Enigma

by Aimee Ash

  Before I had a chance to stand up and call for help, the guy who’d undressed before my eyes came running out of the water toward me. How had he managed to reach the cliff top so quickly? I thought. Even if he’d run all the way, he couldn’t have been that fast. He showed no sign of being out of breath, and the water was probably cold at this time of the night, but he didn’t shiver at all; he was perfectly calm and composed. He wasn’t trying to kill himself—he was cliff diving.

  Sitting quietly behind the rocks, I continued to watch him as he headed back up the cliff again. When he disappeared, I decided to follow him. The cliff was steeper than it looked, and after a few minutes, my legs ached and I was exhausted, but I found hiding places along the way.

  As I continued climbing, the cliff diver passed by me four more times when I hadn’t even managed to make it to the top once. He ran past me so quickly that he was a fuzzy blur and my hair whipped up in the air. Not wanting to be defeated, I took off my knee-length, red dress, and stuffed it behind a rock. The sea breeze cooled my skin, and wearing only a red bikini, I carried on with my mission. Finally, I made it to the top. Now all I had to do was hide and wait for the gorgeous cliff diver to return so I could finally see his face. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait very long, but he moved so fast, jumping off the cliff again, that I only caught a glimpse of the back of his head. He dived off the cliff edge like it was a natural thing to do, and I found his play with danger and ability to move so swiftly, fascinating.

  I walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. The drop was steep and the cliff diver would’ve needed to launch himself a fair way off to avoid hitting the jutting rocks on the way down.

  I felt a sharp fingernail run down my back. Gasping, I nervously turned around to a drunken, unsteady guy and two of his friends standing in front of me. They were shirtless and wearing shorts. I hadn’t seen any of them before, but guessed that they were part of the crowded party below. The leader reeked of alcohol, and I became queasy as he moved closer to me. His Mohawk was spiky and his goatee unkempt; his lips were cracked and a cigarette was wedged behind his pierced ear. He reached out once again and ran his finger down my arm.

  “So, hot stuff, what are you doing up here all by yourself? You really should be more careful. You never know who’ll be around, or who might be following you,” he said, grinning and exposing a set of yellowing teeth.

  One of his friends moved closer to me. “Yeah, you should be careful! You look red-hot!”

  The third guy walked in front of the second creep and they all closed in on me.

  “Quit teasing and just do it!” the third guy said callously, almost whispering. His dreadlocks hung over half of his face, but I could see a sinister eye peering through an untidy gap in his hair. My head spun at the thought of his insinuation. I was completely paralyzed, desperately trying not to think about what they planned to do to me. I’d been so distracted by the cliff diver that I hadn’t even noticed I was being followed. What was I doing climbing a cliff in pursuit of a complete stranger, anyway? This wasn’t like me.

  I took a small step back and found myself standing closer to the cliff edge. The drunken leader of the trio walked closer to me.

  “Oh, don’t be shy. After all, if you go around taking your clothes off in front of men and parading your body like you are, don’t expect a lack of attention, if you know what I mean.”

  The trio laughed. I knew exactly what he meant and I had no way out. I wasn’t parading myself in a bikini for attention; I’d been hot climbing up the cliff. What was I thinking, taking off my clothes halfway up a cliff? My mouth ran dry and my heart began to beat faster.

  “Of course she knows what you mean,” the second creep said, with his bleach-blonde surfer curls hanging over his sweaty forehead.

  I tried to avoid looking at them while I frantically thought of how I could get away. I looked behind me and instantly regretted it. The drunken trio laughed. My heart was thumping. There was no other escape; I would have to jump off the cliff. But I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of jumping, or the three drunken creeps who were plotting to attack me.

  The leader took the cigarette from behind his ear, and taking a lighter from his pocket, he lit it and took a long, hard drag, before blowing smoke in my face. His friends laughed as I choked and heaved. I moved my face away from his, praying that he wouldn’t touch me again.

  “Now don’t be shy, sexy.” His eyes narrowed as he blew smoke up in the air.

  I was so scared that I couldn’t speak and I certainly couldn’t scream.

