by Sam Ayers
After breakfast, Aiden kept explaining to Jo about everything that had to do with river rafting. “Balancing the raft is very important,” he said. “We should be tactically placed so that those of similar weight and paddling power are opposite each other. I always get to be in the front with Alex; he is strong and it’s easy to balance. Sometimes a rock will come out of nowhere – trapping us. Rocks can get hung up under the raft. That’s when we locate where the rock has the raft caught. Slowly we should shift the majority of the weight in the raft to the opposite side. So it’s all about balance, Jo. And if you fall, don’t panic. Just try swimming back to the raft if you can.”
“Dude, you should have said ‘I’ll jump after you and save your life if you fall, Jo’,” Alex interrupted. Jo, who was nervous all this time, burst out laughing. She laughed till her sides hurt; she clutched to Aiden’s t-shirt and tried to control herself. He just pulled her closer and hugged her tightly, smiling to himself. Alex, who was checking out an email Aiden showed him, took the opportunity to use Aiden’s phone and managed to click few pictures. They looked cute hugging each other.
“Bud, phones not allowed,” Alex called as he passed it over to Aiden.
“Oh no! I forgot about the phone; I’ll keep it in our room,” he said and walked away. Alex and Jo stared at each other, confused about whose room Aiden mentioned; Alex looked at her, smirking, and she just shrugged her shoulders.
Aiden walked towards Jo’s room – their room – to keep his phone in his bag. He switched it off and put it in his backpack, which he placed near the bed. He grabbed a water bottle as he walked out. At that moment, a phone started ringing – and it wasn’t his. He looked around the room to find Jo’s phone near the couch. Wondering if it would be all right to just answer and take the message, he clicked answer.
“Josephine, why didn’t you answer your calls?” a guy’s voice demanded from the other side. Aiden was surprised to hear this person speaking so casually. Maybe he was a friend.
Sighing, Aiden replied, “Hey there, Josephine isn’t here. Would you like to leave a message?”
“Who is speaking?” The man demanded, his voice was smooth, but there was a hint of aggression in it.
“My name is Aiden; we are on a holiday, and Jo isn’t in the room at the moment. I could ask her to call you later,” Aiden said politely. Well that guy may be weird but he didn’t lose his manners.
“That would be good. Thank you,” the man replied.
Before he could cut the call, Aiden spoke, “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“Richard,” the smooth voice flowed from the other side before the call was cut.
Weird guy, Aiden thought as he placed Jo’s phone near the bed and walked out.
“So that’s where you have been hiding, Josephine. And with your lover! That’s not innocent at all,” Richard said to himself, smirking as he looked at Jo’s picture. “Now the game begins!”
* * *
Aiden walked towards Alex and Jo, who were waiting for the car that would take them to the rapids. Alex handed Jo a bandana and tied his own like a headband. It was his favorite one; he called it The Red-Hot Flame.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Jo asked, looking at her blue bandana; it was cute in a way with light blue flames across the dark blue cloth.
“It’s the adventure spirit, Jo.” Alex grinned. “We Reids wear our bandanas when we do something extreme.” He winked at her. She tied it on and looked at Aiden, who was just smiling at her.
“How does it look?” she asked when he moved forward.
“Looks great!” he said.
Alex smiled to himself when he saw Aiden’s reaction. Aido was madly in love and it was a good thing, because he was letting her in. He wasn’t shutting himself off as usual.
“Where’s yours, Aid?” Jo asked, curious, as she didn’t see him wearing one. He lifted his arm and showed her the wristband he wore; it was actually his blue-and-yellow bandana. “Wow! I like yours!”
“Guys, let’s get going. Don’t wanna miss the ride,” Alex called as he pulled Jo and Aiden along with him.
“Wait, Alex,” Aiden stopped him. “I forgot to tell you something, Jo. A guy named Richard called when I was keeping my phone in the room.”
Jo looked uneasy, and it made him worry if he had said something wrong. “Richard?” she managed to ask.
