Chapter 9
Astrid's POV
We've now arrived to our destination. Ruel was behind me, and I have something going on in my mind. I'll try to make Mister Creepy R come out of him even though he's a creep and annoying. But it's better than having to deal with someone who is cold and ignorant.
And no I'm not making Mister Creepy R show up because I like his flirty ways. In fact, I hated it. I'm just finding the talkative one.
You could see a lake surrounded with tall trees around and mountains far from where we're standing creating a beautiful scenery. I haven't visited this place since my mother died because no one wants to come with me in here.
"Welcome to this paradise. Me and my family used to hang out in here but we stopped going to this place since my mom died." Both of us hopped out of the horses and we tied them in a tree.
The real reason is that none of us wants to go here except me because the memories will flash back in our heads and we'll just be hurt again. I don't get why they don't want to go here even though the memories we had in this place were all happy.
"Why did you decided to go here all of the sudden?"
"Maybe because it just popped up inside my head." I chuckled. I laid a picnic blanket in the grass, laying the contents that came in the picnic basket after I did.
I started walking towards the direction of a small boat that I saw in the corner of my eye. I remembered that time where me and Maxwell were riding this boat then we fell out of it. We almost drowned but in the end we still ended up laughing until our stomach hurts because of what just happened.
That is what you called abnormality.
"Ruel!" I called out his name and without even looking at him I could feel him running towards me. "Can you help me?"
I didn't wait for his response anymore since he's already helping pull out this boat. We pushed it into the water, letting it float around for a second and without a doubt, I immediately hopped inside of it.
I think Mister Creepy R is showing.
It was only fit for two people and it comes with a wooden paddle. "Let's go." He hesitated to go in which leads me to questioning why.
"Can I pass?"
"No you can't." I appreciate that he asked me that politely but my self didn't even acknowledge the fact that he doesn't want to go. I grabbed his hand pulling him inside the boat.
I started rowing it, not even caring about what Ruel is doing behind me. The waters were still and the sun reflects on It's clear greenish tone. I stopped once I reached the middle of the lake, not that far away from the shore.
I looked around until my attention stumbled towards Ruel who's sitting at the boat trembling for a bit as he looked at where we are now. I thought he was brave enough to handle anything he encounters then why is he shaking in fear?
He even stole an apple from the princess yet he's behind me looking around as he shakes in fear.
"What's wrong?" I asked going near him.
"Astrid, can we go back?"
I squatted down to his position careful enough so that the incident that happened between me and Maxwell won't happen again. "I never thought that my bodyguard would be scared." I said trying to lighten up his mood even if It's just a little bit.
"Good for you, because you already found out that myself whom I thought was never scared of anything is now trembling in fear just by looking at this lake. Now, can we go back?"
"Relax. It's not like a whale would swallow you alive in here." I reached out my hand in front of him with a smile. "Here. Grab my hand."
He hesitantly did since I feel like I could hear my thoughts that was saying he doesn't trust me. I advised him to go ahead of me, still holding his hand. We walked towards the side of the boat where the scenery was much more clearer, and I bet he might calm down.
"Much better?" I asked as he tried to admire the scene without thinking about the water below us and I just received a nod. I think I made him regret living his life.
"I'll just go back to sitting." He let go of my hand, walking back to where his position was before but we both stopped when the boat suddenly started moving. Shh, don't tell anyone that I actually played a role in helping the boat move.
I might've gone a little bit far when the boat turned upside down making us both fall out of it, but I swear that wasn't my intention at all.
Before we could even scream, we've already submerged under the water.
I can't see him below the waters, but what I do know is that I could feel him rising, catching his breath.
I decided to play a little prank on him.
I slowly lifted my head up, enough for me to breath and see what he's doing. I could see terror creeping up his body when he realized he couldn't find me anywhere even if I'm behind him.
"Astrid? Astrid!" He shouted, trying to look for me but not having enough courage to do so. He turned around and I submerged back under the waters and caught a glimpse of his face full of worry. "Astrid, don't joke around, PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU! COME OUT!" Even if I'm under the waters, I could hear his voice, just inaudibly.