  “Yeah, don’t be shy. A girl who dresses so sexy is asking for it,” the third guy said. His smile was crooked and his lips were plump. He pushed his dreadlocks to one side and I saw that his nails were dirty, just like his insinuation.

  “She’s begging for it! Ask her who she wants first,” the leader chimed in. His yellowing teeth were disgusting and the thought of his mouth coming anywhere near mine made me want to barf.

  I wanted to cry, but I had to remain tough in front of them. I had to jump and it had to be now. I stepped back on trembling legs, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. But just before I jumped, I heard a comforting voice.

  “Hey, back off!”

  The cliff diver stood on top of a rock behind the drunken trio and had everyone’s attention, especially mine. Finally, I saw his handsome face, which complimented his toned body. He jumped down off the rock with ease and casually walked over to me. His piercing blue eyes drew me into him and I felt relieved. He was possibly going to save me from these creeps. But there were three of them and only one of him, so our chances were slim.

  The two guys who stood behind their sinister leader launched themselves forward and grabbed the cliff diver’s muscular arms, but he threw them off with ease. I watched as they flew high up into the air over their leader’s head, landing on the rocks with a heavy thump. Neither of them had anything to say now as they were unconscious, but their persistent and perverted friend thought he had a shot at fighting the cliff diver and stumbled toward me, throwing the remainder of his cigarette on the ground.

  “Hey, I said back off! Now! Don’t come any closer!” the cliff diver shouted, pulling me close to him. I finally felt safe when my body touched his.

  “Geez, we were only having a bit of fun. No harm done! Calm down, buddy.” The drunken letch was disgusting.

  The cliff diver was furious, his eyes wide with anger. “Fun?” he questioned sarcastically.

  I felt his entire body tense up and I put my arm around his waist. He pulled me closer to him, and despite his comfort, I still hadn’t managed to find my voice.

  “Okay, we were just teasing. Come on! We didn’t mean any harm. We weren’t going to touch her.”

  “You see an attractive girl and you decide to intimidate and frighten her while she stands inches away from the edge of a cliff. Tell me what part of that is fun for her?”

  The leader looked over at his unconscious friends. “Geez! Relax, will you?”

  The cliff diver glared at him. “Get out of here before I do something I’ll regret!”

  The creep finally relented and walked away. My heartbeat slowed and I sighed with relief. My handsome hero walked me away from the cliff’s edge and told me to stay put. Before the last drunken guy had a chance at freedom, the cliff diver grabbed him and pinned him up against the jagged cliff. He held him with one hand wrapped around his throat and lifted him high off the ground, pushing him into the jagged rocks. The drunk screamed out in pain and begged him to stop, but the cliff diver offered no mercy. The pain on his face as the rocks pierced his skin made my stomach turn and I looked away.

  “If I ever see your face again, I’ll kill you! Get out of here now!” He released the creep and he fell to the ground, hitting his head on the corner of the cliff and joining his friends in an unconscious state. I tumbled forwards after my shaky legs finally gave way. The cliff diver caught me before I hit the ground. Now my heart was racing for all the ri
ght reasons.

  “Kate, are you okay?” I almost forgot that I was still in his soft, warm arms. “What are you doing up here by yourself? It’s dangerous up here, especially at night. That’s why nobody hangs out by the cliffs.” He looked at me and his beautiful blue eyes were dazzling.

  “How do you know my name?” I asked.

  “Answer my question first,” he responded, placing me on my feet.

  I smiled and folded my arms, suddenly becoming aware that I was only wearing a bikini.

  “Well, I’m fine, thanks to you.” I looked up at him like I was in love with him. “I’m not afraid to be up here, even if it’s dark. I just didn’t realize I was being followed.” I looked at the ground, feeling embarrassed that I’d been so stupid.

  “It was luck that you decided to ditch your dress. Otherwise, I would never have known you were up here.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Your dress blew off the cliff. That’s how I knew you were up here,” he explained.

  “How did you know that was my dress? Hey! You still haven’t told me how you know my name,” I said.

