CHAPTER 4
The next morning Ella woke early and decided to head along to a spring that she'd found a few days earlier to bathe. Most of the others were still asleep, some even snoring. As she walked past his tent, she noticed that Desmond wasn't there, but she thought nothing of it. Before she headed off to bathe, she grabbed a banana from the food shelves, and she was quickly joined by Paolo, who had just returned from his morning walk. As he approached, he was all smiles.
"Good morning, Ella. How are you this morning?" he asked her, politely. She nodded her head quickly, trying not to show her shaking hands.
"I'm fine thankyou. I'm sorry but I... I'm going for a walk," Ella said, trying to avoid being around him, despite how attractive he was.
"Of course. Perhaps... I could join you for a walk later on in the day?" he offered. Ella nodded.
"Perhaps. I'll see," she told him nervously, and retreated into the jungle.
As she neared the springs she noticed somone washing their clothes in the water. She didn't want to disturb them, until they called out to her.
"Ella?" came the unmistakable Scottish voice of Desmond. Ella turned back and smiled shyly, as he called her over to him.
"I'm sorry Desmond. I didn't think anyone else would be out here. I'm sorry," Desmond shook his head.
"There's no need to apologise sister, I was just leaving. I'll make sure that no one disturbs you," He smiled at her sincerely, and left her to her own devices.
She stripped off her clothes, making sure nobody was around, and stood underneath the cascades, letting the cool water splash over her body. She picked up a bottle of shampoo that was laying near a rock and poured a small amount of it in her hair, letting it lather before she rinsed it off and applied the conditioner, doing the same. Once she'd finished she grabbed her towel and quickly dried herself, before re-applying her clothes and heading back to camp. On the way back she peeled back her banana and started eating it.
"Like banana's?" came the voice of Paolo from behind her. The sudden appearance of the man caused her heart to jump in fright, and she screamed, running straight back to camp and into her tent, pulling down the tarpaulin and hiding inside.