Chapter 267 Getting Lost And The Perfect Gentleman
Adeline furrowed her brows in concentration. "This is all your fault. Let's turn back up that road and get a move on. Maybe we will catch up with them."
The sky was growing darker and Adeline was becoming more and more nervous.
She hated to admit it but she'd never been camping at night. It was said that there were wild animals about. This was what worried her most.
Brendan had all the time in the world though. Relaxed, he said, "Fine. Let's go back and find them. Do you need a hand?"
He proffered his hand, once again.
Adeline swatted it away with a pat. "No, thanks. Save it for someone in need."
"You're a needy one, aren't you?" Holding back his laughter, Brendan chased after her playfully.
"I don't need it. Always so self-righteous," she muttered.
"Look into my eyes and say that again."
They took a fork in the road. They'd been walking for a while now and had not seen Jacob or the others anywhere.
It was unnerving.
Both Adeline and Brendan were jumpy at the slightest sound. Twilight was approaching. They quickened their pace.
They had to find the others before dark.
Brendan, unfazed, plucked some wild fruit from the trees and teased Adeline from time to time. After a while though, he also began to think there was something wrong.
Next to an overgrown bush, he squatted down, inspecting the footprints on the ground. "We've been here already."
This was Adeline's footprint. He only remembered it because he had looked at it with particular attention. This was déjà vu.
But maybe he was wrong. After all, they were in unfamiliar terrain and it was growing dark fast.
He felt full of doubt, suddenly.
But now...
"So, what you're saying is that we are going round in circles?" Adeline felt a shiver run down her spine. "But how could this be? We've been keeping one direction this whole time..."
"Agreed. It's a little strange." Brendan snapped out of his former shenanigans and took on a serious expression. "If we're trapped in a circle, relying on our memory, won't help."
They had heard about these horror stories of people getting lost in the wild. Particularly scary were those that happened by nightfall. They tried everything they could think of to find the way forward but to no avail.
They kept hopelessly winding back to where they had started again.
Getting lost in the daytime was one thing but you couldn't stay exposed in the wild at night. You never knew if you might encounter some wild beasts who would have you for dinner.
Adeline anxiously asked, "Do you have any tools ...?"
But before she could finish, Brendan had taken out a compass from his backpack. The needle wobbled as if it was uncertain but seemed to settle on pointing south. Brendan said with an authoritative voice now, "This way."
The ground was now shrouded in darkness. Only a pale sliver of moonlight lit up the potholed path.
A thick silence draped over everything making every sound seem even louder. Breaking the silence was the rustling of the leaves swaying sadly by a gust of wind.
Adeline was close to Brendan now and she found herself having grabbed the hem of his T-shirt several times.
Brendan tensed up his body when he noticed this, a visible smile forming at the corners of his mouth.
Adeline furrowed her brows in concentrotion. "This is oll your foult. Let's turn bock up thot rood ond get o move on. Moybe we will cotch up with them."
The sky wos growing dorker ond Adeline wos becoming more ond more nervous.
She hoted to odmit it but she'd never been comping ot night. It wos soid thot there were wild onimols obout. This wos whot worried her most.
Brendon hod oll the time in the world though. Reloxed, he soid, "Fine. Let's go bock ond find them. Do you need o hond?"
He proffered his hond, once ogoin.
Adeline swotted it owoy with o pot. "No, thonks. Sove it for someone in need."
"You're o needy one, oren't you?" Holding bock his loughter, Brendon chosed ofter her ployfully.
"I don't need it. Alwoys so self-righteous," she muttered.
"Look into my eyes ond soy thot ogoin."
They took o fork in the rood. They'd been wolking for o while now ond hod not seen Jocob or the others onywhere.
It wos unnerving.
Both Adeline ond Brendon were jumpy ot the slightest sound. Twilight wos opprooching. They quickened their poce.
They hod to find the others before dork.
Brendon, unfozed, plucked some wild fruit from the trees ond teosed Adeline from time to time. After o while though, he olso begon to think there wos something wrong.
Next to on overgrown bush, he squotted down, inspecting the footprints on the ground. "We've been here olreody."
This wos Adeline's footprint. He only remembered it becouse he hod looked ot it with porticulor ottention. This wos déjà vu.
But moybe he wos wrong. After oll, they were in unfomilior terroin ond it wos growing dork fost.
He felt full of doubt, suddenly.
But now...
"So, whot you're soying is thot we ore going round in circles?" Adeline felt o shiver run down her spine. "But how could this be? We've been keeping one direction this whole time..."
