A Tobelaide tale!

Friend zone?

Dawn quietly crept along the forest floor and light lingered at their 'door step'. As the morning progressed, the light tiptoed in and kissed Adelaide on the forehead.
It was a beautiful morning, birds singing, blue skies, gentle breeze. Adelaide and Toby lay there, peaceful and fast asleep.

Half an hour later Adelaide yawned and squinted at the sun beating down on her face.
She zipped open her sleeping bag and sleepily made her way to the cave entrance in her denim shorts and cream sweater.
She cuddled her waist and felt the soft forest floor under her bare feet.
Her breath still made clouds when she yawned but the actual atmosphere was dreamy.

She looked back at Toby fast asleep with his arm outstretched on her sleeping bag, smiled, and then took another step into the woods.

And another...

And another.

Toby woke up fifteen minutes after Adelaide had gone for a walk and felt a heavy emotion pressing on his heart.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, then settled his sleepy head in his hands.
He looked around for a note and there wasn't one so she probably just went for a walk and yet he still missed her and was concerned about her well being.
Funny, she probably didn't miss him; Or even think about him that much.
He could picture her in his mind, her oversized sweater draping just past her shoulder, messy hair in a bun with the sun rays turning it golden brown. Her bare feet; he laughed picturing her walking carefree without shoes like she always did.
And god knows in which direction she'd gone; somewhere pretty no doubt. She was always finding beautiful lagoons or forest clearings which she'd drag Toby back to to show him her fabulous discovery as if she were Christopher Columbus discovering the Indies.
The way she was always so excited about everything, jumping about and singing.. And beautiful.

Gosh, she shouldn't be the first thing he thought of this morning but she was... And maybe always is.

Tired of his emotions and obsessive thoughts, he went to the rock Adelaide usually sits on, feeling the soft rays of the sun just reaching his face. He picked up the guitar which was laid there and saw Adelaide had plaited some embroidery thread and decorated the spine of his guitar.

Cute.

Adelaide slowly wandered back to the cave, her hand running along the massive rock wall beside her jumping over little ridges and bumps until she stopped..
She could hear a male voice singing in the cave.. With a guitar. Very close to her.
She was just outside the entrance now, her hand still against the wall and her ears listening to the words falling from Toby's lips in a melody.

"The sun is filling up the room,
And I can hear you dreaming,
Do you feel the way I do,
Right now?
I wish we would just give up,
Cos the best part is falling,
Call it anything but love and I will
Make sure..
To keep my distance,
Say I love you and
You're not listening.."

Adelaide crept back... Being careful not to let him know she was hearing him singing such a... Meaningful song.
Surely he didn't mean what he sang?
It would be awkward to come back now..

"How long can we call this love,
Love,
Love?"
He finished the song and continued to pluck the strings in the melody he had sang.

She heard a sniff and couldn't figure out whether he was crying or had a genuine cold.
She realised he had missed a verse and so, since he had continued the tune, she decided that was the best way of entry.

"Please don't stand so close to me,
I'm having trouble Breathing,
I'm afraid of what you'll see,
Right now,
I'll give you everything I am,
All my broken heart beats,
Until I know you'll understand,
And I will-"
she sang as she casually walked into the cave and joined him sitting on the rock.
They sang the chorus together and then Toby finished the song.
He was quite embarrassed she'd heard him singing even though she'd heard him singing many times before.
She felt for his hand and have it a reassuring squeeze before asking him if he were okay.