Read Online -Worlds Apart- Ruination by Amanda Thome - Free Book Online Page B

Without pausing I lunge for the door and sprint toward our hill.
    The air’s cold and my breath materializes in a hazed cloud as I exhale. For once I don’t feel the cold, my body’s too preoccupied with the crushing desire to be near him. I run through the streets along the same path I’ve taken a thousand times before, but now with each step I feel my need growing stronger. It’s like a magnet’s pulling me toward him.
    I reach the fallen tree and cover its length in three leaps instead of the usual five. I land on the jagged path I’ve beaten down and bound rock to rock until I see the water breaking through the wilted trees. I tell myself he’s not going to be here, it’s too early. I crash through the wooded tree line onto our frosted hillside.
    I see him, his strong and oversized body sits soundly on the lowest branch of our live oak. My heart lands in my throat . I restrain my urge to run directly to him, I slow my steps and my erratic breathing. My pounding heart’s so strong I’m certain he can hear it from across the field. I slow my approach as I try mastering my breath. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out, I repeat until I finally get control.
    Garrett turns to me, his deep brown eyes stare straight into mine and I lose it. I run toward him, my eyes fixed to his, watching him stand to meet me. I leap into his arms.
    “Whoa.” He says, as my weight knocks him off balance.
    “I’m sorry, I just…” He pulls back to look at me.
    “Are you blushing?” He asks. I instinctively fix my hair.
    “I’m just warm from my run.”
    “Nessa Hollins is warm in the middle of December?”
    “Maybe I am. I don’t know. I just…” I trail off. “Hey wait. What are you doing here so early?” His face flushes as he runs his hand through his hair. “Now you’re blushing!” I shout. “When did you get here?” I ask.
    He shifts before he answers. “I stayed here last night.”
    “What! That’s against the law! What about curfew?”
    “My mind kept racing about the test. About a lot of things.” He swallows. “Part of me wanted to rebel a little. You know, break a rule before I came of age.” His voice sounds strange and muted. “Another part hoped you felt that way too. I thought maybe I’d find you here. Your note said you would try to come later.” The red drains from his face as he stares at the ground like its a thousand miles away. “It was stupid but I waited all day and when you didn’t come I thought maybe you’d show up at night. I thought ‘later’ meant after curfew.” He looks back to me. “I was convinced you’d be here too. It was dumb, I know.”
    I shift awkwardly, suddenly embarrassed. “I had no idea. I…”  He cuts me off, pulling me into his arms.
    “It’s okay. It was a stupid thought,” I hear him deflate. I curl my arms around his waist, folding them across his back. I imagine staying like this. Holding him here so close to me. He releases me to sit back on the oak branch. “How’s Emma?” He asks. I hide my disappointment with a smile.
    “She’s better now.” Awkward silence settles, finally I tell him about yesterday’s lessons. He laughs as I detail our mud fight at the creek. Silence falls again and I have to break it, “What do you want to perfect today?”
    “I don’t wanna study today. I think I’ll go home. I’m just tired from last night, that’s all.” He adds trying to ease the hurt written across my face.
    “That’s ok. I understand.”
    He leans in, pulling me into his arms. He inhales at the nape of my neck, I feel the electricity between us. His hands drop, releasing me.
    I force myself to say something. “Good luck tomorrow,” I try to smile.
    “I’ll see you later.” He turns, walking away.
    I wait until his steps carry him past the trees before I stare vacantly ahead, holding back the tears. Hours pass and the entire time I beat myself up for my overt weakness. Maybe these are the hormones Gwen was talking