With Love, From Italy

The next morning the girls were woken unceremoniously by John pounding on their door, telling them their presence was requested at breakfast to start the day’s activities. Leigh groaned, pulling herself out of bed and calling to the man that they’d be down soon, made her way to the bathroom. On the way she managed to gain a sick wave of pleasure from pulling Belle’s covers back, exposing the girl to the world.

“Up and at ‘em Belle, Italy waits for no man,” she chimed coarsely, receiving a glare as she disappeared into the bathroom.

“Well it’s a good thing we’re not men.” Leigh grinned at her friend’s response, turning her attention to the reflection in the mirror. Her red hair resembled a rat’s nest and she pulled a face as she grabbed her hairbrush and attempted to gain control. By the time they had both straightened themselves out and headed out to the breakfast room, everyone was starting to accumulate. Quickly the girls collected their meals from the buffet and perched themselves at the end of a long table.

“Looking at you two I’m wishing I had joined in on the idea of a quiet night,” Diana said and both girls gave her a sympathetic look. It seemed that everyone at the table so far was nursing yet another hangover and Leigh silently wondered if she would still be able to drink like them at their age. “In fact I probably should have followed my son’s footsteps and pulled in the reins when he told us the plans.”

“That’s your own fault mother and I don’t hold any sympathy for you, nor will I go easy on you,” Tom’s voice answered and Leigh tried her hardest not to spin around and look when she realized he was taking a seat next to her. She felt a foot nudge her and instead glanced over at Belle. The brunette was giving her a look and Leigh rolled her eyes, turning back to her food.

She wasn’t about to admit how nervous she was suddenly feeling. With Tom’s close presence she couldn’t help but remember the discussion from last night; which set her mind racing. Had he chosen that seat because it was next to her, or simply because it was the next in line? Besides, who could blame him for wanting to be near his mother? And was he shooting her sidelong glances, or was it just her imagination?

“You seemed very focused on your bread there, you must be hungry,” he commented and she almost choked on the mouthful she had. Forcing herself to look at him finally she found an amused expression dancing on his face.

“No, well I mean yeah, I always am. But I was more just… off with the fairies,” she mumbled, swallowing the bread and taking a mouthful of water.

“Ahh, I hope you don’t intend to be off with them all day, you’ll need your concentration.”

“Why, what are we doing?”

“Has no one informed you darling?” he asked in shock and both Leigh and Belle shook their heads. He chuckled slightly, a wide grin appearing. “We’re going hiking over the mountain. There’s a trail that leads to the next village.”

If Leigh had still been munching on the bread she would have choked; instead she simply stared as Belle broke into laughter. Tom looked between the two, confused at the reaction his cousin and friend had given off.

“That’s a funny one Tom, good luck getting Leigh up there,” Belle laughed, and the man’s eyes travelled from his relation to the redhead. It was enough to make her glance away.

“I will go to the gym any day of the week, but hiking up a hill is another story entirely,” she said and Tom’s brows furrowed.

“Please Leigh? I promise it’ll be worth it; and there are five strong men who would be capable of carrying you should you really be unable to make it,” he pleaded, and Leigh swallowed thickly. When Tom had appeared at the table she had wanted to run away and hide in the villa, avoiding him and her awkwardness for the entire day. Now that he was asking her to come along, on a hike no less, she found herself weakening. With all the talk she had never actually acknowledged the fact that she could like Tom; so then why was she suddenly unable to decline him? Screwing her face up she let out a sigh, and with a single nod found herself agreeing.

An hour and half later Leigh found herself halfway up a mountainside with a view she’d rather not see of Belle ahead of her every time she managed to drag her eyes away from the path. She may have prided herself on being able to spend two hours at a gym, but her stamina for mountain climbing was next to nil. Already her breath was coming in heaving gasps and her legs were protesting against each new step she took. She was an idiot.

“Why the hell did I do this again?” she panted as she urged herself onwards, pushing a branch out of her way.

“You know exactly why you did,” Belle threw the comment over her shoulder and Leigh pulled a face, giving the girl the finger. She had wanted to slap a hand over her friend’s face as they returned to their room to change their shoes, Belle prancing around giving a version of ‘Tom and Leigh sitting in a tree’. In that moment the redhead found it incredibly hard to believe that the girl was just shy of thirty.

“And why is that? Is someone walking out their sexual frustration because of a quiet night?” Caleb piped up from behind Leigh and she shot her head around to give the boy an incredulous look. He was grinning from ear to ear, showing of his dimple and part of her wanted to push him back down the mountain, while the other was highly amused.

“That’s not something you can walk out, but you should know that right?” she quipped and he snorted. Flashing Caleb a smile she turned back around just in time to feel her feet slip out from under her and the hard, mountainous terrain pressed against her body. She hadn’t realized she had cried out until she heard a series of shouts and several figures appeared around her.

“Jesus Leigh, are you okay?” Belle asked frantically and she bit down on her lip, nodding. A moment later the girl’s face was replaced by Tom’s and his eyes were searching over her at lightning speed.

“Does it feel like anything is broken, or sprained?” he questioned and she shook her head. The worry in his eyes only diminished slightly with her answer, as if he didn’t quite believe her. “Do you think you can stand?”

She nodded once again, not trusting her voice and Tom rose, holding out a hand for her. She took it and immediately winced as he pulled her up; as soon as she reclaimed her hand she looked down, finding two large grazes covering her palms. From the throbbing that was now becoming apparent in her knees she felt that something similar had occurred, and indeed glanced to find matching grazes and a nice trail of blood trickling down her calves. Muttering a small curse she allowed Tom to take her wrists, examining the wounds.

“John?” he called and the man stepped forward, already producing a smaller pouch from his backpack. It was unmistakably a first aid kit and as everyone kept ensuring of her well being she wanted the ground to swallow her up. “We’ll clean these up a bit now and address them properly when we get to the town. That is if you think you can make it.”

“I’ll be fine, they just sting. I have both my ankles working,” she assured him and he glanced up at her skeptically. “Honest. There’ll be no need for you guys to take turns carrying my poor, broken body down a mountain.”

Several of the group chuckled lightly at her statement and Belle groaned loudly, making a snide comment. Leigh poked her tongue out at the girl and with the action everyone seemed to visibly relax. Attacking her together Tom and John managed to clean most of the blood and dirt away as she stood there and before long they were on the move again.