The despair I felt in my chest was back, and suddenly I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. I fell onto my ass, letting my head fall into my arms as they curled around my knees. I couldn’t believe… they were right there, so close, but yet so far…

We could’ve been rescued. 

I began getting angry, angry at myself, angry at Claire, angry at the entire world. I couldn’t stand myself for letting that opportunity pass, and we were still fucking stuck here!

I stood, walking fiercely into the jungle towards the water pool. I needed to cool off, and I couldn’t even stand to be around any one at this point in time. I tripped on fallen branches and palm leaves, getting tangled in vine as I thrashed my way through the jungle. 

I fell to my knees at the pool, feeling the sting of pain make it’s way through my heart. I looked at my reflection through the water, slowly wiping the sand and sweat off of my face. 

I wanted to cry, scream, and hurt myself all at the same time. I couldn’t stand the anger and the despair in my chest, it was overwhelming, and suddenly I began to cry. 

I hadn’t had time to actually let out my feelings and emotions about this whole situation but I was now, and I knew I would be here awhile. 

If we didn’t get off of this island… my life would be over. I would live day after day alone here with Claire, dirty and famine. I would never see my parents again, my friends were all dead, even Mallory… 

My life was over anyway. 

How does someone possibly come back after something this traumatic? Almost an entire senior class was wiped out, all of their lives cut short because of one stupid accident.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes again and I sobbed aloud, falling onto my ass and pulling my knees to my chest. I felt like dying, like there was no use continuing on because everything was over anyway, we were going to die here.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, forcing my crying episode to a halt, and I looked up into Claire’s green eyes that held sorrow and sadness. She knelt next to me, resting her head on my shoulder and hugging me around the waist. 

Where was this coming from?

“It’s ok Alex.”

I knew if that response was coming from Claire she had to feel extremely bad for me, and I couldn’t have that. 

I shook my head, “No, it’s not.”

“It’ll be ok.”

I looked at her, nearly breaking down again, “No Claire, it’s not!”

She grabbed my by the shoulders, shaking me slightly, “Stop it, Alex. Don’t get all fucking pessimistic on me now. You’re the sane one here!”

I looked into her eyes, seeing desperation and anxiety, making me realize she was right. I had been the one to keep my cool and my head on straight. She needed me to stay calm, for the both of us, and I knew she was right. 

I needed to calm down and map this situation out. 

I stood, Claire following me all the way back to our camp. I needed to draw this thing out, map out where we could possibly be on the globe.

I fell to my knees in the soft, hot white sand and drew the peninsula of Florida, tracing it down to South America up to where Rio was semi-located. I estimated where Manhattan was, remembering the route of the flight I drew a line from where we had started to where I had woken up from the storm announcement. 

“I slept almost the entire way there, when I woke up it was dark. They claimed we were taking a detour because of a storm, so we were at least thirty minutes to an hour out of route.”

I traced my finger over the imaginary South Atlantic and landed quite a bit away from where Rio was. I spoke, “We’re somewhere right here, and we’re to close to land for them to give up looking.”

Claire looked at me, “They have to pass here some time.”

I nodded, standing up, “Yes, and we will be ready.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Me and Claire had worked numerous days making a giant sign with broken branches, rocks, and whatever else we could find to read, “S. O. S.”

If helicopters passed close enough they should be able to spot it. It was out in the open of the white sand and I knew it was noticeable, and if it wasn’t wet from rain we would light it on fire to create black smoke. 

Thank Claire for the idea.

We had been so busy working on these projects that we hadn’t really spoken to each other on a normal manner, to exhausted at night to even speak. I couldn’t blame her for not talking, she was still on edge about how to approach me but she was slowly getting more comfortable. 

We had even made a calendar, counting the days we had been here. Which was exactly 15 days.

I was washing my body in the water hole, using only a little soap as I was still trying to conserve it. Claire was on the other side, and I would sneak glances at her every once in awhile. 

I don’t know why she cared, I had seen her naked before anyway.

I got out after scrubbing my hair free of any sand and soap and dried off, slipping on fresh clothes and feeling a hell of a lot better. We had found toothpaste, which was coming in handy and I swished it around in my mouth for awhile. It felt good to finally be clean.

Claire heard me and turned her head, looking back at me, “Can you throw me the towel?”

I smiled, “What’s the magic word?”

She squinted, “Please, dammit.”

I laughed, tossing her the shirt to dry off as she exited the water with it wrapped around her torso. She held out her hand for the fresh clothes, “Please?”

I smirked at her, feeling playful, and started walking back to the camp. 

She hollered at me, “Alex! Seriously?”

I could feel her behind me, and I was laughing to myself, she was going to have to fight for her clothes. I continued walking through the jungle, slowly so she could keep up and I felt a hand on my shoulder, spinning me around. 

I took in her naked body, it was perfect, tanned, and toned, “Happy?”

I was awe struck, and she snatched the clothes from my hand, slipping on the shirt and shorts as she threw me the wet towel. I watched her as she made her way through the jungle back to the camp, and I followed her willingly. 

Why had she done that?

I joined her in the camp, which was now slightly expanded and more secure with sturdier vine. I sat cross legged facing her as she situated her bed for the night, ignoring my curious glare towards her. Soon she could no longer ignore me, and she looked at me, “You have some drool,” and reached over and touched my lip.

I smiled, “Well, you can’t blame me.”

She looked up at me, her hair was getting slightly longer, while mine never really grew or stayed up in a pony tail. 

I couldn’t stand it, it was so hot and it nearly smothered me. 

“Oh please, I’m sure you’ve seen better.”

I squinted, wondering why she had said that. She was always so confident about her looks, but when I talked about her body to her she always shied away. I leaned in, “Can’t say I have.”

She glared at me, probably trying to figure out where this was coming from, when I was trying to do the same. I wanted her, I wanted her to talk to me, kiss me,  open up to me. I didn’t want to admit that and sound like a desperate freak, but I was getting impatient. 

She leaned in, coming inches from my lips, “Shut up Alex.”

I smirked, knowing I was slowly reeling her into me, “Make me.”

She locked eyes with me, I knew she wanted to open up, I knew she wanted to  talk, she just wasn’t giving up the hard ass act. I touched her leg slightly, I could feel her soft skin under my fingers, and I could feel her nervousness start up as I stared at her. 

I didn’t know what had gotten into me, maybe courage, or hormones, but she was looking mighty alluring with her tanned skin and damp blonde hair. She smelt good, and it had been awhile since I could say that, because we had been really gross just ten minutes ago. 

She whispered, “What has gotten into you?”

I shrugged, “I’m just trying to get you to open up.”

She tilted her head, looking down at my hand which had traveled to her upped thigh, “In more then one way, apparently.”

I smiled at her sexual sarcasm, “I guess so.”

I made her think I was serious, and I started moving her back to where she was resting on her elbows, looking up at me as I crawled over her. We were nose to nose, and this was the first time since we go stranded here that we had been this close and personal. 

My hand continued to touch her upper thigh, and I realized she had used the razors we had found. I could tell she was getting nervous under my touch, and I had to admit, this was something we both never lost. 

Sexual tension. 

She nearly panted, “Why are you all of a sudden like this?”

I could hear the desperation in her voice, maybe it was a little uneasiness to, but I shrugged, “I don’t know, I told you. You just seem extremely irresistible at this very moment.”

She laid all the way back then, turning over and away from my touch, she sighed, “I’m tired.” She pulled the covers over her, leaving me hanging. 

So I curled up next to her, feeling as if this tension between us was never going to break.