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Their town, high up in the mountains, rarely experiences sunny days. The sun would come out but the air would carry a chill instead of warmth, nor would the sky be blue rather than a mournful gray.
Except for today.
So, Medea took that as a sign from the divine to drag a few folding chairs out into the back garden, whip up some tangy lemonade and chose a good book from her ever-growing to-be-read list.
She sighed as warmth seeped into her skin, chasing out the cold that had been biting into her bones since last night. Her parents were both gone so she could relax without their constant attention, without having to pretend that she wasn't tired, or worried or--
She shook the dark mood away and hiked up her shorts to her thighs and folded the hem of her tank top to show her stomach, exposing them to the sun, but was careful to lower her hat over her face. Her pale skin had a tendency to break out into freckles. Medea sipped on cool lemonade, opened the book to where she left it last and readied herself for the only type of adventure that she could ever enjoy.
Of course, having just one day where she could actually enjoy herself without being interrupted was too much to ask for because a voice wrenched her away from her book and made her spilled lemonade over her legs.
Sen winced as he walked closer; all long limbs and amiable smile. "Sorry about that."
A glare appeared on her face. "What are you doing here?"
"Same as what you're doing, enjoying the sun." Panting slightly, he lowered himself to pick up the glass and put it back on the table from where she knocked it over. He wore an old faded blue T-shirt with the sleeves ripped off and shorts, his skin glistening with sweat. He had running shoes on his feet and ear buds around his neck; hard and fast guitar riffs reached Medea's ears.
"Can't you enjoy them somewhere else?"
It was either he was ignoring the scowl on her face or he thought looking as if she wished he fell down a cliff was her default resting face. "I was, but that's the thing with running, it takes you from point A to point B."
"Ha." Medea shook off the excess water from her legs, it wasn't until she caught him looking at her stomach and her thighs that she realized how much skin she was showing. Heat blossomed in her cheeks but she refused to fiddle with her clothes. It was her home and she could wear whatever she wanted.
She nearly bared her teeth at him when he took a seat on the edge of her folding chair, his weight making it creak. She did bare her teeth when he touched her bandaged ankle, examining it as if he knew what he was doing.
"How does it feel?"
"It's fine."
His fingers were cool where it graze her skin, making her really aware that she forgo shaving her legs this morning. His eyes were doing that annoying thing again--looking at her as if he was slowly cataloging things about her into his mental space--and she crossed her arms over her chest, while she didn't wear a bra, she did wear a tight enough tank top to keep everything in place, and she had a lot of everything to keep in place.
"You'll burn." He said, his dark eyes still on her.
"You're as pale as I am and I don't see you covering up."
A small smile quirked his lips. "I turn brown. You turn red."
She decided to give him a taste of his own medicine and eyed him back, comparing what she saw last night to what she was seeing under the sun. She figured he was right about the turning brown part, already his skin had a dark hue underneath the paleness, rather than black his eyes were a dark brown that shimmered in the change of light. His features were delicate rather than handsome, saved from being feminine by the strength of his jawline and the depth of his eyes. His hair was cut neat and short, slicked back away from his face to display the high cheekbones and emphasized the straight stare of his eyes. She was right about the breadth of his shoulders and the muscle underneath, his biceps weren't only defined but carved. There were little long white scars along his hands and forearms that she recognized for what they were, as well as the calluses she had felt on his fingertips. She had seen them on Yukiko. Apparently like his grandmother, the grandson also trained in the art of the Japanese longbow and sword. That explained the confidence, the steadiness she could sense from him, it was easy to be confident when you know you have control over your body and your emotions. That you know you can handle yourself in a fight.
To help with her mental state, Yukiko had tried to teach her Kyudo and Kendo. She was decent with the long bow but dismal with a sword. She lacked the focus and the patience to practice the basics, and she didn't like it. She often joined Yukiko for an hour of meditation after Yukiko's practice but that too, she wasn't particularly good at.
She was too restless, too impatient, her mind was too loud, Yukiko had once complained, irritated with her lack of progress.
Her disappointment had hurt.
"Seriously, what are you doing here?"
He gestured toward himself. “I was running, I passed by here, I thought I’d stopped by.”
“You were running from Yukiko's?" She tilted her head to see the top of the mountain where Yukiko lived. "From there?"
Sen grinned. "No, I was at a friend's house, he lived nearby."
Friends? He's been here a minute and he already has friends?, Medea thought. Some people have all the luck. Then she remembered something. "Oh, are you here for your coat?"
He pulled the collar of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face and gave her a short glimpse of hard abs. "Nah, that can wait. It's not like I need it right now."
She narrowed her eyes as suspicion entered her head. "Did Yukiko ask you to check on me?"
"No." The grin on his face widened when I kept my eyes on his face. "Really, she didn't."
"I don't believe you."
"She did ask me to look out for you but that's not why I'm here." He leaned closer, his eyes looking straight at her. "I need a favor."
"A favor."
"No need to sound so surprised--"
"I'm not."
"--after all, I did carry you to safety last night--"
She rolled her eyes and pulled her tank top down, finally felt like she could do that without drawing attention to her discomfort. "Just tell me."
"I need you to show me where your mom's shop is."
Amusement made her want to smile but she pressed her lips together. "She got you with the brownies, did she?"
"I'm her slave." He told her, deadpan. "And Yukiko asked me to pick her up there."
"Ask your friend. Everyone know's my mom's place."
"He's currently not at home, and I'd ask for directions but this town is pretty much a maze."
That was true enough, Medea conceded, the number of people in this town might be small but the land was vast and the directions not too clear either. It was like the town was made confusing on purpose, one of the main attractions for the town folk was to befuddle as many tourists as possible and watch them circle back and forth. It was hilarious.
Medea squirmed under Sen's expectant gaze, the way he just sat there and stared at her without moving a muscle. It was irritating.
As if he could sense her surrender, he beamed at her. "So, I'll meet you here in an hour? I have to jog back and take a shower. I'll pick you up."
"Fine." She grumbled. Medea watched him jog away with a sullen look on her face, annoyed with how she couldn't figure out an excuse to refuse him.
***
He was punctual, she would give him that. He arrived at her house within an hour and not a second more, looking fresh in a green shirt and blue jeans. His hair was still damp from a shower and his skin glowed with health and exercise. She had also showered and dressed in a soft purple shirt a mini denim skirt but looking at him, she felt pale, tired and worn. Since she didn't bother with makeup or fussing with her hair, she probably did look like how she felt.
She hobbled out of the door before he reached the porch and watched him decide whether to help her or to let her walk on her own. He decided to reach for the car and opened the door for her.
"Sorry about this." He said after she managed to climb up the car. "I didn't think about your leg."
Strangely, she suddenly felt better. "It's fine. Take this road."
Copyright © 2015 by D.F. Jules
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