Chapter Nine
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I opened the shower and welcomed the cold water. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. The memory of almost kissing Zoi kept replaying on my mind. And every time I closed my eyes, I would see him with that smirk of his that was enough to stop my heart. I would see the electrifying glint in his eyes every time he looked at me. It was all enough to drive me insane.
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I turned the shower off. And took the towel from my right to dry myself. Then, I wore an acid-wash jeans that was ripped in the knees, a gray shirt, and completed with my favorite black ankle-high boots. With my hair still wet and uncombed, I exited the bathroom with the towel in my hand.
I turned the shower off. And took the towel from my right to dry myself. Then, I wore an acid-wash jeans that was ripped in the knees, a gray shirt, and completed with my favorite black ankle-high boots. With my hair still wet and uncombed, I exited the bathroom with the towel in my hand.
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“Hey, morning,” Steven greeted me by the dining room, which needs to be crossed to get to the bathroom. He was drinking a cup of coffee.
“Hey, morning,” Steven greeted me by the dining room, which needs to be crossed to get to the bathroom. He was drinking a cup of coffee.
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“Morning, Steve,” I greeted back as I sat next to him. “Up early aren’t you?”
“Morning, Steve,” I greeted back as I sat next to him. “Up early aren’t you?”
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“Look who’s speaking,” he answered with a smirk.
“Look who’s speaking,” he answered with a smirk.
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I laughed at him and poured myself a cup of coffee. The strong aroma of pure coffee beans entered my nostril and I was lost in heaven. I was a self-proclaim coffee addict, and without coffee I would be useless for the whole day. Thankfully, Lily and Rose could create coffee beans and theirs was the best.
I laughed at him and poured myself a cup of coffee. The strong aroma of pure coffee beans entered my nostril and I was lost in heaven. I was a self-proclaim coffee addict, and without coffee I would be useless for the whole day. Thankfully, Lily and Rose could create coffee beans and theirs was the best.
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I sniffed at my coffee cup before taking a sip and I moan in delight. Steven laughed at me and I stuck a tongue out at him, earning another laugh. The door opened and we both turned to see who it was. Tash entered the cabin with a bright smile that vanished when her eyes landed on me.
I sniffed at my coffee cup before taking a sip and I moan in delight. Steven laughed at me and I stuck a tongue out at him, earning another laugh. The door opened and we both turned to see who it was. Tash entered the cabin with a bright smile that vanished when her eyes landed on me.
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Faster than I could blink, Tash was standing in front of me with a look of disappointment in her eyes. I raised an innocent brow at her and she sighed before excusing herself and ran out again. Steven and I exchanged a look of confusion but he shrugged as he mumbled under his breathe something along the line, ‘women’.
Faster than I could blink, Tash was standing in front of me with a look of disappointment in her eyes. I raised an innocent brow at her and she sighed before excusing herself and ran out again. Steven and I exchanged a look of confusion but he shrugged as he mumbled under his breathe something along the line, ‘women’.
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I started to enjoy my coffee when once again, Tash graced us with her presence. She quickly ran towards me again and demanded me to sit straight up. Without nothing better to do, I did as she asked. Then, she reached for the towel beside me before towel-drying my hair. I furrowed my brow in confusion but let her do it, anyway. Saved me the trouble. As Tash busied herself with drying my hair, Steven and I made small talks like what we planned on doing for the day.
I started to enjoy my coffee when once again, Tash graced us with her presence. She quickly ran towards me again and demanded me to sit straight up. Without nothing better to do, I did as she asked. Then, she reached for the towel beside me before towel-drying my hair. I furrowed my brow in confusion but let her do it, anyway. Saved me the trouble. As Tash busied herself with drying my hair, Steven and I made small talks like what we planned on doing for the day.
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When my hair was dry, Tash put the wet towel down on one of the chair and I felt her running a comb through my hair. Thankfully, her hands were light; taking care of not hurting me. Sadly, my hair was tangled up in all places making it harder for her to run a comb through it.
When my hair was dry, Tash put the wet towel down on one of the chair and I felt her running a comb through my hair. Thankfully, her hands were light; taking care of not hurting me. Sadly, my hair was tangled up in all places making it harder for her to run a comb through it.
