All characters (except Emma Hhaze) belong to Stephenie Meyer
Chapter 7
I didn't want to get up the next morning, and for a while I just lay there watching dust swirl in the bands of sunlight. It wasn't that I didn't want to help out, I did because it helped my state of mind as well as making my burden a little lighter, I just didn't want to come face to face with Sharon and Maggie and break down in front of them, I wouldn't give them that satisfaction.
I was still at war with myself when the bed cover was pulled back from the arch and someone was standing over me. I shielded my eyes from the sunlight and squinted up at the intruder, I could only see their silhouette but it was obviously Jamie with those broad shoulders and long hair.
I groaned and let my head flop back onto my pillow, covering my eyes with my arm, I wasn't ready to get up yet.
He laughed and held his hand out to me, "Come on you can't hide away forever."
"I could try though." I muttered but I put my hand in his anyway. He hauled me to my feet and I hissed in pain.
"You ok?" He caught me by the waist as I lost my balance.
"Yeah," I grimaced, "I just put my weight on the wrong foot that's all, I forgot."
"D'you need Doc?" He looked concerned.
"No, no, I'm fine it'll wear off."
He led me into the hallway still holding onto my hand and I was glad, I didn't want to face Sharon and Maggie on my own. We walked through the tunnels heading towards the plaza, me limping slightly behind him holding onto him to keep my balance. He stopped in the middle of the tunnel and wrapped an arm around my waist, putting my right arm over his shoulders again like he had two days ago. This time it was different though, in the pitch black tunnel I was very aware of his body against mine, the sound of his breathing and the heat radiating from him. It must just have been my other senses trying to compensate for the blindness of the tunnel.
"Thanks." I said and I blushed, I sounded a bit breathless. I hoped he thought that was because of the pain, and I was grateful he couldn't see my blush in the dark.
We continued to walk along in silence. My top shifted slightly and his hand ended up on the bare skin of my hip, my skin felt like it was on fire and I actually felt a little dizzy. I couldn't explain that away but I thought maybe he felt it too as I heard his breathing hitch and quicken. And then we were near the plaza, I could tell by the bright white light ahead of us and he was letting me go, putting his hand back in mine to lead me towards the kitchen.
"Is it finished?" I suddenly remembered that I was meant to help finish it yesterday and guilt struck me, so that was why it took him a while to come and find me.
"Yeah," he glanced over at me then added, "don't worry Uncle Jeb's not annoyed or anything, he knows the effect Aunt Maggie and Sharon can have."
I nodded and hoped that was true, I didn't want to be confronted I didn't think my nerves could take it.
Walking through the tunnel to the kitchen my sense of touch was heightened again and I couldn't take my mind off Jamie's hand in mine and his shoulder brushing against me. Snap out of it, I scolded myself. The pain in my foot had lessened and I wasn't limping as much now making me easier to pull along.
We came out in the finished kitchen which was packed with people. A few looked over at us with raised eyebrows and I tried to ignore them. Jamie pushed me towards the table where Ian, Wanda, Jared and Mel were sitting. I felt uncomfortable especially with Sharon and Maggie's comments in my head but sat on the end anyway. Jamie came and sat between me and Ian putting some coarse bread and a large glass of water in front of me.
"All the perishables have been eaten so we're back to normal now." He said apologetically.
"It's fine." I told him and ripped it apart with my fingers eating the crust first before eating the softer insides.
I noticed Wanda looking at me and I met her questioning gaze. "What happened to your hair?" She made it sound like a great loss.
I swallowed my mouthful of bread to answer but Jamie beat me to it. "She hacked it off with a knife, bits were burnt."
I looked at him frowning, "How did you know I used a knife?"
"I, er, saw it in your hand. You cut yourself you need to be more careful." I turned my hand over and looked at the slice marks, they were pretty obvious. I hoped that was true and he hadn't actually seen me bathing, I felt my cheeks heat.
"You should put some Heal on it, it'll be gone in an instant." Wanda said
I shook my head at her, "No it's fine, they're not deep they'll heal fine on their own. I know you only have limited amounts."
"At least let me sort your hair out." She was frowning at me and the expression on that angelic face was heart-breaking.
"Ok, thanks." I gave in and picked at my bread as she walked over to the counter and picked up a pair of scissors.
I stiffened as she stood behind me, I kept thinking of how they inserted souls into the backs of peoples' necks but everyone else here was still human and they were all watching me closely so I forced myself to relax. She started to snip at my hair evening it out and I continued to pick at my bread feeling Mel's gaze on me. She was protective of Wanda and I suppose if I had shared a body with someone I'd be protective of them too. I kept my eyes down until she had finished and then I felt it cautiously. It was now almost chin length it was so short and I sighed, I'm sure it was stuck up at odd angles as well and I cringed at what it must look like.
