Eyes of Emerald

Chapter 16 - Butterflies

        In the end, Wynn was picked to be the Leader for Team 1, a pretty Asian girl with the beep blue eyes of the warlocks chosen as Leader of Team 2, a tall, muscled dark haired boy called Elion Leader of Team three, and Iris was Leader of Team 4 (Only because she was jumping up and down and squealing to be Leader). 
        
        Angel was put into Elion's team (she looked far too happy about this), and I was picked by Iris. She looked excited about this, which couldn't be a very good sign. She told us that it was 'perfectly fine, you'll enjoy it,' but I wasn't convinced. Anything Iris found fun usually wasn't, I'd learnt.
        
        Finn was in Wynn's team, and he had smirked at us in the way that he knew he would do so much better than us. Iris had glared back at him before telling us that 'we have to beat him.' 

        I was fine with that. 

        "Autumn, you follow me. You'll be fine, just don't do anything stupid." Iris told me, which didn't reassure me one bit. What was something stupid? Did falling over and making a fool of myself count as stupid? Because I was pretty sure I was going to end up doing something like that.
        
        We took off our shoes. I frowned at this, but Iris told me that we were going to get very, very muddy. I didn't want to lose my nice, comfy boots, so I took them off and laid them next to Iris' black pumps. 
        
        Lining up took a while, because there was so many of us. I stuck close to Iris, nearly losing her at one point as she navigated through the sea of people with ease. How she did it, I don't know. She seems so comfortable in crowds, a bit like Angel. 

        I had no idea what to do. I just stood, looking around while everyone took their places. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and I was like a leaf being blown about in a gale, not knowing where I would end up. 
        
        "READY?" came a shout from Ffi suddenly. I jumped, realising that everyone was getting ready to run. "GET SET-" Ffi yelled, holding up a white flag with a blood red rose in the middle. The corners were slightly frayed, I noted absently, when suddenly I heard her scream: "GO!" and I was being pushed along helplessly in the flood of people. They were all running, so I ran too. I had no idea where to go, but I just ran. 

        The ground was wet and soggy, and pretty soon my feet were coated in a shell of mud, squishing around between my toes. It was cold, and soon my feet were numb. But still I ran. This was the longest I'd ever managed to run ever. 

        Slowly the crowd dissolved, and soon it was just me, running along to the beat of my heart. I didn't know whether I was miles behind, or far ahead. It was more likely to be the former, but a girl can dream, can't she? 
        
        I smiled at this. 

        Suddenly, the muddy path opened out into a small lake. I slowed, and stopped, glancing over my shoulder. Nothing. Did they expect us to swim? Anything could be lurking in those dirty waters. Pike, snakes...anything. 
        
        I shuddered and stared once more at the water. It didn't look too deep...but knowing the Rebels, it was probably deeper than the deepest trench known to man. 
        
        I frowned at it, wondering whether I should or I shouldn't. 

        Should I?

        It could be dangerous though...

        I sighed. Why did everything have to be so complicated? 

        No. You are not going to think like that. That'll only create problems that don't even exist. So shut up, brain. 

        Well said, the tiny voice at the back of my brain told me. I rolled my eyes at the argument my brain was having with the rest of me, and tried to block them out.

        How did I know what to do?
        
        Oh, just give it a chance, A. What's the worst that can happen?

        Don't answer that.

        I took a deep breath, and bent my legs to jump. If I could jump far enough, hopefully it wouldn't take too long for me to swim across to the other side. 

        Hopefully is the word, I thought, and jumped. 

        It happened all at once. I was all prepared to throw myself through the air and into the lake, when someone grabbed my arm in a grip of iron. 

        I cried out as the person pulled me out of the air as if I was as light as a feather and spun me around. I got ready to punch them, whoever they were, when I looked up and was lost in those blue eyes.

        Wynn Weatherstaff. Even his name gave me tingles down my spine - ugh, stupid teenager hormones! I. Do. Not. Like. Him. No way.

        I landed close to him, closer than I've ever been to a boy before. There were barely inches between us as I looked up into his eyes. They were half closed as he smiled crookedly.

        "Careful there," he said quietly. "That lake is dangerous." 
        
        I glared at him, suddenly annoyed. 

        "I was fine!" I protested, glaring up at him. He only smiled, and brushed my hair out of my eyes. 

        "You know, your eyes really are gold," he told me, like he hadn't heard my comment. I huffed, glaring harder. It usually made people flinch with the hate that could fill them, but he only laughed. 

        "I've noticed," I said coldly. He showed his perfect white teeth in a grin, saying:
        
        "You're cute when you're angry, you know." his eyes met mine, and I felt a sudden rush in my stomach, like a flock of birds had taken off in panic. I breathed in deeply, my heartbeat suddenly speeding like I'd just run the 100 metre sprint. 

        I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I'd just been called cute! This had never happened before...totally new territory for me. What should I do? What should I say? 

        My knees turned to water as he flickered his gaze down from my eyes to my lips. My throat was dry, and my palms were turning into mini waterfalls with the sweat that was pouring off them.

        I shivered as he bowed his head slightly, our noses almost touching. My breath hitched and I met his eyes in shock. 

        "W-what?" I whispered, but he put a hand on my lips softly. 

        "Shh. Don't worry," he told me quietly, leaning in even more. I could swear there were mere centimetres between us now. 

        His hand came up and tilted my head up slightly, and our lips met.

        My knees almost buckled, but his strong hand on my back held me up. His lips were soft, impossibly soft and gentle. 

        His free hand held the back of my head, cradling it in the gentlest gesture I could think of. The birds had turned to butterflies, tickling the inside of my stomach and roaming their way all over my body.
        
        The butterflies exploded in my stomach, fluttering their way in a riot of colour all the way to the tips of my hair. My eyes had fluttered closed as I felt his warm lips against mine. I felt like I had been missing a piece of me all my life, and now I was complete.

        He pulled away, our eyes meeting again. Slowly, he smiled. I couldn't help it - I smiled back, probably looking like some mental hospital patient, but inside I was celebrating, fireworks exploding in my heart like a New Year party. 
        
        He kissed me. Wynn Weatherstaff kissed me.