EPIPHANY

                  I was clutching the seat with one hand and Maggie’s hand with the other. I don’t think I can hold on much longer…Fear gripped my throat and cut off the little supply of air I was gasping in. There was no one inside the bus; it’s just us, sliding sideways from top of a cliff.

“Let me go please!” Maggie was in tears.

“Shut up idiot!” I shouted. Just when the bus gave out Ethan hopped in. What a stupid thing to do! He is going to die too. The bus raced down the rocky surface. Ethan grabbed my arms and put me on my feet.

“Ana, hold on!” he shouted. I clutched Maggie harder with my arms, Ethan tried to reach for Maggie. The slope was coming to an end and it’s going to be a huge fall. I couldn’t see what was below it. But right in front of us was an old bridge that led straight to the other part of the cliff. To my surprise, the bus ran straight on to the bridge. Thank goodness, What are the odds? Halfway through the bridge the bridge gave out. Oh No! Ethan grabbed me around my waist and leaped for the bridge through the broken front glass. I firmly held on to Maggie. My arms were protesting in pain. Ethan has got hold of one of the rungs of the bridge and climbed up carrying mine and Maggie’s weight. The bus gave out  with a huge creaking sound and it clashed down into the cluster of trees.

“Hold on!” he shouted. Once he was on top of the bridge he threw his right leg up on the surface and pulled himself on to the surface, as we both dangled clinging on the bridge. He pulled me up instantly, and then we both helped Maggie up, together. Once she was safe beside me I slumped flat on the ground, panting heavily. We are alive! After all the bizarre things just happened, we are still alive! And Ethan helped us! He risked his life to save us! I can’t believe anything that happened tonight.

“You guys okay?” he asked with concern marring his voice. I nodded and with my eyes closed. I laid there trying to slow my breathing, and tried to grasp the fact that we were so close to death just few seconds ago.

“I am dreaming right?” Maggie asked. I noticed that her eyes were still closed.

“Probably. I hope you wake up soon…’cause this dream of yours sucks” I said with distaste. They chuckled. I sat up and looked around. I can’t see anything. It was pitch dark except for the very poor moon lit outline of the forest. I sighed.

“What now?” Maggie asked sitting up.

“We should probably stay right here and figure it out tomorrow morning” he said. Yes, sadly it’s the only choice we have.

“Great!” Maggie muttered and moved closer to me “Are you okay?” she asked looking at me closely.

“Look who's talking! You hit your head pretty hardly on that glass. You might get a concussion” I touched felt her head for bumps with my finger tips.

“Aw” she yelped.

“Sorry! Maggie, you should rest” I said. It was swollen. I hope it doesn’t get worse, at least till we get some help. She obediently laid down pillowing her head on her scarf. She must be exhausted. I gazed at Ethan, he was looking at me with concern.

“Are you okay ,Ana? Are you hurt?” he was seated right beside me.

“I’m fine” I said and tightened my arms around my body. My jacked was on the armrest of my seat. Ethan suddenly took off his jacket and gave it to me.

“Here” he said placing it on my lap.

“No, you will need it” I said pushing it back.

“Don’t be silly, Ana!” he pushed it right back at me. I sighed and put it on. I noticed that his backpack was lying on the ground beside him.

“You had your backpack on you all this time?” I asked surprised, with my eyes wide. I did not notice it until now.

“Yes, I did not have time to put it down” I looked up into his eyes.

“Thank you, Ethan for coming back for us. You risked your life to save us” I will never stop owing him. I did not expect him of all people to come back for us. I seriously dint. I was pretty shocked that he did. He just smiled and nodded.

“Do you have anything vital in that bag?” I asked after few beats of silence.

“I have a water bottle, a knife, lighter, power banks, which are pretty useless. I do have some basic first aid kit” he said looking straight ahead.

“Wow I am glad you dint drop your bag” I exclaimed smiling. At that he looked at me and smiled sadly.

“We can’t make a campfire in this darkness. It’s not good to enter the forest blindly” he said and looked back at the forest line. I nodded, though I know he can’t see me.

“You should rest Ana” he said looking into my eyes. My heart skipped a beat again. Why oh why!? Does he affect me so much? There was a sudden howl behind us. Our heads snapped back towards the forest, it was followed by few other howls. Fear gripped me. It sounded like coyotes. I looked at Maggie, who was sound asleep and back at Ethan with my eyes wide.

“It’s okay Ana, I don’t think they will come out into the open” there was no fear or anxiety in his voice, this calmed me. He is probably right we were few yards away from the cliff. I looked at my watch, it read twelve twenty. We still have about six hours till morning.

“It’s going to be a long night” I added.

“I will watch out Ana, you should rest”

“I don’t think I can” I admitted. He sighed. I looked back at him. I could only make out the outline of his perfect features. His eyes, as always were shining in the dark, piercingly, as if they were demanding attention. He was looking right at me with an intensity that left me gasping for air. I quickly looked away my cheeks hot. I was so glad that he couldn’t see my face. We were silent for a long time.

“Ana…I have been wanting to tell you something for a long time now and never got the chance” he said nervously.

“What is it Ethan?”I asked looking down at my hands. I dint want to look at his eyes.