"Here, take this." Wanda put a tablet down on the table in front of me. "It's called Health, it provides some of the nutrients and stuff that we miss out on here."
"Oh, right. Thanks" I smiled at her shyly, I appreciated her help but I couldn't help be a bit hesitant as I swallowed it.
"We could use some help on the east fields today if you're up to it." Mel was saying to me, still watching me closely.
I nodded at her but I wasn't sure how much I could do without straining my ankle, I didn't want to complain however so I said nothing. I didn't need people to start thinking like Sharon and Maggie so I'd work on my fractured ankle if I had to. I finished my breakfast, gulping down my water as I stood and I followed Mel, Jared, Wanda and Ian out of the room with Jamie following behind me.
I stayed silent as the others chattered happily on the way to the east fields. I felt uncomfortable and an outsider of their happy conversation, it was just a reminder that I had no family. Maybe Jamie sensed my tension as in the dark of the tunnel he caught my hand in his and ran his thumb over the back of it. I shivered at his touch and squeezed back, he was closer than I thought and I felt his breath on the back of my neck, I could imagine his boyish grin as he looked down at me. He let go again once we were back in the plaza and I missed the comfort he'd provided.
Once in the east fields they all started working and I waited for something to do while watching Jamie work. He was wielding a pickaxe and was breaking up the sun dried earth ready for the new crops. I was so engrossed watching him that I didn't notice Mel sneak up on me. I didn't realised she was there until she nudged me, a grin plastering her face.
"If you can take your eyes off my little brother I might have a job for you." She joked and I blushed once again. I hadn't realized I been staring at him so hard, at least I knew my circulation was good.
I followed her over to the irrigation equipment and she showed me how to work it. My job was to follow Ian and Jared who were further breaking up the earth behind Jamie and soak it so that Wanda and Mel could plant the cabbages. We worked like that for about an hour then I had to stop to get a drink of water, seeing the water feed into the soil had made my throat parched.
There was a jug of water someone had left for us a while ago and I filled up a cup from it sipping slowly. Jamie walked over to me shirtless, his lightly muscled chest glistening with sweat and I had to control my breathing, what was wrong with me lately? I was sure Mel and Wanda were watching me closely so I tried to keep my eyes on his face. I failed. A lot. I heard them giggle at my expense and I shot them a glare which just made them laugh harder. I tried to keep a straight face, laughter was contagious.
"Hey, how's the ankle holding up?" He asked filling a cup with water and leaning against the wall. He wiped an arm across his forehead sweeping his hair back from his face.
I forced myself to look into his eyes rather than at his chest and I noticed for the first time the flecks of green and gold in his dark eyes. "Um..," I'd forgotten what he'd asked and blushed.
"Your ankle?" He reminded me laughingly, raising his eyebrows and grinning at me.
"Oh, yeah, it's fine it's getting better."
"Good." He smiled, "maybe you'll be up for a game of Soccer soon then."
"No," I groaned. I was terrible at sports. "You don't want to see me do any kind of sport it'll be a catastrophe, I'm always hit in the face by something…"
He laughed, his face lighting up and I noticed with his hair pushed back his straight eyebrows, angular cheekbones and strong jaw. My breathing decided to play up again and I forced my face not to betray me.
"Well I suppose we don't want you breaking anything else." He joked, "maybe you can help keep score with Wanda." He looked so hopeful that I didn't have the heart to tell him I barely understood the game. I agreed.
"Come on you two, less talking more working!" Jeb was calling to us from across the field, but he didn't look too annoyed on the contrary he looked quite pleased. I still didn't understand that man.
We put down our cups and went back to work. Mel was still laughing at me and I blushed, it seemed to be a permanent fixture now. At least she wasn't angry that I had an unhealthy fascination with her brother's chest.
The next few hours passed slowly and I wondered if the day would ever end. I kept going over yesterday in my head, reliving the comments made and then analysing everything everyone had said to me. I even ended up analysing Jamie's words but I couldn't see why he would bother hurting me when he was the one that always seemed to cheer me up. I knew it was futile and I was just making myself anxious but there was nothing to distract me from my thoughts, the work was too easy. Eventually I saw Jamie put down the pickaxe and knew I didn't have much longer to go which was a relief.
I finished and stood on my toes stretching my arms over my head and feeling my joints pop, it was a relaxing feeling and I felt some of my tension being released. I watched as Jared put his arm around Mel and walk out with her, then as Ian threw Wanda over his shoulder and ran from the room, Wanda squealing with laughter and I smiled, she really was almost like a human.
"You ready to go?" Jamie was stood next to me, his shirt back on but his hair still swept back, it was nice being able to see his face properly.
"Yeah, I seriously need a bath though." We started walking through the dark tunnel towards the plaza. My stomach rumbled, "We missed lunch." I mused.
"And dinner, that can happen when you're working the fields but it's gotta get done. How about I grab us some bread while you have a bath?"