“Yeah! That’s what he said. He demanded to know why you weren’t answering his calls and asked me to tell you that he wants you to call him. I think you should once we get back.”
Alex noticed every single thing quietly. He knew that she wasn’t comfortable to talk about this Richard person. It was easy to read her expression; she was anxious. She was looking down, and he tapped Aiden’s shoulder lightly to get his attention and placed a finger on his mouth, asking Aiden to stop talking.
“Well, that can be done later. Now it’s time to have fun,” Alex stepped in between them and threw his arm around her shoulder and started walking ahead. Aiden followed them silently. Who was the guy he spoke to? Why did Jo react so badly hearing his name? What was going on?
Their ride was here, but Jo was still tense. Aiden grabbed her hand, pulling her close. She hugged him and smiled, assuring him that she was all right. It took them ten minutes to reach the river where they would start rafting. Alex was more than thrilled as he saw how cool everything was. Only three people including Alex and Aiden had rafted before; they were experienced, and everyone else was new to this. The guide gave a brief introduction and explained the safety procedures.
Helmets, paddles and life jackets were distributed to everyone. Aiden helped Jo wear her life jacket and kissed her brow before helping her with the helmet.
“Aren’t you going to wear it?” she asked placing her hands on his waist.
He kissed her nose and replied, “I will!”
Alex and Aiden got to sit in the front, as they knew how to handle the raft if they got stuck somewhere. Jo sat right behind Aiden and he explained how to hold the paddle and how to sit properly. She felt like a three year old, but she was used to it because he was just like Jake, worrying all the time!
The raft drifted slowly, gaining momentum as they neared the first rapid where suddenly it went from just rowing to battling the raging waters. From the gleam of fast-moving clear water to the bubble and fall of rapid action, each was a shot of adrenaline rushing to give them a rush like no other. The danger, ferocity and the sheer wildness just added to the excitement and the experience got better and better the further they moved along the river. It was all about balance and momentum – the correct amount of moving forwards and balancing their weight that was required.
Their raft rocked violently as they crashed into the raging current and lone rocks. The rush and excitement heightened the experience, almost causing a mindless euphoric bliss with nothing but the here and now being in the forefront of their thoughts. Jo felt her shoe drag in the cold water and soak her feet. They started paddling faster as the guide started screaming, “Right, right, now left. Yeah, be careful there’s a big rock ahead.”
“Alex, watch out,” Aiden cried, seeing a huge outcrop of rock heading their way. The raft tumbled in the water, and even with the warning, they crashed right into the rock, causing Alex to grimace at the pain that suddenly erupted in his shoulder.
“Bro, you okay?” Aiden asked. Alex prodded at his hand and nodded to Aiden. “I’m fine,” he said even as Jo and Aiden looked at him in worry.
Seeing their troubled looks, Alex smiled and started rowing faster. “See, I’m all good.” He grinned, looking a little crazy with his elbow bleeding and a grin on his face. Suddenly, a huge white wave came crashing on them, completely soaking them.
Everyone was enjoying as they made a loud noise each time they got hit by a rapid. The current became a little stronger and hastier. The landscape around them changed, becoming more jagged and rocky, and the river became choppier. Jo couldn’t help but relate it to t
he calm sky descending into turbulent storms, the water similarly going from calm, crystal blue to frothy white gales. The water was icy cold, cold enough to make them shiver. They passed small waterfalls, and were splashed and soaked as they managed to move past them. Jo loved every minute, but sometimes when they passed a stretch of rapids, she felt that their raft might flip or she might fall off.
Aiden was next to Alex the minute they got off, concern drifting off him in waves. Alex couldn’t help but grin when he saw how concerned Aiden looked; his grin grew bigger when Jo came to stand next to him, bandages in hand.
“I am just scratched up, you know, not dying,” he joked when he saw how worried they looked. Jo just put the bandage over his scratch before smacking him on the arm. Alex jumped and rubbed his hand exaggeratedly.
“Oww! I am already hurt, woman. You don’t have to hurt me more,” he mock-pouted. They all stared at each other before bursting out laughing. As soon as they reached the resort, they were asked to get ready for the camping. Jo excused herself to talk to Abigail.