“That day in the parking lot, I came after you to apologize and ask the name of the books I ruined. I can see that, they mean a lot to you so, I wanted to buy you new ones” he said in a rush. I stiffened. That was unexpected, it took me few moments to compose my face. I was so guilty. I mistook him and behaved rudely not even giving him a chance to speak.

“It’s okay Ethan, you did not do it on purpose” I assured him. I owed him an apology. “I am sorry for behaving like that, I was little frustrated at that moment. But not now” I added.

“Why Ana? What did I do, to make you mad at me?” he asked anxiously.

“It doesn’t matter Ethan! It is none of my concern, I am not angry with you, I just dint want anything to do with you” Did he really not know? I wondered.

“It matters to me Ana, tell me, why please?” his eyes were probing with so much intensity. He looked like he was hurt. I was shocked to see such a reaction. Why does it even matter, what I think about him? And why is he pleading me?

“Everyone knows you and Kate were dating, but then I came across you, making out with Jessica in the locker room what did you expect?” I asked trying hard to keep my irritation from my voice. I looked at his face. He looked like he expected the exact answer, but still, he looked like it hurt him to hear these words out loud. He sighed grimacing.

“Why does everyone think I am dating Kate just ‘cause she said so?” he asked and looked at me, I had no idea what to say to that. “She kissed me on her birthday party and started to pester me to go out with her. I went out with her twice, out of politeness than willingness. Then she started to force her company on me. I dint want to hurt her feelings so, I dint complain much but tried my best to avoid her. But then, two days ago I found out that she was the one who was spreading the rumor that we were dating, that we were in love with each other. So I put an end to our so called ‘relationship’ yesterday” I was shocked. “And that girl Jessica ‘she’ forced that kiss on me in the locker room. I guess she was some kind of a rival to Kate and was trying to prove something. I am not the kind of guy who hits a girl but I did push her away and let her know politely, that I have zero interest in her and that, I am so tired of being a pawn in their games” he spit the last few words in disgust, he closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his finger tips. Can I trust him? I have no doubt that Kate and Jessica will do such terrible disgusting things, ‘cause I have seen them do it before. Plus, if he was an asshole as I thought he was, who doesn’t care about a girl’s feelings and cheated on her… would he have risked his life to save ours? Definitely not. Shame covered every inch of my body. Is there anything that I haven’t assumed wrong about him?

“I am sorry for judging you” I said defeated. He looked at me surprised.

“It’s okay Ana! It’s not your fault” he said. The silence dragged and the guilt gagged me. I couldn’t even look at his face.

“So, you love books?” he asked me suddenly. I welcomed the distraction.

“Yes,” I said and laid down on my side, pillowing my head on my hand. He reached for his back pack and rummaged around it. He pulled out a towel and neatly folded it in fours.

“You should probably use that as a blanket” I suggested him wondering what he was upto.

“I don’t need it” he said. Suddenly he was right beside me on his knees. He placed his hand on my head and lifted it gently while sliding the towel under my head with the other hand. My heart was erratic. And it was way too comfortable to protest.

“Thanks” I said my cheeks on flame. To my surprise he stretched out on the ground just a foot away from me. He looked so good lying there flat on the ground, with his arm behind his head perfectly at ease.

“Don’t worry about the coyotes, try to get some sleep, I will wake you up, if something goes wrong” he said.  Huh, the coyotes are a problem. But right now, all I could think was he lying so close to me… close enough to touch. This thought of mine surprised me. I blushed, I am not the one to have such thoughts, I never had such thoughts before. I wanted to smash the thought with a club and forget all about it.

“Just talk to me until I fall asleep” I said hesitantly. “If you don’t mind that is” I added after a beat. I just wanted to hear his voice.

“I don’t mind” he said. “Tell me what kinda books you love” he asked out of the blue. I was looking up at the stars.

“I would read any book that is given to me Ethan. But I do prefer fictional books to any other genres…” I trailed and looked at him.

“Tell me why you love to read books? You always look happy and content with a book in your hand” he said surprising me. I wondered when he even noticed me. I looked back up at the stars. For some reason I wanted to tell him the truth.

“Books make me feel alive Ethan. My love for books doesn’t just stop with mere reading, I live with them. Everyone thinks that I actively avoid interactions with people and that I prefer to be alone, but I’m not really alone, my very thoughts and memories are filled with them. These books have genuine emotions and feelings, but it’s not the case with reality, almost everything is fake! That’s why I dwell in books. Everyone in our lives no matter how much you love them or how much they love you…leaves you at some point of time. Everyone Ethan. But these characters never leaves me, even if their part in the book is over, they exist for me” I said. I have never said these words to anyone, not even my dad or friends and yet I have opened up to this mysterious so handsome boy, who lies next to me and asks me of my preferences and inclination for books. I glanced up at him expecting a mocking look. But he looked at me understandingly, like some bits of puzzle fell into place. His eyes grew brighter, in response my heart skipped several beats. I couldn’t make myself look away from those eyes, Suddenly they flashed to my lips and back to my eyes within a second my stomach clenched. His eyes darted away from me too quickly. It was so quick that I wondered if I had imagined it. He looked up at the stars. I mirrored him trying to slow my heart. As silence stretched between us, exhaustion gripped me and forced a yawn in my lips. I was on the brink of consciousness, I think I heard something…