  He laughed, his smile inviting. My heart raced and I moved closer to him.

  “So, are you into cliff diving Kate?”

  He hadn’t moved an inch toward me, but I’d managed to position myself only a single breath away from him. Even when he edged away from me, I moved toward him, and saw his expression turn from resistance to pure agony. And then he pulled me close into his heavenly body and wrapped his arms around me. Our chests molded together and we were so close to the cliff edge that my heart fluttered, partly because I was enjoying him holding me, and partly because I was petrified that I would fall off the cliff.

  “No, I’m not into cliff diving, that’s for sure!” I said, looking into his blue eyes.

  He laughed and I was drawn to his unassuming and seductive smile.

  “I thought you weren’t afraid of being up here?”

  I blushed again, unable to take back what I’d already said. “Well, I guess I lied. So can we move away from the edge now?” I made a second mistake of looking down and realized how fearful of heights I was.

  “So, if you aren’t into cliff diving, then I guess you must be into me. That’s why you followed me up here, right?”

  I buried my head in his shoulder. I could feel my cheeks burning as he laughed quietly. I couldn’t deny anything he said; I didn’t want to deny it.

  “Don’t be embarrassed. I’ve been enjoying the attention you’ve been giving me,” he said boldly.

  I looked up at him. “You’re so . . . .” I began, but his smile grew wider and I couldn’t even pretend to be mad at him.

  Suddenly, we heard voices. With three unconscious bodies surrounding us, I began to panic. I didn’t want to have to explain what had happened and I certainly didn’t want any trouble for the guy who’d saved me. I felt his hold on me tighten.

  “Close your eyes,” he said softly.

  I didn’t hesitate to do as he said, and leaned into his chest, feeling his sweet breath as his lips glided toward my ear.

  “By the way . . . I’m Jack,” he whispered.

  I opened my eyes. Jack was staring at me while holding me over the cliff edge. In any normal situation, I would have been afraid, but for some reason I wasn’t; I trusted Jack completely. The voices were getting nearer.

  “Hold on,” he said, looking into my eyes.

  I wrapped my legs around his waist and placed my arms around his neck. He held me in his strong arms and jumped.

  I buried my head in his smooth, toned chest, and could hear his heart beating erratically. He laughed as we descended and the wind whipped through my hair. After I’d gotten over the fear of falling, I felt exhilarated; it was an incredible sensation—pure adrenaline and complete freedom.

  CHAPTER 6

  As we crashed into the ocean, I closed my eyes and clung to Jack. Our bodies intertwined under the water, and being so close to him made me feel more comfortable than I probably should have been.

  Within seconds, we were at the surface, and I was gasping for air. Jack looked at me and smiled, showing no signs of being out of breath. When my breathing returned to normal, we walked out of the rippling sea comfortably wrapped in each other’s arms.

  As we reached the dry sand, I closed my eyes and begged my mind to lock this moment away forever so that I would never forget it. I found myself wanting to remain in his arms, to hear and feel every single breath he took, but it wasn’t long before he released me. I stood for a moment before awkwardly falling in the sand.

  “Kate, are you okay?” he asked, more concerned than I was.

  “Uh . . . I feel dizzy.”

  Jack sat next to me and gently pulled me up. “I’m sorry. I feel like an idiot for taking you off the cliff like that, especially after you told me that you weren’t into cliff diving. But I didn’t have a choice; I didn’t want anyone to see us around those unconscious drunks.” He looked out toward the ocean.

  “Well, after the feeling that I was going to die went away, I kind of enjoyed it. It was an adrenaline rush.” I smiled and Jack laughed.

  “You’re probably dizzy from the fall. Do you feel sick?” Jack pushed my hair to the side and tucked it behind my ear. My face tingled with his touch.

  “No, just dizzy. But I feel kind of weird.”

  Jack looked concerned, but I was enjoying his company, even if I did feel dizzy and strange.

  “Just for the record, you were safe with me. Nothing would’ve happened to you. I would never put you in danger.” He got up, walked around and sat behind me, securing me between his thighs. My head spun and the dizziness became stronger. I closed my eyes; the moment was almost surreal. We silently held each other until Jack spoke again, sounding gravely concerned.

