Missy stood looking down at Richard who walked slowly up the steep slope towards her.
He glanced up and smiled at her as he approached.
His hair was wet and ruffled and Missy felt her heart skip a beat as their eyes met.
Missy held out her hand to Richard, who took it, and tugged him the rest of the way up the slope.
He stumbled slightly as he reached her and Missy grinned at his clumsiness.
"Ready to go?" he asked, moving his hand to his satchel that hung from his side and pulling out a small green cloth.
"Yes, I am, " said Missy moving her hand behind her and patting her rucksack that was full of fruit, water and other supplies. "What's that?" she said nodding to the folded cloth in Richards hands.
He glanced down, "This....is for you," he said holding it out towards her.
Missy narrowed her eyes and grinned warily. "For me....?" she said taking the cloth warily.
Lowering her eyes she began to unravel the material and found within, a single red flower.
Missy stared at the blossom. It was such a vivid red, and was in full bloom, its petals folded back to reveal a beautiful yellow centre.
She lifted her eyes to Richard's face, "It...it's beautiful," she gasped.
Richard merely smiled embarrassedly and nodded.
She stared at him. Where had he got such a gorgeous flower as that from, she thought looking around.
But it was not that she was really concerned about.
Her heart was fluttering, and her stomach twisted in knots.
Missy had not thought about the kiss she had shared with Richard several nights ago since it happened, passing it off as her making a fool of herself yet again.
Though maybe, she thought, her feelings were not all one sided.
Missy smiled and took the flower, wrapping the viney, stem into her hair and tucking the flower-head behind her ear.
She turned her head so Richard could see.
"You look very pretty," he said softly.
Missy blushed, took Richard's hand and led him forwards, off into the dense forest, in the direction of the beach.
They walked together, hand in hand, in silence for a long while.
Richard leading the way, striding through the undergrowth with great ease while Missy followed behind, still retaining a firm grip on Richard's strong hand.
Missy at this point in time did not find the silence uncomfortable, nor did she find the fact that she was in such close contact with someone several days ago she would have been calling an enemy.
She looked up at Richard whose eyes were fixed on the path ahead of him.
Since that first day of him meeting her, this time around, she had never again asked about his age, she had believed him when he had assured her that he hadn't lied to her.
Richard was mystery to Missy, but part of her didn't want to know his secret, part of her wanted the issue to never arise for she knew that no good would come of him revealing the truth to her.
She shook the thought from her head as she noticed that the trees began to thin. "Are we near?" she asked in almost a whisper.
Richard glanced around at her, grinning at her hushed tones. "Yes we are."
She felt Richard tighten the grip on her hand and squeeze it slightly before turning around and carrying on along the path.
As the ground grew earthier, Missy looked down to see patches of sand littering the forest floor.
They were close, very close. Missy could smell the salty sea air and feel a cool breeze upon her face.
Richard began to slow down.
He turned around, let go of Missy's hand and instead placed his own on the small of her back and beckoned her forwards.
He pointed through the gap between two trees and Missy could just make out a small camp situated in a small clearing.
A small fire burned, between a large crate and what looked like the beginnings of an abode.
Missy took in the humble surroundings and turned to Richard who merely continued to stare at the clearing.
Suddenly Missy heard a voice and a man appear from the other side of the makeshift hut.
He was joined by another figure that Missy could not make out through the smoke that billowed from the fire.
Her heart was pounding. Who was it? She needed to see.
It was not until the smoke cleared for several seconds did Missy comprehend who she was staring at.
She gasped.