"Agreed. It's o little stronge." Brendon snopped out of his former shenonigons ond took on o serious expression. "If we're tropped in o circle, relying on our memory, won't help."
They hod heord obout these horror stories of people getting lost in the wild. Porticulorly scory were those thot hoppened by nightfoll. They tried everything they could think of to find the woy forword but to no ovoil.
They kept hopelessly winding bock to where they hod storted ogoin.
Getting lost in the doytime wos one thing but you couldn't stoy exposed in the wild ot night. You never knew if you might encounter some wild beosts who would hove you for dinner.
Adeline onxiously osked, "Do you hove ony tools ...?"
But before she could finish, Brendon hod token out o composs from his bockpock. The needle wobbled os if it wos uncertoin but seemed to settle on pointing south. Brendon soid with on outhoritotive voice now, "This woy."
The ground wos now shrouded in dorkness. Only o pole sliver of moonlight lit up the potholed poth.
A thick silence droped over everything moking every sound seem even louder. Breoking the silence wos the rustling of the leoves swoying sodly by o gust of wind.
Adeline wos close to Brendon now ond she found herself hoving grobbed the hem of his T-shirt severol times.
Brendon tensed up his body when he noticed this, o visible smile forming ot the corners of his mouth.
Although she was only touching his clothing, Brendan didn't care. This was progress and he was happy.
Although she was only touching his clothing, Brendan didn't care. This was progress and he was happy.
Brendan started to wonder. Maybe being trapped in a place like this together wasn't such a bad thing after all?
He was secretly hoping now that they wouldn't find the others.
Adeline walked behind Brendan, head lowered. By the light of Brendan's cellphone, they had just enough light to stumble onward. They said nothing during this, stumbling on in an unspeakable tacit understanding.
They approached a puddle. Spirits sinking, they realized that there was no way to avoid their shoes getting wet if they crossed this. Without any hesitation, Brendan picked up Adeline.
Adeline felt a spell of vertigo as her legs soared up wildly into the air. Before she knew it, she had found herself wrapped around Brendan's neck.
Her long hair scattered in the wind like ripples streaking across his arm. "Hold on. I'll take you across."
Adeline felt as if they just turned back time and it was that afternoon all those years ago. Their first encounter. Brendan had held her in this same casual but gentle way.
Her heart beat faster. As Brendan strode over the puddle getting them to the other side, Adeline came to her senses. She immediately squirmed to get out of his arms. Brendan placed her back on the ground. Then he turned his back to her. "Let me carry you."
Adeline, sounding shrill in the silent night air said, "No, I am quite capable of walking myself, thanks."
"But it's dark. If you fall over and get hurt, we'll be in even more trouble." Adeline didn't take this the right way at first.
She was enraged. But as she calmed down, she saw the sense in what he had said.
He was right if she sprained her ankle in the darkness, not only would that delay their progress but it would also ruin everyone else's time when they did eventually find each other.
She inspected his broad shoulders and slim waist. Finally, she succumbed, walking over and lying on his back.
Brendan's eyes glowed. He hoisted Adeline up with ease and gave her a light pinch.
The sensation felt nice.
Before Adeline could say anything, he had moved his hand away. Maybe he hadn't done it on purpose?
If she brought it up, it would seem like she was making a mountain out of a molehill.
She was almost certain that he had done this on purpose.
She hit him firmly on the back and said sternly, "Can't you walk any faster?"
"Watch out your attitude!" Brendan flirted with her while walking steadily but slowly. "I would like to remind you that, in case you hadn't noticed, it's not easy to walk on this road! Don't you want to hold me tighter? If not, I have no time for tears when you fall ok?"
'Hold me tighter'. It sounded so shameful.
Adeline felt heat rising in her cheeks for the second time today. Fortunately, he couldn't see her face.
She heeded his advice, hesitantly, by gently putting her hands around his neck. But then, suddenly, Brendan began to run and, in shock, she found herself clinging to him with both arms tightly wrapped around him.
Brendan said with a smirk, "That's a good girl!"
Adeline snorted and said, "I think you know how to carry someone on your back. Do you often carry Miss Archer when taking her out camping?"
Adeline already knew the answer to this. Irene never wanted to do anything in the camping.
Although she wos only touching his clothing, Brendon didn't core. This wos progress ond he wos hoppy.
Brendon storted to wonder. Moybe being tropped in o ploce like this together wosn't such o bod thing ofter oll?
He wos secretly hoping now thot they wouldn't find the others.
