Scarred | ✔

Chapter 23: My Type.

James led me to the part of the room where we were in an appropriate position from the aiming board.

"You know how to hold it right?" he asked.

"If I've seen correctly on YouTube-"  I held the bow away from me, positioning it in the way I saw on YouTube-when I was planning on teaching myself but funny, I ended up hurting my nose in process-and put the arrow between it.

"Is this right?"

He eyed the way I placed the arrow and bow circumspectly. "Wait."

He came to stand beside me and put both of his hands on my waist turning my position to the right as I froze under his touch.

"Keep your right leg at the back and left leg in front of it." I did as he instructed me doing my best in concentrating on what he said rather than what he was doing.

"Now-" he paced at my back where my back touched his chest and I tensed up.

His hands covered my arms and gripped my hands that were on the arrow. He pulled one lightly and I felt myself pushed in his chest and covered in his smell. He smelled of mint and cherries. I like cherries.

"You just push it lightly and close your right eye to aim at the red dot, or when you're hunting, at the bird or whatever, and then let the arrow go."

He let the arrow go free in a sudden force that my eyes shut instantly and i turned my face as it half buried in his chest and half exposed.

I heard him chuckle slightly causing me to open my eyes and see that the arrow had landed on the red dot.

"Wow." I exhaled.

He let go of me but i was unable to balance myself, still in the reverie of what just happened.

"There you go." He said.

"Now try it yourself, and don't stiff. Also, avoid making that crease on your forehead." He grinned.

"Hey, that's when I'm the most concentrated." I clarified.

"Then why weren't you concentrated before?" He accused me, playing with me.

I thought for a second and said what came in my mind at first. "That's because you were standing so close." I murmured so he couldn't hear.

"Glad i have that affect on you." He smirked and half sang turning around to get another arrow.

I didn't realize I was sulking until I touched my cheeks and it dawned on me how unnerving it was, around him.

"Here, now try on your own." He handed me another arrow as I placed the bow again to its position.

I did as I had learned before and it hit to the point just outside the red dot.

A smile instinctively invaded my face. "Yay!" I jumped a little in excitement causing him to smile too.

"You're good."

"You betcha."

                                                                                         *  *  *  *

"That's all you guys did?!" Melanie asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Mel. We just hung out in his kitchen after that for half an hour where we discussed about the journalism assignment that's due Monday." I said over the phone.

"You didn't even go to his room?"

"What is wrong with you Mel." I stated more than asking and rolled my eyes.