"What did she say?" Kate asked for what felt like the three-thousandth time. Jack had been frustratingly secretive and adamant that he wouldn't tell her, even though she had persisted all the while they were eating. After they had finished dinner, Jack had suggested a walk, in a tone so casual she actually thought for a moment that they were going to discuss what had happened between them a few days ago.
"I think she's having fun, don't you?" Jack said, sounding as if he wished she weren't and ignoring Kate's question. He was talking about Ellie, who they had a clear view of, thanks to Jack's deciding they should sit down and watch the sunset right in the middle of the beach in a totally inconspicuous spot which wouldn't raise the curiosity of anyone at all. Ellie and Noah were sat together outside his tent, casually chatting and eating at the same time. Kate felt Jack's whole body tense when Noah reached over and brushed Ellie's hair away from her face.
"What did she say?" Kate asked again, trying to divert Jack's attention.
"I'm not telling you so you may as well save your breath." Jack replied, not taking his eyes off Ellie. She was laughing, again. Usually this would make him smile - Ellie's laugh was infectious but knowing that she was laughing at something Noah had said...it riled him. She was too young for him, no matter what she said.
"Fine." Kate huffed. "And yes...she is having fun. A lot. And for some reason it bothers you."
"Of course it bothers me Kate, she's just a kid. He's an adult." Jack almost snapped and Kate hesitantly laid a hand on his.
"She's not just a kid Jack. You and I both know she's more mature than anyone her age should be. And Noah is a nice guy -" She said quietly. Jack felt her skin touch his and didn't pull away.
"She deserves someone who's better than just nice."
"But she wants Noah And if you do anything to try and stop them seeing each other it's you who'll lose out." Kate warned. "Let's just take a walk someplace else, and leave her in peace OK?" Kate stroked her thumb over the back of Jack's hand and he felt his skin tingle.
"Sounds like a plan." He said, standing and shaking sand off of his legs. He held a hand out to Kate to help her up. And didn't let go.
"...so when we graduated we decided that rather than getting stuck in some office cubicle somewhere, we wanted to get out and see the world." Noah said, handing Ellie a slice of guava.
"Where did you go first?" she answered as she took a bite.
"Prague. Kind of a strange choice, but we just picked pot-luck on the atlas. Found work in some smoky cafe or bar or garbage dump - " he made a face, " - until we had enough money for plane fare to the next place."
"I wish I could have done that." Ellie mused. "Where was your favourite place?"
"Well, I loved Thailand, and New Delhi was a...lets just say it was interesting. But my favourite place was Paris, without a doubt." Noah answered immediately. Ellie's face lit up.
"I lived in Paris for three months! It's such a great city."
"I know!" Noah enthused. "I could have spent a year there...the art galleries, the architecture, the history."
"You like art?"
"It's what I majored in. Minor in economics." Noah gave a kind of lopsided grin; "Strange combination I know."
"Let me guess...you wanted to be an artist but your parents wanted something a little more stable?" Ellie said with a questioning smile, and Noah laughed.
"Something like that. Hold on a second," He reached over and brushed her hair away from her face, his hand lingering for a moment on her cool cheek. "That's better...now I can see your eyes." Ellie blushed and looked away...just in time to see Jack and Kate walking across the beach, holding hands. She turned back to Noah.
"What's your favourite Disney character?" she asked with a small smile. He looked confused, then thought for a second before answering :-
"Simba from The Lion King." Ellie smiled.
"Good answer."
"Strange question." Noah said with a raised eyebrow. "What's yours?" Ellie grinned wickedly,
"Not tellin'."
Sawyer spent the evening alone in his tent; trying to resist the urge to go and punch someone. Who did that Noah guy think he was? Hanging around an innocent kid, waiting to take advantage of her. No matter what she, or Kate said, Ellie was still a kid and kids shouldn't date guys five years older than they were. He seethed inwardly, then turned his attention to the object he had hidden underneath his airline chair; the gift he had wanted to give Ellie. He didn't know how he always managed to be the one to find her damn stuff...washing up on the rocks and the beach, maybe it was due to being a con artist...he saw things other people couldn't.
He had seen it hanging precariously on the sharp edge of a rock; barely caught and close to slipping off into the swirling waters beneath it. He had noticed the glinting of the gold locket and like a magpie was instantly attracted to it. The chain was slightly rusted, and the front of it was scratched but when he turned it over to look at the back, something inside of him churned uncomfortably. The engraving read; "Our baby girl - sweet sixteen. Our love to you always, Mom and Dad. x" Inside were two tiny pictures - somehow undamaged by the water. He recognised the people from the images in Ellie's scrapbook, she had shown it to him several weeks ago and told him everything. About the memorial service that the town had held for her parents, how her boyfriend had given up on her because she was too distraught to think straight, the day she had ended up on suicide watch at the local hospital.
He hated to think of her getting hurt again, hated to think of her being treated badly by some jerk who thought she was just a cute piece of skirt and only wanted one thing. She deserved better than that, after everything she had been through. He shoved the locket into the pocket of his jeans and headed out towards the beach, intending to spy on Ellie and 'the date'.
He prowled through the undergrowth behind Noah's tent, as silent as the night. He could see the glowing embers of the fire Noah and Ellie had shared, but no-one was watching it, he couldn't hear any talking or laughing. He would have recognised Ellie's laugh out of a million...but all he could hear now were the waves of the ocean a few dozen feet away. He snarled silently, not only had Ellie gone on a date with this guy but she had gone off walking in the dark with him. He began to walk in the general direction of Kate and Ellie's tent - to ask Kate again why exactly she had agreed to Ellie dating Noah. He was stood by the water trough, a few feet away from the tent Kate and Ellie shared when he heard a familiar voice.
"I had a really great time." Ellie said, carefully picking her way through fallen palm leaves and dried bits of wood as Noah walked her back to her tent.
"Me too." Noah replied. "Maybe we could do it again sometime?"
"Hopefully somewhere where we won't be spied on," Ellie laughed. "I am so sorry about Jack and Kate." Noah shrugged understandingly.
"Parents are meant to be overprotective. I mean, I know they aren't your parents or anything.." his voice trailed off, as he failed to cover up his mistake. Ellie took his hand in hers, saying quietly;
"It's ok. They are like my parents...you don't have to be careful what you say, really. Just be normal." She looked him in the eyes and Noah smiled at her, using one hand to brush away the same strand of hair as he had before, and squeezing her hand with the other.
"Well in the interests of normalcy, considering this is a date and I've effectively walked you home, there's one last thing I want to do..." He finished his sentence by leaning close and gently kissing her on the lips. Ellie felt his hand rest protectively on the small of her back and she relaxed nearer to him. They eventually broke apart and he kissed her gently on the forehead.
"I'll see you tomorrow." he said.
"Goodnight." One last kiss, and he was walking back across the beach. She slipped into her tent and flopped onto her bed, a million thoughts buzzing around her mind. Her lips tingled from his kiss...
So...please review cos I love to get them. Thanks!