"So. You and Jack were pretty interesting last night." Ellie said nonchalantly. She was sat cross-legged with her back leaning against Kate's bed, while Kate, sat on the bed, french-braided her hair. Hearing Jack's name Kate accidentally tugged on some strands of hair, making Ellie wince.
"Hey! It's attached you know." Ellie paused. "He's that good, huh?" Kate didn't know what to say.
"You know one day I'll teach you to do this yourself." she managed to say, trying to change the subject.
"Do what? Change the subject?" Kate secured the plait with a band, and Ellie turned around to face her.
"I want details Miss Austen. Out with it."
"There's nothing to tell. Jack and I went for a walk. I was trying to distract him from spying on you and Noah." Ellie felt her stomach flip when Kate said Noah's name. Kate smiled at the pink flush which spread across Ellie's cheeks.
"That good, huh?" she teased, repeating Ellie's own words. Ellie flopped backwards onto her bed.
"Fine. We'll just pretend nothing happened. Nothing at all." Kate laughed and threw Ellie's old teddy bear at her. The teenager grabbed it and chucked it back.
"What? You won't tell me what happened with you and Jack, so you don't get details about me and Noah. So there." she stuck her tongue out childishly and Kate laughed again, letting herself fall backwards onto her own bed. They were silent for a few minutes, listening to the noise of the other survivors waking up and beginning their days.
"We kissed." They said simultaneously. Ellie sat up slightly and leaned on her elbow; looking at Kate. Kate remained flat on her back, staring at the roof in the tent.
"You and Jack kissed again?"
"That's what I said." Kate said quietly.
"Is that all?" Ellie asked, slightly disappointed. Kate leaned onto her elbow; mirroring Ellie's position.
"He was on the verge of knocking Noah unconscious for even daring to speak to you. We went for a walk, we talked -"
"About what?" Ellie interuppted.
"You," Kate answered and a confused look spread across Ellie's face. Kate continued, "Me, him, us. What happened between us the other night. And then, we kissed." Kate slipped restlessly onto her back again, sighing.
"Kissed as in how you kiss your strange uncle from out of town? Or kissed as in, kissed?" Ellie persisted. Kate rested a hand over her eyes, answering:-
"The second one."
"Ditto." Ellie said, sitting up and casting an eye around the tent for her shoes. Spotting them hiding underneath a shirt she pulled them on.
"Where are you going?" Kate asked, noting all the sudden activity
"To tell Jack something." Ellie skipped out of the tent.
Jack was sat outside of his tent, carefully shaving with a piece of mirror held in front of his face. Ellie took the mirror out of his hand and held it up. He smiled and managed to nick his cheek with the razor.
"Careful." Ellie said, just as Kate came hurrying over. She whispered hastily in Ellie's ear,
"What did you say?"
"Nothing yet. Chill!" Ellie whispered back. Jack dabbed at his cut face, his gaze flittering from Kate to Ellie and back again.
"Good morning?" He said, reminding them of his presence. Kate smiled bashfully and a slight blush crept over her cheeks.
"Hi." Ellie said triumphantly, earning her a confused look from Jack. "I just came to say 'I told you so'". Jack's look of confusion suddenly changed, and matched Kate's embarrassed one. A matching shade of pink spread over his cheeks and Ellie giggled.
"How old are you two again?" she asked, but neither Jack nor Kate answered her. "Okay...so I'm going to give you to some 'alone' time," Ellie made airquotes on the word 'alone'. "If you need me, I'm with Noah." And with that she strolled happily towards Noah's tent.
Jack looked at Kate.
"Hi." He said, making her smile.
"Hi." She answered...
"You're going to tell me." Kate stated.
"No, I'm not!" Jack answered, a smile on his face. Kate shoved his shoulder playfully.
"You want to tell me." She wheedled. It was early morning, and they were stood on the edge of the sea, letting the water wash over their feet. Their conversation was hushed, in case anyone overheard them. Not than anyone was really bothered; seeing Jack and Kate locked in conversation was hardly a new phenomenon, most people assumed that they were an 'item', though nothing had been said about it. In fact, people noticed when they weren't together, more than if they were.
"No. I. Don't." Jack laughed, gently pushing her back. Kate leaned closer and whispered in his ear. Jack looked at her, surprise registering on his face.
"I'm still not telling you!" He spluttered.
"Fine. Suit yourself. I'll just ask Ellie." Kate muttered childishly, crossing her arms and turning away from him slightly.
"She won't tell you either." Jack teased.
"I know, I already asked. Why won't you tell me?" Kate sounded remarkably like a disappointed toddler; wanting something she couldn't have.
"Why won't he tell you what?" came a voice from behind them. They turned around, momentarily embarrassed at being caught by someone; even though they hadn't been talking about anything worth worrying about. Their embarrassment faded when they realised that the person behind them was Ellie. Noah was stood slightly behind her, and they were holding hands.
"Jack here still won't tell me what you said to him to let you date Noah." Kate said, giving Jack a playful dig in the rib with her elbow. At the mention of his name Noah looked slightly embarrassed; it was widely known around camp that Jack and Sawyer had both been seriously against even one date with him. Sawyer still gave him deadly stares whenever he saw him.
Ellie laughed at Kate's sulky reaction.
"You're still on that? It's not like I told him the whereabouts of the Lindbergh baby!" Jack and Noah laughed, but Kate raised an eyebrow. "Fine. If you're really that desperate to know I'll tell you." Kate gave Jack a look of triumph.
"All I did was remind him that while Noah is five years older than me, there's a bigger age difference between the two of you." Ellie felt Noah's arm snake around her waist as all four of them laughed. Jack went slightly red;
"Well I couldn't be a hypocrite could I?" he mumbled.
"So. What are you two doing today?" Kate asked, changing the subject. In the two weeks since Ellie and Noah's first date they had spent the majority of their days together. Ellie was trying (somewhat miserably) to improve his understanding of French, while Noah told her stories of his and Kyle's year abroad, travelling. They seemed infatuated with each other, and everyone in camp – bar Sawyer – thought it was adorable.
"Well. We're going to take a walk, and then who knows. I may convince Noah to come for a swim with me...but you never know. I think he's scared." She teased, winking at Kate
"Hey!" Noah objected, "I am not scared. I happen to be an excellent swimmer. I was just worried about you, if you must know."
"Of course you were sweetheart." Ellie soothed, leaning into Noah; she fit perfectly against him. Jack looked at them. Despite his worries a few weeks ago, it seemed to him now that Ellie had been right.
Across the beach, Sawyer sat just inside his tent, pretending to read. He had taken one of Ellie's books from inside the tent she shared with Kate. 'Vanity Fair'. Ellie had finished the book within a day, but he didn't like it, which was just as well because he couldn't concentrate on it. Not with Ellie and Noah, Jack and Kate stood on the shoreline playing happy families. He looked up, to wear he had hung Ellie's locket for safekeeping. He kept meaning to give it to her, but everytime he tried she was with Noah. They had only spoken briefly in the time that Ellie and Noah had been together; stupid meaningless conversations about the weather, what book she was reading, who he had beaten up that day. More often than not their conversations were interuppted by Noah; coming along to whisk Ellie off to some activity – a prospect she clearly found more exciting than talking to him. Sawyer didn't want to admit it, but he missed her.
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