"Sounds good."
We made it to the plaza and split off in opposite directions. I hurried down the tunnel hoping I wouldn't have to queue for a bath. There was one person in front of me waiting, just my luck I thought to myself. By the time that person had entered the bathing room Jamie had appeared with the bread. 'Some' bread to him was three rolls each and I rolled my eyes at him, but thanked him and ate two. I left my third one for him as I couldn't manage it and he seemed to always be hungry.
When it was my turn I looked at Jamie with a warning glance, remembering this morning when he'd known that I'd used a knife to cut my hair, I wasn't so sure this steam covered everything I thought it would. He held up his hand in a mock surrender but grinned slightly. I tried not to feel too nervous as I walked through the arch in the wall but this time I made sure I kept my back to him and slid in the water quickly before he could see anything he shouldn't. Jamie may have been sweet but he was still a teenage boy and I was the only girl his age around here. I wondered sometimes if that was the only reason he paid so much attention to me.
Scrubbing myself quickly I wondered if he was waiting for me or if he'd left to get more food, he'd devoured those rolls like he hadn't eaten for weeks. I held my breath and dunked myself under the water shaking my hair to free the sweat and mud. I surfaced with a gasp and ran my fingers through it, untangling the knots and removing clods of dirt. I missed its long length, I couldn't wait until it grew back.
I didn't bother washing my clothes, I was in a hurry and I had some others to sleep in tonight, so I pulled myself out of the water and dressed in a quickly, realising too late that I should have turned away from the arch. I felt a sting of mortification.
I made my way back over to where I'd left Jamie, successfully dodging the river and stream. When I saw him I groaned, his face was a little too innocent and casual and at the sound of me he cracked a small smile. Well I'd be getting him back now anyway.
"Your turn." I said innocently. That sobered him quickly, his smile was replaced with a frown but he didn't complain as that would be admitting that he saw me. I didn't really want to look, I felt a bit embarrassed at encroaching his privacy so I turned away and looked towards the tunnel despite my earlier threat.
I heard him making his way back to me and I turned towards him, he looked a bit embarrassed. "Oh, don't look so embarrassed, I didn't watch you."
He grinned at me sheepishly, "I didn't watch you either," he laughed, "I was only messing but the look on your face was priceless."
I gasped and elbowed him gently in the ribs, "Sly git." I muttered under my breath. He just laughed at me and squeezed my shoulder lightly turning me towards the tunnel.
We walked through the tunnel side by side mostly alone; most people were in bed by now. He took hold of my hand again and I studied the feel of his calloused fingers with mine, hardened with the physical work he had to do in the caves as was his chest, then I directed myself away from that thought before I started blushing again. After a few minutes we came out into the deserted plaza which was lit with reflected light from the moon. I looked up at the mirrors and smiled at all the stars reflected in them. It was an amazing sight; the stars always looked so bright in the desert away from the light pollution of the city.
"You like the stars?" He whispered. There was no real reason to whisper other than that the room looked so peaceful and surreal.
"Yeah, they're pretty." I said lamely.
"There's a nice view through my ceiling, is it the same in your room?"
"It's not quite as good as from your room but yeah, I can see them."
"I would say you could come and have a look from my room anytime you'd like but it sounds a bit cheesy doesn't it." He laughed.
"Just a bit." I whispered back, smiling at him.
I recognised the feeling from yesterday as it came back to me, warming me from my chest to my stomach. I didn't know a name for it but I liked it and I moved closer to Jamie as we moved into the pitch black of the next tunnel. He took his hand away from mine but slid it around my waist instead. I'd never met someone like Jamie before, someone that had comforted me the way he did and been in such close proximity to me for no reason but to hold me close, but I liked it.
The tunnel ended and we were stood in the hallway where the individual rooms split off. Outside Lily and Heidi's arch we stopped.
"I'll see you to tomorrow, yeah?" He spoke quietly as we didn't want to wake anyone. In the dark his features were hidden in shadow but his eyes were bright.
"Yeah." I replied and he smiled.
"Night Emma," He drew me into a hug and I relished the heat wrapping my arms around his neck as he put his on my back pulling me closer to him.
"Night Jamie." I whispered back. My mouth was close to his ear and I thought that maybe he shivered.
He let me go and I watched as he turned down the hall, head bent and shoulders slumped slightly, and I wondered if I'd upset him somehow.
I pulled back the flowered bed sheet and walked into my room. From what I could tell Lily and Heidi were asleep so I changed quickly and zipped myself into the sleeping bag. It was slightly chilly in the room albeit the body heat of three people and I missed Jamie's warmth. I sighed and realized I missed him; it was lonely without his presence. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep quickly so that I could see him sooner.
Please read and review! And if anyone's wondering - I imagine Jamie to look a bit like Synyster Gates from A7X but younger and without the tattoos.
