Sweet Summer Sunsets- A Robert Irwin FanFic

Ashley

As I swam across the water hole, to where our stuff was, I kept thinking about when Robert could've seen my scars. Granted I didn't particularly hide them, but the ones on my arm weren't particularly noticeable, and the ones on my thigh are usually covered by my shorts or I wear jeans.

My mum knew, she had seen the scars once in the last couple of months and I broke down. I told her I wanted to be better and stop doing it. She said if I needed help to talk to her, but I haven't done it since that day. No one else knew but her. I couldn't even bring myself to tell Robert, afraid of what he might say or the possible judgment.

Life gets hard sometimes, and being a teenager doesn't make it any easier. I'm not excusing myself for doing it, as I know it's not a healthy way to cope. But I'm doing better and things are going to be okay. I've grown a lot in the last couple of months and I'm hoping to put that behind me for good.

I reached the rocks and climbed up and dried myself off with my towel, being gentle with my wounded leg. Luckily my stitches weren't looking irritated or anything.

Robert finally climbed up and dried himself off as well.

"Look, my leg isn't irritated or anything," I said, trying to make normal conversation again.

"Oh, that's great! You'll be all healed up in no time," he replied, sitting down next to me.

"Ideally, yes. So what did your wonderful mum pack for lunch?" I asked.

Robert dug through the lunchbox. "We got two sandwiches with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. A container of mixed fruit, and a chocolate bar for each of us," he said.

"Yum! Now give me a sandwich, I worked up quite an appetite," I said laughing. He handed me a sandwich and left the opened container of fruit between us.

We took our time eating lunch, laughing, and chatting as we did. When Robert and I were hanging out like this, it was like time slowed down.

I wish I could freeze this moment, I thought.

I thought back to Robert asking if I had hurt myself. I should've told him sooner, but I didn't want anyone to know. I was ashamed and embarrassed to tell anyone about it. I knew I could confide in Robert, but this was a part of me I didn't think he was going to like.

"It's around 3 now," Robert said, his voice breaking through my thoughts. "I got to go by the zoo to pick up something, but I can take you home after."

"Yeah that's fine, I can say hi to your mum and Bindi and Cait and her mum," I replied.

"Yeah, there we go! Should we head home now then?" Robert asked, putting our lunch trash back into his lunchbox.

"Yeah, that's fine. I think we had a good amount of exercise, probably as much as I could do with my leg," I replied.

"Oh yeah, you definitely don't need to do too much more today."

We cleaned up our trash and got our belongings packed up. Both the hike to the car and the drive home was uneventful.

Robert put his vehicle in park. "Your leg hurting at all? I'm just going to the break room," Robert asked.

"It's a little sore, but that's the most exercise I've gotten since the accident," I replied. I appreciated Robert checking on me so often, it shows that he really cares and is concerned for my well-being.

"Are you okay coming to the break room with me?"

"Yeah, that should be fine," I chuckled. We got out of the care and I followed him through the wildlife hospital into the break room.