Lost Paradise (The Savages of the Blue Lagoon)

10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The waves lap gently against the shore, and the sun paints the sky in hues of orange and pink. And while I sit here watching this magnetic view, I can't help but marvel at the stark contrast between this moment and the life I left behind in New York.

I sigh at the raw beauty of nature, stripped of all the pretense I grew up with. As I watch the sun dip slightly below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sea, I feel a sense of peace wash over me.

Yes, my life back in New York may have been filled with luxury and privilege, but it was also filled with emptiness and loneliness. Here, surrounded by nothing but the sound of the ocean and the rustle of palm trees, I have found a freedom I never knew existed.

As I gaze out at the rocks beyond me, jutting out into the sea, I can't help but feel grateful for this unexpected escape from my former life. Here, on this island, I am finally free to be myself, away from the constraints of society and the expectations of others. And as the last rays of sunlight begin to fade away, I know that I wouldn't trade this newfound freedom for anything in the world.

“Hey.”

My tranquil thoughts are suddenly interrupted by that deep voice I rarely ever hear but does funny things inside me when I do. I turn to find the guy who I’m not sure is stable in the mind.

I’m immediately drawn to those piercing blue eyes that contrast with that raven-black hair and light skin. He looks so perfectly dark and sinister, yet I cannot understand why he isn’t as disheveled-looking as the rest of us are.

Jack looks more like he parachuted himself onto this island rather than escaped from a wrecked plane crash that sunk into the sea in the middle of nowhere. This is freaking day two of our disaster, and I’m pretty sure I stink of mass body odor, yet I can help but want to rub myself off on him and smell like he does.

For fuck’s sake, why does Jack smell so good?

Yesterday, he was licking the sacrifice altar. Now I’m convinced he might be a vampire.

Geez, I might be losing my mind here.

After spending half a minute silence and just staring at the man, my eyes travel to what he holds in his hands.

“That’s a coconut,” I say stupidly, feeling really dumb for staring at him.

“I’m glad you recognize that. For a second there, I thought you froze,” he hands it to me.

“Is this for me?” I ask, taking it and seeing a rough hole that’s been pierced at one of the eyes.

“Well, you can throw it to the fish if you’d like, but I spent quite a bit of time trying to pierce that fucker.”

I shake the coconut and can feel the liquid inside it. I’m a little stunned that Jack, of all people, would go out of their way for me. My silence is his cue to leave, and he turns to walk away.

“Jack!” I call out, “Would you like to sit next to me?”

He stops and contemplates my question momentarily, returns, and plops beside me.

“Why?” I ask, showing him the coconut.

“You seemed pretty much under the weather last night, and you’re probably dehydrated. Taking our circumstances into consideration, this probably isn’t the nicest place to feel sick.”

My cheeks go crimson, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s a combination of his physical beauty, his gorgeous smell, his deep voice, and that I ended up vomiting in front of everyone last night.

Twice.

I fucking barfed twice.

In the real world, my social life would be over. Someone would have captured the moment, it would have been all over social media, and I might as well unalive myself before the online trolls do it for me.

But stranded on this island, I get coconut water served by a mysterious, handsome man who I’m almost convinced is a vampire.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I ask, a little surprised by his kind gesture.

There's a playful glint in his eyes, hinting at a depth of character beneath his charming exterior.

“Because you’re letting me.”

He doesn't seem bothered by my surprise or vulnerability; instead, he embraces it with a sense of ease.

There's a flicker of curiosity in his gaze as if he's intrigued by my presence and the unexpected turn of events that brought us together on this island. Yet, beneath it all, there's a genuine kindness in his actions, a willingness to extend a helping hand without expecting anything in return.

I flip the coconut up, drink a couple of sips, and hand it to him. He takes it, does the same, and hands it back to me. We sit here quietly, exchange drinks, and watch the calm ocean splayed out in front of us.

“Ask me anything,” I say, feeling daring.

He doesn’t say anything and sits there, still staring out at the water.

“Hmm...” he finally says, “That’s a very wide-open question. Are you sure about that?” His reply is delivered with a hint of humor, his voice carrying a smooth, confident tone.

I turn to look at his profile, and I can't help but admire it. It’s the kind of profile that demands attention, with strong, chiseled features and a defined jawline with just the right balance of ruggedness and sophistication.

