Left Behind – Episode 9

Left Behind – Episode 9
 
© Happy William
 
Harriet’s POV
 
.
 
The next morning, I woke up with a little pain in my head. I must have had a terrible nightmare, because I felt scared last night. But I couldn’t remember it.
 
This place is starting to freak me out.
 
I tapped Jean lightly.
 
She mumbled something incorrigible, and turned to her side. I smiled and decided to let her sleep. Getting up from the bed carefully so as not to disturb her, I headed to the shower.
 
I’m still marvelling at how wealthy this house was!
 
.
 
After shower Jean woke up.
 
“Good morning,” she said sleepily.
 
I smiled. “Didn’t expect you up so soon. You were log like.”
 
“Yeah? That’s because you didn’t let me catch a wink of sleep. You kept on chanting ‘leave me alone’ through out. What were you dreaming?”
 
I stared past her and stammered, “I–I don’t r–remember.”
 
She looked at me and then shrugged. “Neh. I’ll go take a bath, and we’ll go down for breakfast together. I’ll bet you’re dying to see Ewan.” she fluttered her eyelashes.
 
“What? Jean you’re… you’re…” I didn’t know what to say.
 
“Perceptive?” she offered with a grin.
 
“Delusional!” I snapped rather too quickly. “Jean you have to stop all this. What if someone hears you?”
 
“Is that all you worry about?”
 
I stood up. “No. I’m not worried about anything because I’m not interested. Now get into the shower and let’s go down for breakfast.”
 
.
 
This was the first time I sat to breakfast with all of them: Juliante, Zoe, and Ewan.
 
Were they the only people in this huge house?
 
I sat directly opposite Ewan, and trust me, it was uncomfortable. I spent half the breakfast period picking at my food, because I was trying to avoid Ewan’s gaze.
 
“Harriet?” Juliante called, bringing me from dreamland.
 
I looked up to see every one staring at me.
 
“Uh..yes?”
 
“I just asked you a question,” Juliante said.
 
I shook my head. “Sorry, bad night last night.”
 
“Which is exactly what I asked. How was your night?”
 
I sighed. “Is this routine, to ask about each others nights at breakfast?”
 
I was getting angry now.
 
“Harriet you–”
 
“No Jean. I only got here two nights ago. But I’m being treated like a child in danger. If I’m in trouble as you keep hammering into me, then tell me!”
 
I waited for a while.
 
No one spoke.
 
I scoffed and made to stand up.
 
“You really don’t need to–”
 
DINGDONG! went the doorbell.
 
“Don’t worry, I’m not hungry. I’ll get the door.”
 
As I turned to leave, my eyes caught Ewan’s, but I couldn’t understand the look in it.
 
I rolled my eyes and went to the door.
 
“Hi,” Rex said when I opened it.
 
I smiled. “Hi, what a surprise. I didn’t expect you.”
 
He smiled too. “Pleasant surprise or…”
 
“Pleasant,” I assured him. “So, come on in. We’re at the table.”
 
He shook his head. And he scratched the nape of his neck.
 
Nervousness?
 
“Well, I was wondering if we could go out. I mean, a kind of sightseeing.”
 
 
Ooh la la.
 
That’s when I took in his appearance. He wore a bottle green turtleneck, over a pair of khaki shorts. He looked handsome, I’ll say.
 
“If you don’t want to, it’s okay–”
 
“No, I want to. I’ll just go change.”
 
Then I remembered that I didn’t have my clothes with me, and Zoe wouldn’t be so excited about lending me hers considering the fact that she sees me as a rival in some twisted game of hers.
 
I smiled to Rex. I seem to be doing that a lot. He’s charming.
 
Unlike Ewan who acted like last night never happened. I mean the mind speaking thing, not that we had a k-ss or s€×—gosh Harriet, where did that thought come from?
 
Disgusting!
 
“It doesn’t matter,” I said.
 
“Yeah, you’re beautiful anyway.”
 
Aww…I’m blushing.
 
“Let’s go?” I said.
 
“Won’t you tell someone?”
 
“Nah, it’s not like they tell me things.” I shrugged.
 
I was about stepping out when;
 
“Harriet, I want to talk to you.”
 
I turned to see Ewan behind me.
 
Uh oh, dilemma. In between two breathtaking guys.
 
Which one, which one–
 
“Harriet?”
 
Arrgh, I seem to be zoning off too much this morning! And does it always have to be Ewan!?
 
” I don’t want to talk to you. I’m going out.”
 
He looked behind me as if he just acknowledged the presence of someone else.
 
“Rex?”
 
“Ewan.”
 
“Awful!” I added.
 
I mean, that’s greeting? Then I’d rather pretend I didn’t see you.
 
“You know each other?” I asked. Dumb question. They probably move in the same social circle.
 
“It doesn’t matter,” Ewan said and walked away.
 
I was dumbfounded and turned to Rex for explanation.
 
He shrugged a shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”
 
#Somewhere_in_Amazon
 
He tapped his fingers according to the rhythm of the song he hummed.
 
He wasn’t a music lover or something, but he was getting excited.
 
His plan was falling into place.
 
Soon he’ll get the girl, and that goody Ewan that doesn’t know what he is.
 
And when that happens, he would rule Amazon with her by his side.
 
All he needed to do was to play his cards well.
 
He smiled.
 
So they were bonded, and they didn’t know.
 
That made all this easier.
 
Harriet’s POV
 
.
 
Rex and I had fun through out today.
 
He took me around many places, showed me stuff and even introduced me to some friends.
 
Something neither Ewan nor Zoe offered to do.
 
We had some crazy lunch at a fancy restaurant, we did a little drive around, and I was amazed that they actually have cars and phones.
 
Amazon wasn’t some scary legend, it was a modern, thriving city!
 
The buildings were neat, and awesome, and people were nice too.
 
The sun had began its descent behind a mountain. Rex and I sat under a tree, leaning on the trunk, watching the sunset.
 
“It’s beautiful,” I said.
 
“You’re beautiful,” he replied.
 
I twisted so I could look at him, but his eyes were already on me, and I looked away.
 
This was kinda fast… I mean, didn’t they say a girl takes three to six months to get over heartbeat?
 
I was thankful when he redirected his gaze to the mountains.
 
“They call it Mount Cluster. You see the way they join together to form one big mountain?”
 
I nodded.
 
“They say that evil lurks there,” he whispered.
 
I shuddered, not in fear.
 
His nose was nuzzling my neck. Too fast…..
 
“Is it true?” I ask, looking for something to distract him.
 
He lifted his face up and got up.
 
Phew.
 
“I don’t know,” he said and reached out to grab my hand and pull me up, “The people love the rumors.”
 
As we walked back home, he asked, “So, Ewan. How’s he like?”
 
Here’s my chance.
 
“You know him?”
 
“We used to. Not anymore.”
 
“Oh.”
 
He seemed reluctant to open up, so I dropped it.
 
We reached the house.
 
I turned to him.
 
“Thanks Rex. Today was awesome.”
 
He smiled, and leaned in to k-ss my cheek.
 
Didn’t see that coming.
 
“Harriet I had fun with you. So I’ll love to see you again.”
 
I nodded, too speechless to say anything.
 
He waved, and walked home.
 
I sighed deeply and got in,side.
 
I’m one crazy girl.
 
“Harriet!” Jean called when I opened the door to our room.
 
“Yes?” I responded and hurried to her, thinking she was in trouble.
 
She pulled me over to the window and pointed to Rex walking home.
 
“Start explaining!” she demanded.
 
I sighed and fell on the bed.
 
And I slept off without replying.
 
To be continued
 
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