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I grunted when she managed to pull at one of the tangled bunch and hurt my scalp. I rubbed the sore spot and faced her, “What’s with you today? You know I comb my hair when I get back to the cabin after my morning coffee,”
I grunted when she managed to pull at one of the tangled bunch and hurt my scalp. I rubbed the sore spot and faced her, “What’s with you today? You know I comb my hair when I get back to the cabin after my morning coffee,”
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Tash gasped, “That was before, Katra! You don’t want Zoi to see you with a bird’s nest for a hair, do you?”
Tash gasped, “That was before, Katra! You don’t want Zoi to see you with a bird’s nest for a hair, do you?”
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I choked on my coffee. I coughed a few times and Steven patted my back gently until I stopped. “How the hell Zoi got into the picture?” Then, I took my cup again and started to finish the coffee.
I choked on my coffee. I coughed a few times and Steven patted my back gently until I stopped. “How the hell Zoi got into the picture?” Then, I took my cup again and started to finish the coffee.
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“As your love interest!” Tash answered dreamily.
“As your love interest!” Tash answered dreamily.
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This time, I did more than choked. I spat the drink that was inside my mouth, making coffee rain in front of me. I coughed harder and my throat hurt. I hit my chest a few times and Steven gave me a glass of water which I gladly took and drank to relieve the pain.
This time, I did more than choked. I spat the drink that was inside my mouth, making coffee rain in front of me. I coughed harder and my throat hurt. I hit my chest a few times and Steven gave me a glass of water which I gladly took and drank to relieve the pain.
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“Next time, don’t speak when I’m drinking, Tash.”
“Next time, don’t speak when I’m drinking, Tash.”
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She laughed at me, “but there’s no use in denying, Katra.”
She laughed at me, “but there’s no use in denying, Katra.”
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I shook my head at her as I stood up. Then, I took my towel and cleaned the mess I made before taking my cup and the glass to the sink. I heard Tash groaned as she dropped beside Steven. I shook my head at her again and excused myself to Steven; he nodded at me and turned to Tash. He said something to her but I didn’t heard it.
I shook my head at her as I stood up. Then, I took my towel and cleaned the mess I made before taking my cup and the glass to the sink. I heard Tash groaned as she dropped beside Steven. I shook my head at her again and excused myself to Steven; he nodded at me and turned to Tash. He said something to her but I didn’t heard it.
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I threw the dirty towel to the laundry basket and left the main cabin. Cold, fresh air greeted me as I stepped under the sun. Carlos and Annie came running to me with their hands behind their backs.
I threw the dirty towel to the laundry basket and left the main cabin. Cold, fresh air greeted me as I stepped under the sun. Carlos and Annie came running to me with their hands behind their backs.
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“Good morning, Katra!” They greeted together.
“Good morning, Katra!” They greeted together.
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“Good morning, Carlos, Annie,” I greeted back with a smile.
“Good morning, Carlos, Annie,” I greeted back with a smile.
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Then, they revealed their hands and I saw that they were holding a rose each and gave it to me with a toothy grin. I took it with a thank you and the two giggled at me before running away. My heart swelled with happiness as I watched them run. I would trade everything I have just to keep the peace in our little camp.
Then, they revealed their hands and I saw that they were holding a rose each and gave it to me with a toothy grin. I took it with a thank you and the two giggled at me before running away. My heart swelled with happiness as I watched them run. I would trade everything I have just to keep the peace in our little camp.
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I raised the roses to my nose and sniffed the distinct scent of the flower. I felt myself got lost in the moment. So, when I felt a presence behind me, I jumped in shock and turned around. I saw Zoi looking at me with his lopsided grin and his brow rose as his eyes dropped to the roses I was holding. Then, his grin dropped as he revealed his right hand. His right hand that was also holding a rose.
I raised the roses to my nose and sniffed the distinct scent of the flower. I felt myself got lost in the moment. So, when I felt a presence behind me, I jumped in shock and turned around. I saw Zoi looking at me with his lopsided grin and his brow rose as his eyes dropped to the roses I was holding. Then, his grin dropped as he revealed his right hand. His right hand that was also holding a rose.
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“I guess I’m late, huh?”