Just as she made her way to her room, Alex called after her, “You going to talk to Abigail? Tell her I actually found you guys and I’m reasonably safe!”
She grinned and walked away. Abigail picked up on the second ring.
“How was it, Joey? Had fun?” she asked excited.
“Yeah, it was awesome, Abby! You should have been here,” Jo said. “But that’s not why I called you. Richard called this morning and Aiden picked up.”
“He picked up your phone? Why would he do that?”
Jo explained how Aiden went to keep his phone and attended her call. She was nervous now that Richard knew about Aiden. He could do anything. Abigail was worried about them, too. She knew that Richard would just visit Jo and ruin everything. Just then, Jo heard a knock on the door. She promised Abby that she would call her later.
Aiden and Alex were waiting for Jo, as they were about to go camping. Everything was ready and they set off. The camping area was huge, and they had to share the tents. Alex and Aiden were sharing one, and Jo had to share it with a girl. It was getting late, so everyone turned in – except Aiden, who rushed off to talk to his sister. Jo couldn’t sleep, either, so she decided to take a stroll. As she walked towards the riverside, she saw a tall figure standing alone. She moved forward to see Aiden who was just ending the call.
“Hey,” she whispered.
He turned around shocked and sighed when he saw her. “Hey, you, why are you up so late?”
She smiled. “I could ask you the same question. I couldn’t sleep.”
“Me too,” he murmured as he pulled her towards a rock and sat on top of it. “I was talking to Adele. I need to be home soon, so we leave tomorrow. We will reach home around midnight. I hope that’s okay. I can drop you at home.”
She shook her head. “No, Jake will pick me up. I’ll call him later.”
“You sure?” he asked and she just nodded. “This was marvelous, Jo. This trip, the whole holiday was great. Thank you so much. I never knew that I would have so much fun. I never had friends before, so I have no clue how it works. No one liked me because I was different. I was always the odd one out and it made me nervous. I was scared to face new challenges, but with you in my life, I’m not afraid anymore. You have made my life special, Josephine.”
“I know I’m the best.” She grinned. Aiden leaned in to kiss her. What with her lips looking so pink and soft, he couldn’t help but want a taste. Jo immediately closed her eyes, her arms going around his shoulders, a small sigh leaving her as their breaths mingled as one. They broke apart for a breath of air; their foreheads pressed together, mouths just far enough to breathe. When Jo looked into his eyes, she could see his love painted vividly on his face and she leaned in to kiss him this time. He held her close like he would lose her if she moved an inch away from him, wondering if this was what it felt like to fall head over heels in love.
They sat there looking at each other, in a world all of their own, with even nature standing still around them, as though it too wanted them to live in this moment forever. They broke apart after a while, just sitting there with their fingers intertwined, looking out into the darkness with a comfortable silence drifting over them. When Aiden pulled Jo to his side and threw an arm around her shoulder, she couldn’t help but blush. They sat there, not knowing for how long, talking about inconsequential things, but with each and every word said the same, the meaning clear that they were hopelessly and completely in love with each other.
- Chapter 19 -
Good-Looking Strangers
The camping trip had been the most relaxing set of days that Aiden had had in a long time. The BBQ party, the music and the ridiculous games that Alex and Jo talked him into had been a huge amount of fun. The only dark cloud stopping him from being completely happy and relaxed was Adele’s phone call from earlier. He was really worried about her; she had called late at night and confided in him that all of the preparations were overwhelming her and she just didn’t know any more whether she wanted to go through with the wedding or not. He knew that if he could just talk to her, he would be able to soothe her troubles, but for that he had to get back as soon as possible.
Aiden had been a bundle of nerves and had snapped at Alex, which led them to argue and ignore each other till they boarded in the evening.
“No way, dude! I can’t work tomorrow. FYI, I’m human! Not some robot like you,” Alex called after Aiden when they were searching for their seats. “Or wait, you must be an ALIEN!” he almost shouted already very irritated.
Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and looked at Alex in surprise. An air hostess walked towards him and placed her hand on his shoulder, “Sir, please take your seat.”
“Anything for you, gorgeous; just give me a minute.” He gave her his mesmerizing smile and walked forward. Jo decided to sit in between the boys because she just couldn’t stand another argument between them.
“Hey, Jo, does Abigail like vampires?” Alex asked all of a sudden. Aiden, who was putting on his seatbelt, stared at Alex like he had grown horns.
“Dude, seriously?” Aiden asked in mock-anger.
“What? Chicks dig vampires! I just wanted to know if she does too.”
Jo laughed and replied, “I’m not sure, Alex. You should try asking her. I would love to know the answer, too!”
Alex happily chatted with Jo; she wasn’t even paying attention to the announcement. All she managed to hear was “Make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in their full upright position. Also make sure your seat belt is correctly fastened . . . Thank you.”
Worry wafted off Aiden in waves that Jo couldn’t ignore, but he wasn’t talking to her and finally giving up, she turned and started discussing the wedding with Alex. Alex was excited that Adele was getting married, but Jo got the feeling that he didn’t really get along with the groom. Pushing back her questions, she smiled when Alex began to describe how he had messed up a friend’s wedding with a punch bowl, a branch and, funnily enough, a pony. People, he said, had no sense of humor, and he had been banned off weddings ever since. He told her in a mock-whisper that this would be the first wedding he attended in the last few years.
When Jo felt a light weight on her shoulder, she turned to see Aiden fast asleep, leaning against her. Smiling, she moved a bit so he was comfortable before turning back to the conversation with Alex, all the while making sure she didn’t jostle Aiden too much.
“He couldn’t sleep last night,” Alex said as he sipped on his drink. “I told him that he worries too much, but does he listen to me and relax? No, he just worries more!” But the exasperated smile was so filled with warmth that his words just sounded playful.
Their flight landed in Toronto at the right time. Aiden woke up and raked his hand through his hair. “Jo?” he called.
“Hey, you’re up? We just landed. Let’s get going.” She smiled.
They picked up their bags and walked towards the exit. Ai
den was in desperate need of caffeine. He was begging Alex to wait for him. Jo had called Jacob as soon as they stepped out of the plane. He told her that he was on his way to the airport. He should have reached by now.
“Alright, so I guess I should go.” Jo sighed. Alex hugged her tightly and told her to take care. He said that he was heading towards the café and walked away, giving those two some time alone.
“I had lots of fun.” Jo hugged Aiden. He was a little uncomfortable to be standing there at the airport and hugging her. He hugged her back, but pulled away too soon. He pressed a quick kiss on her lips, not ready to let her go, but her sweet taste had him pulling her back for a more passionate kiss.
“Thanks for everything, Jo,” he whispered, as they broke apart. Just then, she spotted a tall, familiar figure from the corner of her eye. Jacob was just coming in, so she said goodbye to Aiden, promising that she would call later and walked away.
She turned around one last time to see him still standing there. She waved to him and turned around to run towards Jacob. He was standing there with a huge grin on his face, and caught her just as she jumped on him.
“Jakey!” Jo grinned and hugged him tightly. “I missed you so much!”
He hugged her back before pulling away and patting her head lightly. “Joo, I missed you, too!” he teased as he threw his arm around her shoulder.
“No . . . don’t call me that!” She groaned and pouted.
Aiden, who was watching all this, chuckled and walked away. He was going home to his parents’ place, and had no clue where Alex was heading. They grabbed their cappuccinos and hired a cab. They stopped at Aiden’s parents’ place and he got down, waving goodnight to Alex, who didn’t go to his own home but to Abigail’s place.
Abigail had given Alex a spare key to her home, saying that he could only use it during emergencies. Well, he missed her so much that he decided to consider this an emergency. He walked in slowly, placing his bags on the floor. He opened the door to her room to see her peacefully sleeping. He took off his jacket and walked towards the bed. Wrapping his arms around her, he snuggled his face into her neck. She moved a little and turned around to face him.
