make a small raft. Maybe, if I played my cards right, I could make a cute friend to spend those long, summer days with. Father was so busy every day that I often found myself sneaking out on solo adventures while he studied blueprints and did work that I didn’t care to understand. It was boring and I wanted to have some fun. I knew I was there to learn, but that would come in time. If I gave him a couple of hours every morning, I could run off after lunch and explore.
When I first popped out from behind the tall grass, I hadn’t thought much about the fact that to her I was a stranger. It wasn’t until all five feet and 105 pounds of her took a leaping dive right into my chest that I understood the element of surprise and the power of adrenaline. Thinking back on it, maybe she had never seen a civilized boy her age.
“So, you think you can sneak up on an unsuspecting girl, do you?” a raspy voice pierced the side of my neck. Struggling to catch my breath, I tried to maneuver out from under her. The little ball of fire had a tight grip on my hair with one hand while pinning my neck beneath her strong forearm with the other. Stunned motionless by the feisty girl, she grabbed my wrists and easily forced them to the ground. Leaning in, she huffed quietly into my ear, “Who the hell are you, and why are you spying on me?”
Though the weight of her tiny frame barely registered, the pain of her fingernails digging into my skin left me wanting to toss her to the ground. It wouldn’t have taken much to send her soaring, but for some reason, my instinct was to take it. Not to harm her, but to protect her. Protect both of us. For as brave as she tried to appear, the tremble of her body was a silent signal that the adrenaline was waning, and her toughness was only an act. I could tell she was about to scream. Maybe she thought I was one of the prisoners. I knew I only had seconds to make her realize that I wasn’t a threat. If I didn’t get her off me quickly, her hollering could alert any number of felons to our whereabouts. Or even worse, the guards who stood watch just beyond the shoreline.
I had two choices. I could die at the hands of some convict, who had probably already murdered a half-dozen people. Or, I could be hauled off by the guards and taken back to my father, who would undoubtedly revoke my privileges. Though I had access to the officials’ unrestricted zones, I wasn’t allowed to cause trouble. Making one of the guard’s daughters scream in fear would mean no more afternoon getaways, no secret coves to explore, and no getting to know the little firecracker who would most definitely be the ticket to an unforgettable summer.
Mustering a pleading face, I mouthed a silent, “Shhh,” and a long-drawn, “pleeease.” Then pinching my eyes closed, I manufactured a small grin. I whispered calmly, “I’ll explain who I am as soon as you loosen your grip.” Still hesitant to loosen her hold, I added, “I’m not one of them. Trust me.” Her expression revealed that her trust was something to be earned, not given freely. It wasn’t until I whispered again, “You’ve got to trust me. You scream and we’re both dead,” that she loosened her grip and slowly began to rise from my chest.
Knowing that I had just saved us both from certain detainment, I took a deep breath and released it slowly. Still pinned beneath her, I raised my head a bit and tipped it in the direction of the tall grass. It was a quiet signal that we needed to hurry up and get off the beach. I was free to be there, but after taking a closer look at her, it was obvious that she was no guard’s daughter. Her long hair was everywhere, and her clothes were definitely not from any boutique my mom ever dragged me into. She had a more natural beauty to her. Her tan cheeks rosy from the sun, and a hint of plumeria scent wafted from her sun-kissed skin. It wasn’t a strong perfume like the ones worn by the girls back home. It was more like she’d been playing in a bed of tropical flowers.