  “I have to leave, Kate.”

  “No, please stay. I’ll be okay,” I insisted.

  “I’m so sorry, Kate. I feel terrible. I’m sorry for doing this to you.”

  The waves crashed onto the shore and I couldn’t fully concentrate on what Jack was saying. A feeling swept over me that I’d never felt before. Jack leaned into me and gently caressed my cheek with his. He then turned me around and draped me across his lap, and this intoxicating feeling had me drifting in and out of consciousness.

  “Kate, look at me. Are you okay? Say something! Say anything!” he pleaded.

  This powerful feeling left me speechless.

  “Kate! Kate!” he repeated softly into my ear.

  I turned my face toward his and leaned up to kiss him, but as I touched the edge of his bottom lip, he backed away from me and quickly stood, leaving me lying in the sand.

  “Kate, I’m sorry, but I can’t. I-I’d like to, but I just can’t. I should’ve never—”

  “Sorry, Jack. I don’t know what came over me. I feel strange. I’ve never felt like this before,” I said, regaining my balance.

  Jack looked guilty. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s just the jump, that’s all. The adrenaline makes you feel strange, kind of crazy,” he said without looking at me.

  Jack’s excuses didn’t make me feel any better.

  “Jack, I feel so stupid. As if someone like you would be interested in someone like me.”

  “No, you’ve got it all wrong.” He walked over to me and reached out, but soon retracted his hand, refusing to look at me.

  I was confused. “Well, do you have a girlfriend? Please don’t tell me you’re gay. All the gorgeous guys are gay,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

  Jack laughed. “You think I’m gorgeous?”

  “Well, you’ve rejected me, so it doesn’t really matter what I think, does it?” I said, folding my arms and turning away from him. I couldn’t bear to look at him. Not only had I tried to kiss a virtual stranger who’d made me jump off of a cliff with him, but I’d told him he was gorgeous. It was like a double rejection and I pitied myself. I was ready to leave.

  “No, Ka
te. You don’t understand. I’m not rejecting you. I don’t have a girlfriend and I’m certainly not gay! Look, I’m complicated; I’m not someone you want to get involved with, trust me. You have to stay away from me, for your own sake.” He ran his fingers through his hair and looked frustrated.

  “I’m already involved with you, Jack,” I told him, speaking more firmly than I intended to. “How did you manage to get to the top of the cliff, jump, and swim back to shore in such a short amount of time?”

  Jack looked at the sand and sighed. “I can’t tell you anything about me even if I wanted to. Like I said, you should stay away from me. I’m giving you a chance to walk away from me. Take it.”

  “I might not need to know you, but I want to. And I’m still waiting for an answer to my question. I’ve answered all your questions. Now it’s your turn,” I said impatiently.

  Jack picked up a stone and threw it into the ocean. It flew so fast through the air that if I had blinked, I wouldn’t have seen it hit the water.

  “You don’t want to know the answers to your questions, Kate,” he said in a despondent tone.

  He paced up and down the beach while I stood with my arms folded, trying to be patient. Then, he spun around, spraying sand around him. I stared at his rigid face, noticing a hint of purple around the edge of his blue eyes. They looked like sparkling amethyst crystals. I’d never seen anything so strange and took a few steps away from him.

  “Kate, please don’t be afraid of me,” he tried to reassure me while covering his eyes with his hand.

  I couldn’t move. “Jack, your eyes . . . they’re purple! What’s happening to you?”

  He refused to look at me, his hands still covering his face. “I can explain. Just know that you’re not in any danger. Please, you have to know that,” he insisted. He knelt down, holding his head in his hands. “Kate, please don’t be afraid. I’ll answer your questions, anything you want to know, but you can’t tell anyone about me. Please stay.”

  I was confused. One minute he was telling me to avoid him for my own good, and now he was begging me to stay. I had no intention of leaving him, especially because I wanted answers. So I walked closer to him, ready to hear his explanation.