Chapter 12
Snickering, the pair slowly approached Mr Barshaw's window, and Louise set to work on the lock. Merely a few seconds later, it slid open.
"Useful skill" Logan remarked, as he propped the box onto the window sill. "Ok, on the count of three, we tip the box in, and run". Louise nodded. "Ok, 1..." he slowly began.
"3!" cried Louise, shoving the box into the room and slamming the window shut. Logan yelped with surprise as he watched a skunk leap out of the box in the room before them.
"Holy crap!" he shouted. "It was a skunk!" Louise whooped with joy, jumping up and down.
"What the...argh!" cried Mr Barshaw, as he awoke to a skunk spraying him in the face. He turned, shaking with fury, to look at the pair stood by window.
"Crap, I forgot to run" shouted Louise in horror.
"Me too!" roared Logan, as they turned to sprint full pelt towards the forest. They didn't stop running until 5 minutes later, when both were too out of breath to go any further. They rested at the edge of a large pond, and sat together underneath a tall pine tree, leaning against the trunk. They stayed there in silence for a while, regaining their breath whilst watching the mayflies skit across the surface of the water, shimmering in the early morning sunlight.
"We're so screwed" Louise said finally.
"I know" sighed Logan. "My parents are gonna kill me".
"Unless Mr Barshaw gets there first" Louise said glumly.
"I didn't even want to come here" Logan spat. "My parents forced me, they hate me. I don't remember the last time one of them actually listened to me". They sat in silence for another couple of minutes, listening to the chirrup of the birdsong. "I think I might leave town at the end of this summer". Logan said finally.
"What?" Louise gasped, trying to hide her shock. "Why?"
"My life sucks. I wanna start over somewhere new, make new friends, find some people who actually care about me" he sighed.
"I care about you" Louise said quietly, feeling her cheeks redden.
"Bullshit" he laughed "but thanks anyway".
"I'm serious, I'd miss my punching bag" she grinned at him embarrassedly. Logan smiled.
"I think you're the only person I'd miss, Bunbun" he said, staring out over the pond thoughtfully. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer beside him. She leant her head on his shoulder, and closing her eyes, decided on her words carefully. It was now or never. She swallowed, and heart pounding, began to speak.
"I do like you really, Logan" she said quietly.
"I like you too, Bunbun" he replied.
"No, jackass, I meant… I like like you" she said nervously.
"Yeah well… I like like you too" he said shortly. Louise sat up, and turned to face him. He was already looking at her, his green eyes piercing hers. He looked nervous, and he glanced quickly at her lips.
"Oh my god this time it's actually gonna happen" Louise's mind raced. She could feel herself trembling at the thought of her first kiss. Slowly, as the sound of the surrounding birdsong and rustling leaves seemed to fade into the distance, she leant towards him. He was leaning towards her now too, and she saw his eyes begin to close, so she began to shut hers too. She could see nothing now, hear nothing other than her own heavy breathing and the pumping of her heart, and could no longer feel the twigs she sat upon. Gently, she felt the brush of his lips upon hers, and she reached out, wrapping her arms around him tightly, and felt his strong arms pull her closer to his body in return. Never had anything in Louise's life felt so right. Her body tingled at the touch of his hands, and she felt a burning desire to remove her dress. His hands wondered up and down her figure, squeezing her gently. They continued kissing for minutes, with Louise eventually clambering onto his lap. A distant call however, brought them both back to reality. They sat in silence staring at each other.
"I thought I heard someone" Logan whispered.
"Me too" frowned Louise. She knew it was time for them to return to camp, and accept their punishments. "Maybe we should head back, face the music" she sighed.
"In a few minutes" Logan grinned, wrapping his arms around her once again, and pulling her into a kiss.
"If you say so" Louise giggled as she shuffled herself nearer to his body.