Long Bridge

3

The next morning Kassidy woke up to the smell of pancakes coming from downstairs. She breathed in the pleasant aroma while still lying in bed. Ruels bed. She turned over to see Ruel still sound asleep. He was lying on his back, hair disheveled. He looked so peaceful compared to the angry fisherman she saw the day before. She had noticed the way he softened up his attitude throughout the tour of town. Kassidy thought about what he had said, "Does he really like me? Nah. You're crazy. He was just being polite and trying to keep me safe... "

Ruel turned over toward Kassidy, pouted lips letting out soft snores. The light shining from a window on the other side of the room enhanced all of Ruels perfect features. His nose was softly curved, his sharp jawline in contrast. He was wrapped completely in the blanket, Kassidy only getting a little of it. His long eyelashes fluttered and Ruels green eyes blinked open. Kassidy turned her head in the other direction. "I saw that" he chuckled. Kassidy turned beat red, "Saw what?" He smirked and turned around, back facing Kassidy. She decided it was time to get up.

She walked downstairs, the pancake smell getting stronger the closer she got to the bakery. When she reached the bottom of the stairwell, she noticed the pancake smell was coming from Harry in the kitchen. He was in full yellow pajamas and humming an unfamiliar tune. Louis was sitting on the table next to him, his hair in every direction and his stubble noticeable. "Good morning. Something smells delicious!" Kassidy says startling Harry, his back turned. "Good morning love! Me and Lou are making pancakes. Well, I'm making pancakes while he watches," Harry giggled, "Is Ruel awake? He's not usually still asleep at this hour. Usually up and doing who knows what." Kassidy nodded at the question. 

A few minutes later, a sleepy Ruel walked down the stairs. Kassidy's eyes widened at his appearance. He was shirtless with glasses on the bridge of his nose, abs on full display, blue pajama pants hanging just below. Kassidy felt her cheeks heat up and turned back to Harry and Louis. "Mornin'," Ruel yawned. He stretched his arms over his head and rubbed his eyes. Kassidy thought he looked absolutely gorgeous. Ruel walked over to Louis and Harry and gave them both a kiss on the cheek, "Smells heavenly. Thank you." Both Louis and Harry gave Ruel a warm smile. "I would die for this man I swear." Kassidy thought watching Ruel sit down at a small table located in the corner. "Take a seat these pancakes are almost done. What would you like on them?" Harry asked. "Just syrup and butter please. Thank you so much for this by the way, you are pretty great people." Kassidy beamed. "Oh it's no problem deary, make yourself at home." Harry started plating the pancakes. 

Kassidy walked over to the table Ruel was sitting at hesitantly because of what he said the night before and because of the anxious look on his face. Of course she was still wary that what he said was just him being nice and he didn't like her like that. She sat down slowly, Ruel looking anywhere but at her. "Hey... How did you sleep?" Kassidy was shifting around in her seat. "Fine." He replies. Kassidy was about to ask what was wrong before Louis walked over and placed their pancakes in front of them, "Hope you like them. I did most of the work of course." Louis snickered when he saw Harry stick his tongue out at him. Kassidy was kind of relieved that they took some of the tension off.

She picked up her fork and dug in. "Oh my god these.... Are the best pancakes I have ever had!" She was eating like it was her first meal in days. The syrup is handmade and sweet, the butter is creamy and just perfect, and the pancakes themselves.... They were like heaven on a plate. Ruel wasn't eating, just staring at Kassidy in awe. Kassidy didn't notice. Harry started to put all of the pancake making supplies away, "I am so glad you like them. Me and Louis are heading out to go get our supply of baking things for the day. We'll be back in a bit. Ruel, no funny business. Kassidy, keep an eye on him." Ruels parents said their goodbyes, Harry giving him a kiss on the forehead and Louis ruffling his hair. They walked out of the bakery with their hands intertwined. Kassidy loved them. 

"So... What do you want to do today?" Ruel asked hoping she forgot that she wanted to try and get off the island today. "I already told you last night... Come on, let's go build a boat or something." Kassidy stood up, her chair making a loud noise as it scraped the floor. Ruel gripped her wrist. Hard. "And i told you last night that you can't leave. It's too dangerous..." Ruels eyes were like daggers. Kassidy snatched her wrist away from his hand, "Are you serious? I can do whatever the hell I want!" She noticed how Ruel flinched and she softened, "Fine... I didn't think it was really that serious..." Kassidy was shocked that he would grab her wrist like that. There was a thickness in the air around them. An elephant in the room. Should Kassidy bring up what was said last night? Should she bring up how it's weird how much Ruel wants her to stay here? She chose to keep it to herself. Ruel huffed and made it completely obvious that he was pissed.  Without another word exchanged between the two, Ruel walked back upstairs to his room. Kassidy breathed deeply and let a tear fall, "What the hell just happened." She was honestly so scared that she would never be able to leave. 

Around an hour later, Louis and Harry came back to the shop. Harry saw Kassidy and looked around rapidly as if something was up, "What are you still doing down here? Where's Ruel? Did he do something wrong? Are you alright?" Harry hugged Kassidy tight just in case something really was wrong. "I'm okay I swear. Ruel is upstairs and he didn't do anything to me don't worry. Thanks for the concern though." She really was grateful for their hospitality, but she didn't blame Harry for worrying about her. Her face was still blotchy from crying and she still hadn't moved from the spot where Ruel had left her. "I'll go check on Ruel..." Louis said while walking towards the stairs. "If you don't feel comfortable about talking about it, I understand." Harry runs a hand through Kassidy's hair for comfort. "It's just... I am so scared. I want to go back home. To my friends and my family. It's only been a day and i'm already so homesick. I don't even know why i'm telling you this... It's not like you can really help." Kassidy started to tear up again, Harry rubbing her back to soothe her. "Oh but I can help you... I have a secret. I haven't told anyone except for my husband since he's in on this too. But you have to promise to keep it to yourself. This is going to be a surprise for him too." Kassidy nodded her head to assure Harry that she won't tell a single soul. 

"Alright, so we have this boat we have been building for years now, strong enough to take us back to America. Me and Lou work on what we have of it everyday when everyone is asleep. The boat is what got us here anyways, it's just missing some parts... But before you ask why it didn't disappear, I honestly have no idea." Harry finished, looking visibly relieved like he had been holding this inside of himself for a long time, which he had been. "So you're telling me that there's a chance that we can get out of here?" Harry nodded his head. "This is great! So what do I do in the meantime?" Kassidy questioned. "Just make the best of this place. It's not so bad once you find something that makes you happy here." Harry walked back behind the counter to start making the days batches of bakery items. Kassidy thought long and hard about what he had just said, ultimately deciding to go to Ruels room.

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Sooooooo a fight between Ruel and Kassidy and a new discovery about a boat that could get them all off. Harry seems very helpful..... Is it a trick?? Or is it just harry being the humble person he is? We may never know... 

Why do you think Kassidy is going to Ruels room even though he's mad?