9. Chapter Nine
Two hours in and Maya and Jackson came to an uneasy truce. Jackson was tired of fighting and rehashing everything with Maya. He knew he had messed up what was between them by leaving, but he wanted it back. He wanted her back. He just needed to prove to Maya he was all in this time.
”Watch your step,” Jackson muttered as Maya was walking near an exposed tree root.
Jackson went to speak again, when a sudden rumble cut through the silence, the sound building until it became impossible to ignore. Their steps faltered. The birds, moments before full of carefree chirps, fell eerily quiet.
”Is that—?” Maya began, but the question died on her lips as her eyes caught sight of a massive rock barreling down the slope directly towards Jackson.
”Jackson, look out!” she screamed. Maya launched herself at Jackson, and shoved him aside, the two of them tumbling awkwardly in a mix of flailing limbs and grunts, their packs thrown opposite to them.
The rock crashed to earth with a thud, landing with deadly precision where Jackson had stood mere seconds ago. They sprawled on the leaf-littered ground, a tangle of arms and legs, both unsure what had just happened.
”Wow, did you just—?” Jackson”s voice cracked as he propped himself up on one elbow, looking at Maya like she”d just grown a second head.
”Save your butt? Yeah, seems like it,” Maya quipped, trying to catch her breath.
Maya tried to stand, wincing as a sharp pain sliced through her leg. Glancing down, she discovered a gash marring her skin. ”Oh, great,” she groaned, ”Just what I needed. This day just keeps getting better and better.”
”Let me see,” Jackson said, his hands surprisingly gentle as they examined the wound. ”I’m going to need to clean that up.”
”Fantastic,” Maya sighed, rolling her eyes. “But look where are packs are.”
Jackson exhaled as his gaze followed to where Maya was pointing. Their once trusty backpacks, along with the lifeline of their phones, were now laying at the bottom of a deep gully.
”Seriously?” Maya”s voice was flat, tinged with disbelief. ”That”s just perfect. The one time I actually need my phone...”
”And the first aid kit,” Jackson mumbled, though his brows furrowed in concern as he eyed the depth of the ravine.
Maya grimaced as she tried to protect her leg gash.
”Here, let me—” He didn”t finish his sentence. Instead, he stripped off his t-shirt, wrapping the soft t-shirt fabric snugly around her leg. His hands were steady. ”There, that should slow it down until we can get you properly patched up.”
”Thanks,” she said, her smile faltering as a cold wind picked up, sending a shiver down her spine.
”We need to keep you off your leg for a while.” Jackson said.
”Great, stranded and bleeding in the wilderness. Now there’s a great story,” Maya joked.
Dark clouds had begun to gather, as the thunder followed close behind. ”Looks like we”ve got a storm coming,” he noted, nodding towards the brewing storm. ”And it doesn”t seem like the friendly sort.”
”Fantastic. It can wash away any remnants of dignity I had left,” Maya sighed, her gaze following his. ”What”s next? A bear?”
”Let”s hope not. But we should find shelter. Fast.” He stood, offering her a hand up. ”Can you walk? Or do I need to carry you?”
”I can walk,” Maya said quickly as she stepped gingerly. “Lead the way,” she said taking his hand.
****
The first raindrop splattered onto Maya”s nose, a cold start of the storm to come. Jackson tilted his head upward, eyeing the sky as if he could intimidate the clouds with his frustrated growl.
”Rain,” he stated, more a declaration of war than an observation.
”Really? I hadn”t noticed,” Maya quipped, brushing a wet strand of hair from her face.
They scanned the forest around them. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine.
”Over there!” Jackson said, pointing to where the land rose into a gentle slope. ”High ground. If we”re lucky, we”ll find a spot away from the rain.”
Maya limped slightly but keeping pace beside him. Her leg throbbed in protest, but she masked the pain behind a smile.
As the rain began to fall in earnest, their clothes clung to their skin. Goosebumps popped up on the exposed skin, making them shiver.
They pushed through the underbrush, feet slipping on the slick foliage beneath them. Finally, after what felt like an eternity in the watery onslaught, they stumbled into the clearing. A giant of a tree stood, its branches spread wide, offering a canopy that would shelter them for a while.
”Thank God” Maya exclaimed, not caring how dramatic she sounded. They darted to the tree, its trunk wide enough to provide a decent barrier against the wind.
Jackson pulled Maya close, sharing body heat in a practical embrace that nonetheless sent unexpected jolts of warmth through him.
“I’m going to kill Kane when I see him next.” Jackson said as he cuddled into Maya.
”And he thought it would be romantic. Nothing says ”romance” quite like near-death experiences and hypothermia,” Maya joked, her teeth started to chatter in the cold.
”Adds color to your story, though,” Jackson replied, his breath warm against her ear.
“I’m sorry Jackson. This is partly my fault. Kane must have heard the stupid plan Sarah and I came up with to buy you.” Sarah leaned back against his bare chest, remembering his t-shirt was still around her leg. “You must be freezing.” Maya put her head in her hands. “God Jackson, I’m so sorry.”
“This is not your fault Maya. This is all mine. I should have just told you I’m sorry for the dick move of leaving a decade ago.” Jackson tightened his arms around her, pulling Maya in closer. “I’d give you everything I had if you could just forgive me.”
”Everything? Assuming we survive of course,” she quipped as Jackson tightened his embrace around her for warmth. “I think it’s about time we both put our past behind us and start fresh.”
The storm thundered around them as Maya pushed into Jackson more for warmth.
Frustration etched lines into Jackson’s brow. Maya was cold, hurt and in pain. He wanted to protect her and was angry he was doing a crap job at it. He had always been the one with a plan, but out here, Mother Nature was calling the shots.
”Hey.” His voice softened, fingers gently tilting her chin up to meet his gaze. Jackson could see Maya was struggling, the unshed tears about to drop onto her smooth cheeks. ”We”ll get through this. We’ve been through worst storms when we were younger.”
Maya”s breath hitched, lost somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Jackson knew she remembered. He had always enjoyed the summer storms as it was a great excuse for Maya to cling to him.
”Remember when you wanted to walk into town and the storm hit half way. We had to run for it,” she whispered, the corners of her lips lifting in memory.
”Vividly,” he murmured. ”But you’re not running now.”
”Can”t run. Leg”s all mangled, remember?” She nudged him playfully with her elbow, despite the dull throb that accompanied the movement.
”Convenient,” he grumbled back. His hand moved to cradle her face, rough and warm. “Maya,” he breathed out, and it was more than her name; it was a question.
”Shut up, Jackson,” Maya whispered. “Just do it already.”
Their lips met, Jackson claiming her mouth as his. The rain poured, the wind howled, but in the eye of the storm, there was only Maya and Jackson. It was messy and imperfect, but it was exactly what they needed—a reminder that sometimes life gives you a second chance to kiss the one who got away.