just because [pin hawthorne] 𝐢

chapter twelve

"This isn't the way back to the stables," Olivia said whilst she and Pin were riding back from the beach.

"We're taking a little detour," Pin answered.

"Where?" Asked Olivia.

"You'll see," he laughed. Soon enough, she realized they were heading towards Pin's home. The gentle rustling of the leaves and distant crash of waves from the beach they'd left giving the small house a peaceful look.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," Pin said, disappearing inside his house. Olivia tentatively wandered around the yard, making her way towards the container she knew was housing the sick moor pony.

"Hey boy," she cooed softly, slowly entering his stables so as to not startle him. She crouched down next to him and gently stroked his mane. The pony nudged her, so gently that Olivia wasn't sure if she'd imagined the movement or not. She noticed an untouched apple on the ground; an unsuccessful attempt from Pin to get the pony to eat, she imagined. Olivia heard the door of Pin's home open and shut, and soon enough, Pin was at the door of the stables. The soft smile he'd been wearing turned sad when he noticed the uneaten apple on the ground. Pin silently let himself in and crouched next to Olivia to check on the pony.

"Here, this is why I brought you here. I think you dropped it when you brought me the radio last time," said Pin, handing Olivia the small notebook she recognized as her writing journal.

"My writing journal!" She exclaimed. "I thought I lost it, thank you," she said earnestly. In an instant, her smile turned into a look of dread. "You didn't... read it did you?" She asked. Not only did she not like people reading her writing, but many poems in that journal were about him.

"Well, I, uh, when I found it, I opened it to see what it was, but I immediately stopped reading when I realized it was something personal," Pin said.

"What- what did you read?" She asked anxiously.

"A poem, I thought it was brilliant if that's what you're worried about, it was called just because, I think," Pin answered. Of course, he had to fall on something about him, Olivia thought. She was suddenly glad she didn't include any names in that poem.

"Oh," she breathed out. An awkward silence settled between them.

"I, uh, I didn't know you liked anyone," said Pin. Olivia tried to keep a straight face and not to panic. There was no point in trying to lie about it.

"Not many people know," she said. Okay well, that wasn't true. She was pretty sure all of Bright Fields knew at this point.

"Who is it?" He then asked. Olivia couldn't stop the blush this time.

"Well, I can't tell you all my secrets," she joked. Pin simply looked back towards the moor pony. "It's this guy, he's really nice, and he thinks nobody likes him, but I think he's brilliant. The world doesn't even deserve him, but he does everything for them anyways." Olivia didn't know why she'd felt the need to tell him that. Pin looked back towards her, their gaze locking into each other's. Olivia lost herself into the sea blue of his eyes, which sometimes appeared green. She suddenly noticed the proximity between them, and Pin seemed much closer than he's been mere moments ago. She realized with a start the Pin had been moving closer to her, and that she'd unconsciously been moving closer, too.

She didn't know who'd started moving closer first, but the space between them had now become almost null. Olivia's heart hammered rapidly in her chest, begging to be let out of her rib cage. A loud ringing started them both, breaking their trance. Olivia's eyes widened in a blink, and Pin drew away quickly. Somewhat guiltily, Olivia took out her phone to check the message which had ruined the moment. It was from her aunt Carla, asking Olivia if she was alright. Her aunt had constantly been worried ever since Olivia had fought one of the horse thieves. With a deep sigh, Olivia typed in a quick reply. She put down her phone and was surprised to find the moor pony upright and eating the apple from Pin's hand. Olivia laughed in disbelief at what she was witnessing. Pin turned back towards her with a similar disbelieving smile.

"W- How- This is amazing!" Olivia exclaimed, speechless.

"Yeah! I wonder what happened," Pin replied. Yeah, I wonder, Olivia thought.

"I should get going, my aunt is getting worried," Olivia said, referring to the text message.

"I'll walk you back," he said. "I mean, if that's alright with you," he hastily added.

"That would be very nice, thank you," Olivia smiled.

Back home, Olivia lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling, her mind swimming in tangled thoughts. Was Pin about to kiss her? Had he understood the poem was about him? One thing was for sure, everything would be different now.