Love Unspoken

Quinn stared intently at him.

Alexander got up, leaf in hand, and plopped down next to her.

Quinn, still waiting for him to do something with the leaf, asked, "You ready?"

"Ready for what?" he asked.

Quinn's brow furrowed. "Aren't you gonna blow the leaf or something?"

Alexander looked confused and asked, "When did I say I was gonna blow the leaf?"

"So, what are you gonna do?" Quinn asked, getting impatient.

"Check this out," Alexander said, holding the leaf up.

She squinted at it under the firelight. The scratches on the leaf had tiny gaps that the firelight filled, making a picture.

"What is this supposed to be?" she asked.

"It's you," Alexander said. "Pretty cool, right?"

Quinn took the leaf and examined it again. It looked like a kid's doodle from kindergarten-hair, a face, eyes, and a mouth, all super abstract. After a long pause, she turned to him stiffly. "This is your big talent?"

"Doesn't it count?" he replied.

Quinn felt like she had wasted twenty minutes waiting for this, especially since it was supposed to be her.

She tossed the leaf back at him. "Enjoy it yourself!"

As she stood up, Alexander grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down.

Quinn lost her balance and fell back into her seat. "Let go!" she snapped.

Alexander held her arm, a smirk on his face. "Don't be mad. I was just messing with you."

He pulled out another leaf and held it up. Quinn looked at it and was stunned.

This one wasn't a joke. It really looked like her, a profile view. The firelight made it almost like a photograph.

She looked at Alexander, her anger fading a bit.

"For you," he said sincerely.

Quinn awkwardly turned away. "I don't want it."

"Really?" he asked.

"Really!" she said, louder this time.

Alexander sighed and put the leaf back in his pocket. "Guess I'll keep it for myself then."

Quinn quickly glanced back at him.

But Alexander seemed serious about keeping it, and Quinn felt too embarrassed to ask for it back.

Alexander then said, "Maybe I should carve a picture of myself for you. That'd be more memorable." Quinn smirked. "No, thanks."

"I know. When a woman says no, she means yes," Alexander said with a knowing look.

Quinn repeated, "I really don't want it!"

Alexander nodded, serious. "A few days ago, when you were on top of me, you also said no."

Quinn's mind went blank as those embarrassing memories flooded back, making her feel super awkward.

But she couldn't remember doing the things Alexander mentioned.

Though, given her blurry memories, it wasn't impossible.

She felt the fire burning hotter, her cheeks turning redder than the flames.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

She pushed Alexander away and bolted into the cave.

Hearing his chuckle behind her, she ran even faster.

She had one thought: get out of here and never see him again!

Thanks to Alexander's nonsense, Quinn curled up in her coat and didn't speak to him for the rest of the day.

The next day, Alexander went out for a bit and came back with some food.

She was still in the same spot, wrapped in her coat from head to toe. You'd barely notice there was a person inside.