A Jottie Romance - The Rosewood Chronicles

Chapter 21 - A Secret

Jamie's P.O.V:

6pm. It was time.

Time to meet Lottie by the pond. Time to speak to her properly, alone, since talking to Matilde. Jamie took a deep breath, trying to clear his head as he looked out past the still pond and the statue of Ryley, to the Rose Wood behind.

It was just him out there, alone with his thoughts, away from everyone. The sun was setting now, the sky painted with shades of glowing amber and blushing pink. Jamie could smell the strong, familiar scent of roses as he looked over to see a silhouette standing in front of the radiant sky.

Lottie.

"Hey," she said, blushing slightly as she came closer, "You wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes, I did," Jamie replied, trying his best to not let his nerves show. Around Lottie, that was always a more difficult challenge than he remembered it to be, but he was a Partizan, so it should be easy, or at least, in theory.

Lottie sat down on the bench, the very same bench from the time when Jamie had to tell Lottie that they couldn't be together. He still had doubts about their relationship, but he didn't want to lose this.

As Jamie gazed at the calm, still pond, Lottie turned to him expectantly, her blue eyes filled with hope. That was one of the things that he loved about Lottie; she was always so positive and optimistic about things, even when it felt like that the world was ending.

"Jamie," she said softly, her golden locks blowing in the cool, gentle breeze, "What did you want to talk about exactly?"

Jamie took another deep breath, steadying himself. "Lottie, I wanted to talk to you about...us." He said, breathing in Lottie's scent of sweet roses. "I know that you want this to be something, and, so do I," he finished, turning to look at her, hazel eyes meeting blue.

He suddenly felt lightheaded and breathless, and his heart started to pound loudly in his chest, the blood pumping in his ears. Everything seemed to be in slow motion as Lottie smiled up at him, with her soft, rosy lips pressing lightly on his.

Once they pulled away, he gave her a small smile, which she returned with a glowing beam, her cheeks flushed and radiant. Lottie turned to rest her head gently on Jamie's shoulder, and he was sure that she could feel his heart drumming loudly in her ear.

"Jamie,' Lottie began, "I don't want us to hide this; I don't want to have to keep us a secret and hide us away."

Jamie let out a long sigh, absentmindedly entwining his fingers in Lottie's long, golden, cascading hair. "Neither do I," he said softly, watching the gentle breeze rustle the trees in the Rose Wood, "But we have no other choice; it's this or nothing." Jamie looked down at Lottie, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"So...there's nothing else that we can do?" She asked him, a hint of pleading desperation in her voice.

"No, nothing," he told her, glad that she couldn't see the slight tears building in his eyes. Jamie could feel Lottie's heart beat in time with his; her breaths rising and falling in time with his. Together they looked out at the sunset and the glowing sky, brushed with tones of orange and rose.

He didn't want to lose her, and if they had to hide to be with each other, then so be it.