WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(28)

"I found her..." I recognized Owen's voice.

My head was pounding and when I tried to open my eyes to see what was going on and the throbbing pain increased I gave up.

"At the pontoon..." He answered whoever he was talking to.

"Poppy." I felt his hand on my arm.

"Hmm..."

"She's awake." He said, sounding relieved. "How are you feeling?" I guessed that part was addressed to me.

"Worst headache ever..." I groaned.

"She has a headache..." He said. "Ok. Poppy I'm going to lift your head gently to check the wound at the back of your head..." He announced.

"Hmm..." I felt his hand slide under my neck gently but as soon as he touched the hood that was covering my head, he jerked it away.

"F*ck!" He exclaimed. "She's bleeding... Like a lot!" He added.

That would explain why my head is so painful. I thought.

"Ok, ok..." He said quickly. "Call the Doc, I'll carry her back to the house..."

After that he must have pocketed his phone because he used his two arms to scoop me up gently and started fast-walking back to the chalet.

I couldn't start to explain why I did what I did next.

Maybe it was a side effect from my head wound, maybe it was hearing his steady heartbeat, I wasn't sure but I suddenly blurted the following words out, "I've forgiven you, you know..."

He stiffened and would have dropped me if he hadn't caught me back at the very last moment.

"F*ck!"He mumbled. "I'm sorry... I..." He stuttered, clearly shaken by my declaration. "Did...Did you mean that?" He asked in a small voice that made me want to hug him.

"Yeah..." I muttered, probably as shocked as he was with the odd timing of something that had been on my mind for about a week.

"Wow... I..." He started but was interrupted mid-sentence by Landon.

"The doc said we need to take you to the hospital, Poppy..." He said. "Come on, let's go."

Somebody took my hand and squeezed it once.

Nathan... I thought. His silence was revealing of just how worried he was.

"I'm ok, Nate..." I muttered, hoping it would be enough to reassure him.

"I'd be a millionaire if I got a dollar each time you tell me you're ok when I know you're not..." He interjected grumpily and I smiled.

"What would you do with all that money?" I asked, my voice weak.

"I'd take you on vacation somewhere nice..." He answered straight away and my smile got slightly bigger.

We'd apparently reached the carpark because Owen carefully carried me at the back of a car, were he lay me on the side with my head on his lap.

"If you could go anywhere, where would you go, Pops?" Nathan asked me from the passenger seat as Landon started the car.

"I have no idea..." I answered and it was true.

For the past couple of years I had done everything in my power to maintain a somewhat stable home-life for Nathan. Before that, my life had been cloud nine picture perfect. I usually spent twenty four hours a day with my two best friends and we were always so busy building tree houses or going on imaginary treasure hunts all over Brading, that I never had the time or the inclination to dream of some exotic destination I'd like to go.