I went out the water, showing myself up in front of him. I released the water that went inside my mouth, and my eyes were a bit blurry. I bet he was grossed out when I spat the water out near him.
When my vision started to clear up, I looked at Ruel who has this annoyed look on his face which made me burst out laughing and coughing at the same time.
"It's not funny! Do you know how worried I am!? Do you know who would take responsibility if you got lost here!? I won't even have the courage to find you in this very lake! What would happen if I lost you here!? I will have to find you until the day I die or else I will be guilty all my life!" I immediately stopped laughing when he yelled at me full of anger.
"I'm very sorry. I'm just trying to lighten up the mood." No, I don't think I'm trying to lighten up his mood anymore.
"No you're not! You're just making everything worse!" See that? I think I made one person dislike me. And I swear everyone in this earth likes me.
He left me in the middle of that lake that was almost reaching my neck, not bothering about the green waters surrounding him because of the anger taking over his whole being at this moment.
I'm slowly regretting what I just did. I soon followed after him grabbing the boat by myself along with the paddle that came with it. I reached the shore pulling the boat out and I know Ruel was angry at me but he still insisted to pull this thing out.
I realized that I didn't actually bring the paddle with me. And it's somewhere out there in the lake. UGH! I don't want to go back.
You know what, I'll just leave it there.
As me and Ruel was going back to the picnic blanket, I heard a thud from behind me. I looked back at the boat and the paddle was there.
That's real strange.
Maybe I brought it with me at the first place but I just didn't saw it clearly inside the boat. After all I just took a peek one second ago. Hm. Yeah point. My mind is messing with me lately.
We both sat down on the picnic blanket, and I was now scolding myself inside my brain for what I just did. I looked at him who's removing his wet coat and putting it behind my back. I don't know how he still managed to be a gentleman towards me even if he's in the midst of his furious state.
"I apologize for what I did. I just wanted you to have fun with me today. I know what I did was wrong so I'm very sorry." I started before silence could even grow between us.
"It's okay. Just… don't do that again in the future." I just nodded at his response.
"Do you really mean what you said when you told me that you will find me until the day you die?" I sure know that this will lead to a wrong path after I asked that question, especially when Mister Creepy R still exists in his body.
It took him some time to respond to my question and it was very intense when he was looking straight in my eyes the whole time. And since I don't want to continue the intense feeling, I immediately look away and decided to grab the sweet delicacy inside the picnic basket. I started eating it and I thought he would still take a long time to answer.
"Of course I do mean what I said. I would even die for you." Well, there you have it people. Mister Creepy R is back again.
I don't know what is happening to me when he asked me this question: "Is my princess blushing?" Did I hear him right? Am I actually blushing at what he just said.
"No I'm not!" I said while I look away from him. Once I finally calmed down, I looked back at him confident that I'm no longer blushing. Hopefully I will not be blushing again at his words. "Besides I'm not yours, and I never will be." I hope so.
"Let me tell you something princess." I feel like I don't know if the earth was still moving when he grabbed my chin and moved closer to my face. Another thing is that… I'M LOOKING DOWN AT HIS LIPS THEN AT HIS EYES. I'm going crazy!
"Never say never."
The way he said that was seductive.
I don't have the strength to move because I feel like I've been cursed by him. I was praying that he would move away but just as I thought he finally would, he touched my lips with his thumb and I'm already screaming on the inside. It's just... UGH!
The next thing he did was move away from me and licked his thumb. "Icing." If you don't know, I actually ate something with icing, but I didn't know that there was icing on my mouth.
We continued talking and We're getting along just well again. We waited until We're all dried up and I realized the sun was starting to set, meaning It's time to go back.
"Race you to the castle?" I offered a challenge while I was hopping onto the horse's back.
"I bet I will win." He started leaving me there alone. He simply doesn't take second place as an option.
"Hey!" I followed behind him as the sky slowly turned into this beautiful reddish color with a small hint of purple.
Now that we're friends, it's safe to say that we're now a little bit close... But... Can something wrong possibly happen?