Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 128980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 645(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
“I’m with Jake. The police are looking for him so we’ve left London until he can sort this out.”
“You’re on the run?”
I laugh under my breath. “I guess so.” But I’m not entirely sure who I’m on the run from.
“Oh, shit, Cami,” she breathes. “Why does your dad have to be such a dick?”
“I don’t know.” I sigh, my fingertips coming up and pressing into my forehead. “Listen, if anyone asks, you’ve not spoken to me, okay? Especially my dad.”
“Of course!” She sounds slighted that I even need to ask.
“Thank you. I’ll give you a call tomorrow.”
“Make sure you do.”
I hang up, turn my phone back off, and throw it onto the bed. Then I rush to the bathroom, keen to get ready as instructed and find Jake. We’ve been practically touching for the past few hours. Anything more than a meter between us now feels wrong.
* * *
I have no idea what to wear. He’s taking me out. Where? Was there some hidden restaurant I missed along the way? I pad down the wooden steps, my black strappy wedges dangling from my fingertips, listening for Jake as I go. I have a grey parachute-style dress on, with thin straps and a band of embellishment around the hem. I figured I could dress it up or down, depending on where he plans on taking me.
“Jake,” I call, rounding the bottom of the stairs and heading for the country-style kitchen. I enter and find no Jake. Frowning, I backtrack and make my way to the lounge, discovering the inviting space empty, too. “Where are you?” I ask thin air, backing up into the hall. I stand for a few moments, wondering where to search next, and deciding he might be out front, maybe waiting in his car, I turn toward the front door.
There’s a piece of paper stuck to it, and, curious, I approach and read the first line.
Take this paper and follow the instructions.
I smile, pulling it down from the wood before reading on.
Head across the driveway. There’s a gap between two oak trees. Follow the trail until you reach the huge trunk of a fallen tree. Your next instruction is there.
Jake x
A silly, excited thrill courses through me at the thought of going on a treasure hunt. Because Jake is the treasure.
I drop my shoes to the floor and slip my feet into the ballet flats by the door. I waste no time letting myself out of his house. I see the two oak trees at the far end of the drive like he said I would.
I run, an unstoppable grin on my face, and once I pass through the middle of the trees, I find myself in an overgrown woodland, but there’s evidence of a trail. I hurry down the path, being sure to avoid the larger branches that are scattered here and there.
I feel like I’m in a fairy tale. The canopy of trees above me is allowing only a sliver of low evening sunlight to break through as I hurry along, eventually finding myself in a huge round clearing with a massive tree trunk laying across the center, its bark falling off. It looks like it’s been here for a hundred years. There’s a piece of paper pinned to the top.
My excitement lurching, because I’m closer to Jake, I dash forward and snatch it up.
One day I’m going to fuck you on this ancient tree trunk.
Look to your right. There’s a silver birch. Pass it and follow the new path until you reach a red rosebush. You’ll find your next instruction there. Watch the thorns.
Jake, x
I bring the paper up to my mouth and bite the corner, resisting running off toward the silver birch that I’ve already located. Maybe if I stay right here he’ll get fed up waiting, wherever he is, and come find me. Then he can make “one day” today and fuck me on this old tree trunk.
Circling slowly, I take in my surroundings, floored by how beautiful it all is. A lost woodland, swamped by huge trees, some of them hundreds and hundreds of years old. It’s quiet and peaceful. The only sounds are of nature—pure, untouched nature. No cars, no buildings, no pollution. I could stay here forever. Why can’t we just stay here forever? Get married, have children, and bring them up in this peaceful sanctuary, away from the big city and outside world? I bite my lip, thinking I’m getting way ahead of myself. Or am I?
I rush over to the silver birch and pass it, finding myself on another clear pathway. The crunching and breaking of twigs under my feet barely register. I’m desperate to see him, desperate to fling myself in his arms and disappear into an oblivion of Jake. Nothing but Jake. His strength, his passion—all of him.