“I guess I’m late, huh?”
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I laughed softly and gave him a one-sided smile, “I guess you are,”
I laughed softly and gave him a one-sided smile, “I guess you are,”
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“Who gave it?” he asked grumpily and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Who gave it?” he asked grumpily and I couldn’t help but laugh.
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“Carlos and Annie,” I answered, “Aren’t they sweet?”
“Carlos and Annie,” I answered, “Aren’t they sweet?”
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His grin was back and he gave me the rose which I took with a questioning stare. 731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoMZCdHWEb
“Ookay? What changed?”
His grin was back and he gave me the rose which I took with a questioning stare. 731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoMZCdHWEb
“Ookay? What changed?”
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He shrugged, “Children gave it to you. Doesn’t count.”
He shrugged, “Children gave it to you. Doesn’t count.”
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“Thank you- for the rose.”
“Thank you- for the rose.”
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“We’re running out of some supplies,” Drew said.
“We’re running out of some supplies,” Drew said.
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We were inside the main cabin, the dining hall to be exact. We were having our monthly meeting. The two kids were already asleep by the corner in one of the extra tables. We held meetings like this to plan for the season change, changing of jobs, supply breakdown, and if there was any emergency.
We were inside the main cabin, the dining hall to be exact. We were having our monthly meeting. The two kids were already asleep by the corner in one of the extra tables. We held meetings like this to plan for the season change, changing of jobs, supply breakdown, and if there was any emergency.
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“Winter is coming and we have to be prepared,” Coleen added. “The cabins, as they are now, would likely fall at one of the nasty snow storms this place get during the season.”
“Winter is coming and we have to be prepared,” Coleen added. “The cabins, as they are now, would likely fall at one of the nasty snow storms this place get during the season.”
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“We can make them sturdier,” Steven interjected. “But the logs would barely be able to keep the cold away.”
“We can make them sturdier,” Steven interjected. “But the logs would barely be able to keep the cold away.”
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“It all comes down to one solution, huh?” I announced and everyone turned quiet as they stared at me.
“It all comes down to one solution, huh?” I announced and everyone turned quiet as they stared at me.
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Then, Steven stood up, “We can change shifts every run. You don’t have to do it, 731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTsBP1KBL8
Katra. Now we have Zoi and Griffin, it’ll be enough for two pairs at every run.”
Then, Steven stood up, “We can change shifts every run. You don’t have to do it, 731Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTsBP1KBL8
Katra. Now we have Zoi and Griffin, it’ll be enough for two pairs at every run.”
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The others nodded in agreement but I shook my head, “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. We can divide the supplies we need to get at the town. Then, we’ll have three runs. That should be enough to get the supplies we need.”
The others nodded in agreement but I shook my head, “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. We can divide the supplies we need to get at the town. Then, we’ll have three runs. That should be enough to get the supplies we need.”
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“I’m guessing you want to run alone?” Drew asked and I nodded. They all sighed at me.
“I’m guessing you want to run alone?” Drew asked and I nodded. They all sighed at me.
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“Fine, the two first pairs of runners would take care for of the bigger supplies like winter clothes and winter gears. While it’ll be easier and faster if you grab the smaller supplies like nails and boards.”
“Fine, the two first pairs of runners would take care for of the bigger supplies like winter clothes and winter gears. While it’ll be easier and faster if you grab the smaller supplies like nails and boards.”
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We all nodded at the plan. Since winter was a harsh season, Lily and Rose needed extra hands at the farm to make sure their fruits and vegetable were harvested before they die from the wind or gets destroyed by passing animals. So, Coleen, Natasha, and Carly had offered their help. The triplets were to build a bigger fence for the chickens and a sturdier pen for the pigs.
We all nodded at the plan. Since winter was a harsh season, Lily and Rose needed extra hands at the farm to make sure their fruits and vegetable were harvested before they die from the wind or gets destroyed by passing animals. So, Coleen, Natasha, and Carly had offered their help. The triplets were to build a bigger fence for the chickens and a sturdier pen for the pigs.
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Everything was planned out, come winter and we’ll know if all our efforts would work.
Everything was planned out, come winter and we’ll know if all our efforts would work.
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ns 15.158.61.48da2 
