Scarred Hearts [A Hearts of Gold Novel] ✔

Chapter Four

a/n new chapter! I hope you like it, I spent almost two hours typing it, and now I no longer have any written chapters. I will have to keep going later. ENJOY! 

P.S. cover art on the side made by yours truly *points to self* - girl model is @_purity :)

Dedicated to all those girls in the world that have been 'robbed' and need the strength to SPEAK OUT. God bless you.

Chapter 4

I had been working on the fence for a little over an hour. It was hot; I probably looked like a bright tomato. I had taken off my shirt to cool off, and it was probably not a good idea. Leyda was going to be coming back soon, but she showed me what to do with the fence. I was, however, worried that she would catch me off guard, without a shirt. I did not want to make her uncomfortable.

"You are the color of scarlet."

I almost dropped the hammer on my foot. I looked over my shoulder. Leyda was standing a few feet away. Okay, so I felt uncomfortable around girls without a shirt.

"Yeah," I said, chuckling uneasily. "I burn pretty easily."

"I brought you some cold water," she said, holding up a canteen.

I hesitated at first, but the cold water was calling my name and I could not ignore it. I placed the hammer on the fence post I was working on, and turned slowly before walking towards Leyda slowly. Her eyes remained on my face as she gave me the canteen, but every so often, she would look down to my chest.

"Be sure to rub aloe Vera on your back tonight," she said, stuttering a little. "Cold aloe works best."

"Okay," I said, after taking a long drink of water. "Please excuse my appearance."

Leyda smiled and looked to her left at the green mountains.

"Why am I 'Lava Girl'?" Leyda asked after a while, looking back at me. "How did you come up with that name, and why?"

I thought over her questions for a moment. Why did I give her that name? I smiled to myself when I realized the explanation.

"You are going to think that I am at an extremely low level of maturity," I said with a chuckle. "You are going to think I am too much of a kid that you won't want to be around me anymore."

Leyda smiled, "Try me," she said.

I took a deep breath before going on.

"You are just like that kind of person that is struggling with character. Like, you know you can do one thing, but you do the complete opposite. In addition, you name is Leyda Gabbi, right? Well LG . . . Lava Girl, like that movie. . ."

Leyda seemed to be taking a lot of thought in what I was saying. I hoped she would not take it the wrong way.

"It seems you have me pinned," she said after a moment.

"I didn't offend you, did I?" I asked.

"No. . . What is that scar from?" she pointed at my chest.

I looked at it for a long time; should I tell her about the heart? I sighed, deciding not to say anything about it, not yet.

"Remember when I was at the hospital?" I asked, picking up my shirt from the ground. "I had just woken up from surgery. I had a heart transplant, saved my life from a torturous future."

I took off my hat and pulled on my shirt. I winced as the fabric touched my burned skin. Leyda had her hand covering her mouth. Tears swelled in her eyes. I immediately understood that Leyda was also sensitive in that area. I thought maybe I should comfort her, but at the same time, I did not want to give the wrong impression.