Chapter 37. Kimi`s POV. Please bear in mind that this takes place just after she leaves. Not after the last chapter.

Happy reading. I have taken some of your suggestions cause they were really good. Remember to review.

The bus was crowded. It seemed like the people were talking loudly just to make her migrane worse, or that the bus driver purposely drove over bumps and potholes to make her feel even more nauseous. To tell the truth, the minute she had arrived in Cuzco, she had no idea what the hell she was doing. The initial pain she felt when she boarded the plane in Seattle, when the true extent of her actions had hit her, was beyond description. Mental anguish, physical pain. Being away from Jared was terrifying. She could feel no warmth. Get no comfort from the aches and pains she felt continuously. Was she a coward for doing this? Was she trying to act like some sort of martyr? Did she like feeling this way? How does Jared feel? Her dad? The rest of the Pack? Were they angry with her? Would they think that she didn`t deserve being imprinted on if she gave it up? A lot of questions. Kim looked out of the window at the Peruvian landscape.

So beautiful, so different. It was captivating. But still, there was something else picking at her mind. She couldn`t shake the feeling that she was being watched. She had it since coming out of the airport. But when she looked around she could only see the uninterested faces of the crowd. Still it followed her. Everywhere. Kim decided it must be her mind playing tricks on her. Maybe she was so used to Jared protecting her, having his eyes on her, that the memory of that feeling remained. She sighed as she thought of him. Jared. Her Jared. With his dimpled smile. The look of pure love in his eyes when he beheld her. The way touched her. How he made her feel beautiful and important when they were together. The amazing grace and agility of his beautiful body. His serious expression when he contemplated a problem. His quick mindedness. She wondered if it could all be the same again? When she came back would he choose her? She felt herself begin to cry and tried quickly to stop herself. The feeling she was being watched came again. With more intensity. She didn`t want to look around the bus. She didn`t want to invite conversation from anyone. She would be alone soon. Out of the horrible stuffiness of the bus and at Mollepata where she and the rest of the fellow trekkers would begin their seven day hike to Machu Picchu. In her ignorance she chose and payed for this in Cuzco, afterwards a nice Australian woman asked her why she didn`t just take the quicker way which was by bus. Apparantly there were easier ways to get to where she wanted to go. Kim cursed herself for this. To say she felt like shit would do no justice to the way she was feeling. A seven day hike would probably kill her.

The bus finally reached Mollepata and Kim scrambled for some fresh air. The watching feeling returned full force. She turned around and was confronted by a handsome man with concern written on his face.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked in perfect yet accented English. He had dark green eyes and was tall and muscular, like the wolf boys. Kim looked at him in confusion for a while.

"Yes, thank you, just the bus ride you know, and the sea level." She lied quickly. He contemplated her. She knew he knew she was lying. Crap, she thought she could be away from all the concern and prying eyes.

"I am a medical student, if I can help you I will try. If you want of course." He smiled at her kindly. The pain didn`t lesson but her mind felt soothed his smile. She returned it weakly.

"My name is Santiago. Call me Santi. If we are to be hiking together then it`s best if we know each others names."

"My name is Kimimela, but call me Kim." She offered out her hand and he shook it. His hand was really warm. Too warm...it was cool up here in the mountains and it brought back too many familiar feelings for her. Kim pulled away. If Santi seemed surprised with this then he didn`t show it.

"Kimimela is an interesting name. Does it have any meaning?" He asked, making polite conversation.

"Yeah eh... it means Butterfly." He frowned at her for a split second then nodded thoughtfully.

"What language does it mean butterfly? Are you native American?"

"Yes I am. From the Northwest."

"Not of Peru?"

"No, from the U.S." Kim was starting to get uncomfortable with all his questions, but, he was nice, and it was nice having someone to talk to who didn`t know all the crazyness that was her life.

"What tribe are you from?"

"We are called the Quileutes."

"It`s always interesting to know. So, why are you here? You seem very young."

"I came for a holiday. And you? Why are you here?" Kim didn`t want to be answering all the questions. He smiled sadly at her. Aware that he had struck a nerve.

"I felt like the time was right to come back here. So you could say I am taking a holiday, or a sort of pilgrimage." He said, taking out a bottle of water from his back pack and handing it to Kim. She was parched. She started to drink from it greedily but stopped herself and made to hand it back to him. He laughed and stopped her.

"No no, for you, I have another. You need it." She smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you. To be honest. I have no idea what to expect here. I have read the information in the books. But, you know.." She left it hanging and Santi took up her sentence from where she finished.

"Words can never do justice to seeing something with your own eyes. What is that phrase in English?"

"Pictures paint a thousand words?" Kim offered.

"Yes, that`s the one. Do you like to paint?" Kim was shocked at his question. How could he have known?

"Yes...how did you know that?" He shrugged and picked up her bag for her. The group was starting to head off for the lunch before they started. He gave it to Kim and they followed behind them.

"You seem like the type, but I saw you drawing before we got on the bus in Cuzco." Kim rolled her eyes at herself. Talking to him kept her mind of the pain in a small but welcome way. She decided she wasn`t going to brush him off. A friend would be welcome at this time.

"So, you have done this trail before?" She asked him.

"Yes, many times. I love it. You will love it too I think. There are no words to describe how beautiful the jungle is. Or how the mountains make you feel so small and young. Or the feeling of finally reaching Machu Picchu. It is glorious." He smiled down at her. He made her feel safe, not in the same way as Jared did, but safe nevertheless.

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