in my ears that it was drowning out my thoughts. All my nerve endings were tingling, my hair full of charge, he was so close to me.
He looked into my eyes.
JACK
I traced her lips, I wanted to kiss her so badly but I wanted this moment to last forever. She sat completely still, her breathing short and sharp, only her eyes moved as she watched my every move. I moved in closer to her.
I suddenly felt weak; she was draining me, not the other way around. How could that be? I looked from her lips into her eyes and I was lost. I closed my eyes to regain my strength; I had to be the one in charge ... what was happening here?
She was so close to me now, her sweet scent overwhelming, I had to kiss her but I was out of control. The power seeped from me into Ophelia, into the ocean, into the rock. I couldn’t let it. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself back from her.
A huge wave roared as it crashed against the rock, Ophelia screamed in fright. Did I create it? She leaped up in fear stumbling backwards, but I was up before she lost her footing and I swept her up and charged from the rocks onto safer sand. She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my shoulder. I could have her now, take her with me, but it was too soon. I wanted more—more of these feelings, was this what life, what love was about? Was this what everyone else got to experience?
I continued to hold her, walking up the sand and hurrying to the entrance way to the beach near her home. I lowered Ophelia to her feet; she was safe now. I touched my hand to her face for just a moment and then slipped away to the nearby rocks, out of sight. I heard her call my name but it was lost just as quickly in the sound of the crashing waves.
Chapter 12
HOLLY
It was Friday and everyone was happy about it except Ophelia. You would think given she survived her first few weeks at a new school, the weekend would be the best news she could imagine. She was quiet all the way in on the bus while we all chatted around her. She smiled when addressed and spoke when forced to, but her eyes had a sadness. I wondered if it was maybe her mother or father’s birthday or something significant. I asked her if she was okay and she thanked me and said she was good. But she wasn’t.
At lunchtime we sat in a group in the shade of a Lilly Pilly tree. Ophelia leaned against the trunk with her eyes closed.
Harry prodded her. “What’s up with you today? Usually we can’t shut you up.”
Ophelia grinned. “Yeah, I know it’s hard to get a word in around me,” she agreed. “I just didn’t sleep at all last night. Do you ever get that?”
Peggy nodded. “Sometimes because I don’t stop studying until after ten o’clock, I go to bed and my mind is still racing. Takes me ages to drop off.”
We all looked at Peggy like she was an alien. Who could relate to that? Good on her though, when we’re all struggling to get into university, she’ll be knocking them back.
“I hear you,” Harry said, “I have that problem all the time.” We all laughed and Peggy blushed but still looked pleased to have Harry teasing her.
I agreed with Ophelia. “I woke up one morning at just after two and I was completely wide awake. Not in that sleep zone, half awake, half dead zone, completely awake! Now that’s annoying,” I said.
“Yeah, well you’ve got all weekend to catch up now, I loooovvvvve the weekend,” Harry said. “What have you got planned?” he asked Ophelia.
“I could show you around if you like?” Peggy jumped in, probably hoping Harry would come along.
“Thanks Peggy, you’re very kind to offer but Adam is taking me to the site of the La Bella, where his ancestor was a hero. It’s for my project,” Ophelia said.
“Are you going to dive?” Harry asked.
“No, I haven’t done a course, maybe we’ll scuba ... I’m kind of happy for him to just stand on shore and point in the general direction,” she shrugged.
Harry
He looked into my eyes.
JACK
I traced her lips, I wanted to kiss her so badly but I wanted this moment to last forever. She sat completely still, her breathing short and sharp, only her eyes moved as she watched my every move. I moved in closer to her.
I suddenly felt weak; she was draining me, not the other way around. How could that be? I looked from her lips into her eyes and I was lost. I closed my eyes to regain my strength; I had to be the one in charge ... what was happening here?
She was so close to me now, her sweet scent overwhelming, I had to kiss her but I was out of control. The power seeped from me into Ophelia, into the ocean, into the rock. I couldn’t let it. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself back from her.
A huge wave roared as it crashed against the rock, Ophelia screamed in fright. Did I create it? She leaped up in fear stumbling backwards, but I was up before she lost her footing and I swept her up and charged from the rocks onto safer sand. She wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my shoulder. I could have her now, take her with me, but it was too soon. I wanted more—more of these feelings, was this what life, what love was about? Was this what everyone else got to experience?
I continued to hold her, walking up the sand and hurrying to the entrance way to the beach near her home. I lowered Ophelia to her feet; she was safe now. I touched my hand to her face for just a moment and then slipped away to the nearby rocks, out of sight. I heard her call my name but it was lost just as quickly in the sound of the crashing waves.
Chapter 12
HOLLY
It was Friday and everyone was happy about it except Ophelia. You would think given she survived her first few weeks at a new school, the weekend would be the best news she could imagine. She was quiet all the way in on the bus while we all chatted around her. She smiled when addressed and spoke when forced to, but her eyes had a sadness. I wondered if it was maybe her mother or father’s birthday or something significant. I asked her if she was okay and she thanked me and said she was good. But she wasn’t.
At lunchtime we sat in a group in the shade of a Lilly Pilly tree. Ophelia leaned against the trunk with her eyes closed.
Harry prodded her. “What’s up with you today? Usually we can’t shut you up.”
Ophelia grinned. “Yeah, I know it’s hard to get a word in around me,” she agreed. “I just didn’t sleep at all last night. Do you ever get that?”
Peggy nodded. “Sometimes because I don’t stop studying until after ten o’clock, I go to bed and my mind is still racing. Takes me ages to drop off.”
We all looked at Peggy like she was an alien. Who could relate to that? Good on her though, when we’re all struggling to get into university, she’ll be knocking them back.
“I hear you,” Harry said, “I have that problem all the time.” We all laughed and Peggy blushed but still looked pleased to have Harry teasing her.
I agreed with Ophelia. “I woke up one morning at just after two and I was completely wide awake. Not in that sleep zone, half awake, half dead zone, completely awake! Now that’s annoying,” I said.
“Yeah, well you’ve got all weekend to catch up now, I loooovvvvve the weekend,” Harry said. “What have you got planned?” he asked Ophelia.
“I could show you around if you like?” Peggy jumped in, probably hoping Harry would come along.
“Thanks Peggy, you’re very kind to offer but Adam is taking me to the site of the La Bella, where his ancestor was a hero. It’s for my project,” Ophelia said.
“Are you going to dive?” Harry asked.
“No, I haven’t done a course, maybe we’ll scuba ... I’m kind of happy for him to just stand on shore and point in the general direction,” she shrugged.
Harry
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