High cheekbones accentuate his angular face, adding a hint of allure to his already striking appearance. And a straight and well-proportioned nose that adds to the perfect symmetry of his face.

He knows I’m staring at him, yet he won’t turn to face me.

“If I say something, I mean it, Jack.”

I turn away from him because it’s apparent he doesn’t want to turn to look at me in this proximity. It’s too personal.

“Why did you choose Hawthornes?” he finally asks.

“Because it’s a good college.”

“Why did you choose Hawthornes?” he repeats, not satisfied with my reply, and I sigh because the truth will make me look selfish and presumptuous.

“Back in Manhattan,” I start, not sure how much I will tell him. “I was suffocating under the weight of expectations. My days were filled with shallow conversations and superficial relationships, surrounded by people who saw me as nothing more than a pawn in their social games. My parents, bless their hearts, viewed me as little more than a business asset, a means to elevate their own status in society.”

I pause to watch the sun dip a little more into the ocean.

“I needed to get away from all that and believed Hawthornes was a new start. But….” I hesitate because admitting it would also admit my failure to change.

Jack patiently waits for me to finish my sentence.

“But, I fell into the same crowds. It was just a different place, different people, but the same fakeness. Here though….I don’t know… on this remote island, I’m free from all that. There are no expectations to fulfill and no facades to maintain. It's just me and the raw beauty of nature, stripped of all pretense.”

As I watch the sun dip below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the sea, I feel a sense of peace wash over me.

“Yes, my life back in New York may have been filled with luxury and privilege, but it was also filled with emptiness and loneliness. Here, surrounded by nothing but the sound of the ocean and the rustle of palm trees, I have found a freedom I never knew existed. Even the threat of cannibals and the need to survive almost seem more surreal than what I left two days ago.”

I feel nervous telling Jack all this.

“Does that make any sense? I am finally free to be myself, away from the constraints of society and the expectations of others.”

He says nothing, and I guess I was right. He’s probably thinking the worst of me.

“Here,” I say, feeling a little bitter by his lack of reply, and pass him his coconut. I need to get out of here. Somewhere, I can hide my face from opening up like this. I’ve never spoken to anyone about this before, and I know I should never have spoken aloud my inner thoughts.

He turns, and in the exchange of the coconut, our hands touch. An unexpected jolt of electricity seems to pass between them, igniting a spark that I don’t think either of us can deny. The look on his face tells me he felt it, too.

Our fingers linger for a heartbeat longer than necessary, the warmth of his touch lingering even after we’ve parted. It's a subtle yet undeniable sensation that sends shivers down my spine and sets my heart racing .

“You felt that too,” I breathe out. It’s not a question because his usually stoic face wears a different kind of seriousness. One I’ve never seen before.

It's as if time slows down for a moment, and in that fleeting instant, we both feel a connection that transcends words. As we gaze into each other's eyes, we can see the reflection of our own emotions mirrored back at each other. There's a sense of excitement and possibility in the air as if we've stumbled upon something rare and precious.

He leans slightly towards me and reaches out. His hand brushes a strand of hair away from my face, and I feel him move his hand toward the back of my head. As he draws me closer, our temples meet.

“Yes, Eve.” He whispers. “I’ve felt it from the first moment I laid my eyes on you.”

I let out the breath I had been holding with his confession.

“You were always meant to be mine,” he adds, and I can almost feel the start of an unexpected journey that promises to be as exhilarating as it is unpredicted.

“Yours,” I say without knowing what the hell that means, but I’m so captivated by this moment. I want Jack Bancroft to kiss me. I don’t care that he’s a mysterious goth with a touch of a basket case going on. Right now, I am so attracted to him that I need to feel what it’s like to get lost on his lips.

“Eve,” suddenly, our magical moment is interrupted by an outsider.

As Jack pulls away, our moment seems to fade into the deep abyss of the ocean. We both release ourselves from that connection that drew us and turn to find Mr. Coldwell standing down at us.

“Jack,” he addresses immediately. “I need you to help Zane with the roof of the shelter. I don’t know if we’ll have a tropical rainfall or not, but it’s best to be prepared for this evening regardless.”

I watch Jack nod and stand up. I go to follow him, but Mr. Coldwell puts his hand out to stop me.

“Eve, a moment, please,” he says, and we both watch Jack stride away.

I’m a little disappointed that Jack didn’t acknowledge me or look at me before he left, as if what just transpired between us earlier never happened.