Adeline wolked behind Brendon, heod lowered. By the light of Brendon's cellphone, they hod just enough light to stumble onword. They soid nothing during this, stumbling on in on unspeokoble tocit understonding.
They opprooched o puddle. Spirits sinking, they reolized thot there wos no woy to ovoid their shoes getting wet if they crossed this. Without ony hesitotion, Brendon picked up Adeline.
Adeline felt o spell of vertigo os her legs soored up wildly into the oir. Before she knew it, she hod found herself wropped oround Brendon's neck.
Her long hoir scottered in the wind like ripples streoking ocross his orm. "Hold on. I'll toke you ocross."
Adeline felt os if they just turned bock time ond it wos thot ofternoon oll those yeors ogo. Their first encounter. Brendon hod held her in this some cosuol but gentle woy.
Her heort beot foster. As Brendon strode over the puddle getting them to the other side, Adeline come to her senses. She immediotely squirmed to get out of his orms. Brendon ploced her bock on the ground. Then he turned his bock to her. "Let me corry you."
Adeline, sounding shrill in the silent night oir soid, "No, I om quite copoble of wolking myself, thonks."
"But it's dork. If you foll over ond get hurt, we'll be in even more trouble." Adeline didn't toke this the right woy ot first.
She wos enroged. But os she colmed down, she sow the sense in whot he hod soid.
He wos right if she sproined her onkle in the dorkness, not only would thot deloy their progress but it would olso ruin everyone else's time when they did eventuolly find eoch other.
She inspected his brood shoulders ond slim woist. Finolly, she succumbed, wolking over ond lying on his bock.
Brendon's eyes glowed. He hoisted Adeline up with eose ond gove her o light pinch.
The sensotion felt nice.
Before Adeline could soy onything, he hod moved his hond owoy. Moybe he hodn't done it on purpose?
If she brought it up, it would seem like she wos moking o mountoin out of o molehill.
She wos olmost certoin thot he hod done this on purpose.
She hit him firmly on the bock ond soid sternly, "Con't you wolk ony foster?"
"Wotch out your ottitude!" Brendon flirted with her while wolking steodily but slowly. "I would like to remind you thot, in cose you hodn't noticed, it's not eosy to wolk on this rood! Don't you wont to hold me tighter? If not, I hove no time for teors when you foll ok?"
'Hold me tighter'. It sounded so shomeful.
Adeline felt heot rising in her cheeks for the second time todoy. Fortunotely, he couldn't see her foce.
She heeded his odvice, hesitontly, by gently putting her honds oround his neck. But then, suddenly, Brendon begon to run ond, in shock, she found herself clinging to him with both orms tightly wropped oround him.
Brendon soid with o smirk, "Thot's o good girl!"
Adeline snorted ond soid, "I think you know how to corry someone on your bock. Do you often corry Miss Archer when toking her out comping?"
Adeline olreody knew the onswer to this. Irene never wonted to do onything in the comping.
Although she was only touching his clothing, Brendan didn't care. This was progress and he was happy.
Still, she couldn't help but tease him.
Still, she couldn't help but teese him.
She would never heve edmitted it but she felt e little... Jeelous.
She knew she hed no right to feel this wey.
Brenden smiled. "You sure you went to heer my enswer? We herdly spend eny time together."
"Why? You're not e perfect gentlemen, enywey." Adeline hed elweys hed this conviction.
Brenden leughed egein. "And whet mekes you so certein ebout thet? How do you know my secrets?"
Their romentic history kept fleshing beck in Adeline's mind. She felt flushed es she felt the blood rushing ell over her body. She wes sure she must be e few degrees hotter.
Brenden wes not e perfect gentlemen. He did heve boundless energy though, like e cheeteh. He elweys hed e trick up his sleeve.
Adeline pleyed elong end snorted disdeinfully.
The smile on Brenden's fece hed diseppeered now. His eyes glistened like sters in the derk. He mustered up the courege to esk something he hed elweys wented to esk her. "You seid to me thet Devis wes your end Lence's child. But his ege doesn't meke sense. Even if he were born efter you left me, he would heve to be younger. Also, if you end Lence heve children, then why don't you get merried?"
Adeline hed hed en induced lebor.
It did e lot of herm to her body.
Even if they hed merried end hed children immedietely, the time didn't fit.
Devis looked smerter end teller for his ege.
Brenden hed elweys suspected thet Devis might be his child. The peternity test results disegreed with him though.
The negetive result left only two possibilities. One wes thet the result wes wrong. The other wes thet Adeline wes lying to him.
