Evangeline

28

It took about half an hour to climb the Chestnut Trail and find the hut at the top. The rest of the walk had consisted of Seeley and me walking in silence as Henderson made awkward jokes. Maybe I just didn't understand the punchline. Of any of them.

"Ah! Here we are." Henderson exclaimed as we entered the small wooden hut, heading straight for the table to the side. From where I was standing in front of the door-less doorway, I could see sheets of paper stuck to clipboards. I could sense Seeley standing behind me and looking over my head as Henderson shuffled the clipboards around for a few seconds. The only noise in the small hut was the sound of papers moving. I hope the rest of the day isn't like this. 

Bird watching is so boring. We've been sitting in the crowded hut for over an hour, and I was ready melt into a puddle of sweat and boredom. We'd barely spoken the entire time. And it was awkward. As we began to pack up our things to move on to the next activity, fishing, Henderson slapped his thighs and stood from his seat on the wooden bench.

"I'm going to head back to the cabin and sit fishing out. You guys know where you're going, yes?" Henderson asked, looking between me and Seeley. I shrugged.

"We have the timetable and the map."

"Right. Well. I best leave you two to find your way down to the riverbank. Stay out of trouble." Henderson winked at me as he spoke his last sentence, and I'm not sure what to make of it. With that, he turned and began to make his way down the path we had followed up here, leaving me and Seeley to our own devices. 

"Do you know how to fish?" I glanced over to Seeley as I picked up the three clipboards from the table.

"Nope. Do you?"

"Not a clue." Seeley grinned as he answered, making my stomach twist.

We kept making idle conversation as we made our way down to the stream, the sound of rushing water like music to my ears after so long in the bird hut. Leaving the clipboards on a rock, I used the rock to balance as I pulled my socks higher up under my wellies.

"Ready?" Seeley asked, holding two fishing rods, both ready to be used with bait on the ends. I have no idea where he pulled them from, but I didn't dwell on it, and nodded, taking the rod he held out for me. I followed closely behind him as he stepped into the stream, wading further in. Not knowing where to place myself, I moved a few meters away from him, more downstream.

We stand for about half an hour in silence, until a fish bites Seeley's bait.

"Hey, Evangeline, check this out." I glance over, and gape at the not-very-small fish hanging from the end of Seeley's line. And then I huff. Why haven't any fishes taken my bait? Is my bait lesser than Seeley's?

"Whoo!" I pumped my arm in the air. It's exciting either way. At least one of us is successful at fishing.

"Oh!" I yelped as my foot slipped on the rock, sending my legs in the air. I landed square on my backside, drenched from my ribs down. My fishing rod was slowly floating down the stream. Laughter drew my attention away, and I had to squint against the sunshine to be able to see Seeley. Still standing with a fish on his hook, he was hunched over at the waist, laughing spilling from his chest. He looked happy. I smiled and began to laugh at myself. I must look insane, sitting in the middle of a massive stream.

A splash drew me away from my thoughts, and the next thing I know, Seeley was on his backside too. His fishing rod was caught on some reeds lining the bank and his fish was still on the line, submerged under the water and flapping around. I began to laugh so hard I thought I might pee. My cheeks began to hurt with the strain of smiling so much, but I couldn't stop laughing. Seeley looked hilarious, drenched in water with a moody look on his face. He looked like a toddler having a temper tantrum.

Water splashed over my head, making me gasp and blink rapidly, coughing on accidentally swallowed water and giggles. I pushed my arms out and tried to splash Seeley, but since he was sitting upstream it didn't send nearly as much water towards him. 

A devilish look in his eye, Seeley began to make his way towards me through the water. I could feel the warmth of a blush spreading from my face to my chest, and I knew he could see it too. As he came to a stop in front of me, I watched quietly as his eyes followed the redness from my cheeks down to my chest, where his eyes stayed for a few seconds, before coming up again to study my face. The only noise I could hear was the sound of running water and my own heaving breathing. 

And then his lips were on mine. My hands moved automatically to his hair, fingers threading amongst the inky black locks, as his tongue entered my mouth.