𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 • 𝙅𝙖𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙖𝙡𝙚

31; when fear rules you

Just to Clarify; the sun shines brightly all weekend. Elias takes it as a good omen to go on with his plans. Bella, on the other hand, can't be swayed so easily.

"I don't feel too good about this," she pants harshly, swatting a low hanging tree branch away from her face as they walk.

The forest is alive that morning, plush in shades of green and brown with streams of light bellowing down the thick covering of trees. Elias, for the first time in weeks, doesn't feel tired. He feels excited- it powers him through him like gasoline in a car.

"It's just a little fire, no biggie," Elias encourages, bouncing lithely over a rocky path in his way. The insides of a red backpack resting over his shoulder makes a clinking sound, reminding him of his goal. Without thinking, he quickens his steps.

"Sometimes, fire scares people. We're not all like you," Bella hurries to catch up with him, her tone accusing as the expression on her face, "who quite literally, wants to jump head first into the flames."

Elias twists his head back as he walks, giving the brunette a mock offended look. "If I remember correctly, it's you who said I should have a bucket list," he corrects, then slows his place as notices how flustered Bella looks.

"And I meant doing tasks like wanting to fly a plane, or get a tattoo," she sighs, finally catching up until they're walking at the same pace. She's exhausted as she huffs out, "Not setting yourself on fire."

"Okay, I'll get a tattoo after this if it calms you down," is all the Sherwood boy offers, shrugging the backpack onto his shoulders as it slips. Another metallic clink comes from inside. His feet quicken again in reaction.

Bella watches him for a moment, hating how she's fretting over him when he looks especially... alive. Eyes bright and body humming. She's only saw him a few times like this- in faces of danger and moments of love... the latter with Jasper.

"I mean, should we even be this far out?" she finally speaks her mind, casting a look behind her. They're on a unmarked path in the woods, one Elias leads with confidence. They'd started behind the girls house at eight in the morning and they'd walked for around an hour.

When she's first moving to Forks, in those moments of boredom, she'd walked the trails endlessly and ended up learning the woods pretty well. But even she wasn't sure if she could find her way back right now. This is a bad idea, she thinks again. "What if you have a seizure?"

Elias halts and turns to her, his face wiping clean and being replaced with a stone cold expression. "I can do this alone," he threatens lowly. He knows it's mean, and a bluff, but he can't stop now. He can't.

Her brown eyes notice quickly at how the determination lining him isn't from the healthier of the two options like she thought. He isn't buzzing in excitement as he's looking forward to setting himself on fire. He looks like he's about to face danger, or face a fear.

"Why do you want to do this?" She whispers, concerned even more now.

Eli's face is wiped clean of his actual emotions and replaced with something cocky. "I've always wanted to see if I'm capable of it," he shrugs, and leans forward to start their trek again. Bella wraps a arm around his bicep to stop him.

She gives a 'stop lying' look. "And what's the other reason?" She ask seriously.

Eli's eyes tighten, showing only a sliver of grey. She was right, he was afraid. But of what?