
“Marie,” William stopped to take in what I had just told him.
“Where are the oars?” I had to see, even if it meant… I’m not going to admit it.
“Over there,” William pointed to where he had set the oars he found right after the tree had hit me.
I went over to where he pointed, and grabbed the oars. I could feel the cloth on my back when I moved. I set one of the oars down next to me and used the other one to move toward the tree.
Soon, William was behind me, “What are you doing, Marie?” he grabbed the oar out of the water and set it down.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going to reach that van and see where my mother is,” I tried to get the oar back from William, but his grip was too strong.
“Even if you do reach the tree, how are you going to get up to the van?” William was trying to reason with me.
“I’ll climb,” I had to see.
“Marie,” William was trying not to yell, “you’re in no condition to climb anything.”
“Then what am I supposed to do? Just ignore that I even saw her van, that that might be her blood?” I was getting upset.
“No,” William sighed, and took my hands in his, “but you should be prepared for what you might see,” he didn’t want me to get hurt.
“I’ll never be prepared, William,” I could feel my hands start to shake as I thought more and more about it.
“I know;” William sighed again, “Marie, I hate to see you hurt,” William put my hand in his.
His touch sent waves through my body, “William,” I paused to think, “I have to see, I have to,” I stretched the last three words out, weighing them.
“How are you going to get up to the van, again?” William’s eyebrow rose.
“I’ve already told you,” I paused to squeeze his hand, “I’m going to climb.”
“Hmm,” William pondered what I had just said, “you know that you’re in no condition to be climbing,” William paused to let me answer.
“I know that William, but…” William held up one finger, telling me to stop.
“What if I helped you get up there?” William smiled.
“How would you…” William cut me off again.
“Do you want my help or not?” William rolled my fingers around in his hand.
I knew he was going to help wither way, “Okay, you can help. Though I don’t see how you…”
William stood up and dusted off his pants, “I’ll show you,” William crouched, his back toward me, “climb on,” he turned his head to look at me.
My face held a shocked look, I’m sure. I suddenly smiled, “I’m in no condition to climb,” I said mockingly.
“Fine,” William turned towards me again, still crouched, “I’ll help you, then,” he smiled.
I sighed, tired of guessing, “How?” I knew he wouldn’t let me finish my sentence so I only said one word.
“Stand up,” William said, taking my hands in his again and standing up, pulling me with him.
“What next?” I said, trying to ignore his hand.
William smiled, but didn’t answer me. Instead he crossed my hands so my wrists where on top of one another, then he pulled them over his head. I was crushed against him. “Hold onto my neck, Marie,” he told me.
“Okay,” I said locking my hands together. I had to stretch so that I wasn’t pulling his neck.
That’s when I noticed that William wasn’t standing up straight, he was just barely bending. He straightened his knees and pulled me up. My feet weren’t touching the ground. William grabbed my legs and pulled them up to his waist. “Hold on,” he told me again.
I gulped, “I will,” I had goose bumps all over my arms and legs, and not just because I might find my mother’s body.
“You ready, Marie?” William let go of my legs, and to my amazement they stayed where he had put them.
“As ready as I can be,” I tried to keep holding on to him, but my legs felt like jelly. I crossed my ankles in front of him to make sure they stayed where they were.
“Okay then,” William sounded worried. The raft was almost against the tree, and I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. It bumped against the trunk of the tree and clung closer to William. “Here we go,” he grabbed onto the tree. I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on William. I felt us rise, and I knew he was climbing. I tried to keep my eyes shut, but couldn’t. I pressed myself closer to William and opened my eyes. We were much higher than I thought we were. The raft seemed so much smaller. I looked up; we were almost to the top of the tree, where the van was.
William suddenly stopped; we were almost to the van. William turned his head to the side, only a few inches from mine. “Are you okay?” I could see the worry in his eyes.
“I’m okay,” I paused, “thought I’m not so sure I’m ready,” I felt like I was about to throw up.
William kissed me, “Do you want to wait for a little bit?”
I kissed him back, “No, it’s better to just see now,” I gulped. I knew that my eyes could show that I wasn’t ready, that I was afraid of what I was about to see. I pressed myself closer to William, and closed my eyes. There was a tug at my heart, and I knew I was going to cry. I felt a single tear roll down my cheek.
William wiped the tear from my face and lifted my chin to kiss him. “You don’t have to, Marie.”
I opened my eyes, his face only two inches from mine, “I know,” I said shakily.
William kissed me again, and I kissed him back. “Okay, we can go now,” I said trying to breathe evenly.
“Are you sure?” William’s hand ran across my cheek.
“Yes,” I sighed, “I have to.”
I buried my face in his shirt as he started to climb the last few feet, I didn’t want to see. I didn’t want this to be real. I felt William move. I opened my eyes. William was crouching on the branch, unable to sit with me on his back. I let go of him and clung to a branch.
“We’re here,” William whispered as he sat on the branch.
I looked up, and could see straight inside the van.
William pulled me toward him and put his hands in front of my eyes.
“What?” I asked, not wanting to see, but needing to.
“Nothing,” he paused and pulled me into his lap, his hand still over my eyes, “yet.”
“William, I’ll have to see it sometime.”
“I know,” he sighed, “but, Marie,” he stopped, unable to explain.
“It’s okay,” I moved his hand from my eyes and kissed him. Suddenly Jeremy flashes into my mind, how could I have only been without him for a few hours? It seems like William and I were meant for each other, but that’s how it felt with Jeremy. William kissed me back, but it seems different like the world has changed, like my heart has changed courses. I pull away.
“What’s wrong?” William asked.
“Let’s go inside the van and find my mother,” I look away, my heart confused.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!! (“Mwahahahahaaaaaaaaa!”)
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