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Atlas must have seen Teo kissing me last night. That’s the only reason why he would say such a thing. The ugly feeling of guilt starts bubbling in my chest, making it hard for me to intake air. Now I understand why he didn’t want me to go after Teo. He’s hurt. Our kiss hurt him.
I don’t regret the kiss I shared with Teo, but I never meant to hurt Atlas. I adore my blue-eyed boy more than words could say. He’s my kindred spirit in all ways. The other half of me.
And I hurt him.
Worse still, I’d do it again if it meant I’d kiss Teo a second time.
There I was telling him friends protect each other, when I made no such effort to protect Atlas’s heart.
Then suddenly, another realization comes to me.
Did Atlas tell Levi about our kiss?
Gods, I hope not. It hurts me deeply that I’ve caused Atlas pain, but I couldn’t stomach Levi’s disappointment in me. Anything but that.
The cold wind howls behind me, reminding me that I’ve lost too much time in my own thoughts when I should have been following Teo all along. Who knows where he’s gone off to by now.
He must be close.
I bet he’s got his eyes on me right now, just waiting for me.
Atlas was right on one account.
The only reason why I’m even considering walking into these woods is because, deep down, I want Teo to kiss me again. Alone, and without eyes on us, I can only imagine how divine this kiss will be. He’ll take full advantage of the situation of our solitude by pulling me into his arms and imprinting me with his ardent kiss.
It will be worthy of sonnets. I just know it.
With new resolve, I run into the forest, uncaring of all the ghost tales and horror stories ever told. Amongst these harsh trees hides the boy who has my heart, and I’ll be damned if I won’t go to him just because of some stupid superstition.
“Teo!” I shout gleefully, my shoes sinking into the snow, its cold bite clawing around my ankles. “Teo! Where are you?!” With a giggle, I continue to run in the direction of the footsteps dug into the snow, knowing Teo must have left them for me. Little breadcrumbs for me to follow.
But all too soon does my excitement begin to fade, leaving trepidation to settle in my head instead. After what feels like a good twenty minutes of running, I start to second-guess myself. Depressingly so, now that the snow is falling down hard from the dark night sky, covering whatever trail Teo left me.
This was more than foolish. This is dangerous.
“Teo!!!” I scream, the panicked sound of my own voice curling my blood.
No matter how many times I call out for him, Teo is nowhere to be found. I’m so deep in this unfamiliar forest, and I have no idea from which way I came or how to return home.
“Easy, Kat. No use in panicking now,” I say out loud.
I stare up at the full moon, now high up in the sky, announcing how late it truly is. When I don’t make it to dinner, I’m sure my parents will send out a search party for me. Atlas will tell them where he last saw me and soon, men in armor will rescue me from this place. All I have to do is not die from the cold while I wait.
Not wanting to get more lost than I already am, I lean against a tree, hugging my arms toward my chest for warmth. I watch the white cloud of my breath come out of my mouth, my body starting to shiver. All the heat my adrenaline gifted me is long gone, and now only cold resides in me. It seeps through my bones, icicles starting to cling to my hair and eyelashes.
And then a terrifying thought comes to the forefront of my mind.
What if Teo is hurt?
What if the reason why he was unable to hear me was because someone or something has him? Every horror my mind can conjure up comes to life as images of Teo’s lifeless body assault me. Tears start streaking down my face, turning to droplets of ice the minute they touch the ground. I’m so consumed with the nightmares playing on a loop in my head that I don’t even hear the footsteps closing in on me. It’s only when a hand clasps over my mouth that I realize I’m no longer alone.
But it’s not my saviors that found me.
It’s the monsters my mother always warned me about.
“Looky, looky. What do we have here?” my assailant says, his foul stench making my skin crawl.
“Looks like a good time to me,” his friend replies, eyeing me up and down.
