The Hollows In Our Freedom | 'Hollows' Book Ⅲ

Chapter Forty-Nine

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T h e   H o l l o w s   I n
O U R  F R E E D O M
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"Okay," I announced, "here we are." I hung my clothes and towel from a branch, laying a plastic sheet down by the 'entrance' to the river and taking my shoes off, standing on it.

Jace did the same, before asking, "now what?"

I threw him a confused glance. "We take our clothes off and wash?"

At this, Jace went silent.

I, on the other hand, had always flaunted my body around and so couldn't care less if a therapist saw it. This was a mission, and often a naked body is the least of our concerns.

Though, as I slipped off my joggers, I did feel a bout of self-consciousness hit me. Maybe it was because I was in front of him, and I didn't want him to think I didn't look as good as I thought I did.

Well, egoistic people get demoralised sometimes.

"Are you watching me?" I asked him suddenly, after pulling off my top. I had only my underwear left.

He didn't respond, so once I was fully stripped, I turned to see if he was.

"Christ, Lex!" He shouted, jumping and turning away, almost as if I was a disease.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "You were."

He didn't respond, and instead stood with his back against me, hunched over slightly as if he was curling up.

I huffed. "I don't look that ugly, Jace." I said, taking off the rest of my clothes before slipping into the river, hanging around near the edge so that I could reach my toiletries.

Jace turned, and he started to watch me. It wasn't weird though, the water pretty much covered everything. You could see slight cleavage, but when could you never with me?

"Are there any fish?" He asked, making me pause shampooing my hair to give him a weird look.

"I can't tell if you're being serious." I said, watching him inch closer to look over the edge cautiously.

He didn't respond, and instead asked another question, "is it a muddy floor?"

I covered the rest of my hair in shampoo with a frown on my face. "No, it's kinda like stone." I said, before closing my eyes and dipping under to wash out the shampoo.

I returned to see Jace right in front of me, crouching down at the edge.

"Crap, Jace." I said, holding one hand over my chest, the other brushing water off my face.

"I thought you'd drowned!" He responded, drawing back from the water, looking actually shocked.

I rolled my eyes, becoming impatient with him. "Take off your clothes and get in here." Jace was taken aback by my directness, but soon started to shed his clothes.

I didn't really watch, partly because I got some of my face wash in my eye, but also out of decency. I dipped into the water once more, washing the suds from my face.