Long Bridge

5

When they got back to the bakery, instead of Harry baking and Louis sitting on the counter, it was the complete opposite. Louis was baking while Harry was on the counter, licking frosting off of a spatula. Every once in a while, Louis would put down the equipment and run his fingers through Harry's hair. They were sickeningly cute. It smelled of cinnamon and vanilla. Kassidy figured it was cinnamon rolls. "Just in time for a quick bedtime snack." Harry said getting down from the counter, Louis moving over and taking his hand out of Harry's curls. 

The stars were shining high in the sky by the time Kassidy and Ruel got back home from the cliff, lips still tingling from the kiss they shared only an hour earlier. They looked at each other and quickly looked away with a blush. "What did you lot do? Did you have fun? Make any trouble?" Harry asked coming over to the two. "Had a lot of fun. Just uh... went to the cliff." Ruel murmured bashfully. He looked down at the floor, "I think i'll just take the cinnamon roll to my room... Kassidy do you wanna eat down here or are you gonna meet me up there?" Kassidy didn't know what to say. It took her a minute to respond but she ultimately replied, "I'll just eat down here." She didn't want it to seem like she was avoiding him because she wasn't, she just wanted to talk to Louis and Harry. Ruel looked at her silently asking if everything was okay with a raised eyebrow. She nodded her head and gave him a warm smile. He grabbed a roll from a plate on the table and disappeared upstairs. 

"Okay so I have a few questions for you guys. Um so I wanted to know how you got here..." Kassidy wasn't sure what questions would pass boundaries so she asked each of her questions with uncertainty and very quietly. "Well we got here in a similar situation as you. Lou and I were just coming here out of curiosity after adopting Ruel from Australia. We had just gotten married and really wanted to share the world with Ruel. We had heard of this island from a friend of ours... Ruel was only a child then, around 10 so this has kind of been his only home since his adoption. Kinda sad huh." Harry looked around kind of downhearted. It made Kassidy frown. "I was also wondering if you know anyone who might know how to get off the island. I know you're building your boat and everything but I still want to reach out. Maybe get to know other people here." Kassidy was honestly just killing time so she could calm down before seeing Ruel again after the kiss. The kiss. She was still feeling butterflies, almost as if she was still in that moment. She was half way zoned out when Harry was answering her question, "-She lives in a house right next to the butcher. Have fun getting there though. The butcher is a handful. I don't recommend it. You could seriously get hurt." 

Who's 'she'? Kassidy zoned out she didn't hear who that 'she' was. Embarrassed, she says,"I'm sorry who?" Harry didn't look phased, just said, "Gladys by the butcher..." "Oh..Thank you." Kassidy started slowly walked towards the stairs just in case they had anything else to say. "Well babe, you're so very welcome. If she doesn't have any answers for you, living here with us is still on the table," he noticed her starting to walk, thinking she's probably going to sleep, "Goodnight!" Harry sweetly says, Louis saying the same in unison with him. With a little wave, Kassidy crept toward Ruel's room, just in case he'd fallen asleep. 

The door was cracked open with light spilling into the hallway. She waddled in and flopped face first onto the bed next to Ruel. She groaned into the mattress. Ruel moved one of his hands from the book he was reading and placed it on her curls. "What's your deal" he laughed. She flipped over onto her back and looked at the beauty in front of her. He was wearing those goddamn glasses that made Kassidy's heart pound. Just like that morning, Ruel was shirtless and only wearing pajama pants. This time, they were a red flannel with a neat little black bow tied in the middle of the waistline. 

Kassidy rolled over onto his chest. She could hear every thump of his heartbeat. She could feel the muscles underneath his skin. She rested her hand on his stomach. Ruel hummed, "I overheard you and Harry talking about Gladys. Trust me, I've already tried. She just makes stuff up. Weird voodoo witch shit. Don't get tied into that" He scooted down a little for comfort causing Kassidy to shift up a bit onto his shoulder, hand on his chest. His arm was around her and his hand was stroking her arm in soft circles. Kassidy was getting sleepy because of the warmth underneath her, that warmth being Ruel obviously. Her eyes started to close and Ruel's presence started to feel far away until she was dead asleep.

She woke up bright and early to go visit the lady next to the butcher even though Ruel told her she shouldn't. She couldn't just let go of and opportunity that could actually help her off of the island. Kassidy thought about the reaction Ruel might have if he found out about her visit. She shook the thought from her head and very carefully slipped away from Ruel's arms. She quietly put on a dull grey coat that was just lying around the bedroom. Every movement she made sounded ten times louder than usual due to the uncomfortable silence that fell through the building. Every step she took left behind a creak from the floorboards shifting under her weight. Her clothes rubbing together sounded brassy and annoying to her ears. Every move she made had a constant fear of getting caught within. She finally was able to get out of the bedroom without disturbing Ruel. Next challenge was getting down the stairs. As she moved down the hallway, it felt as if the hallway was darker than usual and the quietness was earsplitting. It was dark enough that if anyone or anything was watching her, she wouldn't be able to know. She successfully got down the stairs and smoothly slipped out the front doors. 

A wave of relief hit her like a truck as soon as she took her first few steps outside. It was as if she hadn't been breathing the whole time she was inside. Street lamps were emitting a soft glow to the town. A cool drizzle of rain wet her skin. The moon was starting to lower, the clouds were partially covering it. The town was almost as quiet as the inside of the bakery besides the faint sound of crashing of waves on shore. Shuffling toward the butcher, she just hoped that this would be the answer. That this would be the key to her escape.

________________________________________________________________________________

i feel like these chapters are way too slow. but idk. lemme know