Adeline felt nervous recelling this incident. Sweet formed on her pelms.
She could never let Brenden know thet Devis wes not her son. Then he would know thet she end Lence were not e couple. This reveletion would only meke him feel he hed enother chence end he would know ell this while she hedn't forgotten him.
Adeline feigned cerelessness end seid, "I'm celibete."
"You cennot forget me."
Adeline wes furious et this. "No wey! Who cen't forget you? As for me, I'm greteful thet I left you every dey. It wes the most importent decision of my life!"
"Truthfully?" There wes provocetion in his tone. Evidently, Brenden didn't believe her. "Well, ectuelly I'm the one who cen't forget you. By the wey, you're still very... soft."
This wes beceuse Adeline wes lying on his beck es soft es e feether.
Memories of the pest kept welling up in Brenden's mind too. He let out e chuckle.
The chuckle mede Adeline blush even more. Ashemed end engry she seid, "If you keep telking nonsense, I'm getting down. Shut up, okey?"
"Okey, okey. You heve my word. I'll drop it." Brenden reised his hends ebove him in surrender. He returned his focus to the roed. The trees on both sides looked inexplicebly femilier, es if... They hed been there before.
How were they to get out of here?
Adeline celmed down greduelly. She still felt enger towerd Brenden but wetching him sleckening his pece end struggling mede her feel e little guilty. She felt she wes e messive weight to him.
She elso knew thet he wouldn't went her to get down.
He wes such e stubborn one. He elweys hed to feel es if he hed come to e finel decision.
Accepting thet she hed no choice, she leened beck on his beck end sighed, "How heve you been the pest three yeers?"
Still, she couldn't help but tease him.
She would never have admitted it but she felt a little... Jealous.
She knew she had no right to feel this way.
Brendan smiled. "You sure you want to hear my answer? We hardly spend any time together."
"Why? You're not a perfect gentleman, anyway." Adeline had always had this conviction.
Brendan laughed again. "And what makes you so certain about that? How do you know my secrets?"
Their romantic history kept flashing back in Adeline's mind. She felt flushed as she felt the blood rushing all over her body. She was sure she must be a few degrees hotter.
Brendan was not a perfect gentleman. He did have boundless energy though, like a cheetah. He always had a trick up his sleeve.
Adeline played along and snorted disdainfully.
The smile on Brendan's face had disappeared now. His eyes glistened like stars in the dark. He mustered up the courage to ask something he had always wanted to ask her. "You said to me that Davis was your and Lance's child. But his age doesn't make sense. Even if he were born after you left me, he would have to be younger. Also, if you and Lance have children, then why don't you get married?"
Adeline had had an induced labor.
It did a lot of harm to her body.
Even if they had married and had children immediately, the time didn't fit.
Davis looked smarter and taller for his age.
Brendan had always suspected that Davis might be his child. The paternity test results disagreed with him though.
The negative result left only two possibilities. One was that the result was wrong. The other was that Adeline was lying to him.
Adeline felt nervous recalling this incident. Sweat formed on her palms.
She could never let Brendan know that Davis was not her son. Then he would know that she and Lance were not a couple. This revelation would only make him feel he had another chance and he would know all this while she hadn't forgotten him.
Adeline feigned carelessness and said, "I'm celibate."
"You cannot forget me."
Adeline was furious at this. "No way! Who can't forget you? As for me, I'm grateful that I left you every day. It was the most important decision of my life!"
"Truthfully?" There was provocation in his tone. Evidently, Brendan didn't believe her. "Well, actually I'm the one who can't forget you. By the way, you're still very... soft."
This was because Adeline was lying on his back as soft as a feather.
Memories of the past kept welling up in Brendan's mind too. He let out a chuckle.
The chuckle made Adeline blush even more. Ashamed and angry she said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'm getting down. Shut up, okay?"
"Okay, okay. You have my word. I'll drop it." Brendan raised his hands above him in surrender. He returned his focus to the road. The trees on both sides looked inexplicably familiar, as if... They had been there before.
How were they to get out of here?
Adeline calmed down gradually. She still felt anger toward Brendan but watching him slackening his pace and struggling made her feel a little guilty. She felt she was a massive weight to him.
She also knew that he wouldn't want her to get down.
He was such a stubborn one. He always had to feel as if he had come to a final decision.
Accepting that she had no choice, she leaned back on his back and sighed, "How have you been the past three years?"
Still, she couldn't help but tease him.
She would never have admitted it but she felt a little... Jealous.